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HP Forum Archive 18

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Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #1 Posted by Mike Brainard on 24 Feb 2008, 9:12 a.m.

Hi,

I have a Prototype version Advantage Rom Module for HP41 series calcs that I thinking about selling but I don't have an idea what it might be worth. It's fully functional as far as I can tell. There are no numbers or dates stamped on the rom case, just a sticker indicating what it is. No documentation is included.

I see one listed on ebay for $190 but since mine is a pre-production model it might be worth.

Any ideas? Mike

      
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #2 Posted by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut on 24 Feb 2008, 10:08 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Mike Brainard

Show us some pictures!

            
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #3 Posted by Mike Brainard on 26 Feb 2008, 8:42 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut

Here's a pic of the rom. You can see it's made from the basic ABS material as most others are. There are some numbers stamped in the shell, I believe the number is 8525, not sure if it's a serial number for the internal chip or not. I'll confirm the number tomorrow as I left it in my calc at work.

Mike

                  
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #4 Posted by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut on 27 Feb 2008, 7:27 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by Mike Brainard

Only way you will find out the value is to set a high reserve on a certain auction website and see where bidding goes.... Make sure and offer an international shipping option (probably insured) so that the world can give input into bidding.

Use this picture and the description you have given to this point...

Excuse this, but it is necessary per new rules. Disclaimer: I am not criticizing or commenting on an ebay auction, I am only suggesting a potential auction to happen.

      
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #5 Posted by Matthias Wehrli on 24 Feb 2008, 12:08 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Mike Brainard

Maybe you should give us more informations:

* Why do you think it's a prototype? * What are the differneces between the normal version and yours in detail? * What does CAT2 sais? (there are two versions available "-ADV CONV A" and "-ADV CONV B".

For a regular Advantage pac I would say that a price of $40-50 would be adequately. I bought my two versions for about $50 each, boxed, with manuals.

Yours, Matthias

            
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #6 Posted by Mike Brainard on 24 Feb 2008, 10:00 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Matthias Wehrli

Hi Matthias,

Why do I think it's a prototype? There are no official HP numbers or country of origin markings on it. There is only a dot-matrix printed sticker affixed in the identification area that says "ADVANTAGE PROTOTYPE".

I'd post some pics but I don't have a site to host them from. I've contacted the curator here to post them in the guest folder. As soon as the happen I'll submit another post with pics.

41CX Cat2 says: -ADV CONV A, -ADV MATRX, -ADV MATH and -ADV TMR

41CV cat2 list the entire catalog, there are over 100 functions/routines, too many to list here. I'll try to compare the list to the manuals to see if there is a difference.

Thanks for the reply, Mike

      
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #7 Posted by Eric Smith on 25 Feb 2008, 5:38 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Mike Brainard

A Covallis Division employee once told me a tidbit of the history of the Advantage ROM project. Early on, it was intended that the module housing be made of clear plastic (probably acrylic or polycarbonate) rather than the usual dark brown ABS. It would have been called the "Clear Advantage".

While clear plastic case parts were used for some prototype calculators, they generally are not as rugged as ABS. It was decided that the "Clear Advantage" didn't meet HP standards, so the idea was shelved, and it ended up using the same ABS plastic housing as almost all of the HP-41 modules.

Trivia question of the day: which module for the HP-41 does NOT use the same ABS plastic for its housing, and why?

            
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #8 Posted by Monte Dalrymple on 25 Feb 2008, 7:27 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Eric Smith

Maybe the IR Printer module? Because part of it needs to be IR-transparent?

Monte

                  
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #9 Posted by Eric Smith on 26 Feb 2008, 3:55 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Monte Dalrymple

Yes, that's the one. The entire module housing is molded from IR-transmissive plastic.

            
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #10 Posted by Matthias Wehrli on 26 Feb 2008, 12:30 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by Eric Smith

The following HP modules do not have the standard ABS plastic housing:

HP-IL module: module too large HP-IR module: red eye did not fit in the housing HEPAX: made by VM Elecronics CMT Eproms: small slit on both sides ZEPROMs: whole to erase by UV light MBK EPROM module holder: prototype

Did I miss a module?

                  
Re: Advantage Rom Module (Prototype version)
Message #11 Posted by Eric Smith on 26 Feb 2008, 3:54 a.m.,
in response to message #10 by Matthias Wehrli

HP-IL module uses the same ABS as all other normal 41 modules.


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