HP-10BII+ One more to my collection

[jebem]

I must be one of the last persons here to get one of these. Anyhow, I got one in the mail today.

This is a blinding fast machine for such a low end entry priced calculator!
Also, in addition to the intended financial features, it sports statistics and scientific functions too. For example, the gamma and trigonometric functions are included.

On top of that, this is probably a almost bug free calculator, as referred elsewhere.
I understand that it was built using the 20B/30B as the base platform.
Really good job from Tim and Cyrille here!

Some people mentioned the existence of an Easter Egg. Has anyone found it?

Pressing PMT + ON will enter the self test mode. Using + and - to chose the test gives me the following options:
I 5crEEn
2 kEyboArd
3 ChEck5uM
4 bAttEry
5 VEr5ion
6 CoPyri9ht
7 tE5t 5y5
8 5Iou CLk
Pressing = will run the selected test and at the end of it, press = again will return to the menu.

Some self-test results on my calculator:

Test 5 Version: 7-13-2010 2
(please note the number 2 after the date, not referred anywhere in the few past messages posted here and elsewhere.
My specimen was manufactured on 2012 week 12 according to the serial number.
Could this be a later firmware revision?)

Test 3 Checksum: 244.244 (number before is the calculator number, the other is the number put in the flash to compare against and should match, as per TW info)

Test 4 Battery: 2.900 (I need fresh batteries here...)

Test 8 Set I/O Clock: SC-28,500.00 (it allows some adjustment of the clock speed if the serial communications are behaving unreliably, as per TW info)

Test 6 Copyright: COPr HP 2010 1,752.00 (Size in bytes of the internal calc structure, as per TW info)

And theoretically it could be re-flashed as long as one gets the required tools and a goal to do so.



A final note of humor.
Appendix A of the excellent User's Guide includes a "Warning! There is a danger of explosion if batteries are incorrectly replaced" warning.
This is a little bit exaggerated, isn't it?
What can explode here? The calculator?
For sure the CR2032 has no energy capacity to explode either.

More seriously, I know that some lithium batteries can deliver large inrush current when short-circuited resulting in fast heating, but I don't think a humble CR2032 can do it.
Anyhow, let's be on the safe side and install the batteries in the correct position!