HP Forum Archive 20

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HP15c new and old - pictures Message #1 Posted by Jose Gonzalez Divasson on 10 Oct 2011, 6:33 p.m. Now that I have received my first 15c (waiting for the 1st European batch, due early December), I thought some that have not yet bought it might like to compare it with the original with some pictures: HP15c new and old - some pictures (post 1 of several) In future days we'll run deeper comparisons. Let me say for a start that it is a fantastic product and that compares very well with the old one. All keys register properly and long, complex programs run instantaneously (My IRR program with 10 years' flow runs in less than a second, compared with 1m30' for the old one)

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #2 Posted by Alex Mark (Greece) on 11 Oct 2011, 5:32 a.m., in response to message #1 by Jose Gonzalez Divasson Any bugs like in the US models?

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #3 Posted by Dan W on 11 Oct 2011, 10:27 a.m., in response to message #1 by Jose Gonzalez Divasson One of the first things I noticed was the LCD display. The new version has this slightly unpleasant greenish tint, where the original was grey. This shows up well on one of the last photos.

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #4 Posted by Roger Blake on 11 Oct 2011, 10:39 a.m., in response to message #3 by Dan W Also the segments are spaced slightly wider within the characters on the LE, and more worryingly - although I seem to have been the only one to notice this - the new displays easily asquire fine scratches. - 35S is similar. If you hold them up to the light at a low angle you may see them. The old voyagers didn't suffer this.

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #5 Posted by Derek on 11 Oct 2011, 11:43 a.m., in response to message #3 by Dan W i've been meaning to write up a review on the LE, but you are absolutely right. i noticed this right away and for whatever reason, although i thought i would get used to it, i still notice it and continue to be mildly annoyed by the difference. (don't know if that means if i don't adapt well to new things or if there is something inherently less pleasant with this yellow/green tint)

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #6 Posted by uhmgawa on 11 Oct 2011, 3:19 p.m., in response to message #5 by Derek Quote: i've been meaning to write up a review on the LE, but you are absolutely right. i noticed this right away and for whatever reason, although i thought i would get used to it, i still notice it and continue to be mildly annoyed by the difference. (don't know if that means if i don't adapt well to new things or if there is something inherently less pleasant with this yellow/green tint) It isn't just the effective color difference (although that indeed exists) but the lesser segment contrast particularly when the display is viewed increasingly away from perpendicular. The 12c+ is identical in this respect IIRC.

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #7 Posted by Jose Gonzalez Divasson on 11 Oct 2011, 4:55 p.m., in response to message #6 by uhmgawa At any rate, screen contrast in either model is miles ahead of any other calculator in the Pioneer line. And I can live happily with the greenish tint, since I have an ultra-fast calculator, and my beloved original 15c can rest safe in a box...

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #8 Posted by uhmgawa on 13 Oct 2011, 5:12 p.m., in response to message #7 by Jose Gonzalez Divasson Quote: At any rate, screen contrast in either model is miles ahead of any other calculator in the Pioneer line. It is indeed, but then again Pioneer displays are a different lcd technology and even for a graphic matrix have notoriously poor contrast. The s/n 28xx <= voyagers also have reduced contrast relative to the original design due to an increased multiplexing scheme for the sake of minimizing pin count. Just shows what happens when your handiwork falls victim to the cost reduction engineering team. So the ultimate Voyager retrofit for the uber geek is an original unit which tosses the pcb, r2d2(s), NUT cpu, and brings in a new pcb with an ARM core of your choice, new segment lcd controller, and some provision for i/o; preserving the original tactile domes, low multiplex lcd glass, case and D/S keycaps, yielding the best of both worlds. I'd half seriously considered doing so but at the time dumped it on the back burner to join the other time starved ideas. I do have what amounts to a NUT/Voyager in-circuit emulator work in progress which coincidentally needs the discardable Voyager (ideally 15c model) portions called out above. So it appears I could justify the effort with minimal guilt and shame of bandsawing up a legacy 15c just for fluff.

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #9 Posted by Derek on 11 Oct 2011, 6:40 p.m., in response to message #6 by uhmgawa ah man, i just pulled both out and there it is. you're right. i think i hadn't tried to think about what was different beyond the tint, but the off axis viewing is not as good on the LE...oh well, it's still pretty good. solved another polynomial today...much faster than the old 15C: so the LE does have something going for it! :)

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #10 Posted by Derek on 11 Oct 2011, 11:44 a.m., in response to message #1 by Jose Gonzalez Divasson wow. your original 15C looks to be in GREAT shape. has it seen lots of use? my 27 year old 15C looks battered in comparison, but is going strong!

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #11 Posted by Dusan Zivkovic on 11 Oct 2011, 1:51 p.m., in response to message #10 by Derek Now this is all starting to seem to me like a great market opportunity. It would work similar to the already big market for new "relic" guitars, where new instruments are artificially distressed in custom shops and sold at a higher price than functionally identical nice glossy ones. It all started when Fender brought Keith Richards a "reissue" guitar in mid-90s and he said, "It looks too new." They took a small hammer, and soon Keith was happy. Anybody willing to join me with a small hammer and a bunch of new 15C LEs? The critics will easily spot stuff like "wrong shape of the dent on the worn R/S key" but from the other side of the office, ordinary spectators will think it is a real 1982 Voyager. ;)

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #12 Posted by Vladan Dugaric on 11 Oct 2011, 2:18 p.m., in response to message #11 by Dusan Zivkovic Just keep that hammer away from my 15C LE :) Vladan

Re: HP15c new and old - pictures Message #13 Posted by Martin Pinckney on 11 Oct 2011, 2:48 p.m., in response to message #11 by Dusan Zivkovic Quote: ... big market for new "relic" guitars, where new instruments are artificially distressed in custom shops and sold at a higher price than functionally identical nice glossy ones. Heck, they sell brand new worn-out blue jeans for more than the good ones. I could save a lot of money by going to the thrift store. If I wore blue jeans.

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