Topic: Programmable calculators firmware

Very interesting web site, thank you. I learnt a lot.
I'm interested in programmable calculators.
Have you plans to publish on the topic ?

Re: Programmable calculators firmware

Hi, thank you for the kind appreciation.

My first goal was to finish the work for the 35.
It's done. I'm presently reviewing and cleaning the pages and drawing a global schematic with an electronic CAD software.

Regarding the programmable calculators, I worked hard last year with E. Smith to make the Java HP67 emulator running the rom image, with the card reader part.
It was a real hard work since we did not know exactly how the CRC (card reader circuit) was actually working. A bunch of micro code OP were unknown.

It's done : the java emulator is running the ROM dump.

HP 67 ROM emulator

I have done alone the same work for the HP25 - HP55 (both not yet publish-Eric does them in Nonpareil) and for the HP65 (for which I have a ROM image -object and source) and a robust Java emulator), since August 2007
For this last calc, a lot of OP were to guess. I was helped a lot by a friend in 2007 B.H. (he will recognize himself).

HP 65 ROM emulator


Let say it straight, I have not the courage to do, for the HP65 for example, the same thing I did for the 35.

I started this work in 2004 and I'm finished in 2009.

I only publish things on this web site when it adds value to the information already available. I'm very proud for example of two of my best sellers:
- the HP power unit page (took me two months of work),
- the HP35 ROM mapping (took me almost one year).

The best thing I can do for keeping trace of how a HP programmable calculator work, is to publish a commented ROM. I have the material and the knowledge.

Maybe I'll find the courage.

As you may have guessed, I'm now a retired engineer. So theoretically I got more time.
But there are so many other things to do in life cool. And time is slipping away …

Re: Programmable calculators firmware

As an update to this post, I'm glad to announce that I will publish this spring (April or May) a study about HP-21 and HP-25.
I will cover first the hardware : the paper (with full schematics) is almost completed.
Next I will give a comment on the firmware (main routines, dynamic  and ROM image emulator).

Many thanks to the bad winter we had this year.
It kept me home.