HP-10C series

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HP-10C
Hp10c.jpg
HP-10c
Type Programmable Scientific
Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
Introduced 1982
Discontinued 1984
Cost $80
Calculator
Entry mode RPN
Display Type LCD Seven-segment display
Display Size 10 Digits
CPU
Processor Voyager
Programming
Programming language(s) RPN key stroke (fully merged)
Memory Register 0 … 9
Program Steps 9 … 79
Other
Power consumption 0.25mW
HP-11C
Hp11c2.jpg
HP-11c
Type Programmable Scientific
Manufacturer HP
Introduced 1981
Discontinued 1989
Cost $135
Calculator
Entry mode RPN
Display Type LCD Seven-segment display
Display Size 10 Digits
CPU
Processor Voyager
Programming
Programming language(s) RPN key stroke (fully merged)
Memory Register 0 … 20
Program Steps 63 … 203
Other
Power consumption 0.25mW
HP-12C
Hp12c.jpg
HP-12C
Type Programmable Financial
Manufacturer HP
Introduced 1981
Discontinued present
Cost $135
Calculator
Entry mode RPN
Display Type LCD Seven-segment display
Display Size 10 Digits
CPU
Processor Voyager
Programming
Programming language(s) RPN key stroke (fully merged)
Memory Register 0 … 20
Program Steps 63 … 203 8 … 400 (Platinum)
Other
Power consumption 0.25mW
HP-15C
Hp15c.jpg
HP-15c
Type Programmable Scientific
Manufacturer HP
Introduced 1982
Discontinued 1989
Cost $135
Calculator
Entry mode RPN
Display Type LCD Seven-segment display
Display Size 10 Digits
CPU
Processor Voyager
Programming
Programming language(s) RPN key stroke (fully merged)
Memory Register 0 … 67
Program Steps 0 … 448
Other
Power consumption 0.25mW
HP-16C
Hp16c.jpg
HP-16C
Type Programmable Computer Science
Manufacturer HP
Introduced 1982
Discontinued 1989
Cost $135
Calculator
Entry mode RPN
Display Type LCD Seven-segment display
Display Size 10 Digits
CPU
Processor Voyager
Programming
Programming language(s) RPN key stroke (fully merged)
Memory Register 0 … 20
Program Steps 63 … 203
Other
Power consumption 0.25mW

The HP-10C series calculators were introduced by Hewlett-Packard in 1981.[1] Also known as the "Voyager" series, all are programmable and use Reverse Polish Notation. Nearly identical in appearance, each model provided different capabilities and was aimed at different user markets.

The HP calculators 10C series consisted of five models (with original retail price and years of production):

  • HP-10C – basic scientific calculator. ($80 1982-1984)
  • HP-11C – mid-range scientific calculator. ($135 1981-1989)
  • HP-12C – business/financial calculator. ($150 1981-present)
  • HP-15C – advanced scientific calculator. ($135 1982-1989)
  • HP-16C – computer programmer's calculator. ($150 1982-1989)

The HP-12C remains in widespread use today.

Contents

[edit] The HP-10C

The HP-10C is the last and lowest-featured calculator in this line even though its number would suggest an earlier origin. The 10C was a basic scientific programmable. While a useful general purpose RPN calculator, the HP-11C offered twice as much for only a slight increase in price. Designed to be an introductory calculator, it was still expensive compared to the competition, and many looking at an HP would just step up to the better HP-11C. Poor sales led to a very short market life.

[edit] The HP-11C

The HP-11C is a mid-range scientific programmable.

[edit] The HP-12C

The HP-12C is a popular financial calculator. It was such a successful model that Hewlett-Packard redesigned it from scratch,[2] added several new functions, and introduced it as the HP-12C Platinum in 2003.

The HP-12C is HP's longest and best-selling product, in continual production since its introduction in 1981.[1] Due to its simple operation for key financial calculations, the calculator long ago became the de facto standard among financial professionals – for example, most investment banks issue HP-12Cs to the members of each incoming class of its investment banking analysts and associates. Its popularity has endured despite the fact that even a simple, but iterative, process such as amortizing the interest over the life of a loan—a calculation which modern spreadsheets can complete almost instantly—can take over a minute with the HP-12C. The 1977 October edition of the HP Journal contains an article by Roy Martin, the inventor of the simple method of operation used in HP financial calculators, which describes, in detail,the mathematics and functionality built by Prof William Kahan, from UC Berkeley and Roy Martin that is still in use today.

Later HP financial calculators are many times as fast with more functions, but none has been as successful. The HP-12C's programming mode is very intuitive and works like a macro operation on a computer. Basically, the keys you would press in the calculating mode to arrive at a solution are entered in the programming mode along with logical operators (if, and, etc.) applicable to the solution. After the programming is complete the macro will run in the computation mode to save the user steps and improve accuracy. There are 99 lines of programmable memory on the HP-12C, but 400 lines of program memory are available on the HP-12C platinum.

Over its lifespan, the processors technology has been improved in order to integrate all the circuitry in a single chip and to refresh the manufacturing process (as the foundry could no longer manufacture the necessary chips, having moved on to making higher-density chips). However, HP's market research found in the late 1980s that the users did not trust results obtained too quickly and so the CPU speed was never improved from the original 200 or so kHz.[citation needed] In the late 1990s, the CPU was changed to a 3V process and the battery was changed to a single 3V cell.

