50g

I've been researching the HP50G and will probably buy one tomorrow. My
current calculator is an HP49G. It's okay, but not great. Actually
haven't used it much for awhile. I used an HP41CX for years, really
loved it.
I will be using it strictly as a hobbyist, some programming, math, and
just playing around with it. Actually, my math is very rusty, so I
want to brush up some, and I figure it will be a lot more enjoyable if
I have a nice HP calculator.
Jeff

The learning curve on the 50G is a little steep in my opinion,
my favorite calc of all time is the 15C, which I still have.

The 50g is an excellent machine, but the learning can be very,  very steep.  
It's not hard to guess that many well-intentioned users  will not get as far 
with it as they would like, for a variety of reasons,  including the time 
necessary to become fluent with even relatively simple  calculations and lack of a 
printed version of the detailed User's  Guide.  The 41cx, 42s and 15c were 
much better in this respect, though  somewhat less capable.  It's sad that these 
legacy machines have  not been manufactured in many years and can be difficult 
to  acquire.
 
The 35s is currently on the market, is reasonably quick to learn and  more 
than adequate for casual and many advanced  applications.  The 35s sells for a 
reasonable price and, if you  read all the way to the back of the Quick Start 
Guide, you will find  a notation from HP, where they mention how to order a 
free  printed copy of the essential and very detailed User's  Guide.  This Guide 
is on an included CD, but some users prefer a  printed copy, which they can 
curl up with in front of a warm fire on a cold  winter day.
 
Mike
 
=====
 
 
In a message dated 12/19/2008 6:49:30 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
alanthegringo@... writes:

The learning curve on the 50G is a little steep in my  opinion,
my favorite calc of all time is the 15C, which I still  have.

--- On Fri, 12/19/08, jskilgore  <jeffkilgore@...> wrote:

From:  jskilgore <jeffkilgore@...>
Subject: [50g] New  member
To: 50g@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, December 19, 2008,  12:17 AM


 
I've been researching the HP50G and will probably buy one tomorrow.  My
current calculator is an HP49G. It's okay, but not great.  Actually
haven't used it much for awhile. I used an HP41CX for  years, really
loved it.
I will be using it strictly as a  hobbyist, some programming, math, and
just playing around with it.  Actually, my math is very rusty, so I
want to brush up some, and I  figure it will be a lot more enjoyable if
I have a nice HP  calculator.
Jeff




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--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, "jskilgore" <jeffkilgore@...> 
wrote:".....Actually, my math is very rusty, so I
want to brush up some, and I figure it will be a lot more enjoyable if
I have a nice HP calculator.
Jeff"


That's what I'm doing too. The 50g is really nice, and surprisingly 
fast with a lot of stuff that causes headaches when done manually. I 
have a 48SX but seldom use it, because it is slow, and I don't like 
the display.  I've used TI graphing calculators.  They're okay, I 
suppose, but somehow seem unsophisticated, a bit dumbed down compared 
to a good HP, and the lack of RPN is a serious impediment to routine 
computations. 

I wish HP would produce a good, small RPN scientific calculator.  The 
35S is a step in the right direction, but in some ways it seems a 
little less convenient to use than some of their earlier calculators, 
such as the magnificent 15C or 42S.

Richard

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Saylor" <rlsaylor@...> wrote:
>

> I wish HP would produce a good, small RPN scientific calculator.  The 
> 35S is a step in the right direction, but in some ways it seems a 
> little less convenient to use than some of their earlier calculators, 
> such as the magnificent 15C or 42S.
> 

Yes, I really don't need or want algebraic entry. I'd much rather see
HP make another nice scientific calculator dedicated solely to RPN. I
loved my HP41CX. Wish I still had it.

I just got my new 50G out of the box and powered up. First thing I did
was switch it to RPN. So far, I really like it. I'm taking two weeks
of vacation starting tomorrow, so I should have some time to start
learning how to use it over the holidays.

Jeff

Hi Jeff   Enjoy your 50G   great machine.   When you get into programming,  here's a web site that will be helpful.
 
      http://www.thiel.edu/mathproject/Itphpc/ProgHP.PDF
 
programming is the best part of it.   And don't get the largest SD card.    Ed VE

--- On Fri, 12/19/08, jskilgore <jeffkilgore@...> wrote:

From: jskilgore <jeffkilgore@...>
Subject: [50g] Re: New member
To: 50g@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 1:26 PM






--- In 50g@yahoogroups. com, "Richard Saylor" <rlsaylor@.. .> wrote:
>

> I wish HP would produce a good, small RPN scientific calculator. The 
> 35S is a step in the right direction, but in some ways it seems a 
> little less convenient to use than some of their earlier calculators, 
> such as the magnificent 15C or 42S.
> 

Yes, I really don't need or want algebraic entry. I'd much rather see
HP make another nice scientific calculator dedicated solely to RPN. I
loved my HP41CX. Wish I still had it.

