Trusty 32SII dying - should I get the 35S or 50g?

[Crazy Horse]

OK, my trusty 25 year old 32S II is finally showing its age - a row of buttons on the right side of the keyboard seem to have some intermittent connectivity problem. So, I figure it is time to upgrade. I want RPN - algebraic entry is irrelevant to me.

The choices seem to be either the 35S or the 50g. I like the 35S as the layout seems to be very similar my 32SII. The 50g is enticing as it has graphing capability, although I have lived without it for all these years and I'm not sure I really need it. Moreover, the keyboard layout of the 50g seems to be a compromise to accommodate algebraic notation - I like the large enter button on the left side on the 32SII and the 35S whereas the 50g has it tucked away in the bottom right hand corner.

From a capability standpoint, I know that the 50g has RPL, external SD card, etc. etc. Not sure I need all that stuff. Basically, I am looking for inputs from anyone who has used either or both of these models and and comment on them.

I am an electrical engineer, working in semiconductor R&D, if that matters.

Thanks!

[Dave Britten]

The 35S is known to be quite buggy, and the 50g is really overwraught and clumsy to use, in my opinion (menu and keyboard layout, in particular). I'd hunt down a used 48, if I were in your shoes.

Alternatively, keep a close eye on the DM42 that Swiss Micros is working on. It's essentially going to be a 42S on steroids.

[Geoff Quickfall]

Fix it!

[John Smitherman]

Buy one of each.


Regards,

John

[hewlpac]

Won't go wrong with 35s. Bugs are irrelevant in normal use. Certainly more like the 32sii than the 50g.

[d b]

It looks like you can get a used one off ebay for between $55 to $120. Not too much rhyme or reason between what you pay vs what you get though, like always. Then you can take Geoff's advice and fix your first one so you'll have two while you, Dave Britten, me, and many others wait for the Swiss Micros DM42 to come out.

You'll probably decide someday that you really need a 41 though. So why not now? You can see where this leads.

[inaqui76]

I'm a structural engineer. During my university time I used a 48GX, then I bought a 32SII wich I used for years until (same as you) some buttons started to fail.
So I went back to the bulky 48gx until I found (in Argentina) a WP-34s and I fell in love with it. I like the small size (similar to 32Sii) and for a every day calculator it is perfect. Also I have a little program for calculating concrete beams that I could port it to the WP-34s.

So, my 2 cents go for the smaller one.

[Vtile]

It would interesting to hear what is the reason on the key problems. My quess is general litter and wear of the graphite pads.

[Logan]

Sounds like an easily fixable problem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo4EZG0NQbc
(note, the 20s videos I have is the same procedure but I show more of it, including my mistakes)

Vtile, this seems to usually be caused by the foam "pressure pad" wearing out. This puts pressure on the cable connecting the keyboard to the processor PCB and when it wears out you get intermittent connection.

[Dave Britten]

(01-11-2017 04:17 AM)hewlpac Wrote:  Won't go wrong with 35s. Bugs are irrelevant in normal use. Certainly more like the 32sii than the 50g.

I disagree. Having the machine lock up and lose all memory because of an inadvertent infinite loop in a program is extremely relevant (and the reason I very quickly relegated it to "the collection").

[Logan]

I used the 35s exclusively for months leading up to the PE exam, and ditched it as soon as it was over (for a 42s). Random bugs, intermittent key presses, couldn't keep up with fast entry. I lost faith in it after a while and would have to constantly slow down to check my input.

Had some nice features (equation solver, algebraic entry for equations, quick access to variables) but I'd much prefer a 32SII or a 42s over it.

[Eddie W. Shore]

I'll vote for the 50g over the 35s. Both are good, but I find the 50g to be much more stable. Plus, the 50g has the Rect/Polar conversions out of the box (you'll have to program the conversions on the 35S). If you don't mind spending the extra cash, you also could hunt for a 32SII.

[Vtile]

(01-11-2017 02:22 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  ..snip.. Plus, the 50g has the Rect/Polar conversions out of the box (you'll have to program the conversions on the 35S). ..snip..

In my HP35s the conversion works just fine (if we are talking about complex number here), but it is only a display formatting. It also seems to be perfectly happy to accept complex numbers in both polar and rectangular (use θ or i keys ) returning them to the stack in the format you have chosen in display settings. The calculator itself seems to storage them as rectangular form, if I'm not terribly mistaken.

[Derek W]

I have both in my work desk drawer (as well as about a dozen other calculators) and I use the 35s far more than the 50g. Somehow I've never climbed far enough up the learning curve of the 50g.
As a practical engineer most of the 35s bugs don't affect me, the only two that annoy me occasionally are:
1) negative exponents disappearing off the right side of the display in floating point - I virtually never need more than 5 significant figures in my work, and I'd rather lose the last decimal place and keep the exponent in view
2) programmed equations being lost due to battery problems (maybe a couple of times in nearly 10 years) which means typing them in again
Mine is an early one dating from around 2007 (from memory) and the keyboard has been fine.

[Namir]

Get a 35s for a replacement.

Namir

[BartDB]

Hi,

As some have stated, fix it.

It is probably the rubber strip supporting the keyboard connector that has compressed and causing lack of connection to the PCB.

See the following for hints on opening up and photos of the interior.
http://www.finetune.co.jp/~lyuka/interests/calc/hp42s/

Here's the keyboard strip highlighted. Under it you will find the rubber strip that deteriorates. Replace this and it will probably work again.
   

When re-assembling, tighten the screen tabs securely otherwise the display may not work properly.
   

Regards, Bart

[d b]

(01-11-2017 12:33 PM)Logan Wrote:  ......(note, the 20s videos I have is the same procedure but I show more of it, including my mistakes)......

Logan; Your 20s video is very complete and well done.

[Brian D]

You may wish to consider a DM15L from Swissmicros. No menus, all functions are at the keyboard. According to the HP Museum features summaries, the two are almost the same in what they can do. The 32 has the multi-variable solver, whereas the 15 has only a root solver. The 15 has matrices and a complex number stack. 32 has hex numbers. The size is about the same, the 15C is landscape style.

The DM version apparently can save programs to your PC, and has more speed than an original 15C.

Otherwise grab a few 50s while you can. Very nice for unit conversions, solving, complex, and matrix operations.

[Jeff_Kearns]

(01-13-2017 03:12 PM)Brian D Wrote:  The 32 has the multi-variable solver, whereas the 15 has only a root solver. The 15 has matrices and a complex number stack.

The HP-15C (and the DM15L) can easily do multiple input, single output (MISO) solving - making it just as capable in this regard as the 32sii. There is a great article by Karl Schneider on this topic:

SOLVE and INTEG on HP's RPN-based models

Jeff