I never got to put my hands on one of these, but I had something similar... and still do. It's one of two calculators from my "youth" which, to this day, I still use regularly. It's the Sharp Scientific Computer EL-5500 II. Quite a bit smaller than the TI one we're looking at here, but functionally fairly similar in many ways. It had two separate operational modes... a straight "calculator mode" and a "BASIC programming mode." Similar to what TI did, it had a single-line LCD text display and an alphanumeric keyboard on the left, with a "num-pad" with many extra calculator buttons on the right. It had an accessory attachment port, for which there was one main accessory available... a combination "tape interface and thermal printer" module. Rumor has it that there was also a disk drive interface for it, and a modem interface, but I never saw one of those in person. In any case, there was no "hub" functionality, so you were limited to only one external accessory at a time. That's where TI, and the "Hexbus," are clear winners. Hexbus was fascinating design concept. In reality, it's very, very much a precursor to today's USB concept. Sort of like a Neanderthal version of us, to use an analogy. All the pieces were there, but they were significantly more crude. Still, it's surprising that TI never filed a lawsuit over USB, given how many concepts were identical between the two architectures. If you eventually get bored with doing just TI stuff, and want to branch out a bit, the Sharp EL-5500 II is a decent starting point, I suppose. Not that I'm encouraging leaving TI stuff behind, but just if you want to look outside this particular sandbox at some "similar, related concept" items. I think there were several attempts at pocket-sized programmable-in-BASIC devices, and maybe a "side-by-side" at some point would be of interest. Just sayin... Anyway, here's someone else's review of it. Sharp put out a series of related designs, but this is the one I know best: th-cam.com/video/CqUt-SX0BUE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yTuSgpShBDZ3S4UI
I remember having a CC40 a long time ago. That was a neat era of the little tiny computers like the Radio Shack PC2 and the Sharp "pocket computers". They deserve a lot more recognition. I remember some of them being used in serious roles like doing land surveying calculations in the field. Despite their tiny size, they were real computers that got things done.
I bought a CC-40 many years ago in a thrift store. naturally there's a line right down the middle of dead pixels (the same thing happened with my Tandy Model 102, I guess it's something that happens with all old LCD screens). But oddly enough, I'd bought a HEXBUS thermal printer in the box at a thrift store years earlier. Turns out there was no thermal paper inside. I looked forward to that Wafertape drive, I had gotten tired of messing around with cassette loading and saving and was hoping that drive would be much faster. I wasn't aware of the bug that kept TI from getting it to market. Eventually I got myself a PEB, a Smith-Corona Fastext 80 printer, and a TI monitor from the classified ads in the newspaper for around $100 a few years later. But I never gave up hoping to find a Wafertape drive, it sounded so cool and futuristic. I also wondered how it would have interfaced with the TI-99/4A. Probably another sidecar.
Glad to hear I convinced at least one person the CC-40 has something to offer. I'm looking forward to seeing how much more I can squeeze out of CC-40 BASIC in the coming year. There's definitely a lot more to be done with it.
I had a much weaker Casio model which was, in fact, surprisingly useful. The CC-40 has much better specifications so I imagine it could be a great portable computer back then and an interesting machine to play with today.. Definitely needs at least another video.
I love the CC-40, great video. I still love typing and modifying TI99 games to work with the CC40's Enhanced Basic. Most need very little work to work. Your graphic programs on Atari Age blew me away. It needs someone with your expertise to produce some wonderful games for the machine. I think with the Hex-TI-r Hexbus disk drive emulator or making an adapter to use it with the TI74 PCIF, then hopefully they will be a revival and new interest in this great machine. So much easier to type out and edit a program on a PC, rather than the CC40's little keyboard. Even harder on the TI74!
For sure, I'm hoping the addition of all-important external storage draws some new users to the CC-40 in the coming years. With that critical missing piece restored, it really is a lovely part of the early 80s TI computing story which is still enjoyable to use today.
I have a CC-40 Plus and a majority of the Hex-Bus peripheral, minus the Wafertape drive and Video Interface. At one time, I had a 99/8 with the Hex-Bus floppy.
Quite a collection. There are only a couple folks on earth with a collection akin to that one. I'd love to have more hexbus gear myself. But in a world where Hexbus is getting plenty of new development, there's a lot less need for the originals than once there was.
Well if the ti99 was the nes of 1979,then the ti compact computer 40 was the gameboy of the early 80’s🤣🤣🥲🥲 Now if only there was a builtin calculator option in case you got no programming experience,then you could,ve always do some calculating stuff🥲
I never got to put my hands on one of these, but I had something similar... and still do. It's one of two calculators from my "youth" which, to this day, I still use regularly.
It's the Sharp Scientific Computer EL-5500 II. Quite a bit smaller than the TI one we're looking at here, but functionally fairly similar in many ways. It had two separate operational modes... a straight "calculator mode" and a "BASIC programming mode." Similar to what TI did, it had a single-line LCD text display and an alphanumeric keyboard on the left, with a "num-pad" with many extra calculator buttons on the right.
