Hot Deal on the HP 30b calculator

[Michael de Estrada]

I recently bought a WP 34S from Eric Rechlin (hpcalc.org), which is based on the now discontinued HP 30b calculator. I decided to get a spare HP 30b for possible future experimentation, and discovered a great deal on eBay for only $9.95 + shipping for a new complete HP 30b "out of box". The seller is eldoradotrading, which is the eBay store for The Bach Co. (Larry Bach). I was a bit skeptical given the low price, so I first bought just one to see if it was truly new, and once it arrived everything seemed perfectly new and complete. It even included the adhesive keyboard programming overly, unused and new. So, I placed an order for four additional items, which arrived today and are also as advertised. IMO, this is an exceptional value for a fully programmable RPN capable HP calculator with a full array of financial, statistical and mathematical functions. If you really feel the need to get it packaged in its original blister pack, it's available for an additional $9. Domestic shipping is $5.95 for the first item and $2.50 for each additional item, but unfortunately rates are much higher for international shipping. I plan on deploying these calculators around my house, as well as my garage work bench and car glove compartment to replace an assortment of cheap non-hp calcs.

[jwm]

I picked up 5 as well, I turned two into WP 34s's with the crystal mod and am going to flash custom firmware to the others for my own projects. Not sure if I'll keep both WP 34s's or sell/give one away and keep the other.

It's a handy little very low power ARM development/hacking platform and the LCD and keyboard will come in handy for some projects.

[Sylvain Cote]

Unfortunately, the shipping charge for international is approximately twice the price of the calculator and he does not do combined shipping. It is still cheap but not that much.

[Gene]

Larry Bach was at the HHC conference this past year in Fort Collins and had PRIME units available.

[walter b]

I've got the following mail this night:

Quote:Thank you for your email. At this time, we do not ship outside the North American market. If we did ship, we would use UPS Worldwide Expedited which would cost over $80.00. This is cost prohibitive. I am sorry we could not help more.

Regards,

Larry Bach
El Dorado Trading

Got it, though I'm wondering why this seller claims to ship worldwide in that offer. Alas, the heralds of free trade ... !

[Thomas Radtke]

(01-11-2014 01:14 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  [...] discontinued HP 30b calculator.

Has this been announced somewhere? The german HP website still lists it.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(01-12-2014 07:23 AM)walter b Wrote:  I've got the following mail this night:

Quote:Thank you for your email. At this time, we do not ship outside the North American market. If we did ship, we would use UPS Worldwide Expedited which would cost over $80.00. This is cost prohibitive. I am sorry we could not help more.

Regards,

Larry Bach
El Dorado Trading

Got it, though I'm wondering why this seller claims to ship worldwide in that offer. Alas, the heralds of free trade ... ! :(

Same here... :(

[Sanjeev Visvanatha]

A local computer chain store had 2 left today. They were open box items and deeply discounted. An additional 10% off just because. Each were $25 CAD with taxes. Not bad for buying local and helping out a brick and mortar store here in Toronto. I may elect to sell one to a forum member not possessing a flashing cable.

[eri]

I've now purchased 10 hp30s from Eldorado via ebay. Price is definitely right and they made terrific holiday gifts that have helped spread calculator lunacy.

A friend was telling me: "I was waving it<the wp34s> at them and explaining how wonderful and amazing it was, and then I saw that look in their eyes: 'you don't care at all, do you?'..."

However, of the 10 hp30s I ordered:
- one had a defective screen (really busted and unusable)
- some of the keyboards aren't great. Between 3 and 5 of them have keys that don't always register even if a click sound is made and felt.

I suspect these devices are open box because they were returned.

Defective devices are accepted back without trouble. If I were to order another batch I'd ask them to please run the hp30s self test on each calc before sending as no one wins when a device needs to be returned.

[Michael de Estrada]

(01-14-2014 05:59 PM)eri Wrote:  If I were to order another batch I'd ask them to please run the hp30s self test on each calc before sending as no one wins when a device needs to be returned.

Did you mean 30b self-test and if so what is it ?

[Michael de Estrada]

(01-14-2014 05:59 PM)eri Wrote:  However, of the 10 hp30s I ordered:
- one had a defective screen (really busted and unusable)
- some of the keyboards aren't great. Between 3 and 5 of them have keys that don't always register even if a click sound is made and felt.

I suspect these devices are open box because they were returned

Curiously, I'm having this problem of non-registering keys on the WP 34S that I bought from hpcalc.org, which is based on a brand new HP 30b with blister packing. So, it may be that some of the factory originals are not very good either. The keyboards varied a lot on the five HP 30b's that I bought from from Bach Co., although they all seem to work properly. The 7 key on the first one is soft and has almost no click and some of the others have very noisy and loose keys.

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(01-14-2014 07:14 PM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  So, it maybe that some of the factory originals are not very good either. The keyboards varied a lot on the five HP 30b's that I bought from from Bach Co., although they all seem to work properly. The 7 key on the first one is soft and has almost no click and some of the others have very noisy and loose keys.

As always, that's the price you pay for cheap calcs. Here a variation of Einsteins's razor applies: "Make things as cheap as possible, but not cheaper";-)

However even the keyboards of the (obviously) much better Pioneer hardware platform showed slight variations in feedback and reliability, but faulty keys weren't as common as in the newer series.

[eri]

(01-14-2014 06:31 PM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  

(01-14-2014 05:59 PM)eri Wrote:  If I were to order another batch I'd ask them to please run the hp30s self test on each calc before sending as no one wins when a device needs to be returned.

Did you mean 30b self-test and if so what is it ?

EDIT: I'm an idiot and posted the instructions for the 30S, so deleted now. Here is a link to the 30b menu:

http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...ead=210515

[Michael de Estrada]

The price just went up by one buck.

[walter b]

(01-15-2014 02:11 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  The price just went up by one buck.

... for 5% of the target market

[eri]

(01-15-2014 02:11 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  The price just went up by one buck.

Yeah: it did that before right after my first order, and then it came back down. I dunno, could be game theory.

[Scottie]

I noted the dollar increase, also. I have had two of the 30Bs in my cart on ebay for a week or so.

Scott

[Scottie]

I ordered two, and I thought it was free shipping, but that's only if you are willing to pick it up -- in Palo Alto! Still not a bad deal, though, <$30 shipped, for two 30b's with manuals, cases, and batteries.

Scottie

[dfnr2]

I just picked up 3, all in perfect condition, with all the keys working, and came with two sets of batteries. Nice find!

Dave

[Jonathan Cameron]

Just ordered and received 5 HP 30b calculators from Eldorado trading. They all seem fine; keys feel decent, voltages are right at 3v, and all of them seem basically unused. But I noticed on the packing slip that they are marked "reconditioned". I don't think that will be problem. But that partly explains the low price (about 50%) compared to the cheapest ones that are new, in the box.

-Jonathan