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+--- Thread: Different blue HP 50g model variants (/thread-4597.html)
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Different blue HP 50g model variants - matthiaspaul - 08-30-2015 03:35 AM
Hi,
up to now I was living under the impression that there were two model variants of the HP 50g, the original black one (model F2229A introduced in 2009) and the later blue one (model NW240AA, which, according to forum posts, first showed up in 2010).
The blue NW240AA#UUZ (8-85631-58074) unit I bought in Germany came in a transparent plastic / cardboard back blister pack showing the black(!) model, and with 2009 (not 2010!) copyright strings. The NW240AA label is not a sticker, but actually part of the print. It came with German, Dutch, French and Italian manuals. The installed firmware is 2.15 (build 106). The sticker on the back of the calculator reads CNA22103Fx. The color is ultramarine, considerably deeper in color than what can be seen on most pictures in the web (a fact I erroneously attributed to a lack of proper white-balancing or color-calibration so far).
However, I now stumbled upon another variant of the blue unit, which I obtained in Spain. It came in a cardboard box (not a blister pack) actually showing a picture of the blue unit, and now with 2012 copyright strings, but labelled F2229AA#B17 (8-827806-816688) instead of NW240AA, again not a sticker of some kind, but fixed in the print. Manuals included are German, French and Spanish, firmware is still 2.15 (build 106), not the recently discovered 2.16 firmware, which was available in 2012 already. However, this unit (CNA22103Lx) is colored in a lighter blue shade, much more cyan than ultramarine, quite a close match to what can be seen on most of the web pictures. The keyboard has the same feel, but the display polarizer appears to be slightly darker.
But it gets even more confusing: In fact, I bought two blue units from the same dealer in Spain. The second Spanish one (also CNA22103Lx, differing only in an offset of 3 in the last digit) came in the same type of package and with identical accessories as the other one. However, it has the darker colored ultramarine housing, that is, it is looking identical to the blue unit I bought in Germany.
Any clues?
Greetings,
Matthias
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - matthiaspaul - 08-30-2015 02:20 PM
I guess it might be interesting to show both blue units next to each other, but it might take a while before I find the time to take a photo. However, the following photos from the web might illustrate the difference in appearance already:
Cyan model variant:
http://www.amazon.de/Hewlett-Packard-Algebra-PC-Link-Kit-dt-Handbuch/dp/B0079X1L72
Ultramarine model variant:
http://www.thecalculatorstore.com/WebRoot/StoreES3/Shops/eb9376/4DAF/22ED/3E93/10A5/B14A/D94C/9B1C/AF67/DSC_7763small.jpg
Even though they were not taken under the same lighting conditions, it is easy to see that the blue is considerably different in tone.
Greetings,
Matthias
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 08-30-2015 05:33 PM
I have bought HP 50g Blue this spring from German internet store. It is NW240AA#UUZ. I do not know, it is darker or lighter version of Blue. But one question, because you have HP 50g Blue calculator. On my unit the screen looks shifted to left. Is the screen shifted to left on your Blue unit?
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - rprosperi - 08-31-2015 01:13 AM
(08-30-2015 02:20 PM)matthiaspaul Wrote: Even though they were not taken under the same lighting conditions, it is easy to see that the blue is considerably different in tone.
The blue version of the 50g is well known to photograph very differently, depending on the lighting conditions, angle, etc. It rarely looks like the key labels are very distinct in photos, while in actual use they are quite clear; most people find them more clear than the 'normal' black 50g.
I would like to see several photos of the 2 units, side-by-side, to see the differences; various lighting conditions, angles of the device, etc. would be nice too.
I've seen about 6-7 of he blue models, though never more than 2 at one time, so it's possible the blues vary from lot to lot, and most of us never noticed.
We look forward to the photos.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - jebem - 03-15-2016 03:10 PM
I apologize up front if this has been discussed before, but I would like to have more insight on this Blue series.
Is the Blue series a regional edition available only in a couple o European countries?
I ask this because the only ones I saw for selling a few years ago in the Internet sites were from Germany and Spain.
An I never saw a Blue 50G in any physical shops in my country.
