HP Forum Archive 17

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Finally (HP 41CX) Message #1 Posted by Seth Morabito on 28 Aug 2007, 6:22 p.m. At long last, I have a 41CX in my hands. It cost me more than I like to admit, but not as much as some of the 41CX's that I've seen sell on eBay recently. My goodness, those prices are getting as bad as 42S prices! I believe it was less expensive because it has several very faint, barely noticeable name inscriptions. I have to really look to see them, and I really don't mind. They add character. Besides that the unit is in flawless shape, no battery corrosion. In contast, my 41C has really bad corrosion and worn contacts. I've wanted a CX for a while because of the Extended Functions, Memory, and Timer modules built in. It'll be fun to use.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #2 Posted by Wayne Brown on 28 Aug 2007, 8:01 p.m., in response to message #1 by Seth Morabito Congratulations. I still think it's the overall best compromise between size, power, features and usability of any calculator HP ever made (or probably ever will).

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #3 Posted by Stefan Vorkoetter on 28 Aug 2007, 9:27 p.m., in response to message #2 by Wayne Brown I've always wondered why they stopped making them. After all, with the module system, they're fully expandable, and I'm sure they could have come out with a 32Kb (or even 256Mb) module by now. They still make the 12C, so why not the 41CX (41CXSii or some newer yet compatible version). There's nothing in the 35s that the 41CX couldn't do, and there's a whole lot in the CX that the 35s can't do. Stefan

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #4 Posted by Vincze on 28 Aug 2007, 9:08 p.m., in response to message #1 by Seth Morabito You wish to sell 41C?

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #5 Posted by Seth Morabito on 29 Aug 2007, 12:26 a.m., in response to message #4 by Vincze Hello Vincze! Sorry, but no. I would like to keep my 41C as a backup, and as part of my little collection. -Seth

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #6 Posted by Chan Tran on 29 Aug 2007, 8:52 a.m., in response to message #5 by Seth Morabito HP replaced the 41CX with the 48SX. While different, I think the 48SX can do much of what the 41CX can do.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #7 Posted by Jim Creybohm on 29 Aug 2007, 9:37 a.m., in response to message #6 by Chan Tran Without getting into a discussion about this calc vs. that calc - which everyone will have a differing opinion on, the 41 is a great calc. Yes, the 48 can do much of what the 41 can do, but the 41 is still "relatively" pocket sized. Because it is also RPN, for me it combines the best power per cubic cm volume. I am sure that if I had learned to use the 48 first, I would feel the same way about it. (Except it is not shirt pocket portable)

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #8 Posted by Chan Tran on 29 Aug 2007, 10:04 a.m., in response to message #7 by Jim Creybohm I do understand what you mean. I started out with the 41CV in 1979 and then a CV because my 41C was stolen. I got a number of CX blank nut as well. And yes the 41 series is my favorite calc. I do feel that the 48SX is a good replacement for the 41 although it can not do all what the 41 can. The 41 series calculators came with a large case to accomodate the card reader so unless you carry the 41 without its case, it's the same size as the 48.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #9 Posted by Seth Morabito on 29 Aug 2007, 5:14 p.m., in response to message #6 by Chan Tran It's funny you should mention that, because the HP-48SX was my first HP calculator. For that nostalgic reason alone, it is still my favorite. I got it as a present from my parents when I was in high school, a few months after it was released -- At that time, I had a Casio fx7000g and wanted more programmability. I had lusted after the HP-28S, but I never got one. When the HP-48SX came out, my poor parents couldn't stand to see me staring longingly at the calculator displays in the big department stores any more. They bought one for me for Christmas, bless their hearts. The price was a LOT of money for them, and I'm still grateful. It opened up a love of math and computers that I may not have otherwise had. That 48SX was my daily calculator from 1991 until 2006. It still works fine, and I've always taken wonderful care of it.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #10 Posted by Egan Ford on 29 Aug 2007, 6:48 p.m., in response to message #9 by Seth Morabito Quote: That 48SX was my daily calculator from 1991 until 2006. It still works fine, and I've always taken wonderful care of it. Don't leave us hanging, what happened in 2006? My father gave me a 48GX in 1993. It was my daily calculator, home and on-the-road. A few years back I looked at getting a 2nd (one for home, one for the bag) and was surprised how the calculator landscape had changed. To protect my 48GX I retired it last year and switched to a 50g. It's 100% UserRPL compatible and more importantly replaceable. SD card, case, and LCD are an improvement over the 48GX. It did not take long to adapt to the feel and layout of the keyboard. Human beings are amazingly adaptable.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #11 Posted by Seth Morabito on 29 Aug 2007, 7:05 p.m., in response to message #10 by Egan Ford Quote: Don't leave us hanging, what happened in 2006? I bought an HP-50g ;) The 48SX is still in excellent working order, and is part of my growing little collection.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #12 Posted by Vincze on 29 Aug 2007, 3:19 p.m., in response to message #5 by Seth Morabito My friend Seth, I fully understand.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #13 Posted by Hal Bitton in Boise on 29 Aug 2007, 1:55 p.m., in response to message #1 by Seth Morabito Quote: Congratulations. I still think it's the overall best compromise between size, power, features and usability of any calculator HP ever made (or probably ever will). Absolutely...I think the HP41 series was probably 8-10 years ahead of it's time...and what other calculator in the world had (or has) as one of it's accessories a barcode scanning wand! Best regards, Hal

