39gs why so cheap

[Ask Mait]

(04-30-2018 04:27 PM)ijabbott Wrote:  I just received one today from a Chinese seller on eBay. It had a protective film on the back, but none on the display. There are a few light scratches on the display and the cover. The cover had some gunk on it that was easily removed with alcohol. There is no serial number on the back. The calculator does work though!

I wonder if the ones from AliExpress arrive in a better condition?

Mine is shipped but hasn't arrived yet, it is through ebay though. To my understanding these are fake replicas but they would work like genuine.
Interesting to find how cheap it is to make a calculator/ any other electronics.
Thanks

[rprosperi]

(04-30-2018 04:36 PM)Ask Mait Wrote:  To my understanding these are fake replicas but they would work like genuine.

I'm not sure there are any validated cases of replica/fake HP-39gs machines, only speculation. Does anyone have evidence of a replica/fake 39gs?

And, if these purported fakes did exist and they did look and work like a genuine machine, what would make them fakes?

[Ask Mait]

(04-30-2018 04:43 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  

(04-30-2018 04:36 PM)Ask Mait Wrote:  To my understanding these are fake replicas but they would work like genuine.

I'm not sure there are any validated cases of replica/fake HP-39gs machines, only speculation. Does anyone have evidence of a replica/fake 39gs?

And, if these purported fakes did exist and they did look and work like a genuine machine, what would make them fakes?

One of the clues could be that there is no serial number on it. Second clue, these are plenty in number, you can buy as many as you want and third, they are so cheap...

[Vtile]

I can not see them as a fakes, there so much detail in many plastic parts that at least they are done with genuine HP molds, ie. the IR-cover, the display surroundings, the edge prettifyer etc.

And then there is these... https://support.hp.com/sg-en/product/hp-...20/drivers

And in China there is a lot of young persons in the school.

I'll definitely need to order one and see if I can hack the SD card and NewRPL to it... Were the SD card hack, that someone did write article here about, done to 39gs or to 40gs?? The main PCB is the same all of these ARM models based on the markings I did notice (..and most propably many others as well) when we tried to figure out the non-working SD card reader of one our members 50g a few years ago.

http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-6560.html (It were JDWs 50g it seems..) I'm sure I have seen the SD card installation thread here in the past 2 years... somewhere.

...Yes here: http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-939...ht=sd+card
Don't tell anyone..

[Gene]

Sometimes "fakes" occur in China by way of the factory running the production line for another hour beyond what is usually done. The serial number stamping machines my be turned off but everything else runs as it should.

These "extra" units are then sold by the factory to other outlets. Fakes that are essentially real but not sold or under the control of the company whose name is on the product.

I've seen it happen, but I have NO IDEA in this instance and am not accusing anyone in this posting of having done that with the 39gs. These may be 100% real or not.

Just making a comment about serial numbers and how some "fakes" get made in China.

[Zaphod]

(04-30-2018 04:27 PM)ijabbott Wrote:  I wonder if the ones from AliExpress arrive in a better condition?

Mine’s en route, I'll let you know

[Alejandro Paz(Germany)]

How about someone opens one up and lets us see the innards ? .
Mine says "Versandbereit"... ready for shipping ?... but I got the email that it was shipped days ago... oh well... how knows.

[ijabbott]

(05-01-2018 05:17 AM)Alejandro Paz(Germany) Wrote:  How about someone opens one up and lets us see the innards ? .

Assuming disassembly is as tricky as for the 50g (screws behind the display faceplate), I don't want to attempt it unnecessarily! (EDIT: I've seen JDW's SD card repair video for the 50g.)

[Martin Hepperle]

(04-30-2018 05:20 PM)Gene Wrote:  Sometimes "fakes" occur in China by way of the factory running the production line for another hour beyond what is usually done. The serial number stamping machines my be turned off but everything else runs as it should.

These "extra" units are then sold by the factory to other outlets. Fakes that are essentially real but not sold or under the control of the company whose name is on the product.
[...]

