Weird Voyager Behavior and 12C+ issue

[Katie Wasserman]

In playing with the new 12C+ latest firmware (2009-07-31) I found that there's a 2 second timeout when running the keyboard self test (ON + divide). If you wait more than 2 seconds between pressing keys you'll get an Error 9 -- the same as if you had pressed a wrong key. I thought that this was just a new 12C+ bug but all Voyagers do this, the 12C+ just does it 75 times faster than the original ones.

Furthermore, after the Error 9, the X register will display 0.1 times <the number of keys that you pressed + 1> before you timed out. However that displayed number is not-a-number, at least not a legal number. For example, if you start the keyboard self test and let it time out without pressing any keys (2 minutes 18 seconds on my 11C) then press any key, you'll see 0.1 in the X register -- now try taking the reciprocal of this and you'll get 0.0.

It's hard to imagine that this would have ever been noticed on the original Voyagers before, but it's certainly going to be noticed on the new 12C+ and I think will result it many calls to HP support for help with their broken calculator.

-Katie

[Bart (UK)]

One of those little mishaps when old software runs on faster hardware (like the Turbo Pascal 6 CRT module)


Which is why it's good to know there are peole like you testing the 12C+ to breaking point :-).


-B

[cyrille de Brébisson]

hello

Quote:

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One of those little mishaps when old software runs on faster hardware (like the Turbo Pascal 6 CRT module)


Which is why it's good to know there are peole like you testing the 12C+ to breaking point :-).

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well, this is an original 12C bug, you can not say that it's a 12C+ bug at least!!!

cyrille

[Bart (UK)]

Cyrille,


I'd hesitate to call it a bug. Perhaps it was a feature that if the calculator was put into test mode (on purpose or accidental) and left unattended, it would time-out. Or for some other reason (original design team thought it would be a good/sensible idea). Without a RTC the time-out would have been based on the CPU speed.

By the way, my 32S times out in about 2m 45s and first shows "KBD 01 - 00" with a warning trianle and upon ANY keypress shows "32S - FAIL 8".


Just my 2c worth.

Bart



Edit:
Playing around now

32S:

Start test (ON & y^x), continue to kbd test, then leave:

2m 45s "KBD 01 - 00" with a warning trianle

2m 45s after that "32S - FAIL 8"

2m 45s after that, returns to normal operating mode.

20S:

Start test (ON & y^x), continue to kbd test, then leave:

1m "20 - FAIL 8"

15s after that, returns to normal operating mode.

20S:

Start test (ON & y^x), then leave:

1m display changes, does this about 3x

1m after that "20 - FAIL 8"

15s after that, returns to normal operating mode.

Edited: 14 Aug 2009, 11:34 a.m.