The HP-12C is one of only four calculators permissible in the Chartered Financial Analyst exams, the others being its sister, the HP-12C Platinum, the Texas Instruments BA II Plus and BA II Plus Professional.

[edit] The HP-12C Platinum

The HP-12C Platinum is a revision to the successful 12C formula. The 12C Platinum is visibly distinguished by its "platinum" upper half as opposed to the gold-colored plate on the original 12C. The Platinum has a faster processor, larger memory and have more built-in functions. It allows input to be entered in algebraic mode as well as RPN mode. There are two versions of the HP-12C Platinum. The early version did not have parentheses. This often led to awkward key-sequences to solve problems in algebraic mode. Newer versions of the HP-12C Platinum have parentheses, as blue-shifted functions of the STO and RCL keys.

In 2006, Hewlett Packard released a limited edition of the 12C Platinum to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 12C introduction. Hewlett Packard makes HP-12C / HP-12C Platinum solutions book available as a PDF on their website.

[edit] The HP-15C

The HP-15C is a high-end scientific programmable with a root-solver and numerical integration. It is able to handle complex numbers and matrix operations. Although out of production, its popularity has led to high prices of US$200–400 on the used market[3] and a petition asking HP to restart production. The HP15C was a replacement for the (LED Display based) HP34C.

[edit] The HP-16C

The HP-16C is a computer programmer's calculator, designed to assist in debugging. It can display numbers in hexadecimal, decimal, octal, and binary and convert numbers from one base to the other. To accommodate long binary numbers, the display can be 'windowed' by shifting it left and right. For consistency with the computer the programmer is working with, the word size can be set to different values from 1 to 64 bits. Binary-arithmetic operations can be performed as unsigned, 1's complement, or 2's complement operations. This allows the calculator to emulate the programmer's computer. A number of specialized functions are provided to assist the programmer, including left- and right shifting, masking, and bitwise logical operations. Sales were poor.

[edit] Arithmetic

One of the least-known features of this calculator series is the quality of the arithmetic inside them. Hewlett-Packard retained the well-known numerical analyst Prof William Kahan, from UC Berkeley, the architect of the IEEE 754 standard for floating-point arithmetic, to design the numerical algorithms implemented by the calculators. He also wrote parts of the manuals.

[edit] Programming

The HP 10c series calculator are keystroke programmable, meaning that it can remember and later execute sequences of keystrokes to solve particular problems of interest to the user. These keystroke programs, in addition to performing any operation normally available on the keyboard, can also make use of conditional and unconditional branching and looping instructions, allowing programs to perform repetitive operations and make decisions.

The available programming features differentiate between the various HP 10c series calculator systems.

Function HP 10C HP 11C HP 12C HP 15C HP 16C
BSP / ← [F 1] No Yes No Yes Yes
LBL [F 2] No Yes No Yes Yes
GSP/RTN [F 3] No Yes No Yes Yes
x≤y, x=0 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
x=y, x≠y No Yes No Yes [F 4] Yes
x<0, x≠0, x>y, x>0 No No No Yes [F 4] Yes
x>0, x≤0, x≥y, x≥0 No No No Yes [F 4] No
DSE, ISG [F 5] No Yes No Yes No
DSZ, ISZ [F 5] No No No No Yes
SF, CF, F? No Yes No Yes Yes
I (I) [F 6] No Yes No Yes Yes
  1. ^ Without BSP (backspace) programs can only be edited by overwrite existing steps.
  2. ^ Without LBL (Label) goto commands can reference only absolute program steps.
  3. ^ Without GSP (Go Subroutine) / RTN (Return from Subroutine) one can not write subroutines.
  4. ^ a b c Available via the g TEST n function
  5. ^ a b Without DSZ/DSE (Decrement and Skip) and ISZ/ISG (Increment and Skip) writing loops is difficult.
  6. ^ Without indirect addressing only the first 20 (0 .. 19) register can be accessed. Also the programming model is not turing complete.

[edit] Programming example

Here is a sample program that computes the factorial of an integer number from 2 to 69. The program takes up 8 bytes. The example is based on the feature set and display codes of to the HP 16C.

Step  Key-code    Display-code  Comment

01    STO 0       44 32         Store X in register I
02    1           1             Store 1 in X
03    LBL 0       43,22, 0      Label 1
04    RCL 0       45 32         Recall register I into X
05    *           20            Multiply x and y
06    DSZ         43 23         Decrement register I and skip next command when I is 0
07    GTO 0       22  0         Goto label 1
08    R/S         31            Stop program - result displayed in x

This example is also available for the following calculators and pocket computers: Casio FX-502P, Casio FX-602P, Casio FX-603P, HP-16C, HP-41C, HP-42S, HP 35s, Sharp PC-1403, TI-59

[edit] Emulators

Several individuals and companies make software emulators of various HP 10C series calculators for Microsoft Windows, PalmPilots, PDAs, and smartphones.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Rick Furr. "HP Calculators by Date of Introduction". the Calculator Reference. http://www.vcalc.net/hp-date.htm. 
  2. ^ Eric Smith. "HP Voyager Calculator Variants". HP Voyager Calculator Variants. http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/hpcalc/voyager/variants.html. 
  3. ^ Completed sales of HP-15C on eBay, March 8, 2008

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-10C_series"