Meanwhile the 50G Blue machines apparently are a rarity now, and the ones that I can find are used ones and have very hefty price tags.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 03-15-2016 07:24 PM
(03-15-2016 03:10 PM)jebem Wrote: I ask this because the only ones I saw for selling a few years ago in the Internet sites were from Germany and Spain.Some years ago I saw HP 50g Blue in ebay.com from US seller. That was a version with English manual.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 03-15-2016 07:29 PM
Blue version was also sold on amazon.com. According to these comments:
http://www.amazon.com/HP-HP50G-50g-Graphing-Calculator/product-reviews/B000GTPRPS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_viewopt_kywd?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful&pageNumber=1&filterByKeyword=blue
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - jebem - 03-15-2016 08:23 PM
(03-15-2016 07:24 PM)Voldemar Wrote:(03-15-2016 03:10 PM)jebem Wrote: I ask this because the only ones I saw for selling a few years ago in the Internet sites were from Germany and Spain.Some years ago I saw HP 50g Blue in ebay.com from US seller. That was a version with English manual.
Hi, Voldemar,
So it was a global model in blue, but maybe it was a limited edition because we can see the regular black model for sell but not this blue version anymore.
How is your blue machine doing?
Does that display misalignment affecting the normal operation?
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 03-15-2016 08:50 PM
(03-15-2016 08:23 PM)jebem Wrote: How is your blue machine doing?No problem. Absolutely.
Does that display misalignment affecting the normal operation?
HP 50g Blue. Shifted display
Do not know how to add image. I add a link.
Sorry for the pure quality. I have old compact camera.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - rprosperi - 03-15-2016 09:34 PM
Tim has explained that the Blue HP-50g was made specifically for a European country that requested a unique color. Over time, the realities of fluid international sales channels brought the model to Amazon, eBay, and probably many more suppliers as well.
The h/w and f/w are identical to a "normal" black 50g. An odd thing about it is while the color scheme does not photograph well, the colors used in this model are definitely the clearest of any of the post-48 machines; perhaps highest contrast is the most accurate way to say this, but overall, it is easiest on the eyes.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - jebem - 03-15-2016 10:10 PM
(03-15-2016 09:34 PM)rprosperi Wrote: Tim has explained that the Blue HP-50g was made specifically for a European country that requested a unique color. Over time, the realities of fluid international sales channels brought the model to Amazon, eBay, and probably many more suppliers as well.
That was my initial assumption when my Spanish neighbors keep insisting that the "HP-50G Azul" is their "nacional" calculator.
In fact I have found one new in the box HP-50G Azul for sell in the Milanuncios.com Spanish site, where the only languages I can read in the printed sentences are Spanish and Portuguese.
Unfortunately the sellers in this site do not answer to foreign queries (I tried several sellers in the past with no luck).
Did Tim specified what was that European country after all?
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - jebem - 03-15-2016 10:12 PM
(03-15-2016 08:50 PM)Voldemar Wrote:(03-15-2016 08:23 PM)jebem Wrote: How is your blue machine doing?No problem. Absolutely.
Does that display misalignment affecting the normal operation?
HP 50g Blue. Shifted display
Thank you for the picture, Voldemar.
The display looks good enough for me.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 03-15-2016 10:34 PM
(03-15-2016 10:12 PM)jebem Wrote: Thank you for the picture, Voldemar.Seen it? The display is a bit shifted to the left. That's all. It does not interfere.
The display looks good enough for me.
All images that I found on the internet Blue have shifted display. Visit Eddie's blog, there are very nice pictures of Blue. http://edspi31415.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-blue-hp-50g-part-2-pictures.html
And there Blue display is shifted too.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - emece67 - 03-16-2016 12:23 AM
(03-15-2016 10:12 PM)jebem Wrote:(03-15-2016 08:50 PM)Voldemar Wrote: No problem. Absolutely.
HP 50g Blue. Shifted display
Thank you for the picture, Voldemar.
The display looks good enough for me.
Curious, I've never noticed such misalignment until now.
[attachment=3231] (sorry, my camera seems to be even older than that of Voldemar)
In my case, not only it is displaced to the left, but the frame around it is wider on the right than on the left. On a black machine the right edge of the frame (when it changes from transparent to black) is aligned with the right edge of the hp logo, in the blue machine such edge (change from transparent to blue) is at the left of the right edge of the logo.
(03-15-2016 10:10 PM)jebem Wrote: That was my initial assumption when my Spanish neighbors keep insisting that the "HP-50G Azul" is their "nacional" calculator.