I just got my new 50G out of the box and powered up. First thing I did
was switch it to RPN. So far, I really like it. I'm taking two weeks
of vacation starting tomorrow, so I should have some time to start
learning how to use it over the holidays.

Jeff

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, Nancy Von Essen <ceeshellmom@...> wrote:
".....And don't get the largest SD card.    Ed VE"

Is a 2Gb card okay?

Ed Von Essen here.  Richard, the HP 49G+ with the original operating system got messed up when I tried a 1 Gig SD card.  Had to reset it.  It was happy with a 64 Meg card.  And the 49G+ came up with a "disk full" error (file name table full) and there were still 55 Meg left on the SD card.  I was storing data on the SD card only.  The 50G will handle a larger SD card but will it handle more file names?  I remember someone saying that file names were read in when one selected FILES.  Well the answer to this problem is to write a file gathering program, in other words, stuff more data in a file.  Of course, that means it's necessary to write a program to be able to retrieve the data you want, also.  I was plotting investment data to see trends and the disk full error occurred after two years. 
  So figure out what you want to store and get the smallest SD (lowest cost) card for the job.  And buy several as you go along.  Using SD cards for specific purposes is recommended.
  See, ask a simple question and see what happens?
 
  I just purchased an HP 48Gii.  Looks like a 49G but doesn't have a slot for an SD card.
 
  Enjoy your 50G.  It's a great machine and will keep you busy for hours.  MC&HNY.  Ed

--- On Fri, 12/19/08, Richard Saylor <rlsaylor@...> wrote:

From: Richard Saylor <rlsaylor@...>
Subject: [50g] Re: New member
To: 50g@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 4:27 PM






--- In 50g@yahoogroups. com, Nancy Von Essen <ceeshellmom@ ...> wrote:
".....And don't get the largest SD card.    Ed VE"

Is a 2Gb card okay?

Ed, thanks for the information.

Richard

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, Nancy Von Essen <ceeshellmom@...> wrote:
>
>  
> Ed Von Essen here.  Richard, the HP 49G+ with the original operating
system got messed up when I tried a 1 Gig SD card.  Had to reset it. 
It was happy with a 64 Meg card.  And the 49G+ came up with a "disk
full" error (file name table full) and there were still 55 Meg left on
the SD card.  I was storing data on the SD card only.  The 50G will
handle a larger SD card but will it handle more file names?  I
remember someone saying that file names were read in when one selected
FILES.  Well the answer to this problem is to write a file gathering
program, in other words, stuff more data in a file.  Of course, that
means it's necessary to write a program to be able to retrieve the
data you want, also.  I was plotting investment data to see trends and
the disk full error occurred after two years. 
>   So figure out what you want to store and get the smallest SD
(lowest cost) card for the job.  And buy several as you go along. 
Using SD cards for specific purposes is recommended.
... 
>   Enjoy your 50G.  It's a great machine and will keep you busy for
hours.  MC&HNY.  Ed


On the 49G+ the max size SD card was 128mb. On both 49G+ and 50G the
max number of files is 512. I'm using a 1G SanDisk Ultra II (it was on
sale) and it works just fine in my 50G. Also, recommended is the
program SDfiler (for more options than the built-in Filer):
http://www.hpcalc.org/search.php?query=sdfiler
I like your idea about several different cards, but knowing me, they'd
be lost within six weeks. Will have to settle for one card that stays
in the calc and use subdirectories.

Arthur

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, "arthurford4142" <arthurford4142@...> wrote:
>
> On the 49G+ the max size SD card was 128mb. On both 49G+ and 50G the
> max number of files is 512. I'm using a 1G SanDisk Ultra II (it was on
> sale) and it works just fine in my 50G. Also, recommended is the
> program SDfiler (for more options than the built-in Filer):
> http://www.hpcalc.org/search.php?query=sdfiler
> I like your idea about several different cards, but knowing me, they'd
> be lost within six weeks. Will have to settle for one card that stays
> in the calc and use subdirectories.
> 
I need to clarify the max number of files. The max number of files +
folders is 512 in each directory on the SD card, so, depending on the
number of subdirectories, you can store thousands of files on that
little card.

Arthur

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, "arthurford4142" <arthurford4142@...> wrote:
>
> > On the 49G+ the max size SD card was 128mb. On both 49G+ and 50G the
> > max number of files is 512.
> I need to clarify the max number of files. The max number of files +
> folders is 512 in each directory on the SD card, so, depending on the
> number of subdirectories, you can store thousands of files on that
> little card.
> 
> Arthur
>

This is not a 49/50g restriction. According to Wikipedia[1] "For
historical reasons, FAT12 and FAT16 media generally use 512 root
directory entries on non-floppy media."

Since every HP variable and Directory are a FAT16 file (as seen on a
computer) they are restricted to a max. number of 512.

I'll try messing around with mkdosfs a bit to see whether the calc
will tolerate more.

greetings, M.



[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table#Final_FAT16

On the memory card size part of this.

1Gig works fine in mine.

2Gig did not work.