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24-533: The HP-34C continuous memory calculator is an advanced scientific programmable calculator of the HP 30 series . It was produced between 1979 (cost US$ 150) and 1983 (cost US$ 100). Significant to the HP-34C calculator is the capability for integration and root-finding (a first for any pocket calculator). Integration and root-finding works by having the user input a formula as a program. Multiple roots are found using

48-583: A coding pad. A large degree of sharing occurred in the TI-59 and TI-58 community. At least one game , Darth Vader's Force Battle , appeared as a type-in program . Here is a sample program that computes the factorial of an integer number from 2 to 69. For 5!, if "5 A" is pressed, it gives the result, 120. Unlike the SR-52 , the TI-58 and TI-59 do not have the factorial function built-in, but do support it through

72-635: Is argued the HP-41C (introduced late 1979 and only a matter of months after the HP-34C) was a replacement for the HP-34C, they were in fact differentiated as much by price (the HP-34C being 50% that of the HP-41C) as by functionality and performance (the HP-41C being the first HP LCD-based and module-expandable calculator, with its standard functionality lacking the root-finding and integration capabilities as well as

96-503: The TI-59 and supports up to 480 program steps or 60 memories. It competed with the HP-34C . The TI-58 and TI-59 calculators have variable-length instructions. Some keypresses are merged into one programming step, so that instructions from one to eleven keypresses are stored in one to six programming steps. The HP-67 always stores one instruction in one programming step, which is efficient for some frequently used instructions but also limits

120-452: The TI-59 or TI-58 is a very straightforward process. In programming mode, the TI-59 simply records key presses. Alphabetical keys provide easy access to up to ten entry points. It is also possible to activate any of the programs in the pre-programmed memory module, and run one like any user-written program. Programs written by the user can also use programs in the module as subroutines. The module's programs run directly from ROM , so they leave

144-499: The bottom margin of their faceplates. The " C " in the model designations was to distinguish those models within HP's calculator product line. HP did not print this phrase on subsequent, featured models because the novelty of continuous memory had by then faded and also because it could no longer claim it as a feature unique to HP calculators (Texas Instruments would later call their identical feature " Constant Memory "). At introduction over

168-455: The calculator probably one of the first pocket game computers ever invented. The winner was announced via calculator spelling by turning the display upside down and the words BLISS or I'LOSE (55178 or 3507,1) were displayed. A game of blackjack was easily programmable by converting some of the registers to lines of program. The calculator was superseded, in 1982, by the HP-15C . Although it

192-438: The calculator's memory free for the user. However, exploiting the computer-like capabilities of the TI-59 is a different matter. Although the TI-59 is Turing-complete , supporting straight-line programming, conditions, loops, and indirect access to memory registers, and although it supports limited alphanumeric output on the printer only, writing sophisticated routines is essentially a matter of planning machine language and using

216-498: The cardreader, the card can then be stored, as shown, in a slot between the top of the keyboard and the display, thus providing a notation indicating both the name of the program currently loaded and the purpose of each of the five label buttons A-E and their secondary functions A'-E' within the loaded program. The TI-58 does not have a magnetic card reader. The TI-59 and TI-58 were the first hand-held calculators to utilize removable ROM program modules . The Master Library Module ROM

240-525: The display, as well as a dump of the data registers, a trace of the program's execution and other information about the program. In the early model PC-100A, a switch inside the battery charger compartment allows use with the earlier SR-52 and SR-56 calculators as well as the TI-58/59 series. In addition, it also works with non-programmable TI machines of the era such as the SR-50A . (Remove the battery pack of

264-515: The gamma-function implementation of the HP-34C though). This price difference allowed those with economic constraints to still buy a high-end HP (HP-34C) scientific programmable within a reasonable cost. As such they were sold side-by-side for a number of years. The HP-34C came in a number of variants, such as plastic- and metal-keyboard versions and those with soldered (later 1983 variants) vs pressure-mounted circuitry (earlier variants 1979–1983). Continuous memory The term continuous memory

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288-461: The introduction of the HP-25C in 1976, all calculator random-access memory (RAM) was volatile, i.e. its contents (esp. user data in storage registers and any user programs) were cleared when the calculator was turned off. Three early models with this improved, continuous memory - the HP-25C, HP-29C , and HP-19C - actually had the words " Continuous Memory " printed in conspicuous, white script on

