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HP Forum Archive 16

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Elek-tek Catalog
Message #1 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 17 Aug 2006, 2:58 a.m.

I received a donation of an old Elek-tek catalog and here's a PDF of it for your reading and reminiscing pleasure: Elek-tek Catalog Volume V I can't find a date in the catalog but from the items they carry and their "New" markings it appears to be from late 1982 -- a very interesting time when HP was selling some Spice calculators, the entire Voyager line, the 41C and 41CV with the new HP-IL components and even the 97. TI had the 59 and 58C and lots of LCD models, and there are many interesting Sharp, Casio and Canon calculators/computers in the catalog too.

      
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #2 Posted by Bill (Smithville, NJ) on 17 Aug 2006, 6:43 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Katie Wasserman

Hi Katie,

I just finished browsing the Elek-tek catalog - great fun!

When I saw the new low prices for the Hp-15C, 16C and 34C, I almost had an uncontrolable urge to call the 800 number and max out my credit card ordering 10 of each :)

At the time, those were still pretty stiff prices for most of us. But today, they seem almost cheap.

I never realized how expensive the HP-97 was - $750 list/$560 Elek-tek. And from the looks of it, HP continued to make the 97 even after the 67 was discontinued?

The last page has one of my favorite Sharp's - PC-1500. There's just something really neat about a small basic computer that mates to a really small 4-color pen plotter.

Thanks for posting the PDF.

Bill

            
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #3 Posted by Vassilis Prevelakis on 17 Aug 2006, 12:34 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Bill (Smithville, NJ)

 Bill (Smithville, NJ) wrote:
> I never realized how expensive the HP-97 was - $750 list/$560
> Elek-tek.
Its actually cheap if you compare it to an equivalent HP-41 based system. Looking at MSPs 
	HP-41C		250.00
	Memory Module	 25.00
	Card Reader	215.00
	Printer		385.00
			------
			875.00
Plus, the HP97 is a more compact system, with a vastly more comfortable keyboard. Of course the HP-41 was more powerful and (with the alpha-numeric display) more user-friendly and flexible.

> And from the looks of it, HP continued to make the 97
> even after the 67 was discontinued?

If you look at the HP-67/97 page in this site (MoHPC) you will see that the HP-97 outlived the 67 by 2 years (1984 vs 1982).

Once prices came down on the HP-41 family, the 97 was doomed.

**vp

PS the 97 also helps place the catalog to the 1983-4 period.

                  
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #4 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 17 Aug 2006, 1:11 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Vassilis Prevelakis

Quote:
PS the 97 also helps place the catalog to the 1983-4 period.

We can narrow the time interval to a few months. The 10C was introduced 9/2/1982 and the 34C was discontinued 4/1/1983. They're both in there but the 34C has a "new low price", getting ready to be discontinued by HP, no doubt. So I'm going to stick with my late 1982 estimate.

                        
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #5 Posted by Trent Moseley on 17 Aug 2006, 5:16 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by Katie Wasserman

Now I wish I had kept one of those old Edu-Calc catalogues.

tm

                              
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #6 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 17 Aug 2006, 8:08 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Trent Moseley

There are a bunch of EduCALC catalogs on the Museum CD/DVD here. It would be nice if someone had earlier issues of the catalog that we could be scanned into PDF's.

                        
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #7 Posted by Scuba Diver on 17 Aug 2006, 8:53 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by Katie Wasserman

I think Katie's timing seems correct. If you <gasp> scroll down to the TI section, under the TI99/4A computer, there are a number of applications where it indicates availability in Q4, 1982...so this is probably summer '82

                  
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #8 Posted by Dia C. Tran on 17 Aug 2006, 2:12 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Vassilis Prevelakis

I broke my 25 in 79 due to my stupidity and bought the 34C as replacement. After a week I returned the 34C and was indecisive about whether I should get the 97 or the 41C. I ended up getting the 41C and the card reader and the printer and the wand. I picked the 41C because it was more powerful than the 97 and I can buy the system piece meal. I still missed the 97 very much. Up until 2003 that a nice gentleman that I dealt with as a contractor upon his retirement gave me the company's 97 that he had been using since new.

      
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #9 Posted by Namir on 17 Aug 2006, 7:11 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Katie Wasserman

I am heading for my garage and take the tarp off my time-travel machine. I am heading to Chicago 1982 to buy some of that good stuff!

