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+--- Thread: HP 17B Pre-Production Prototype (/thread-8070.html)
HP 17B Pre-Production Prototype - kelvinpnw - 03-31-2017 07:29 AM
I'd like to share this, and this seems to be a good place for it.
From 1977 until 2006, my father worked for Hewlett Packard ('77-'92 in the calculator division). From his time there, I have an HP 17B pre-production unit. Below, I've taken some photos highlighting the notable physical differences between it and a production unit.
In the photos below, the left calculator is the pre-production unit and the right is a mainstream unit.
![[Image: IMG_9123.JPG]](https://kelvin.pw/photos/hp/small/IMG_9123.JPG)
(full size here: https://kelvin.pw/photos/hp/IMG_9123.JPG)
In this image, some of the notable differences are:
- There is no rough texturing on the pre-production unit.
- Rather than saying "Business", like on the mainstream units, it is marked with "Business Consultant"
- The top row of keys is a row of rounded triangles, as opposed to upwards-facing chevrons on production units.
![[Image: IMG_9124.JPG]](https://kelvin.pw/photos/hp/small/IMG_9124.JPG)
(full size here: https://kelvin.pw/photos/hp/IMG_9124.JPG)
On the reverse, some notable differences are:
- No rough texturing
- No serial number, the only marking identifying it are a "356" written in the serial number area.
![[Image: IMG_20170331_001753.jpg]](https://kelvin.pw/photos/hp/small/IMG_20170331_001753.jpg)
(full size here: https://kelvin.pw/photos/hp/small/IMG_20170331_001753.jpg)
Inside the battery cover, you can see that there is no silver backplate and the gold contacts are visible; it also has no glyph showing batteries.
/ks
RE: HP 17B Pre-Production Prototype - Eddie W. Shore - 04-01-2017 07:40 PM
Very nice. Does the prototype have the full operation of the HP 17B?
RE: HP 17B Pre-Production Prototype - kelvinpnw - 04-02-2017 02:34 AM
(04-01-2017 07:40 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote: Very nice. Does the prototype have the full operation of the HP 17B?I believe so, I'm going to pick up some batteries next time I'm in town. It's from late in development, so it should.