Compucorp 342 Statistician

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: 1972-1975 Display type: Numeric display  
New price: USD 795.00   Display color: Orange  
    Display technology: Plasma fluorescent display 
Size: 9"×5½"×3" Display size: 10+2 digits
Weight: 4 lbs    
    Entry method: Algebraic 
Batteries: 4×"D" alkaline Advanced functions: Exp Lreg 
External power: 7VDC 1.3A   Memory functions: +/-/×/÷/^ 
I/O:      
    Programming model: Keystroke entry 
Precision: 13 digits Program functions:  
Memories: 10 numbers Program display:  
Program memory: 80 program steps Program editing:  
Chipset:   Forensic result:  

cc342.jpg (54521 bytes)The Compucorp 342 Statistician, a member of Compucorp's early family of elegant, superbly built handheld calculators, is a statistics-oriented scientific calculator with an 80-step program memory. It is otherwise identical to the Compucorp 344, a calculator with twice the program memory.

As I've said elsewhere, these calculators are engineering marvels in the truest sense. Built before large-scale custom MOS integrated circuits became available, the compact package contains a stack of five circuit boards, each densely packed with (mostly bipolar) ICs. The machine's power consumption is phenomenal for a machine this size; it is actually comparable to the power consumption of today's notebook computers. This is due, in part, to its beautiful Panaplex display that requires an anode voltage in excess of 200 Volts to operate. Because of its power consumption, when not used with the external power adapter, these machines requires four high-capacity size "D" NiCd cells to operate.

Power consumption aside, I continue to be inspired by these machines' beauty. They are no-compromise devices: everything just feels rightabout them, the keyboard, the display, the way arithmetic and scientific functions are implemented. I suspect that if someone made a modern calculator by simply reducing a Compucorp model in size, it'd be a real success among scientists and engineers.

The Gamma function program example I wrote for the 322 can be used without alteration on the 342. Here it is again, reproduced for completeness. To use this program, you must also populate registers 4-9 with constant values:

M4=√2π
M5=68.82784822
M6=755.9596084
M7=4151.488796
M8=11399.36541
M9=12520.43913


01	STn
02	2
03	STn
04	3
05	1
06	+
07	RCLn
08	2
09	=
10	STn
11	×
12	3
13	=
14	STn
15	×
16	3
17	=
18	STn
19	×
20	3
21	=
22	STn
23	×
24	3
25	=
26	STn
27	×
28	3
29	+
30	.
31	5
32	ax
33	(
34	-
35	2ND
36	5
37	)
38	÷
39	2ND
40	ex
41	×
42	(
43	RCLn
44	4
45	×
46	RCLn
47	2
48	+
49	RCLn
50	5
51	×
52	RCLn
53	2
54	+
55	RCLn
56	6
57	×
58	RCLn
59	2
60	+
61	RCLn
62	7
63	×
64	RCLn
65	2
66	+
67	RCLn
68	8
69	×
70	RCLn
71	2
72	+
73	RCLn
74	9
75	)
76	÷
77	RCLn
78	3
79	=
80	STOP