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #14 Posted by Vincze on 29 Aug 2007, 3:22 p.m., in response to message #13 by Hal Bitton in Boise Quote: and what other calculator in the world had (or has) as one of it's accessories a barcode scanning wand! I think that alone put it years ahead of its time. I still fascinated that one could load program from wand and barcode. I have 71B on way from Europe. Hopefully here this week, but 41C is next model I would like to get.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #15 Posted by Maximilian Hohmann on 29 Aug 2007, 6:45 p.m., in response to message #14 by Vincze Hello! Quote: I have 71B on way from Europe. Hopefully here this week, but 41C is next model I would like to get. You will absolutely like the 71B, but as a pure calculator, you will like the 41 more. The 41CX has an internal stopwatch that keeps running even with the calculator turned off - good for aviation purposes. There are also aviation modules available, but quite rare and very expensive. The 71 has a very weird 'CALC' mode, neither RPN nor truly algebraic, and the worst thing is that they forgot the 'Clear' key... The only calclator I ever saw without one! For programming and playing around it is by far the best calculator hp ever made. The big disadvantage of the 41, from the collectors point of view, is the infinite number of accessories and third-party software that were made for it. You can spend a fortune and will never have a complete collection :-( Greetings, Max NB: If you want one, I have a spare 41CX here. I would trade it against a Hungarian calculator (any model! but not the paper&pencil version that you mentioned earlier) to complement my Polish, Bulgarian and Russian calculators...

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #16 Posted by Egan Ford on 29 Aug 2007, 6:57 p.m., in response to message #15 by Maximilian Hohmann Quote: The 71 has a very weird 'CALC' mode, neither RPN nor truly algebraic, ... Unless you get the HP-41 Translator ROM. For me this is a must. I can use it in native HP-41 mode, e.g.: 2 ENTER 2 + Or in a hybrid mode somewhat like RPL calc: 2 2 + And FORTH is a huge bonus. Faster than BASIC. Sadly, very hard to find and cannot be burned (or so I read).

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #17 Posted by Garth Wilson on 29 Aug 2007, 9:29 p.m., in response to message #16 by Egan Ford Quote: You will absolutely like the 71B, but as a pure calculator, you will like the 41 more. The 41CX has an internal stopwatch that keeps running even with the calculator turned off Yes, the 41 is better as a pure calculator. The 71 does have the timer resources that keep going when the computer is off, but you have to write your own programs for alarms and things to get the functions that are built into the 41cx. I've used my 71 as an alarm clock, stop watch, etc., but I had to write the programs. Quote: And FORTH is a huge bonus. Faster than BASIC. The 71's Forth implementation is a very poor one. Fortunately, being Forth, you can get under the hood and modify even the compiler. Without using assembly language, I re-wrote a lot of the Forth words, in Forth, speeding them up by factors of anywhere from 4 to 13.

Re: Finally (HP 41CX) Message #18 Posted by Vincze on 30 Aug 2007, 9:09 a.m., in response to message #17 by Garth Wilson Well, if anyone have 41 that they wish to part with, you know how to reach me. It look like they not too hard to find on ebay. Some more than others.

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall