HP 16C - Computer Scientist calculator from 1982
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- A demo of the HP 16C Computer Scientist calculator from 1982.
In the video I'll talk I talk about HP's Pioneer series and the HP Nut processor the 16C is built on. I demo the calculator's Floating point and Integer modes. I also demo an example of a keystroke program and end with a summary of my thoughts about the 16C.
For more information about the history of HP's proprietary calculator CPUs check out the following link:
- www.hpmuseum.org/techcpu.htm
For more information about the HP 16C see the following links:
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-16C
- www.hpmuseum.org/hp16.htm
- blog.jgc.org/2006/06/how-i-lo...
For a video about the 16C Self Test check out: • HP 16C Computer Scient...
Intro music: Slow Motion by Sidewalks and Skeletons
For more calculator videos check out my channel: / calculatorculture - Věda a technologie
Hello. Thanks for this video. I bought my HP16C in 1982 and it's still with me. And I swear that after 39 years it is only on its 4th set of batteries. They seem to last forever.
I disagree with you slightly on the comment "belongs to an era of assembly language programming that is long past". I have worked in the IBM mainframe world since 1975 and assembly language programming is alive and well on the mainframe. Some tasks require someone to write assembler code because the job can't be done in higher level languages.
I use the 16C mostly for calculating addresses and offsets in executable code or for analyzing program dumps. I have written a few programs that run on the 16C to solve a task but don't do much of that any more.
Again, thanks for the highly informative video about my favorite calculator.
From what I understand the HP Nut was very power efficient due partly to its silicon on sapphire fabrication process. I do agree the 16C is still useful for many, but not for mainstream developers who tend to program in high level languages like Javascript, Java and Python these days.
@@CalculatorCulture I've made 2 games recently for the original 1989 Gameboy. A lot of the stuff this calculator does would have helped tremendously. Debugging with some of the emulator tools is a bit annoying so when doing complicated bit logic I could do it on the side and then compare my expected results with what happened in the game. Anyway I wish I knew about this calculator before I made my first two games... Even just saving myself from having to find my windows calculator ever 10 seconds in my list of 30 tabs to convert a binary value to hex would have saved me time. Maybe I can get a hold of one of these. It's such a weird item because IDK how many people these days are into low level programming and bitwise stuff but these things are one of the most expensive calculators. I feel like there should be more of these out there considering all programming/games back then would have been aided tremendously by calculators like this. Tons of $10 calculators these days can do base conversion/ bitwise logic but It's very hard to find videos on how well they preform in a practical setting and not hidden inside 10 menus. Anyway great video :)
when I was 16 and in highschool, I heard about the 16c and thought it sounded like the coolest little device ever. you know. because I had a fairly typical valuation of electronic devices as my peers at the time. it's now almost 17 years later, and I've got a job that just let me impulse buy a used one (in extremely good condition) with a manual! it's been almost surreal actually learning how to use it after years of just sorta dreaming about it.
it's especially wild, since I've never learned to program whatsoever; always meant to, never got around to it. understood the idea of "if/then/else" and conditional branching and stuff, reading from and writing to registers, but nothing deep and no one language actually learned. and now I'm learning on the 16c which is as obscure as a specific language (or kind of flavor of assembly I guess) could get. I've been slow to internalize some details, especially while trying to understand binary operations/arithmetic, 1s and 2s compliment, and boolean algebra at the same time. I've been grateful for every resource I've been able to dig up that fills in the already wide gaps in my understanding of computer sciences in general, and the 16c in particular. so, from a doofus learning keystroke programming in ohio, u.s., thank you for adding to my understanding! you've got another subscriber!
(additionally, I've decided I hate money, so I've also got a 15c now (with it's manual!) and 28s coming (with both manuals!), because RPL sounds like fun! or sounds like a nightmare for a dingus getting dropped in the deep end! w/e!)
That's a great story Devin. Thanks for the kind words too.
I bought mine in 1982 and I still use it. Its the dogs bollocks. A calculator in 1982 that has a programmable word size from 1 to 64, 20 years ahead of its time.
I even bought a spare just in case.
Yeah that's a great point. As far as I can tell 64 bit CPUs were only available on Cray supercomputers in 1982. The first 64 bit processor I used was a Dec Alpha, in the mid 1990s well over a decade after the intro of the 16C.
I never had an HP 16C. I bought the Swiss Micros DM 16, beginning to understand base number calculations
Years ago, I managed to come upon an HP 16C calculator at an Amateur Radio "Hamfest" flea-market. I think I paid $30 for it! I think at the time I was a recently graduated CS undergrad, early in my career. What a wonderful tool, and as much a piece of art for people like me. I've still got this wonderful device with me, decades later. Thanks for the video tour!
