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Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
04-05-2021, 11:42 AM
Post: #21
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
(04-05-2021 05:54 AM)rawi Wrote:  StephenG1CMZ wrote;
Quote: I wonder whether one might consider the Raspberyy PI

The Raspberry PI is a fascinating machine but I do not think that it can be addressed as a pocket or handheld computer. I think there are two important differences:
First it is not a system that can be handheld with computer + keyboard + battery + screen in one integrated device. And second there is no well defined software that comes with the system and which is ready to be used as soon as you switch it on.

There was the PocketCHIP, which came very close, but sadly the company fell apart under the weight of the product's hugely unexpected success at launch.
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04-05-2021, 02:49 PM
Post: #22
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
The main issue that limits the usefulness of the Raspberry Pi for portable devices is power management (or lack thereof). The Pi lacks a low-power sleep mode and must be shut down completely before power is disconnected. What I would like to see is a Raspberry Pi variant made with portable use in mind. It should be possible, cell phones use similar ARM-based processors, but the Linux system used by Raspberry Pi seems to be rather primitive where power management is concerned.
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04-05-2021, 03:41 PM
Post: #23
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
Hello!

I don't really see the point in using a Raspberry Pi as a portable device. With a decent keyboard, display and battery it is going to be as big as a small notebook or netbook (do the latter still exist?). There are already plenty of those to chose from.

Regards
Max
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04-07-2021, 04:00 PM (This post was last modified: 04-07-2021 06:45 PM by Gene.)
Post: #24
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
So, one of the best scientific calculators ( FX-9860GII) also includes the best mathematical BASIC computer as an application. And this BASIC computer from Sentaro21 includes the best calculator among old pocket and desktop computers :-))). Something like that.
Even in double-precision mode, programs in this calculator run twice as fast as in SysRPL.
Let Tim Wessman once again tell me a beautiful story about the hp-39gii. This calculator failed to translate the concept of a programming language into a flash application. What happened - is the biggest failure in HP`s products. However, this is still being bought by someone.
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04-08-2021, 02:55 PM
Post: #25
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
My headache is "user definable functions". If it is missing, the usage of that language is very limited. Also the local variables. If we keep these points in the first place, only 71B, TI-74 and Voyage acceptable. And PSIONs. All PSIONs can handle it.

Csaba
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04-08-2021, 05:09 PM
Post: #26
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
If you relax what is BASIC then I would suggest TI-Basic on the TI-86.

You can use user defined functions on the TI-86, but only 1 line functions and passing just 1 parameter.

This is achieved by making use of the eqations for Function graphing.
In a program you can define a function y99 (say)

Code:
y99=2*x^2+x
For(I,1,4)
Disp y99(I)
End

This produces the following output
Code:
 3
10
21
36

Note that defining a graph equation selects it for display so you probably want to turn this off using the FnOff command.
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04-08-2021, 05:52 PM
Post: #27
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
(04-08-2021 05:09 PM)Hollerith Wrote:  If you relax what is BASIC then I would suggest TI-Basic on the TI-86.

You can use user defined functions on the TI-86, but only 1 line functions and passing just 1 parameter.

Sure, but there is no QWERTY.

Csaba
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04-09-2021, 07:24 AM
Post: #28
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
I was looking at a few TI Voyage 200 auctions tonight and noticed several had vertical dead pixel stripes in the display. Is this a common issue with that model or just coincidence there were several?

Wally
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04-09-2021, 10:04 AM
Post: #29
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
Csaba
Quote:Sure, but there is no QWERTY.

That is true. However the soft menus work very well, and in addition you can have a custom menu, so that there is little need to type commands and functions character by character. In short, I don't miss a QWERTY layout. The TI-89T is a different story.
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04-09-2021, 01:12 PM
Post: #30
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
(04-09-2021 10:04 AM)Hollerith Wrote:  Csaba
Quote:Sure, but there is no QWERTY.

That is true. However the soft menus work very well, and in addition you can have a custom menu, so that there is little need to type commands and functions character by character. In short, I don't miss a QWERTY layout. The TI-89T is a different story.

The 89 has to be just about the worst keyboard layout TI has ever produced. The 85 and 86 are definitely much more pleasant.
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04-09-2021, 07:37 PM (This post was last modified: 04-09-2021 07:37 PM by foroplus.)
Post: #31
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
(04-09-2021 07:24 AM)WallyEmm Wrote:  I was looking at a few TI Voyage 200 auctions tonight and noticed several had vertical dead pixel stripes in the display. Is this a common issue with that model or just coincidence there were several?

Wally

No, this is not normal. You should find a good condition Voyage easily.
Here in Europe are relatively cheap in Vinted for around 30-35€.

Calculadoras programables BASIC años 80-90:
http://basic.hopto.org
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04-10-2021, 04:27 AM
Post: #32
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
(04-09-2021 07:37 PM)foroplus Wrote:  No, this is not normal. You should find a good condition Voyage easily.
Here in Europe are relatively cheap in Vinted for around 30-35€.

Thanks, most seemed to have good displays but there were enough bad ones to make me wonder if it is a common weak spot. I was surprised at the low prices after looking at various HP calculators.

Thanks,
Wally
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04-10-2021, 10:14 AM
Post: #33
RE: Which BASIC pocket computers make the best calculators?
Hello!

(04-10-2021 04:27 AM)WallyEmm Wrote:  Thanks, most seemed to have good displays but there were enough bad ones to make me wonder if it is a common weak spot.

Strange. I have bought four so far (always overlooked ones on eBay, never paid more than 10 Euros) and they are all perfect. Not a single bad pixel in the displays. Compare that to the HP-48 series calculators in my collection...

Regards
Max
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