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Hi. I have an HP 42s which sits in a drawer and is used about four times a year. I recently discovered that the calculator is somewhat collectable. I am contemplating puting it on eBay and let the collectors have it. My only hesitation is that I do really like the build of the calculator (quality, form factor, tactile feel of the buttons). I don't have any sentimental attachment, not do I use any of the advanced features. I would like suggestiong inexpensive RPN replacement HP calculator. Either new or used is fine.

Thanks.

Scott

The reason that old RPN calculators like the 42S are collectible is precisely because current RPN calculators are considered inferior in terms of quality and form factor.

You could sell your 42S for a few hundred dollars, and replace it with a brand new HP-33S -- the least expensive current RPN model -- for about $50. But one glance at the 33S should help you to understand why the 42S is now highly collectible.


Edited: 5 Mar 2007, 2:02 p.m.

You could buy a new old stock Hp17Bii for a bit less than $100. It is the EXACT same hardware and is also RPN. It is not a scientific, but has a better stats package, timer and an extremely easy to use solver for input custom equations. And put $100-200 in your pocket.

If you don't use the 42s all that often and not for trig, the Hp17Bii may even be more useful to you.

Hi Scott.

Quote:
I don't have any sentimental attachment



Hey, how can you be so rock-hearted :`-(


Quote:
not do I use any of the advanced features



I can assure you that even using *only* the basic functions is enough for keeping it :)

In case, advise when opening your auction :)

Best regards,

Giancarlo

Hi,

as Ron wrote, a 17BII (NOT 17bII+)

could be an adequate RPN machine for daily use.

But I'd also suggest to take a look at the 32S or 32SII,

whereas the latter (32SII) could be a bit high-priced,

for similar reasons as those for the 42S prices;-)

The 32S (w/o the II) should be somewhat cheaper,

somewhere between $50 and $100.

The 12C, although very common, is a completely different thing.

It has a landscape layout, and the classic 12C doesn't have

a backspace key, only a CLx key.

Aside from that, the 12C is a very nice machine.


Raymond

As it happens, I do have a 48gx as well as the 42s. I tend to use the 48gx instead of the 42s due to the larger visible stack size. Reading the above thread on "50g love" got me to wondering: how does the 50g compare with the 48gx?

The HP49 and 50 series are successors to the HP48 series (as the model numbers might suggest).

The 50G is based on the 48G-series, but has an improved operating system, a larger display, is much faster, has far more memory, and has far better symbolic math capabilities ("computer algebra system"). The "build" of the 50G (e.g. appearance, form factor, durability) is generally considered acceptable, but not quite up to the standards of historical HP calculators like the 48GX.

The operating system and computer algebra system of the 50G are based on software that was originally developed for the 48G (e.g. MetaKernel, Erable, Alg48). If you get a pair of HP-48GX memory cards, then in theory you can upgrade your 48GX, add this software, and gain many of the capabilities of the 50G. This is not necessarily a great idea in practice, however, because a pair of 48GX memory cards may cost as much as a whole 50G. Furthermore, an upgraded 48GX is still much slower and clumsier to use than a 50G.

Edited: 6 Mar 2007, 11:53 a.m.

Quote:
Furthermore, an upgraded 48GX is still much slower and clumsier to use than a 50G.

Not necessarily.

I recently made a new version of my user interface replacement libraries,

the new version is a major improvement over the older versions,

and is called 'SpeedUI 7.03 Extreme Edition'.

It accelerates the complete user interface of an HP-48G/G+/GX,

including *all* input forms and choose boxes.

Furthermore, the new 6-level stack display is *much* faster than before,

and the command line and full screen editing facility

is the fastest one I ever saw on an HP-48.

It includes a real COPY/PASTE feature with a multiple object clipboard,

as well as an interactive online command catalog with

fast seach capability and parameter help.

For example, loading the complete 'TEACH' subdirectory

from the stack into the editor takes only 2 (two) seconds,

and scrolling down in the editor now really makes fun.

And my MatrixWriter replacement with switchable fonts

is the fastest one available for the HP-48.

The new SpeedUI 7.03 EE isn't on hpcalc.org yet,

but if anyone interested, I could send the archive as email.

(The SpeedUI version on hpcalc.org is outdated, and should not be used anymore)

Unlike 'MetaKernel', the SpeedUI components can be stored
in any port,

although port 0 or 1 are recommended for speed.

Installation and deinstallation works as with any other libraries.

SpeedUI was made for users, not for hackers;-)

Raymond


Edited: 7 Mar 2007, 1:14 a.m.

I am interested, but have just a humble 48G, which frankly I never use because it seems so slow.

Is the new version of SpeedUI usable on the 48G?

Les

Quote:
The reason that old RPN calculators like the 42S are collectible is precisely because current RPN calculators are considered inferior in terms of quality and form factor.

I strongly agree.

-- Antonio

Hi Les,

unfortunately the new version doesn't fit into an 48G with 32K RAM,

since the base library alone is about 15K,

and the optional UI library (which makes the new & fast stack and editor),

is about 20.5K , totalling to about 35K .

So a G+ or GX, or an expanded G will be needed.

The older (now obsolete) version of SpeedUI,

which is available on www.hpcalc.org ,

has a very small footprint compared to the new version,

so it will be usable in a normal 48G.

The old version is nice, too,

but lacks many features, like the fast editor.

However the system integration and stability

of the new version is mucher better...

Nonetheless I could send you the new version,

so you could try it on Emu48.

Just drop me a mail to:

M a g i c 4 8 g e s [at] g m x [dot] d e

(Remove the obvious spaces and placeholders;-)

Raymond

Quote:
Furthermore, an upgraded 48GX is still much slower and clumsier to use than a 50G.
I was thinking primarily in terms of the computer algebra system, rather than the user interface. For example, the best way to differentiate expressions on a 48GX is with the Erable library, but the best way to simplify expressions is often with the Alg48 library. And both Erable and Alg48 work slowly, as does graphing.

You can add CAS capabilities, or alternative graphing software, to the 48GX, but you wind up with a slow and clumsy "patchwork" system, whereas the CAS of the 50G is fast and streamlined.

I haven't tried SpeedUI, but I can believe that it might improve the user interface of the 48GX (the MetaKernel, which I previously suggested, also does this). But if you have to buy 48GX memory cards first, the cost savings over a 50G may not be great.