HP Forum Archive 15

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Bad 49G+ wanted Message #1 Posted by Hugh Evans on 1 Feb 2006, 3:53 p.m. From discussions around here I have the impression that quite a few replacements were issued by HP for bad 49G+ units. Rather than buy a revised new and potentially good machine I wanted to ask around here for a donor unit that was replaced by HP... In other words a spare that someone might have sitting around. It will be used to develop an aftermarket enclosure based on OpenRPN designs. Similar to this: Of course, I will pay for all shipping and handling. And if we decide to a market a retrofit kit, we'll give you the first one free of charge. This will most likely be the first openrpn product to be marketed. Please respond via email. Best Regards, Hugh

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #2 Posted by e.young on 1 Feb 2006, 4:58 p.m., in response to message #1 by Hugh Evans OpenRPN sounds very intriguing. How long will it be before you estimate that you will have a product on the market?

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #3 Posted by Howard Owen on 1 Feb 2006, 9:26 p.m., in response to message #1 by Hugh Evans When the keys seem a little shifty.. When trust is violated.. When the numbers just don't add up.. WHEN CALCULATORS GO BAD!! Quote: The calculator looked so innocent, sitting there on the shelf. Not like those low-life TIs you find so commonly hanging around the schools. This one had an air of .. dignity, almost. An air of wounded pride and past glories lost forever. Little did she suspect that, when she got home and opened the package, he would start playing games with her. Tetris at first, then Cyclo. Then things started to get rough. It began with an extra bit of acceleration in Babal ... - From When Calculators Go Bad by A. Neuro Tique. At a bookstore near you.

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #4 Posted by Ed Look on 1 Feb 2006, 10:09 p.m., in response to message #3 by Howard Owen Ha ha. ::) Seriously, one time at church on Sunday, I saw a boy with his big graphing TI-whatever, punching away at the buttons. I thought to myself, "What a studious young man!" So, I went over to see what he might be studying/calculating even on a weekend day like this. Ever get a small dream deflated? He was playing games. Pffphppt!

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #5 Posted by Ed Look on 1 Feb 2006, 10:11 p.m., in response to message #1 by Hugh Evans Hugh, as far as I know, mainly by my own experience, you have to RETURN the old unit in exchange for the improved one. I suspect none of us may have an extra 49G+, at least not from that transaction.

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #6 Posted by Joe Edwards on 2 Feb 2006, 8:37 a.m., in response to message #5 by Ed Look Quote: Hugh, as far as I know, mainly by my own experience, you have to RETURN the old unit in exchange for the improved one. I suspect none of us may have an extra 49G+, at least not from that transaction. Sometimes HP doesn't ask for the original calculator back. THAT is how disposable these new machines are! Software seems nice, too bad the build quality is poor. I would pick up a few of them if they had the HP 48S/G/X build quality.

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #7 Posted by Hugh Evans on 2 Feb 2006, 9:53 a.m., in response to message #6 by Joe Edwards That's the reason I asked. I recall several posts stating that HP didn't request the faulty unit being returned. This isn't a big deal either way... it would just be nice to avoid cannibalizing a perfectly good unit after shelling out $150 or so when someone around here might have a left over one to spare. Thanks, Hugh

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #8 Posted by Tim Wessman on 3 Feb 2006, 8:05 a.m., in response to message #7 by Hugh Evans I have one. What exactly do you need? It was coverted to use AA batteries, and then later fell out of a pocket while riding my bike. I have the circuitboard/screen whole and intact. The keyboard is scattered in various locations and the case is destroyed from the fall/modifications, but I think the board and screen is still good. Is that all you require? TW

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #9 Posted by Hugh Evans on 6 Feb 2006, 2:47 p.m., in response to message #8 by Tim Wessman Yes, that actually sounds perfect for my needs. I'll send you an email to discuss the shipping details. Thank you very much for your response and contribution. Once I receive it I expect to have a design ready within a month. My plans include adding a PCB to modify the keyboard layout with a properly sized and placed enter key, as well as an enclosure adapted directly from my OpenRPN designs. The process will also require a new set of tactile domes which should fix keypress registration issues once and for all. When all is said and done, we'll finally have a worthy successor to the 48gx.

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #10 Posted by Howard Owen on 6 Feb 2006, 3:14 p.m., in response to message #9 by Hugh Evans Sounds great. Best of luck, Hugh! Regards, Howard

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #11 Posted by Tim Wessman on 6 Feb 2006, 8:39 p.m., in response to message #9 by Hugh Evans timwessman at yahoo.com or same @google.com TW

Return of Defective units Message #12 Posted by Paul Brogger on 3 Feb 2006, 4:57 p.m., in response to message #7 by Hugh Evans I've got one of each (HP-49G+ and HP-33s) that H-P service decided they didn't need returned after sending me replacements. I think it's a good way for H-P to smooth their customers' ruffled feathers -- they'd just be tossing the faulty units anyway. (In fact, the help desk people did database look-ups on the problems I'd reported, and would have asked for return of a faulty unit had they wished to examine it, but in neither case was that an issue.) They took the Serial #'s of the problem units, so those are presumably ineligible for future warranty claims. I was instructed to save the battery cover, recycle the batteries, and dispose of the unit. (I said, "Will do . . . ") But there are apparently no guarantees regarding this "free calculator" practice, so your mileage may vary. Unfortunately, I'm not looking to give away my 49G+. (Sorry!) Unfortunately also, in the 49G+ the display board is soldered firmly to the main circuit board along two edges. This will likely limit your options in "re-imagining" the overall size and layout of the beast. I still have a partially-started project to try and fit a TI-83+SE into an HP-41 case. The previous-generation TI's -- 83+ and (I think) 89 -- have the display board linked to the main (keyboard/processor) PCB by a ribbon cable. Potentially, that could be lengthened and folded to reduce the new device's long dimension -- or enabling, possibly, a Voyager-like "landscape" layout? (But that project is sitting in a box -- I really should get back to it some day . . . ) Edited: 3 Feb 2006, 5:03 p.m.

Re: Bad 49G+ wanted Message #13 Posted by Han on 2 Feb 2006, 5:29 p.m., in response to message #1 by Hugh Evans This would be fantastic. I recall seeing some pictures of an HP49G (not plus) prototype that used the HP48GX keyboard. Your enclosure design also seems to have a keyboard that looks very much like that of an HP48. Is this the goal? To give the innards of an HP49G+ the beautiful outer shell of an HP48?

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