HP 82440A HP-71B software Development PAC mini cassete

[Jlouis]

HI

I just finally grab a HP-71b, that I longed so much, and it came with that mini cassette.

I looked for information here and the Internet and in wonderful HP-71b Compendium from Sylvain, but I still have some doubts about it:

-Is it possible to run it on a general micro-cassette recorder and then from the PC install it on the 71b?
-Is it just a collectible item or it can be usefully somehow (I don't intend to buy the original HP IL cassette unit)?
-If it is of no use for me, does anybody here is interested in buying or trade it with me?

It looks like new, that have never been used before.



Edit: Finally I could upload the picture. Thanks Dave.

[Paul Berger (Canada)]

You pictures did not come through, however I would suspect any kind of mini-cassette that would contain software for a HP-71 would be a tape cartridge for the 82161A HPIL tape unit, and that would be the only device that would be able to read it. If you do not have access to one of these drives I am sure you could find someone that is willing to dump the contents to some format more useful for you.

Paul.

[Dave Frederickson]

(08-02-2017 05:08 PM)Jlouis Wrote:  -Is it possible to run it on a general micro-cassette recorder and then from the PC install it on the 71b?
-Is it just a collectible item or it can be usefully somehow (I don't intend to buy the original HP IL cassette unit)?

There's no need to try to read the tape. A LIF image already exists in the 71B Compendium and at hpmuseum.net. Getting it into the 71 requires some I/O. I recommend the PIL-Box.

The cassette itself is of no use except as a collector's item.

Dave

[Sylvain Cote]

Hello Jlouis,

Go to: HP-71B COMPENDIUM (Part 4 of 4) search for "HP-82440A Software Development Utility" near the bottom of the page.
You will find a picture of the manual cover page, the manual in PDF, a picture of the Digital Cassette and a ZIP containing all the cassette files.

Paul is correct in his assumption, to read the cassette, you need:

• HP-71B Handheld Computer
• HP-82401A HP-IL module for the HP-71B
• HP-82167? HP-IL Cables (at least 2)
• HP-82161A HP-IL Digital Cassette Drive
• HP-82440A Dev. Utility Digital Cassette
  

Second option is to go emulator mode with the HP-82440A_DEV-UTILITY.ZIP file

• Christoph Gießelink EMU71
• Christoph Gießelink Virtual HP-IL Devices
• Unzip HP-82440A_DEV-UTILITY.ZIP and open up the HP-82440A_DEV-UTILITY_MEDIA.LIF file with the emulated Digital Cassette Drive
  

Third option is to go hybrid mode with the HP-82440A_DEV-UTILITY.ZIP file

• HP-71B Handheld Computer
• HP-82401A HP-IL module for the HP-71B
• HP-82167? HP-IL Cables (at least 2)
• Jean-François Garnier PIL-Box
• Christoph Gießelink Virtual HP-IL Devices
• Unzip HP-82440A_DEV-UTILITY.ZIP and open up the HP-82440A_DEV-UTILITY_MEDIA.LIF file with the emulated Digital Cassette Drive
  

Sylvain

[Jlouis]

Thanks to all responses until now.

I don't know what happened with the images, I will check it now.

As I suspected, the mini cassette is only a collectible item, and it is looking like recently bought from a shop.

I will post in the classifies section for someone who wants to have it as collectible, as for myself, I don't consider myself a serious collector, I just like to have fun with calculators and old computers.

My purchase included a HP-IL, Math Rom, Finance Rom and two memory modules of 4k, so I think I'll be busy for some time...

I contacted Jean-François for a PIL-BOX, and it will come soon.

Maybe the fram71 would be an option to buy, when it becomes available, let's see.

Sylvain, I would like to apologise for misspelling your name in the first post, I will correct it.

Cheers

JL

[Dave Frederickson]

(08-02-2017 07:08 PM)Jlouis Wrote:  Maybe the fram71 would be an option to buy, when it becomes available, let's see.

The FRAM71 has been around for several years. The thing is we don't know if there will ever be more made, considering how long it took to get 30 people on a pre-order list the last time. Your best bet is place a WANTED ad in the classified section. I believe several FRAM71's have changed hands since it was introduced.

Dave

[Jlouis]

(08-02-2017 08:27 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  

(08-02-2017 07:08 PM)Jlouis Wrote:  Maybe the fram71 would be an option to buy, when it becomes available, let's see.

The FRAM71 has been around for several years. The thing is we don't know if there will ever be more made, considering how long it took to get 30 people on a pre-order list the last time. Your best bet is place a WANTED ad in the classified section. I believe several FRAM71's have changed hands since it was introduced.

Dave

HI Dave, thanks for the information.

For me , Fram71 would be more a curiosity, but when I saw its price, it was like a bath of ice cubes...

Maybe one day, who knows...

Cheers

JL

[Dave Frederickson]

(08-02-2017 08:59 PM)Jlouis Wrote:  For me , Fram71 would be more a curiosity, but when I saw its price, it was like a bath of ice cubes...

If you're lucky, you might find a 32k RAM module on eBay for $150. FRAM71 provides fifteen 32k blocks of RAM - what would cost $2250. For a little more an expansion module is available that adds sixteen more 32k blocks. That would cost $4650. By comparison, FRAM71 is a bargain and it's more versatile.

Dave

[Jlouis]

(08-03-2017 12:02 AM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  

(08-02-2017 08:59 PM)Jlouis Wrote:  For me , Fram71 would be more a curiosity, but when I saw its price, it was like a bath of ice cubes...

If you're lucky, you might find a 32k RAM module on eBay for $150. FRAM71 provides fifteen 32k blocks of RAM - what would cost $2250. For a little more an expansion module is available that adds sixteen more 32k blocks. That would cost $4650. By comparison, FRAM71 is a bargain and it's more versatile.

Dave

Sure Dave, I'm not saying that it isn't worth the price, I'm only saying is that right now I don't need to expend this money (actually the real problem is that, after buying my new toy, I don't have this money, you know...)

Maybe in the near future I will look for a used one, or perhaps there will be another batch coming...who knows...

Anyway, thanks a lot for the information.

Cheers

JL

[Garth Wilson]

(08-02-2017 08:27 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  The FRAM71 has been around for several years. The thing is we don't know if there will ever be more made, considering how long it took to get 30 people on a pre-order list the last time.

What is the pacing factor? It used to be PC boards; but now their price has come down to where it's pretty insignificant today for a front-port or card-reader-port module-sized board. I've been using DirtyPCBs.com recently, getting 100 or 200 postage-stamp-sized boards for $28 for the whole lot, including shipping, and the last was $40 total because I paid for expedited shipping. That's forty cents a board. One lot came to fourteen cents a board.

[Dave Frederickson]

(08-03-2017 01:07 AM)Garth Wilson Wrote:  

(08-02-2017 08:27 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  The FRAM71 has been around for several years. The thing is we don't know if there will ever be more made, considering how long it took to get 30 people on a pre-order list the last time.

What is the pacing factor? It used to be PC boards ...

It's not the cost of parts. Development costs, assembly, and test are probably driving the price. Oh, and profit.