This mode of operation is also called the "ghost shift" ...

For those interested in learning more about how the Chinese factory ecosystem and their developers work and think I found the following book an interesting and enlighting read.
Maybe these calculators are even improved versions of the HP model...

No Starch press
"Hardware Hacker - Adventures in Making and Breaking Hardware"
by Andrew “bunnie” Huang
March 2017, 416 pp.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-758-1

[Zaphod]

I thought I’d ask in this thread about something I just saw on a certain auction site :

Why so expensive ..........

There’s a BNIB HP41CX , yes brand new !! , boxed .... new, everything!

As I clicked into I thought it’ll be some chancer taking liberties by mis-categorising it

Anyway it’s ..>.......Only £810

BNIB is why it’s so expensive lol ?

[grsbanks]

(05-02-2018 05:55 PM)Zaphod Wrote:  BNIB is why it’s so expensive lol ?

In a word, yes.

It's a one in a million unit. There can't be many BNIB examples of a machine that's really sought after in the first place even when in far from pristine condition.

I wouldn't be surprised if it does go for that price.

Not that long ago there was someone selling a pristine (but not boxed) HP-15C for £2500. OK, it didn't go for that price so the seller has since decided to reduce it. To £1500...

[Zaphod]

(05-03-2018 05:04 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  I wouldn't be surprised if it does go for that price.

He's taking best offers too so.......

I'm not sure where my limit would be, but maybe £300 would be it.

[grsbanks]

(05-03-2018 07:32 AM)Zaphod Wrote:  He's taking best offers too so.......

I'm not sure where my limit would be, but maybe £300 would be it.

No offence meant but I'd laugh at that. A brand new 41CX in its box complete with manuals, soft case etc.? I wouldn't even bother replying to an offer of less than £500-£600. The whole BNIB thing just increases the collectability of a machine tremedously, especially a machine that hasn't been in production for nearly 30 years now.

[Zaphod]

(05-03-2018 07:38 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  No offence meant but I'd laugh at that.

I was just talking out loud , as to what I'd happily pay , I wouldn't try £300 on him
I only found the listing by chance , I was searching for vintage HP's as one (HP32E) was sold from under me on friday

[grsbanks]

(05-03-2018 07:56 AM)Zaphod Wrote:  I only found the listing by chance , I was searching for vintage HP's as one (HP32E) was sold from under me on friday

That's infuriating

I have my eyes on an HP-67 with faulty (but reparable, classic fault) card reader right now...

[Zaphod]

(05-03-2018 08:44 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  I have my eyes on an HP-67 with faulty (but reparable, classic fault) card reader right now...

yeah, saw that .,..........

Quote:That's infuriating

I saw it Friday (on a long listing so I thought it was safe enough to leave for a few days at least) - damaged rear cover , and thought ooo I've got an old 31E at work with a good rear (I think) ... so I was going to confirm that on Monday before ordering , then forgot until Tuesday (and it had sold!) - Dammit.

[Zaphod]

Mine has just arrived (ordered from an Aliexpress seller for £13 delivered)

It's new, it's never been serial numbered, comes with a hard slide oon cover and a USB cable in a plain brown box, very well packed.







It's genuine (diverted off the production line of the factory before it gets HP retail packed I'm guessing)
When it boots it comes up with that momentary graphic image saying powered by wotsit Kernel - I've never been able to read that message when it comes up on my hp50's either
It self tests like a normal HP , it is a HP.

[grsbanks]

I have a couple of those. Might try newRPL on one.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(05-11-2018 10:43 AM)Zaphod Wrote:  When it boots it comes up with that momentary graphic image saying powered by wotsit Kernel - I've never been able to read that message when it comes up on my hp50's either
It self tests like a normal HP , it is a HP.

Metakernel

[Thomas Radtke]

(05-11-2018 10:43 AM)Zaphod Wrote:  [...] (ordered from an Aliexpress seller for £13 delivered)

Thanks for the tip. Ordered mine and hope to have NewRPL running on it .