Re: The TI-59... Message #23 Posted by Vassilis Prevelakis on 8 Apr 2005, 10:04 p.m., in response to message #20 by Eric Smith
The advantage of the TI-59 over the HP-67 wasn't just the larger memory.
The ability to interface to an external printer was a tremendous advantage, because you could use the calculator as a handheld device and then connect it to the printer to print the results.
Also the fact that you could buy the calculator and then the printer made the purchase of a complete system much easier.
Moreover, that printer was FAST! It is a line printer (similar to that used in the 9845, but much narrower) unlike the printers used on the 97 and the HP-41 which move the printhead to and fro.
Finally, the TI-59 was cheaper than the HP-67. Of course it was of inferior quality as well, the card reader was lousy, the keyboard cheap and the display had fewer digits than the 67.
Having said that, I bought a TI-59 a few weeks ago, and it can read cards that I got from another seller. Quite impressive for a 25+ year card reader.
Compared to the 41, the TI-59 loses in all respects, but the comparison is not fair. During the 70s the evolution in calculators was staggering, so the two year difference between the 59 and the 41 places them in different generations.
I remember buying a TI-58 initially and then upgrading to a TI-59 almost immediately because I wanted the card reader.
Shortly afterwards I bought the PC100C print cradle, but then the TI-59 started having problems (keyboard initially, and then with the card reader), so I sold it and bought an HP-19C. When the HP-41C came out I upgraded to that one selling the HP-19C.
In the mid-eighties I bought an HP67 second hand (the external charger had a break in the cord and could not charge the battery or power the calculator, so the owner was getting rid of the whole calculator).
I had to wait till 2000 (and eBay) till I was able to reunite myself with an HP-19C and an HP-34C, and now a TI-59 with PC100C cradle.
These are all very useful calculators, each with their advantages and disadvantages, but the most versatile of all of them is my HP-41C, that has been with me for 25+ years.
**vp
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