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Hi everyone,
I am a proud user of hp rpn calculator since a really short period of time. It started with a friend's 35s, then I bought a 15c which is awesome and a 48g for graphing and some more programming.
I was wondering if any of you have an estimate of the time before they discontinue the hp 50g and do you think it would be worth buying lets say 2 ( one for regular use bought used) and another one to keep in its original package for future collection or sale... Do you think that with today's build quality (... Made in china) they will be wanted in a few years?
Thank you for your comments on the question.
Pascal
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If they discontinue the 50g then I think yes, they will be come collectable since they are the top-of-the-line RPL.
If you want a really nice RPN calculator, get a 30s and convert it to an WP-34s. It is just amazing.
Dave
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Quote:
If they discontinue the 50g then I think yes, they will be come collectable since they are the top-of-the-line RPL.
If you want a really nice RPN calculator, get a 30s and convert it to an WP-34s. It is just amazing.
Dave
Sorry for jumping in.
If you want a really nice RPL calc, get a 48GX, and install SpeedUI;-)
Free, fast, fun!
HTH
Ray
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Based on the responses in this forum, I don't think they will discontinue the HP-50g in years to come. The difference between Prime and the HP-50g is much larger than that between the TI-Nspire CX CAS and the TI-89 Titanium. HP will keep the HP-50g as the only calculator in production that supports RPN with full CAS integration, User RPL, low-level programming, a beeper and more. On the other hand, Prime serves as a blazing fast math and problem solver.
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Thank you very much for your answers, I think I will have a look around a buy a used one. And maybe a new one depending on the price I can find it and wrap it up in a box somewhere and forget abiut it.
Only future can tell us ... I guess I'll give it a try, if it doesn't become collectable, I will have a spare really new condition, fast, programmable calculator.
Thank you
Pascal
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Just made a little research, this thing seems like a lot of fun ! I'm totally trying to make one XD
I however have a few unanswered questions, I am an electrical engineering student and have access to a lot of microcontroller programmers from the lab. Do you think it would be possible to program the uC without the need of the 'programming cable' which seems to be a usb-> seriap converter.
I will definetely have a look into this, I already had in mind to create a rpn calc as a school project (end of bachelor project) and including some more data acquisition/real time circuit analysis features. I can't wait to dig into this code and try it out.
Thank you
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I guess you're talking about the WP 34S. Please look to my post below and let me quote from page 2 of said manual:
Quote:
Just in case you do not have your WP 34S calculator yet: WP 34S runs on an HP-20b Business Consultant or an HP-30b Business Professional. Both are financial pocket calculators. So if one of those is sitting on your desk unchanged as produced for HP, please turn to Appendix A for instructions how to convert it into a full-fledged WP 34S yourself. On the other hand, if you do not want to bother with cables on your desk connecting it to your computer, with flashing the calculator firmware and attaching a sticky overlay, you can purchase an HP-30b-based WP 34S readily on the internet; see e.g. http://commerce.hpcalc.org/34s.php or
http://www.thecalculatorstore.com/epages/eb9376.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/eb9376/Products/%22WP34s%20Pack%22 .
The first way (doing it yourself) will just cost you some time, the second will cost you some money. If you choose buying your WP 34S at one of the sites mentioned, we (the developers) will get a very modest fraction of the price to support our otherwise unpaid efforts on the WP 34S project. Either way will work – it is your choice.
d:-)
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Can you tell me a little more about the 30s upgrade to wp 34s ?
Thank you very much
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You can find a lot of information about it here:
- On the project website: http://sourceforge.net/projects/wp34s/
- In the pdf-manual (v3.1): http://sourceforge.net/projects/wp34s/files/doc/Manual_wp_34s_3_1.pdf/download
There are many useful links included - just start reading at the very first page :-)
- In the archives of this forum - just search for 34S :-)
I guess that's sufficient for a first shot. Don't hesitate to ask on.
d;-)
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Thank you very much for the links, I sure found a lot of information. However, there seems to be a lack of documentation concerning the process of fabricating harald's board.
It is possible to find the pcb layout but I can't find the schematics along with the components/designator association. I emailed him this morning and I hope he will be of good help.
thank you very much
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You should get the complete pcb from Harald if he still has one.
d:-)
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He answered this afternoon. He confirmed that the calculator can be programmed using a Atmel JTAG Programmer/Debugger but it is much simpler to use a standard FTDI USB to UART which is also available at the school labs since I won't be doing any debugging (for now ... (Evil laugh)).
Can't wait to get my hand on a 30B to test it all.
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Just get a 30b and upgrade it, or just buy a 34S. You'll then have the best scientific calculator ever made :-)
Yes, I'm biassed :)
- Pauli
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Thank you very much for the info, I really like this prpject, looks like a lot of fun and I'dreally like to participate in the development if possible. I have no experience with atmel however but have quite a bit with microchip uC and FPGAs
Anyway I'll have a look around and make one for sure because the price for the 30b isreally inexpensive.
EDIT : Actually just got one off ebay for 9.95, New out of Box but I don't care XD
Edited: 27 Oct 2013, 4:36 p.m. after one or more responses were posted
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Bonsoir Pascal,
Quote:
... I really like this prpject, looks like a lot of fun and I'dreally like to participate in the development if possible. I have no experience with atmel however but have quite a bit with microchip uC and FPGAs
I'm afraid you're a bit late for the WP 34S project - it's done and in bug-fix mode since January at least.
What may be interesting is the 43S (no typo! ;-) - please see the recent thread Richard Ottosen started and look for previous posts about it.
d:-)
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Quote
"Yes, I'm biassed :)"
You are also, quiet frankly, CORRECT!"
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Quote:
Quote
"Yes, I'm biassed :)"
You are also, quiet frankly, CORRECT!"
Did I tell I admire English spelling (orthography)?
And since I'm at it: I'd like to recommend the printed edition of the WP 34S manual (v3.2) - the link to it is
here. Yes, I'm biased as well.
d:-)
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RE: future collection
Some of my favorite calculators in a rather large collection of RPNs are the ones that i actually used- dings, scratches and all. My absolute favorites are the ones that John & Ken used on the hood of an old pickup, while dodging scrapers and getting choked by dozer dust.
Unless you are Dave or Joerg and your calculators are a museum with the pictures and document scans being archival; needing NIB units is akin to pedophilia.
That being said; having a spare of the tool you need to do your work is a good plan; especially when the tool is delicate and can get smashed in the tailgate of a truck.
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I am not sure about resale or how long it will be readily available (my guess is 2-3 years), but if you want a 50g, I say go for it, while they are still readily available.
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You can pick up HP50G's on ebay "second hand but as close as new as you can get condition."
I've bought 3 or 4 recently (yeah really ! lol) for less than £50 and everyone of them is virtually unused.
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You can buy them that cheap here brand new and still sealed in their blister packaging. I've got just one and am really not that concerned about not finding another one in the distant future if something were to happen to this one.
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