HP 9111A Digitizing Tablet

HP-85 running a special version of Asteroids (game) that uses the HP 9111A digitizing tablet for input.

Important Note

Although HP no longer sells the 09111-68701 Stylus Refills package, the refill is commonly used in ball-point pens. It is very important, however, to note that the refill body must be metal, not plastic. The reason is that the sensor inside the stylus is shielded by the metal stylus enclosure, and relies on the refill housing to act as an antenna. If you use a plastic refill, the sensor will not get anything from the tablet, causing you to think that the tablet is malfunctioning.

Note also that you may need to salvage the plastic O-ring from the original refill, because this is needed to hold the spring in place.

Manuals

The 9111A Operator Manual. How to plug it in, run the diagnostics, etc.

The Programming Guide to the HP 9111A. Very interesting manual, tells you what you need to know to write programs that access the HP 9111A. More a tutorial than a reference guide, keep notes while you read it, otherwise, if you miss something, you will not be able to find it easily again. Best read with an HP-GL manual near by.

The System Tools manual describes a set of programs that allow the HP-86/87 to be used as a CAD system. Don't expect anything worth writing home about, the HP-86/87 is so slow as to make the whole thing a joke, but it is impressive that HP could make the HP-86/87 do all this stuff, despite its minute memory and slow processor.
The programs described in this manual are available in the Drawing Tools Disks for the HP-86/87.

Articles

9111A Graphics Input Tablet, Keyboard magazine, Nov-Dec 1980, page 9.

Software

Utilities Disk for the HP-83/85 Documentation: no supporting documentation

Drawing Tools Disks for the HP-86/87 Documentation: System Tools Manual

HP-GL Manual

The HP 7470 Interfacing and Programming Manual includes a detailed description of the HP-GL commands and principles of operation.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Mr. Glenn Sherwood for scanning and sending me this material.

Back to the home page.

	The 9111A Operator Manual. How to plug it in, run the diagnostics, etc.
	The Programming Guide to the HP 9111A. Very interesting manual, tells you what you need to know to write programs that access the HP 9111A. More a tutorial than a reference guide, keep notes while you read it, otherwise, if you miss something, you will not be able to find it easily again. Best read with an HP-GL manual near by.
	The System Tools manual describes a set of programs that allow the HP-86/87 to be used as a CAD system. Don't expect anything worth writing home about, the HP-86/87 is so slow as to make the whole thing a joke, but it is impressive that HP could make the HP-86/87 do all this stuff, despite its minute memory and slow processor. The programs described in this manual are available in the Drawing Tools Disks for the HP-86/87.

Utilities Disk for the HP-83/85	Documentation: no supporting documentation
Drawing Tools Disks for the HP-86/87	Documentation: System Tools Manual