Posts: 384
Threads: 18
Joined: Sep 2010
Quote:
At any rate, screen contrast in either model is miles ahead of any other calculator in the Pioneer line.
It is indeed, but then again Pioneer displays are a
different lcd technology and even for a graphic matrix
have notoriously poor contrast. The s/n 28xx <= voyagers
also have reduced contrast relative to the original
design due to an increased multiplexing scheme for the
sake of minimizing pin count. Just shows what happens
when your handiwork falls victim to the cost reduction
engineering team.
So the ultimate Voyager retrofit for the uber geek is
an original unit which tosses the pcb, r2d2(s), NUT cpu,
and brings in a new pcb with an ARM core of your choice,
new segment lcd controller, and some provision for i/o;
preserving the original tactile domes, low multiplex lcd
glass, case and D/S keycaps, yielding the best of both
worlds. I'd half seriously considered doing so but at
the time dumped it on the back burner to join the other
time starved ideas.
I do have what amounts to a NUT/Voyager in-circuit emulator
work in progress which coincidentally needs the discardable
Voyager (ideally 15c model) portions called out above. So
it appears I could justify the effort with minimal guilt and
shame of bandsawing up a legacy 15c just for fluff.