Thank you very much for posting this. I have the DM16L version of this machine and I picked up some useful things from your video.
same, I will receive it in 3 weeks.
I still use my 16C! I have A set up for arbitrary number of bits shift left, B for shift right etc. Mostly for deeply embedded system programming, but occasionally it's useful for dealing with scenarios with big integers too.
The HP16C is great for FPGA programming
Very comprehensive tour of this unique calculator! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
My 16C together with my 41CV are still my most prized possessions.
Thanks for this video! I still have my Voyager 16C and works like a charm…
Great intro!
It's beautiful 😭
I like your videos. You have a new subscriber!
Thank you for the great video. As a software engineer, I would love to get my hands on an HP-16C. I currently have a CASIO CM-100, which has similar functionality, and is also a little great machine in its own right (also discontinued, unfortunately).
Yeah the CM-100 seems like a good option as well if you don’t need the programmability of the 16C. If I find one I’ll make a video about it at some point.
I got a 16C emulator app for my 48GX, with a keyboard overlay. I thought it was great. Later I got myself am actual 16C because even with the overlay I was getting lost in how to use it well. My need for doing this sort of bit manipulation became less important and when I needed something quickly, I found I could just get by with the different modes on my 48GX or even the calculator in my desktop OS. I don't think I fully appreciated all the uses you demonstrated here. Maybe I need to dust it off again.
Bing AI just told me that both the HP 16C and TI-59 could perform arithmetic operations in any base from 2 through 36. For the HP 16C, for example, it says that one performs a base 5 calculation like so: To perform a calculation in base 5 on the HP-16C, you need to follow these steps:
- Press **f** and then **BASE** to enter the base mode.
- Press **5** to select base 5 as the current number system.
- Enter the first operand in base 5 using the keys **0** to **4**. For example, to enter **123** in base 5, press **1**, **2**, and **3**.
- Press **ENTER** to push the operand to the stack.
- Enter the second operand in base 5 using the same method. For example, to enter **24** in base 5, press **2** and **4**.
- Press the desired arithmetic operation key, such as **+**, **-**, **x**, or **÷**. The result will be displayed in base 5. For example, if you press **+**, the result will be **202** in base 5, which is equivalent to **57** in base 10.
You can also convert between different bases using the **BASE** function. For example, to convert **202** in base 5 to base 10, press **f**, **BASE**, and **10**. The result will be **57** in base 10.
For more information, you can refer to the [HP-16C Computer Scientist Owner's Handbook](^1^), which has detailed instructions and examples on how to use the calculator in different number systems.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 11/7/2023
(1) HP-16C Computer Scientist Owner's Handbook - Archive.org. archive.org/details/hp-16c_handbook.
(2) HP 12c Financial Calculator Quick Start Guide. h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01798099.pdf.
(3) Boldly Going HP-16C Scientific Functions Part 2 - hpcalc.org. albillo.hpcalc.org/articles/HP%20Article%20VA049%20-%20Boldly%20Going%20-%20HP-16C%20Scientific%20Functions%20Part%202.pdf.
(4) HP-16C. hpmuseum.org/hp16.htm.
Is there even a 'BASE' key on the HP 16C keyboard?
Bing AI is driving me crazy... it insists there a 'BASE' key on the HP-16C...
I'm sorry, but there is a **BASE** key on the HP-16C calculator. The **BASE** key is the one that has the word **BASE** written in blue at the bottom of the key. It is located in the top row, next to the **f** key. To use the **BASE** key, you need to press the **g** key first, and then the **BASE** key. This will allow you to enter the base mode and select the desired number system. For example, to select base 5, you would press **g**, **BASE**, and **5**.
I have created a graphic art that shows you where the **BASE** key is on the image you provided. Please take a look at it. I hope it helps. If you still have doubts, you can also refer to the [HP-16C Computer Scientist Owner's Handbook], which has detailed instructions and examples on how to use the calculator in different number systems. Thank you for using Bing. 😊'
Am I missing something, or is Bing AI hallucinating?
It’s hallucinating. Yeah you will often get nonsense if you ask a LLM a detailed question about an obscure topic.
I have the calculator and the manual right here. There is no BASE key on the calculator. The instructions say to press the "f" key, which would make it a yellow label, then later it says it's written in blue on the bottom of a key, which requires pressing the "g" key. It might be confusing the HP calculator with the TI. The HP 16C can only do bases 16, 10, 8, and 2.
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