Connect HP 50g (or HP 49g+) to a Linux Box with hptalx

Goal: Getting hptalx to work via USB, exemplified with Arch Linux (2.6.32 x86_64).

Having yaourt installed may simplify the following process, since this wrapper for pacman is able to manage and install packages from AUR.

1. Install chkermit from AUR
2. Install hptalx from AUR
3. Since hptalx segfaults if /usr/bin/kermit does not exist, you need to create a link:
   $ ln -s /usr/bin/chkermit /usr/bin/kermit
4. Add module to kernel, which provides ttyUSB* device in /dev/
   $ modprobe hp4x
   If you wish to do this automatically at startup (not my recommedation unless you really need it often):
   Edit /etc/rc.conf
   MOD_AUTOLOAD=”yes” and MODULES=(hp4x)
   
5. After plugging in the calculator, find which ttyUSB* is used:
   $ dmesg | tail
6. To be able to use ttyUSB*, adequate permissions have to be set, for this device is owned by root. Sure enough, you could create a udev rule, but the simpler way is just to add the user to the group uucp:
   $ ls -la /dev/ttyUSB* (-> group is uucp)
   $ gpasswd -a user uucp
7. Set transfer type on calculator to “Kermit”
   Apps -> I/O-Functions -> Transfer
8. Start Kermit server on 50g:
   [hold right shift + right directional key]
   You should read: “Awaiting Server Cmd.”
9. Fire up hptalx. You might need to set up the connection [Ctrl + N] first, then you are ready to connect [Ctrl + B].
   

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