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HP Forum Archive 15

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HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #1 Posted by * on 22 Jan 2006, 11:45 p.m.

Hey everyone, I just bought an HP 32SII on Ebay and the serial number is 3619M08959. As I'm sure you know that implies it was made in Malaysia around May 1996. I also have a second one due any day in the mail.

My question is whether there is any year or country of origin that would be most desirable?

It seems like the latest model of the brown bezel would be most desirable since it might have all the rom bugs fixed? Or maybe one made in Germany or Japan would be higher quality etc? Did the switch to silver bezel occur sometime after production moved to Indonesia in 1997?

Thanks!

      
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #2 Posted by * on 22 Jan 2006, 11:58 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by *

Another serial number for sale on Ebay:

ID90204491 Indonesia, Jan 1999.

Would this be better (in some way) than the one I have? It also has a brown bezel.

Thanks.

            
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #3 Posted by Thomas Radtke on 23 Jan 2006, 2:57 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by *

I'd go for a later Singapore model. Early ones had a bug in the fraction mode. Mine is from '91, Week 36 (3136S.....)and definitly has the bug. I think the Singapore keyboards are unbeaten, very soft but still with a good tactile feedback.

Thomas

      
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #4 Posted by e. young on 23 Jan 2006, 12:05 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by *

I do not like the Indonesian produced versions because the numbers are only painted on the keys. In my opinion, I would try to get one made in Singapore, and not later than 1994 sp you can get the keys with the numbers molded in. A coworker has a 32sii mf'd in Singapore in 1995, and it only has the painted-on numbers.

            
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #5 Posted by * on 23 Jan 2006, 12:39 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by e. young

Thanks (to both of you)! This is the kind of info I was looking for. So hopefully one in 1993 has the fraction bug fixed and the molded keys. I wonder when the fraction bug was definitely fixed? Would it be obvious looking at a close-up photo whether it has the molded keys?

                  
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #6 Posted by Brock on 28 Jan 2006, 9:16 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by *

I just bought a 32SII with a serial number of 3207S05688 that does not have the fraction bug. Hope that helps.

            
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #7 Posted by bill platt on 23 Jan 2006, 1:53 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by e. young

Wow, that means my 32sii is at least 14 years old!

      
Re: HP 32SII - which year is best?
Message #8 Posted by Ron Ross on 24 Jan 2006, 10:02 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by *

Out of nostalgia, I like my USA model Hp32sii the best. Funny, my older Hp32s is made in Indonesia, I believe.


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