Olympia HHC

Datasheet legend
Ab/c: Fractions calculation
AC: Alternating current
BaseN: Number base calculations
Card: Magnetic card storage
Cmem: Continuous memory
Cond: Conditional execution
Const: Scientific constants
Cplx: Complex number arithmetic
DC: Direct current
Eqlib: Equation library
Exp: Exponential/logarithmic functions
Fin: Financial functions
Grph: Graphing capability
Hyp: Hyperbolic functions
Ind: Indirect addressing
Intg: Numerical integration
Jump: Unconditional jump (GOTO)
Lbl: Program labels
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
LED: Light-Emitting Diode
Li-ion: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Lreg: Linear regression (2-variable statistics)
mA: Milliamperes of current
Mtrx: Matrix support
NiCd: Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable battery
NiMH: Nickel-metal-hydrite rechargeable battery
Prnt: Printer
RTC: Real-time clock
Sdev: Standard deviation (1-variable statistics)
Solv: Equation solver
Subr: Subroutine call capability
Symb: Symbolic computing
Tape: Magnetic tape storage
Trig: Trigonometric functions
Units: Unit conversions
VAC: Volts AC
VDC: Volts DC
Years of production:   Display type: Alphanumeric display  
New price:   Display color: Black  
    Display technology: Liquid crystal display 
Size: 4"×7"×1" Display size: 26.5 characters
Weight: 21 oz    
    Entry method: BASIC expressions 
Batteries: 4×"AA" NiCd Advanced functions: Trig Exp Cmem RTC Snd 
External power: Panasonic adapter   Memory functions:  
I/O: Expansion port, module ports     
    Programming model: BASIC 
Precision: 10 digits Program functions: Jump Cond Subr Lbl Ind  
Memories: 4(0) kilobytes Program display: Text display  
Program memory: 4 kilobytes Program editing: Text editor  
Chipset: Panasonic HHC   Forensic result:  

*With optional SnapBASIC ROM

olyhhc.jpg (51924 bytes)Better known as a venerable German manufacturer of typewriters, Olympia is also a well known calculator brand name in Germany. In the early 1980s, they also sold an OEM version of a classic Hand Held Computer, or HHC, under their own brand.

The Olympia HHC is functionally identical to the Panasonic RL-H1400. Not programmable by default, its built-in functionality is limited to that of a four-function calculator; it does, however, have an optional BASIC ROM accessory.

Most curiously, the BASIC that came with this Olympia machine is not the same BASIC that came with one of my Panasonic HHCs! The latter is a Microsoft BASIC; the Olympia, however, came with a ROM labelled SnapBASIC Compiler/Interpreter.

I have yet to figure out how to compile any BASIC programs with it (if indeed it is possible to do so.) I have also yet to figure out what, if any, are the differences between this SnapBASIC and Microsoft BASIC.

In the meantime, however, I did try out the basic functions of this BASIC, and I was able to write a few simple programs, including my favorite example, the Gamma function. Notice how expressions that I usually write on one line had to be broken up: SnapBASIC refused long expressions due to their complexity!

10 INPUT X
20 G=1
30 IF X>5 THEN GOTO 70
40 G=G*X
50 X=X+1
60 GOTO30
70 G=X*LN(X)-X+LN(2*PI/X)/2-LN(G)
80 S=(1/105/X/X-1/140)/X/X+1/99
90 S=(S/X/X-1/30)/X/X+1
100 PRINT G+S/12/X