Author Topic: Backlit calculators? (Read 28627 times)

David Aurora · « **on:** November 17, 2015, 10:28:26 am »

OK, I'm no calculator aficionado like Dave, but over the last few years I've come to appreciate the value of having one you like on the bench for the thousand times a day you reach for it. I've tried different scientific calculators and found various things I like and don't like. But the one feature I desperately want that I cannot for the life of me seem to find is a BACKLIGHT. I don't want to, nor do I always have the luxury of, being directly under 10 billion lumen fluros. Quite often I'm in some dark corner of the room, or figuring out an idea in the middle of the night, and I can't see a damn thing on the screen. And I also don't really want to spend a million bucks for some vintage LED display thing that lights up great, but can barely display a basic sum.

I've googled, I've asked in stores, and aside from super expensive graphing calculators with way more bells and whistles than I need I can't find a single thing that's readable in low light. Any suggestions? I've tried phone apps and hated them for the lack of physical buttons, and I don't need a full on computer either, just something easy to grab and move around with that has the basic scientific functions needed for everyday work.

tooki · « **Reply #1 on:** November 17, 2015, 10:45:14 am »

Well, if it doesn't need to be scientific, lots of printing calculators use VFD displays. They just tend to be business oriented machines.

Otherwise, I'd hack an EL film into one. Heck, I might try that myself!

Ian.M · « **Reply #2 on:** November 17, 2015, 10:48:22 am »

Probably simpler to do a desktop clone of Dave's open source uWatch with a backlit LCD module.

Maxlor · « **Reply #3 on:** November 17, 2015, 12:03:55 pm »

Might be overkill for you, but it's an excellent machine with a killer price: HP Prime

Nermash · « **Reply #4 on:** November 17, 2015, 12:53:53 pm »

I just got myself HP Prime, absolutely overkill, but you only live once O0

tooki · « **Reply #5 on:** November 17, 2015, 04:40:55 pm »

Casio makes a graphing calculator with backlit LCD that sells for about $65.

georges80 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 18, 2015, 12:21:49 am »

I've got a couple of HP42S calculators and I found a very good 'clone' of it that runs on my android cell phone (free42). Since my phone is with me all the time then my 'calculator' is too - and is obviously 'back lit'

cheers,
george.

KL27x · « **Reply #7 on:** November 18, 2015, 01:29:12 am »

Now there's a problem I've had, never. How do you see the buttons, if it's too dark to read the screen.

EEVblog · « **Reply #8 on:** November 18, 2015, 01:32:23 am »

Can't say I've ever seen a scientific with a backlit display.
Perhaps one of those big graphing ones maybe.

Hydrawerk · « **Reply #9 on:** November 18, 2015, 01:45:13 am »

Have you heard of CASIO fx-FD10?

kwass · « **Reply #10 on:** November 18, 2015, 04:27:00 am »

Quote from: Hydrawerk on November 18, 2015, 01:45:13 am

Have you heard of CASIO fx-FD10?

From the documentation it appears to be identical to the fx-9860g series but with some extra built-in apps. The backlight on some of the fx-9860g's is really incredibly nice. The fx-9860g slim has the best back light of any LCD device I've ever used. This model is no longer made but you'll see them for $50 new on ebay pretty often.

richard.cs · « **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2015, 08:45:28 am »

My father has a scientific calculator with a VFD. I think it's a Casio, late 70's to early 80's but still very useable by modern standards. It is a bit power hungry but otherwise very nice to use.

saturation · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2015, 12:46:39 pm »

For a backlit calculator [such as doing field work at night], I use one of several from my smartphone. For general purpose scientific, I use Real Calc for android a lot, its UI is very much like a Casio. There is a free version.

EEVblog · « **Reply #13 on:** November 20, 2015, 12:58:45 pm »

Quote from: saturation on November 20, 2015, 12:46:39 pm

For a backlit calculator [such as doing field work at night], I use one of several from my smartphone. For general purpose scientific, I use Real Calc for android a lot, its UI is very much like a Casio.

I use RealCalc, it's very nice.

ECEdesign · « **Reply #14 on:** November 20, 2015, 07:28:31 pm »

I use a TI-nspire calculator. Its a color graphing calculator with a touchpad. It does a bunch of fancy stuff, my high school required that we buy them which I thought was a bit over kill when I already had a TI-84. After you get used to the interface its a pretty nice piece of kit, of course at university I hardly can use a calculator anyway...

mtdoc · « **Reply #15 on:** November 20, 2015, 07:59:54 pm »

For iOS devices, SciPro is excellent. As a novice coder, I particlularly like its programmer option

KL27x · « **Reply #16 on:** November 20, 2015, 08:31:57 pm »

I have RealCalc for a pinch, but I am pretty much stuck on Casio FX's.

Svuppe · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2015, 07:06:17 am »

I have a HP Prime at home. Nice beast, but I miss a printed manual.
When I am out, I have a HP-48 emulator on my phone.

picitup · « **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2015, 05:16:42 pm »

Could you wire up a button and a couple of 1.8mm leds? You could file the pip off the LEDs to make them even smaller and may only need 1 LED in low light situations. The LED could be glued along the edge of the LCD.

My favourite calc is the TI-36X Solar as it has lots of nice hex/bin etc conversions and bitwise or, and, not etc and it needs no batteries. I shan't be fitting a backlight though, as no light=no power!

Maxlor · « **Reply #19 on:** November 22, 2015, 02:47:18 am »

Quote from: picitup on November 21, 2015, 05:16:42 pm

I shan't be fitting a backlight though, as no light=no power!

Unless you add a second LED that lights up the solar cell...

picitup · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2015, 07:44:39 pm »

Stop it! You're making me think about it, then I'll have to do it! :-)

I do have one suggestion though if the OP is in a dark place or is at home & doesn't want to turn the full lights on is a head torch. They are really bright and fashionable too. I wear them when I socialise and I know people are laughing with me and not at me.

Keep Smilin'

Steve

Maxlor · « **Reply #21 on:** November 23, 2015, 01:34:22 am »

If there's any doubt about whether they're laughing with you, they're probably just jealous because you're so bright!

nidlaX · « **Reply #22 on:** November 23, 2015, 01:40:27 am »

The entire lineup of Ti-8X series calculators have emulators available for Android. RealCalc is also very nice. The only drawback is the lack of a nice tactile keypad. I wish HP would make a Bluetooth keypad case / attachment for smartphones with the really nice tactile buttons from their older scientific / finance calculators.

crispy_tofu · « **Reply #23 on:** November 23, 2015, 01:42:39 am »

Maybe 3000 of these...

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Backlight-calculator-Calculator-Scientific-Function-Scientific_1981257108.html

cncjerry · « **Reply #24 on:** November 23, 2015, 06:02:45 am »

I have one of each. I collect calculators preferring old HP LED type and TI 59s with the card readers. I love the HP 41 series but no backlight.

The problem with the HP Prime is it is hard to read the shifted labels in dim light. Not a big deal after you use it a while but still, poor choice of colors. Great calculator over all. The TI Nspire, had it RPN, would be a better calculator from that perspective. The battering the TI seems to last longer and it always seems like the Prime has to boot up. I guess there is a way to stop that but I haven't looked. I hate picking up a calculator and having to wait. The color Casio is a great calculator as well.

When I have to take one o take the prime. M personal favorite is the TI 59 or an HP 16c.


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Author Topic: Backlit calculators? (Read 28627 times)

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