HP 41 Advantage module test

[RyanM]

Hello,
I have a HP 41CX Fullnut with an HP Advantage module. How do I check to make sure the module is functional? I cannot find anything on how to do this. Thanks

[Ángel Martin]

I'd suggest running any of the programs or using its functions. Manual and instructions can be found at TOS...

Edited: 26 Feb 2013, 1:39 a.m.

[Les Bell]

Quote:

---

How do I check to make sure the module is functional?

---

The most obvious thing to do is a CAT 2. You should see

-ADV CONV B

-ADV MTRX

-ADV MATH

-ADV TVM

--- Les

[http://www.lesbell.com.au]

Edited: 26 Feb 2013, 2:29 a.m.

[Dan Grelinger]

Adding to Les' suggestion;

In a HP-41CX, you'll see a couple of Time labels before the four that he mentions. And the first may be "ADV CONV A" (with the A at the end instead of a B).

You can go a bit further by using R/S when you see the first Advantage label "ADV CONV B" and then press Enter. This will cause the HP-41CX to list all of the programs of the module (and then go on and list all of the Extended Functions in the HP-41CX).

If the module does this, you should be 99% sure it is working properly. The module does not have a self-test function.

The way to be 100% certain it is good is to use a separate diagnostic routine to run the checksum test. This verifies that every bit is good.

[Mike Morrow]

There are several different versions/revisions of the Advantage Module as well, if one starts counting bits in ROM.

I was very disappointed in the Advantage Module that I purchased for my HP-41CX in the mid-1980s. Contrary to HP's claim, it did not make the HP-41C-series comparable to the HP-15C. The complex number capability of the Advantage Module is essentially identical to that already provided (very awkwardly, IMHO) by the old 1979 MATH module...very very very inferior to the native complex number capability of the HP-15C and the later HP-42S.

I found as an electrical engineer that the HP-15C was far more useful day-to-day than my HP-41CX with its highly-touted Advantage module. But admittedly, not always.

Edited: 26 Feb 2013, 5:25 p.m.

[Garth Wilson]

Quote:

---

very very very inferior to the native complex number capability of the HP-15C and the later HP-42S.

---

For that, use Ángel Martin's 41z module (http://hp41.claughan.com/file/41Z_Manual.pdf), in something like Diego's NoV64 (http://www.clonix41.org/Projects/Nov64/Nov64_00.htm).

[Ángel Martin]

Yes the feeble complex number implementation in the Advantage was perhaps my main motivation to write the 41Z module... boy I'm glad I did it :)