Thanks Katie for the PDF!!!

:-)

Namir

            
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #10 Posted by Dia C. Tran on 17 Aug 2006, 9:14 a.m.,
in response to message #9 by Namir

I've been to the store many times when they were still in business. Great place to shop. Thanks for the PDF. Namir! When you get to the store, make sure you bring some old computer stuff circa 1990's to trade for all those coold 82's calcs.

            
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #11 Posted by Steve Borowsky on 17 Aug 2006, 6:42 p.m.,
in response to message #9 by Namir

Quote:
I am heading for my garage and take the tarp off my time-travel machine. I am heading to Chicago 1982 to buy some of that good stuff!

You have one too?? I thought I had the only one!

      
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #12 Posted by TomF on 18 Aug 2006, 12:36 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Katie Wasserman

This catalog looked very familiar to me so it motivated me to dig through an old box of things I had stored away. I found all kinds of neat things including the receipt dated 10/25/83 for my 41CX (sn 2338SXXXXX that I still use to this date) that I bought from Elex-Tek for $245 to replace my 41C I had purchased in college when they first came out. I also found volumes II, III, IV, and VI of the Elek-Tek Catalog. Based on my address on label of the last one, Vol VI was issued sometime between late '82 to sometime in '83 which would place vol. V most likely in '82. These were fun to look through and reminisce about that time. I also found a couple of Personal Computer Products Inc. catalogs. One labeled 1982/1983 and the other Spring 1983 supplement. These catalogs have color pictures of their products including a two page spread of the TI-88 ($260) with a printer ($150) and cassette tape interface ($50). Expected delivery was 4th quater. Of course, that never happened. Oh the good old days...

            
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #13 Posted by Dia C. Tran on 18 Aug 2006, 8:52 a.m.,
in response to message #12 by TomF

Namir and Steve made me thinking! Since you two have the time machine. What if you guys buy good condition used Pentium PC's on Oboy and take them back to 1982. Sell them and get the money and buy them HP calcs and bring them back and sell them on Oboy. Of course, some how you guys would have to keep Coburlin out of this.

                  
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #14 Posted by Steve Borowsky on 18 Aug 2006, 5:49 p.m.,
in response to message #13 by Dia C. Tran

Quote:
Namir and Steve made me thinking! Since you two have the time machine. What if you guys buy good condition used Pentium PC's on Oboy and take them back to 1982. Sell them and get the money and buy them HP calcs and bring them back and sell them on Oboy. Of course, some how you guys would have to keep Coburlin out of this.

What do you think i've been doing? Good ol' Wells-Tesla TM67!

Edited: 18 Aug 2006, 5:52 p.m.

                        
Re: Elek-tek Catalog - I remember that one!
Message #15 Posted by Bill Wiese on 18 Aug 2006, 10:35 p.m.,
in response to message #14 by Steve Borowsky

Katie I remember that issue of the catalog. That was the summer I graduated from high school. I was eyeing HP41C accessories.

Bill Wiese
San Jose, CA

            
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #16 Posted by Thomas Okken on 19 Aug 2006, 5:03 a.m.,
in response to message #12 by TomF

...also note how that catalog lists the TI 99/4 and Atari VCS, but not the Commodore 64, which was officially released in August 1982.
ObCalc: in the summer of 1982, I was still happily married to my 1979 HP-41C, but I was having aldulterous thoughts toward *gasp* actual computers. :-)

- Thomas

Edited: 19 Aug 2006, 5:18 a.m.

      
Re: Elek-tek Catalog
Message #17 Posted by Karl Schneider on 18 Aug 2006, 11:55 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Katie Wasserman

Katie --

Thanks for making the catalog scan availble -- I'll be sure to take a look.

Quote:
...it appears to be from late 1982 -- a very interesting time when HP was selling some Spice calculators, the entire Voyager line, the 41C and 41CV with the new HP-IL components

1982 was the year that the HP-34C was upgraded to replace the shoddy solderless construction with proper soldered connections and a better key feel with metal snap rings. The improved 34C was still available on retailer shelves (if discontinued) in late 1983, where I was able to compare it side-by-side with the HP-15C. Although the HP-15C was clearly better that the HP-34C I came in to buy, it seemed too radical and "frou-frou" to me. Fortunately, the salesman talked me into the 15C.

The "interesting" era also continued in 1983 with the new HP-41CX and HP-71B.

-- KS

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