312-564: The memory, but otherwise identical. Although the TI-58C uses a different chip than the TI-58, the technical data remain identical. The "C" in a TI (or Hewlett-Packard) model name indicates that the calculator has a constant memory (or continuous memory , respectively) allowing retention of programs and data when turned off. These calculators use a parenthesized infix calculation system called " Algebraic Operating System " (AOS), where, compared to

336-463: The next 9 years (approx. 1979–1987), subsequent HP models so featured simply had designations in which the letter " C " followed the model number, e.g. the HP-34C and the Voyager series HP-10C , HP-11C , HP-12C , HP-15C and HP-16C . TI Constant Memory The TI-58 (May 1977), and later TI-58C (1979), are cut-down versions of the TI-59, lacking the magnetic card reader and having half

360-417: The number of possible instructions. The TI-59 can store programs and data on small magnetic cards when the calculator is turned off and quickly reloaded when needed. Click below for a video of the card reader in action. The video also shows the dual use of the magnetic card as a program documentation menu. Notes can be printed or handwritten by the programmer on the top side of the magnetic card. Once read by

384-530: The postfix RPN system used by other scientific calculators (such as HP), the operator enters calculations just as they are written on paper, using up to nine levels of parentheses. The calculator can be powered from an external adapter or from internal NiCd rechargeable battery pack (although the battery has to remain present when using the external AC adapter to avoid damage to the calculator circuitry). [REDACTED] The red LED display shows 10 decimal digits of precision. Programming simple problems with

408-410: The printer. Alphanumeric text (64 characters total, including space, 0-9, A-Z and 25 punctuation and mathematical symbols) can be output as well as numbers. A limited ability to plot graphs is provided. The printer is also valuable for program development because it can produce a hard copy of the calculator's program including the alphanumeric mnemonics instead of just the numeric codes normally visible on

432-405: The root value from a storage register to improve its precision. The common method of converting registers to program memory allowed the calculator a maximum of 210 program steps. Programming features such as indirect jumps provides substantial capability to the calculator's programmer. The HP-34C shipped with an "applications" manual that included two games (Moon Rocket Lander and Nimb). This made

456-481: The software module which was delivered with the calculator. Here is the same program written for TI Compiler : In comparison to its contemporary main competitor, Hewlett-Packard HP-67 , the TI-59 has about twice the memory . The partition between program steps and memories is adjustable in increments of 80 program steps/10 memories, and as many as 960 program steps (with zero memories) or as many as 100 memories (with 160 program steps) can be configured. The TI-59

480-434: The technique of first finding a root x = x 0 {\displaystyle x=x_{0}} , then dividing the equation by ( x − x 0 ) {\displaystyle (x-x_{0})} , thus driving the solution of the equation away from the root at that point. This technique for multiple root-finding is referred to as "deflation". The user would usually programmatically recall

504-457: The user-defined keys, can be inserted in the slot between the display and the keyboard to label the user-defined keys. Also available for the TI-59 and TI-58 was a thermal printer (the PC-100A, B, and C models); the calculator was mounted on top of the printer and locked in place with a key. The calculator can be programmed to request input from the user, and output results of calculations to

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528-556: Was coined by Hewlett-Packard (HP) to describe a unique feature of certain HP calculators whereby the calculator could internally sustain most, or in later models - all, of the contents of user memory (via battery-backed CMOS memory). Since its introduction on the HP-25C , this feature slowly evolved by model to eventually mean maintaining the contents of nearly all calculator memory, including system and scratch RAM, options, settings, flags, and other calculator state information. Before

552-429: Was included with the TI-59 and TI-58, and contains several useful pre-programmed routines and even a game. Additional modules - for such applications as real estate , investment , statistics , surveying and aviation - were sold separately. The programs in the modules used the user-defined keys heavily. To make the programs easier to use, plastic cards with the same size as the magnetic cards, but just printed to label

576-399: Was the first programmable pocket calculator where the manufacturer provided a system for sharing memory between data registers and program storage. The memory is only about twice as large as in the SR-52 , but more flexible, and thus the possible number of program steps was four times as high. Contents of this memory are lost when the calculator is turned off. The TI-58 has half the memory of

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