In fact I have found one new in the box HP-50G Azul for sell in the Milanuncios.com Spanish site, where the only languages I can read in the printed sentences are Spanish and Portuguese.
Unfortunately the sellers in this site do not answer to foreign queries (I tried several sellers in the past with no luck).
Being the blue 50g the national calculator here seems to me a little extreme. I've searched just now in another local, virtual flea market app, and in the first 100 offerings about 50g machines, the black ones outnumber the blue ones 8:1.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - rprosperi - 03-16-2016 12:54 AM
(03-15-2016 10:10 PM)jebem Wrote: Did Tim specified what was that European country after all?
No, he did not say specifically which country, just "European", though I have read (I believe here on the Forums) that the Country is indeed Spain.
Interestingly, I just checked the original package (same as a Black 50g), and the HP Product number is also F2229AA#ABA, where the trailing "ABA" means product for the USA. Not sure what this means...
I too have never noticed before that the LCD in the Blue unit is slightly shifted to the left, as compared to a black 50g. It is possible that HP sourced a new part along the way (50g has been in production since 2006) and that ALL late production 50g's use this left-shifted LCD design. After owning a few 50gs for many years, none with shifted LCD (I think ;-) ), I also did just get a new one recently with the low price at Amazon, but that's still sealed. If all goes as planned, it will be many years before I find out about this one.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - jebem - 03-16-2016 07:52 AM
Thanks to Bob, Voldemar and Emece67 for your comments.
I was looking to get one Blue model since some time to join my collection.
Indeed the only places where I can easily find one are the Spanish flea market Internet sites.
As I said, i was not lucky sending mails to those Spanish sites as I never got a single answer.
So I finally bought one in mint condition according to the seller from eBay Spain. I'm anxiously waiting for the package arrival to Lisbon now and see how is that famous good looking contrast.
We should not discuss tastes, but I do not mind to say that I like that blue and white color schema used in the case. It looks classy, even vintage in any collection.
(I will not repeat here the pejorative sexist comments I have read from obviously joky bully teenagers replies to other teenagers asking opinion about the acquisition of a Blue machine instead of a Black one. Although this is all part of the machine legacy as well).
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 03-16-2016 08:25 AM
(03-16-2016 12:54 AM)rprosperi Wrote: No, he did not say specifically which country, just "European", though I have read (I believe here on the Forums) that the Country is indeed Spain.My HP 50g Blue came with German, Dutch, French and Italian manuals.
Package
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Voldemar - 03-16-2016 08:32 AM
(03-16-2016 07:52 AM)jebem Wrote: I'm anxiously waiting for the package arrival to Lisbon now and see how is that famous good looking contrast.I do not have the Black HP 50g, but color scheme of the Blue HP 50g is a bit better readable than color scheme of my HP 35s. It seems to me.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - jebem - 03-16-2016 11:57 AM
(03-15-2016 08:50 PM)Voldemar Wrote: Do not know how to add image. I add a link.
I learned from Dave on how to do it, buy I can't find that post anymore.
Basically this is what I do:
1.- Take a picture and edit it as required;
2.- Upload the picture to your favorite Internet repository;
3.- Create a new post/reply here in the MoHPC;
3.1.- Type the following text:
Code:
[url=<image_url>][img=300x200]<image_url>[/img][/url]
where <image_url> = http://<server/page/image.jpg>
Example: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dpyvqOYLu2w/VqvBhMUaxfI/AAAAAAAAD88/r3N9Ymus180/s1600/texas_sr-52_017.jpg
You should resize the inserted image by changing the parameter img=300x200 to your needs.Example:
![[Image: texas_sr-52_017.jpg]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dpyvqOYLu2w/VqvBhMUaxfI/AAAAAAAAD88/r3N9Ymus180/s1600/texas_sr-52_017.jpg)
In this way, we do not consume the limited amount of storage space available for each MoHPC member.
Hope this can help.
RE: Different blue HP 50g model variants - Dave Frederickson - 03-16-2016 02:23 PM
(03-16-2016 11:57 AM)jebem Wrote: I learned from Dave on how to do it, buy I can't find that post anymore.
I only showed Jose how to make his large pics "zoom-able".
Zoom-able Image Test
I use TinyPic.com to host images.
Dave
Edit: Link fixed.