Which hardware revision do you have?

[Miguel Toro]

Hi,

My first poll and simple question to identify the current revisions A, B and perhaps C? I see how many of us have Revision A ... already vintage :-)

Mine is Revision A - 4CY3430757

Regards,

Miguel

[Tim Wessman]

Everyone will have A.

[DrD]

I have hardware version A.
-Dale-

[HP67]

What are the differences in the hardware revisions?

[jebem]

I can't find information on different hardware revisions of HP-Prime calculators.
I'm surprised to hear this "buzz" here as this is a new model release less than one year ago.
The last thing I was expecting to see was an hardware design modification to solve/add features that should be fixed/added by firmware updates alone.

[Miguel Toro]

(05-29-2014 01:17 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  Everyone.

Hi Tim,

So, every unit on sale as today is Revision A and won't support wireless, unit-to-unit, and data streamer functionalities?

[Miguel Toro]

(05-29-2014 02:36 PM)HP67 Wrote:  What are the differences in the hardware revisions?

The only thing that we know for certain is that with this firmware update, Revision A hardware does not support :

- Wireless
- unit-to-unit USB communication
- Data streamer

[HP67]

(05-29-2014 02:43 PM)jebem Wrote:  The last thing I was expecting to see was an hardware design modification to solve/add features that should be fixed/added by firmware updates alone.

There can be all kinds of reasons for hardware modifications. Why do you say it has a connection to features?

[HP67]

(05-29-2014 03:05 PM)Miguel Toro Wrote:  The only thing that we know for certain is that with this firmware update, Revision A hardware does not support :

- Wireless
- unit-to-unit USB communication
- Data streamer

Thank you for the info. Lack of wireless support is actually a plus in my book. The other stuff is unfortunate. Hopefully HP will have a hardware rev. list available also.

[DrD]

Any opportunity for outside world connectivity is a huge PLUS in my book.

I would like to be able to use the Prime for comm's with many kinds of remote terminal units ... Arduino, modbus, AB to name just three.

So while there may not be direct communication facilities, perhaps, with a suitable hack, things can be made to work.

[toml_12953]

(05-29-2014 01:17 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  Everyone will have A.

So no later revision is available for sale yet?

[jebem]

(05-29-2014 03:05 PM)HP67 Wrote:  

(05-29-2014 02:43 PM)jebem Wrote:  The last thing I was expecting to see was an hardware design modification to solve/add features that should be fixed/added by firmware updates alone.

There can be all kinds of reasons for hardware modifications. Why do you say it has a connection to features?

Hi HP-67,
Unit to unit communication for instance... why on earth do you need hardware modification for that... you just new the right cable and the right firmware...
Let us wait and see what HP is preparing next...

[eried]

(05-29-2014 05:37 PM)jebem Wrote:  

(05-29-2014 03:05 PM)HP67 Wrote:  There can be all kinds of reasons for hardware modifications. Why do you say it has a connection to features?

Hi HP-67,
Unit to unit communication for instance... why on earth do you need hardware modification for that... you just new the right cable and the right firmware...
Let us wait and see what HP is preparing next...

I am pretty sure unit-to-unit communication wasn't because hardware, but because some legal/certification bs. Related with wireless and the datastreamer the reasons can be because the usb port isn't providing enough current? or this version wasn't properly suited to be usb-host? (It makes sense related with wireless, otherwise the small dongles would require a battery pack).

[HP67]

(05-29-2014 05:37 PM)jebem Wrote:  Unit to unit communication for instance... why on earth do you need hardware modification for that... you just new the right cable and the right firmware...
Let us wait and see what HP is preparing next...

Hi Jebem,

We don't know why there are hardware revisions. It could be many things unrelated to fixes or new features. For example chip errata, vendor problems, pricing disputes, manufacturing problems, shortages, strikes. It could be many things. I don't believe HP would specify features that the first hardware shipped can't support. As you say, wait and see.

[Brad Barton]

(05-29-2014 01:17 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  Everyone will have A.

Feeling better about my earlier "On the fence" post. I wonder if buying hardware version B (whenever it might become available) will lock me out of later firmware revisions.

[Kevin Ouellet]

(05-29-2014 06:21 PM)HP67 Wrote:  

(05-29-2014 05:37 PM)jebem Wrote:  Unit to unit communication for instance... why on earth do you need hardware modification for that... you just new the right cable and the right firmware...
Let us wait and see what HP is preparing next...

Hi Jebem,

We don't know why there are hardware revisions. It could be many things unrelated to fixes or new features. For example chip errata, vendor problems, pricing disputes, manufacturing problems, shortages, strikes. It could be many things. I don't believe HP would specify features that the first hardware shipped can't support. As you say, wait and see.

I know Casio did multiple hardware revisions of their calcs before, as well as TI (especially the TI-Nspire). The FX-9860G, for example switched from a SHA-3 processor to SHA-4, which was much faster, but broke compatibility with many older ASM/C language programs. In TI's case, in April 2007 they reduced the TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus SIlver Edition RAM chip from 128 KB to 48 KB as a cost-saving measure. In the TI-Nspire case, the hardware changed several times, in some cases to prevent third-party development and downgrading to jailbreakable OSes.


Question: Will hardware B have easier to read text on the keys?

[jebem]

Come on, people, who is the one having hardware revision C ???

[cutterjohn]

(05-30-2014 01:15 PM)jebem Wrote:  Come on, people, who is the one having hardware revision C ???

At a guess? TW.

neways,
Revision A 4CY343070T

(Ordered from Amazon, best price at the time v. the insane b&m pricing... as in I forgot to mention in the post about spotting a 50g in a "Best" Buy last Fall($150 and IIRC even the HP direct price was lower, Amazon c. $90 or so) that I thought that they might've had the Prime as well, but $200 but I MAY be misremembering as I was just impressed to see ANY higher end HP calcs...)

[Michael]

Strange - there are two types:
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/calcul...umn&page=1

[Joe Horn]

(05-31-2014 02:27 AM)Michael Wrote:  Strange - there are two types:
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/calcul...umn&page=1

Aha! Their descriptions differ:
NW280AA (what we have) does not mention wireless connectivity.
G8X92AA does mention wireless connectivity.

THEREFORE, we can now identify a Prime's hardware before buying it, simply by looking at the HP Product Number on the back of the package (just above the UPC barcode). "G8" means "Great!", whereas "NW" means "No Way!"