Keep which HP-48

[HP67]

Thanks, Robert. I'll keep my eye out for one, finances permitting. I find I am using my 48s and 50 a lot. So much so that when I grabbed my 12C yesterday I turned it off by hitting

Code:

f on

!

My SX is a fairly early one and the display is terrible. If it weren't somewhat rare, I'd consider a backlight mod just to be able to use it during the day

[rprosperi]

(04-23-2014 01:57 PM)HP67 Wrote:  My SX is a fairly early one and the display is terrible.

I never realized how bad the GX Blue display was until I got a Black one. I can barely use my original GX these days, though I guess I have to admit my eyes were younger when I first got it. I did have Randy do some repairs on it a couple years ago, and at the time he updated the ROM to Rev R, so while not as cool (and usable) as Han's SX with Black, it is a rare early vintage machine with final ROM.

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(04-23-2014 07:29 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  

(04-23-2014 01:57 PM)HP67 Wrote:  My SX is a fairly early one and the display is terrible.

I never realized how bad the GX Blue display was until I got a Black one. I can barely use my original GX these days, though I guess I have to admit my eyes were younger when I first got it. I did have Randy do some repairs on it a couple years ago, and at the time he updated the ROM to Rev R, so while not as cool (and usable) as Han's SX with Black, it is a rare early vintage machine with final ROM.

Another rare thing is a GX with SX display;-)
Below is a new pic (from today) of the 3 different LCDs used in the G series calcs.
Please note the _very_ rare Rev L model with SX LCD was placed in the center for optimal viewing angle, which doesn't help much due to the awful contrast. Even the normal blue/green G Series LCD on the left can be read better despite the suboptimal viewing angle. And the LCD on the right side is the best even if looking from an angle.

I had to resize the pic due to upload size constraints. If someone is interested in the original pic (~1MB) please just drop me a note - Thanks:-)

[aurelio]

(03-04-2014 01:22 AM)Raymond Del Tondo Wrote:  Yes,
the time frame has to be shifted by a few years, and maybe expanded.
Here are some key legend variations. The individual pic files are between 22KB and 80KB, so not very large.
(OMISSIS)

The optical difference between molded and painted keys can clearly be seen.
The legends of the molded keys have slightly slanted/uneven edges, especially near their respective end, which is due to mechanical/production reasons.
The legends of the painted keys "could" look better, but due to obvious "negative quality constraints" the painted/printed SIN legend is even slightly sloped.

Thank-you for sharing the pictures! I cut them in the reply for space saving pourpose =
I've checked on my calculators and the earlier ones had molded keys:
comparing two GX made in Indonesia the first, made in '98 has the molded key, while the second, made in the same country in 2001 has the painted ones!
The SX made in Singapore in '93 has (it seems) molded keys, but the shape of numbers and letters it's quite different !

RAY, I've seen that the annunciators in my black LCD display are blue, do you know the reason?

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(04-25-2014 08:31 AM)aurelio Wrote:  RAY, I've seen that the annunciators in my black LCD display are blue, do you know the reason?

Only a guess, but the polarisation foil seems to be different for the pixel array and the frame, in which the "hard annunciators" are.

Cheers

[HP67]

(04-24-2014 05:54 PM)Raymond Del Tondo Wrote:  Another rare thing is a GX with SX display;-)

That's horrible! You should get your money back!

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(04-27-2014 09:30 AM)HP67 Wrote:  

(04-24-2014 05:54 PM)Raymond Del Tondo Wrote:  Another rare thing is a GX with SX display;-)

That's horrible! You should get your money back!

:-))

Fortunately it was a present from Firmware Systems, Inc in Corvallis when I visited them.

[HP67]

Very nice collection. Just hurts my eyes every time I see another SX display in an SX. In a GX it's just too much

Your black model sure is spiffy!