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Matt Agajanian · (This post was last modified: 07-30-2019 10:36 PM by Matt Agajanian.)

Hi all.

While watching 50 Facts You Didn't Know About The Big Bang Theory I noticed something so familiar...a Voyager series calc. Although I couldn’t make out the exact model, I did notice that familiar faceplate. Yup! It seems The Big Bang Theory’s science consultant, David Saltzberg is an HP calc user.

Pay close attention to the video between 5:44 until 5:48. You’ll be as surprised as I was.

**rprosperi** · 07-30-2019, 10:50 PM

It seems to be more silver than goldish, so likely not a 12C. Also, there is a hint of both blue and yellow for the shift keys as the video moves, so likely not a 10C either. Whether it's an 11C, 15C or 16C, it's impossible to say.

Physics majors will insist he'd need a 15C for all the cosmological calculations related to the Big Bang, while being in Hollywood mostly precludes using a 16C IMHO, but who can say for sure...

Nice find, good eye spotting it, thanks for sharing.

Matt Agajanian · 07-31-2019, 05:21 AM

You’re welcome.

burkhard · (This post was last modified: 07-31-2019 02:23 PM by burkhard.)

Since it's not an on-screen prop, but apparently an actual calculator used by the show's technical consultant (David Saltzberg, a physics and astronomy professor at UCLA), my guess is that it's most likely a 15C or perhaps an 11C.

And his professional bio at the university: http://www.physics.ucla.edu/~saltzberg/index.html

EdS2 · (This post was last modified: 08-01-2019 12:46 PM by EdS2.)

(07-30-2019 10:34 PM)Matt Agajanian Wrote: Yup! It seems The Big Bang Theory’s science consultant, David Saltzberg is an HP calc user.

Pay close attention to the video between 5:44 until 5:48. You’ll be as surprised as I was.

What a great find! I reached out to David, and with his kind permission I quote his response:

Quote:Wow. That’s a really old clip. It’s from the very beginning of the first season and then I think it never got used because the show shut down for the 2007 writers’ strike. It’s pretty amusing but also creepy to realize everyone scanned my desk. It’s a good thing I didn’t have my passwords posted on a post it note. That was an 11C which sadly doesn’t work any more. I would like to buy another but they are pretty expensive on eBay. I didn’t program it as far as I recall. I did for my old TI-55. But I did use the statistics functions all the time. Thanks for the heads up. Pretty amusing. Best, David.

Matt Agajanian · 08-01-2019, 07:24 PM

Congrats on receiving an actual response from David. I’m guessing you’re excited to get an e-mail response. Excellent!!

Dave Frederickson · (This post was last modified: 08-03-2019 10:16 PM by Dave Frederickson.)

In The Big Bang Theory, S08E16, the gang visits an escape room, the lab of the late Dr. David Saltzberg.

WillMarchant · 08-04-2019, 11:07 AM

Did you let him know about the Swiss Micros versions? I bet he’d appreciate them.
Best wishes,
Will

(08-01-2019 12:45 PM)EdS2 Wrote:
(07-30-2019 10:34 PM)Matt Agajanian Wrote: Yup! It seems The Big Bang Theory’s science consultant, David Saltzberg is an HP calc user.

Pay close attention to the video between 5:44 until 5:48. You’ll be as surprised as I was.

What a great find! I reached out to David, and with his kind permission I quote his response:

Quote:Wow. That’s a really old clip. It’s from the very beginning of the first season and then I think it never got used because the show shut down for the 2007 writers’ strike. It’s pretty amusing but also creepy to realize everyone scanned my desk. It’s a good thing I didn’t have my passwords posted on a post it note. That was an 11C which sadly doesn’t work any more. I would like to buy another but they are pretty expensive on eBay. I didn’t program it as far as I recall. I did for my old TI-55. But I did use the statistics functions all the time. Thanks for the heads up. Pretty amusing. Best, David.

ijabbott · (This post was last modified: 08-04-2019 03:00 PM by ijabbott.)

(08-01-2019 12:45 PM)EdS2 Wrote:
(07-30-2019 10:34 PM)Matt Agajanian Wrote: Yup! It seems The Big Bang Theory’s science consultant, David Saltzberg is an HP calc user.

Pay close attention to the video between 5:44 until 5:48. You’ll be as surprised as I was.

What a great find! I reached out to David, and with his kind permission I quote his response:

Quote:Wow. That’s a really old clip. It’s from the very beginning of the first season and then I think it never got used because the show shut down for the 2007 writers’ strike. It’s pretty amusing but also creepy to realize everyone scanned my desk. It’s a good thing I didn’t have my passwords posted on a post it note. That was an 11C which sadly doesn’t work any more. I would like to buy another but they are pretty expensive on eBay. I didn’t program it as far as I recall. I did for my old TI-55. But I did use the statistics functions all the time. Thanks for the heads up. Pretty amusing. Best, David.

I'm not sure how much is a reasonable price for an 11C in good working order, but I got one from eBay for £50 (about US$60) recently. So if you have the patience you can pick them up for a good price.