[WP-34S] Firmware v3.x - Does it runs fine on a HP-20B?

[Jim Horn]

I've been using my HP 20b since receiving it at an HHC around 2008. It was reflashed to become a WP 34S in 2011. And it has had heavy use ever since. I added the quartz crystal well over a year ago and it runs very well indeed.

Compared with my still-stock HP 30b, the 20b keys are noticeably more mushy (no fall-through click action) and has occasionally missed a keypress, though that could be due to inattention on my part. But it has worked and served me very well. The several year old overlay from Eric is holding up very well too.

I could update the '30b to be a WP 34S as well but the '20b is doing so well I'm leaving the '30b well enough alone (in violation of the engineer's dictum of, "If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is"). And, as you say, the black body of the '20b compliments the overlay very well. One other difference is that the '20b has no cover over the display - the LCD glass is directly exposed, making it more susceptible to disaster but being recessed into the calculator it appears to be sufficiently protected. The lack of a case would be a nuisance though I got one as an HHC door prize too.

The '20b has a second class reputation here, it seems, but I've been delighted with mine. My thanks to Cyrille and the rest of the team at HP for making it possible - and certainly to the fantastic WP 34S team as well!