The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 17

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HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #1 Posted by Daniel Diggelmann on 31 Oct 2007, 1:09 p.m.

Dear fellow HP collectors,

I just bought above machine and overall I'm quite impressed by the quality, look and feel. Nevertheless I discovered an issue right from the beginning. Sometimes, mainly after the calc was off for a while, it seems that it doesn't recognise an ON click. If I press the ON button longer it switches on every time. It's not a big issue but I wonder whether it's a bad key or if it's a desing flaw in the electronics or software. Anyone had the same experience?

Regards, Daniel

      
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #2 Posted by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil) on 31 Oct 2007, 1:14 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Daniel Diggelmann

Yeap! The same with the newer Platinum and Prestige (both seem to be internally identical to the HP12Cp 25th. Anniv. Edition). Either you quickly press the [ON] key twice or hold it.

Cheers.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 31 Oct 2007, 1:15 p.m.

            
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #3 Posted by Daniel Diggelmann on 31 Oct 2007, 1:20 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)

Hi Luiz,

That was quick! Thanks very much. I wonder if all the bancers can cope with that ;-) Sometimes I wonder if these products are ever tried for 5 minutes before being thrown on the market. We should keep sending the calcs back until they realise.

Regards, Daniel

Edited: 1 Nov 2007, 2:12 a.m.

            
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #4 Posted by Don Shepherd on 31 Oct 2007, 2:16 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)

I can confirma that behavior on my 25th anniversary edition. Sometimes the first keypress just does not take.

      
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #5 Posted by Chris Haltiner on 31 Oct 2007, 2:58 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Daniel Diggelmann

Yup... drives me crazy. I'd reach for the 12C Platinum, turn it on, and start entering a calculation, only to realize that it never switched on. My old 12C doesn't have this problem.

Now, I just grab my 35s, knowing that it will register every keystroke without having to watch the calculator the entire time.

            
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #6 Posted by Daniel Diggelmann on 1 Nov 2007, 1:21 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Chris Haltiner

Dear colleagues,

Thanks for all your feedback. Does the issue only concern the ON button? I hope so. Anyway I haven't had any missed keystrokes.

Regards, Daniel

                  
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #7 Posted by Raymond Del Tondo on 1 Nov 2007, 1:45 a.m.,
in response to message #6 by Daniel Diggelmann

Hi Daniel,

when I received my first 12Cpt25A about a year ago, I experienced the same behaviour of the ON key.
Since there seem to be many more of these units with the same effect, I consider it as a design flaw.

But on my first unit (the other one is still sealed) I also had some missed key strokes!
They appeared when typing very fast, yet always having the machine giving the normal tactile feedback.
This effect was not always reproducable, but forced me to put the 12Cpt25A into the drawer of untrustworthy 'hp' calcs.

The 35s is much better in this respect.
I didn't have a missed key stroke on the 35s so far, and the unit seems to be able to do simple calculations correctly.
For the more advanced stuff, I'd consider the 35s as untrustworthy too, due to those unbelievable and silly bugs...

But at least they got the keyboard mechanism right this time, with the 35s;-)

Regards

Raymond

                        
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #8 Posted by Daniel Diggelmann on 1 Nov 2007, 2:04 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by Raymond Del Tondo

Good morning Raymond,

Good to hear from you. I also have a 35s and so far I'm happy with it. I like the form factor of the 12C and as I usually don't have to do technical stuff so I bought it. But I can't believe that they let us pay EUR 100 for a calc with such design flaws which are not present on any 5$ crappy noname calc. I feel embarrassed to have been trapped again.

Regards, Daniel

Edited: 1 Nov 2007, 2:08 a.m.

                              
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #9 Posted by Walter B on 1 Nov 2007, 4:32 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Daniel Diggelmann

Same procedure as with car brands every once and a while. They keep selling brand "B" expensively until every customer knows brand "A" gives you more for your money. Then they have to work hard to regain customer confidence ;)

            
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #10 Posted by Patrick Rendulic on 1 Nov 2007, 8:07 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Chris Haltiner

be cautious!

My 35s does not register every keystroke! That's why I no longer use it.

Edited: 1 Nov 2007, 8:08 a.m.

                  
Re: HP-12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition
Message #11 Posted by Daniel Diggelmann on 1 Nov 2007, 8:51 a.m.,
in response to message #10 by Patrick Rendulic

Although I see that HP tries to do something on quality they seem to struggle. I know we are bunch of fans which look for high quality. But honestly is it too much to ask for a reliable keyboard? I work in the aircraft industry and know that it's not easy to get the human machine interface right in terms of tactile feel, colors etc. Anyone having contact to HP knows why they don't seem to have the proper engineering knowlegde anymore? Ist this ever discussed at HHC and is HP aware that they frustrate thousands of buyers? It took my one second to find out something wasn't ok with my new HP-12CPT as it didn't respond to the first click. Why doesn't this get noticed in the development of a new product? I would say that the tactile feel of the HP-35s and also of this HP-12CPT is good. So I guess the problem lays rather in the electronics hard- and software. Earlier HP had custom ICs with keyboard debounce electronics. Since they use off the shelf processors keys aren't registered properly anymore. You see I'm quite disappointed and as Raymond always tells us the last proper HP for now was the HP-48. Nevertheless I kept on buying HPs in the last years but I was never really satisfied. The HP-35s is pointing in the right direction. I'd like to see a HP-45s with all these issues solved. And if they even bring some new ideas I'd happily buy some more calcs. Diagnosis : HPAS!? Hewlett Packard Acquirement Syndrome ;-)


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