HP Forum Archive 14

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Last calculator standing Message #1 Posted by Arnaud Amiel on 19 Aug 2004, 11:46 a.m. If hp stopped producing calculators today, which do you think would be the last working model if they were left to decay naturally (no repair appart from battery packs) and in how many years. I would be interested in your thoughts on this one. Arnaud PS: I would go for the 12C because of the high quantity of those but could be wrong

Re: Last calculator standing Message #2 Posted by Valentin Albillo on 19 Aug 2004, 12:26 p.m., in response to message #1 by Arnaud Amiel Early HP-11C models. 40+ years. Best regards from V.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #3 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 19 Aug 2004, 5:37 p.m., in response to message #2 by Valentin Albillo Yes, I think the voyagers are outstanding from the mechanical construction point of view. Although the HP-41 and the real HP-48GX are my favourites for many years, I think the early pioneers (32S, 42S, 20S) are also made to last very long. Raymond

Re: Last calculator standing Message #4 Posted by Ron on 23 Aug 2004, 2:58 p.m., in response to message #3 by Raymond Del Tondo Pioneers?! I've seen so many Pioneers with the "press here to run" problem! On the other hand, I don't think I've ever come across a bad 11C or 15C.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #5 Posted by Ron on 23 Aug 2004, 3:00 p.m., in response to message #4 by Ron I take it back. I had either a 15C or an 11C with a display problem once. Had to fix a contact problem.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #6 Posted by bkr on 31 Aug 2004, 12:02 a.m., in response to message #5 by Ron My 11C lasted about 6 to 8 years. One day it just wouldn't turn on anymore - don't know what the problem was. Then I got a 15C, which has been running about 10 years, but the 3 key has been difficult for about the last 5 years and may eventually fail to register at all. From my experience these calculators need a rebuild after much less than 40 years - an average of about 10-12. That doesn't detract from the fact that they're the best calc ever, though. (Naturally I got a 33s recently, to give my 15C a break) Edited: 31 Aug 2004, 12:18 a.m.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #7 Posted by Veli-Pekka Nousiainen on 19 Aug 2004, 1:24 p.m., in response to message #1 by Arnaud Amiel HP-25 until the end of the world (coming soon to your universe...) {VPN}

Re: Last calculator standing Message #8 Posted by David Smith on 19 Aug 2004, 4:37 p.m., in response to message #7 by Veli-Pekka Nousiainen Nope, the poor HP25 is probably the most failure prone of all the HP machines. Bad ACT and RAM chips are the main culprits followed by missing display segments.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #9 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 19 Aug 2004, 5:31 p.m., in response to message #8 by David Smith Not to forget the cheap battery contacts, they're the starting point for corrosion. Raymond

Re: Last calculator standing Message #10 Posted by David Smith on 20 Aug 2004, 12:20 p.m., in response to message #9 by Raymond Del Tondo Especially in the Spice series...

Re: Last calculator standing Message #11 Posted by Namir on 19 Aug 2004, 3:00 p.m., in response to message #1 by Arnaud Amiel The HP41CX rules!!!!!!!!!

Re: Last calculator standing Message #12 Posted by David Smith on 19 Aug 2004, 4:38 p.m., in response to message #11 by Namir Although the HP41 machines are my favorite their internal connection/case problems are legion and legend. A handy person can keep them up and running though.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #13 Posted by Namir on 19 Aug 2004, 4:45 p.m., in response to message #12 by David Smith I agree with you and add that I doubt that ANY calculator was manufactured to last millenias!!! While the HP41C line works they rule in my book. It's the calculator that I have used the most. Don't get me wrong, I am very impressed with the features (the manufacturing quality is another issue) of the current graphics calculator from HP and TI (and to a lesser extent from Casio and Sharp). They do run circles around our old beloved machines. They irony is that I find the emulators/simulators for teh various calculators to be a lot of fun. After all, there is no worry about battery contacts, bad LCD, bad keys, and so on. The only concern is that they will run on future versions of Windows. Namir

Re: Last calculator standing Message #14 Posted by Jim L on 19 Aug 2004, 5:47 p.m., in response to message #1 by Arnaud Amiel I'm thinking the 9100 myself. I guess there's a bias since it's old and still running. Someone suggested that the 11C could last 40+ years but my 9100 is nearly 40 years old already. Also, it has no batteries and I think bad/leaky batteries are the death of many devices - even well-made devices. Then again after rereading your post if you mean last calendar date (I was thinking longest lived) then I guess whichever one comes of the assembly line last and is locked in an environmentally controlled chamber along with perhaps 100 additional copies will probably be the last HP left. That won't be that impressive to me though. It's my HPs that are covered in smoke residue, poked through with hot soldering irons and beat up and sill work that impress me. I have an HP-45 that looks like it couldn't possibly still work but it does.

Re: Last calculator standing Message #15 Posted by Wlodek Mier-Jedrzejowicz on 19 Aug 2004, 9:07 p.m., in response to message #14 by Jim L If we are only talking handhelds (and nearly, like the series 90) then I think Jim has the right one to last the longest - the HP45. Less to go wrong than later models, built like a (gold-plated) tank, with the experience of the HP-35 already behind the team. The HP-80 is similarly dependable, if you want something to outlast an HP-12C ;-)

Re: Last calculator standing Message #16 Posted by Etienne VICTORIA on 29 Aug 2004, 9:51 a.m., in response to message #1 by Arnaud Amiel That would be the Hp-80 of course !! : - Not the cash register styled computer ;-) the CALCULATOR - The version with the metallic upper frame (no wear out - The only calculator with NO "ENTER" key NOR = key !!! - ... Well... my calculator... Eeeerrrr... these models must be around 30 years old now and many of them are still going strong. I'm forty and I start to show quite a bit of wear (mainly display, power supply and autonomy) ;-)

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