It had an accessory attachment port, for which there was one main accessory available... a combination "tape interface and thermal printer" module. Rumor has it that there was also a disk drive interface for it, and a modem interface, but I never saw one of those in person. In any case, there was no "hub" functionality, so you were limited to only one external accessory at a time. That's where TI, and the "Hexbus," are clear winners.
Hexbus was fascinating design concept. In reality, it's very, very much a precursor to today's USB concept. Sort of like a Neanderthal version of us, to use an analogy. All the pieces were there, but they were significantly more crude. Still, it's surprising that TI never filed a lawsuit over USB, given how many concepts were identical between the two architectures.
If you eventually get bored with doing just TI stuff, and want to branch out a bit, the Sharp EL-5500 II is a decent starting point, I suppose. Not that I'm encouraging leaving TI stuff behind, but just if you want to look outside this particular sandbox at some "similar, related concept" items. I think there were several attempts at pocket-sized programmable-in-BASIC devices, and maybe a "side-by-side" at some point would be of interest. Just sayin...
Anyway, here's someone else's review of it. Sharp put out a series of related designs, but this is the one I know best:
th-cam.com/video/CqUt-SX0BUE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yTuSgpShBDZ3S4UI
I just love the Era where add on items were bigger than the actual computer. Thanks for the video!
I remember having a CC40 a long time ago. That was a neat era of the little tiny computers like the Radio Shack PC2 and the Sharp "pocket computers". They deserve a lot more recognition. I remember some of them being used in serious roles like doing land surveying calculations in the field. Despite their tiny size, they were real computers that got things done.
being a old TRS80 man i enjoyed this
I bought a CC-40 many years ago in a thrift store. naturally there's a line right down the middle of dead pixels (the same thing happened with my Tandy Model 102, I guess it's something that happens with all old LCD screens). But oddly enough, I'd bought a HEXBUS thermal printer in the box at a thrift store years earlier. Turns out there was no thermal paper inside.
I looked forward to that Wafertape drive, I had gotten tired of messing around with cassette loading and saving and was hoping that drive would be much faster. I wasn't aware of the bug that kept TI from getting it to market. Eventually I got myself a PEB, a Smith-Corona Fastext 80 printer, and a TI monitor from the classified ads in the newspaper for around $100 a few years later. But I never gave up hoping to find a Wafertape drive, it sounded so cool and futuristic. I also wondered how it would have interfaced with the TI-99/4A. Probably another sidecar.
Wow... you've changed my mind about the CC-40. Thought it was just an oversized pocket computer but your demos are really impressive!
Glad to hear I convinced at least one person the CC-40 has something to offer. I'm looking forward to seeing how much more I can squeeze out of CC-40 BASIC in the coming year. There's definitely a lot more to be done with it.
You got me excited about it. Found one kicking around in ebay with a healthy screen :)
I had a much weaker Casio model which was, in fact, surprisingly useful. The CC-40 has much better specifications so I imagine it could be a great portable computer back then and an interesting machine to play with today.. Definitely needs at least another video.
I love the CC-40, great video. I still love typing and modifying TI99 games to work with the CC40's Enhanced Basic. Most need very little work to work. Your graphic programs on Atari Age blew me away. It needs someone with your expertise to produce some wonderful games for the machine. I think with the Hex-TI-r Hexbus disk drive emulator or making an adapter to use it with the TI74 PCIF, then hopefully they will be a revival and new interest in this great machine. So much easier to type out and edit a program on a PC, rather than the CC40's little keyboard. Even harder on the TI74!
For sure, I'm hoping the addition of all-important external storage draws some new users to the CC-40 in the coming years. With that critical missing piece restored, it really is a lovely part of the early 80s TI computing story which is still enjoyable to use today.
I wonder what TI’s current office would think if you posted them the survey today 😂
I was lucky enough to get one of these from eBay, 'new in box' with the protective film still attached to the screen.
I have a CC-40 Plus and a majority of the Hex-Bus peripheral, minus the Wafertape drive and Video Interface. At one time, I had a 99/8 with the Hex-Bus floppy.
Quite a collection. There are only a couple folks on earth with a collection akin to that one. I'd love to have more hexbus gear myself. But in a world where Hexbus is getting plenty of new development, there's a lot less need for the originals than once there was.
I really hope you do a video on the modern addons. They are pretty amazing.
That will definitely happen at some point. It's on my list for 2023, for sure.
I'm also curious to see this!
Great video!!!
Thanks! Your work on the C B Wilson documents (substantially illuminating the CC-40's development history) was greatly appreciated!
It’s a TI and it’s compact? ❤ I want a one use Time Machine.
Why could they not have modded an 8-Track unit to use a special head which could Read/Write eight bits at a time in parallel.
Well if the ti99 was the nes of 1979,then the ti compact computer 40 was the gameboy of the early 80’s🤣🤣🥲🥲
Now if only there was a builtin calculator option in case you got no programming experience,then you could,ve always do some calculating stuff🥲