The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 14

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HP-48GII / HP-49G+ display oddity
Message #1 Posted by Tony Thimet on 19 Dec 2003, 7:18 a.m.

Hi there!

Got my hands on a HP-48GII (s/n CN33501390, V1.20) and a HP-49G+ (CN33904081, V1.23) and observed this:

Both units have a strange behaviour where the display seems to be redrawn about 3 seconds after the last change of the display contents. This is especially nasty when the blinking edit-cursor is visible because it constantly triggers the display refresh. As a consequence the blinking cursor does not blink steadily but more or less randomly. Also, on the HP-48GII the bottom row of soft keys gives a visible "blink" when the display is redrawn which is rather annoying.

The old HP-49G does not show this behaviour.

Has anyone else seen this? Is there a software upgrade which would resolve this issue?

Also, since the software versions are both "HP49-C" am I right assuming that the only difference between these units is the amount of memory and the additional SD flash card slot of the HP-49G+?

Thanks,

Tony

      
Re: HP-48GII / HP-49G+ display oddity
Message #2 Posted by Arnaud Amiel on 19 Dec 2003, 8:15 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Tony Thimet

The 48GII has been recalled and hopefully should come out again in January not blinking. The next ROM for the 49g+ will remove blinking and other bugs. 1.23 is already out but not available on hp site just yet. For more information on the new models follow comp.sys.hp48 This forum deals more with older models.

Arnaud

            
Re: HP-48GII / HP-49G+ display oddity
Message #3 Posted by Tony Thimet on 19 Dec 2003, 9:12 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Arnaud Amiel

Hmmm, but *both* the HP-48GII's V1.20 and the HP-49G+'s V1.23 are blinking! It seems that it is just less noticable on the HP-49G+ as long as the flashing edit cursor isn't visible.

Is the blinking issue simply cured by software or is a hardware mod required?

Is there a way to get the ROM code out of the calculator?

Thanks,

Tony

                  
Re: HP-48GII / HP-49G+ display oddity
Message #4 Posted by Veli-Pekka Nousiainen on 19 Dec 2003, 10:22 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by Tony Thimet

"Is the blinking issue simply cured by software or is a hardware mod required?"

49G just needs a FlashROM upgrade. The 48gII needs a HW mod and thus HP has recalled that model. 2004 will be the best year ever (if avaolable MIPS & features are the neasurement <sans keyboards>)

"Is there a way to get the ROM code out of the calculator?"

Unfortunately ROMUPLOAD command has been disable while Irda at 115200 would have been available for that purpose too.

[VPN]

            
Only older models?
Message #5 Posted by CalcKidd on 19 Dec 2003, 9:21 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Arnaud Amiel

====> This forum deals more with older models.<====

Why? The 34C or 41C are older, but were new once.

                  
Re: Only older models?
Message #6 Posted by Veli-Pekka Nousiainen on 19 Dec 2003, 10:26 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by CalcKidd

"====> This forum deals more with older models.<====

Why? The 34C or 41C are older, but were new once."

Read the URL in your browser: "http://www.hpmuseum.org/..."

You may occationally ask about the new models here - just like you can ask about discontinued products in the comp.sys.hp48 newsgroup, but the best information about pre-48 series is here and viceversa. Use search (eg. Google) and you see that history proofs that.

[VPN]

                        
Re: Only older models?
Message #7 Posted by CalcKidd on 19 Dec 2003, 3:33 p.m.,
in response to message #6 by Veli-Pekka Nousiainen

So, you're saying that this "museum" should no longer accept any references, pictures, articles, etc... to anything newer than a 48? What make the 48 the "end"?

What if the "museum" were to have stopped at the 41?

Older models are fine and definitely made better than the newer ones, but you can't deny anything newer than a 48 just "because" the keyboard isn't what you want, or "it feels flimsy".

Talking about all HP calculators helps everybody.

If you're stopping at the 48, fine, but, don't make me stop.

I don't still use a Commodore 64, or dial telephone, or drive a '66 Rambler station wagon with the back window duct taped up. I wanna know what's going on.

FYI

                              
Re: Only older models?
Message #8 Posted by James M. Prange on 19 Dec 2003, 4:23 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by CalcKidd

Well, if you really want to know what's going on with the RPL models, read comp.sys.hp48. This forum is good, but's it's primary focus seems to be on the older models.

As for which products and subjects can be discussed here, I think that we have to leave that up to Dave.

Regards,
James

                              
Re: Only older models?
Message #9 Posted by Veli-Pekka Nousiainen on 20 Dec 2003, 7:03 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by CalcKidd

<< So, you're saying that this "museum" should no longer accept any references, pictures, articles, etc... to anything newer than a 48? What make the 48 the "end"? >>

No

IF you.look.info.about.oldies THEN look.here ELSE 'comp.sys.hp48' EVAL END

It's about where you get more info about the things that the news forum/group is oriented to. Just a friendly advice. Do as you please. [VPN]

                              
Re: Only older models?
Message #10 Posted by Wayne Brown on 20 Dec 2003, 7:34 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by CalcKidd

Dave put this Museum together to make it easier to get information about out-of-production HP models. The info about the 48 here is still somewhat incomplete (only the 48S/SX models are covered), because it's only recently gone out of production and there's plenty of information about it still available elsewhere. As newer models get older and stop being produced, and info & support for them get harder to find, I'm sure Dave will add them here too.

As Dave says in his The Other Models page:

Quote:
This page lists calculators that are too new to be considered museum pieces.
                  
Re: Only older models?
Message #11 Posted by Arnaud Amiel on 20 Dec 2003, 4:36 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by CalcKidd

I just wanted to say that when someone asks for questions about new models, he will certainly get better information from comp.sys.hp48. Actually he may not even need to ask the question after he read the answer about 30 times there. I am still very happy to see the guts of the 49g+ on this forum. And some very interesting posts.

Arnaud

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