HP48S/G Manufacturing / Variant History - Comments?

[TomC]

All:
As you may know, 'megarat' has done a fine job of maintaining a list of HP48 (S and G series) machines and the manufacturing timing, detailing OS version variation:

http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...i?read=991
(article 991 in the Articles page here at hpmusuem.org).

I am curious about timing of a couple other variations in these machines:
1. Change to improved, 'Black' LCD.
2. Change to non-double-shot keys.

Both of these changes happened in the latter days of the 48G series. I believe both changes happened around/after the mfg move to Indonesia.

A couple notes/questions:
1. I have noticed that later 'ID' era 48 non-black LCD, while not black are certainly of higher quality than earlier LCDs.
2. How does one confidently assess whether the keys are double-shot? (non-damaging of course!)?

Comments? It would be interesting to add more resolution to the historical detail of this machine.

TomC

[Thomas Radtke]

(01-18-2014 01:20 PM)TomC Wrote:  2. How does one confidently assess whether the keys are double-shot? (non-damaging of course!)?

The paint is very notable. You clearly see and feel it.

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(01-18-2014 02:26 PM)Thomas Radtke Wrote:  The paint is very notable. You clearly see and feel it.

It's a simple trade-off. I prefer the much better display contrast of the latest HP 48G series calcs over the molded keys. If the keys were molded, it would be nice but isn't really important for me. Molded vs. painted keys is no real difference in daily use, but the better display contrast is a big gain:-)

[Ángel Martin]

Totally agree w/ Ray!

[HAL9000]

(01-18-2014 01:20 PM)TomC Wrote:  As you may know, 'megarat' has done a fine job of maintaining a list of HP48 (S and G series) machines and the manufacturing timing, detailing OS version variation:

I do know how to contact Megarat, but maybe of interest to him, I have two HP48GX calculators that are not in his list. Both are made in Singapore: 1) serial number 3327S02483, ROM version "M" and 2) serial number 3544S08544, ROM version "R".

[TomC]

I believe the purpose of the list is to delineate changes in OS versions and Manufacturing location and the date of these transition.

[megarat]

(01-18-2014 11:07 PM)HAL9000 Wrote:  

(01-18-2014 01:20 PM)TomC Wrote:  As you may know, 'megarat' has done a fine job of maintaining a list of HP48 (S and G series) machines and the manufacturing timing, detailing OS version variation:

I do know how to contact Megarat, but maybe of interest to him, I have two HP48GX calculators that are not in his list. Both are made in Singapore: 1) serial number 3327S02483, ROM version "M" and 2) serial number 3544S08544, ROM version "R".

Thanks, I've added your calculators to the table.

[megarat]

(01-19-2014 02:21 AM)TomC Wrote:  I believe the purpose of the list is to delineate changes in OS versions and Manufacturing location and the date of these transition.

Exactly. Ostensibly, the orignial intention of the table was simply to satisfy my curiosity about when the different firmware versions were released into the wild, but it had the additional (and perhaps primary) purpose of giving one the ability to infer which firmware version a calculator has when you only have access to the serial number. I.e., when buying a calculator on eBay, and the seller is too lazy to follow the procedure to determine the firmware version (which I encountered all too often, and was the original inspiration me to solicit data for the table).

TomC brings up the points about keys and display for the same reason. (a) It might be interesting to track exactly when these developments were available, and (b) given only an SN, one might be able to infer which of these features a calculator has.