The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 21

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Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #1 Posted by Namir on 2 June 2012, 2:36 p.m.

I want to publicly thank Eric Rechlin for a wonderful job he did on burning WP34S firmware in the HP-30B. I got two machines, I ordered, that run the latest (or so) WP34S firmware and has the keyboard overlay and the clock crystal!!

I will be diving into these machines staring Monday!! Thanks for the WP34S team too!!

Namir

      
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #2 Posted by Eric Rechlin on 2 June 2012, 3:10 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Namir

You're welcome. Glad to hear you are happy!

Eric

            
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #3 Posted by Mark Hardman on 2 June 2012, 4:40 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Eric Rechlin

Eric,

As with Namir, I appreciate the WP34S I purchased from your commerce site. (For anyone else interested, Eric donates 5.00USD to the WP34S team for each unit sold.)

Are you planning to offer the WP34S with crystal and Harald's "Flash Adaptor with USB-power and IR printing" installed? I'm good for one if you do.

Mark Hardman
Houston, TX

                  
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #4 Posted by Eric Rechlin on 2 June 2012, 5:27 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Mark Hardman

Yes, probably in July. I don't have time until then to look into it, plus I'd rather not be a first adopter, in case there are any issues with the design that need to be resolved.

Eric

                        
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #5 Posted by Les Wright on 3 June 2012, 4:22 a.m.,
in response to message #4 by Eric Rechlin

Eric, as one who is a menace with a soldering iron, I wonder if you would consider accepting lightly used WP34S units in partial trade toward one of your fully appointed ones? I don't know if you have any interest in adding used units to your inventory that you could upgrade as you would new 30b's yet sell slightly discounted, but I for one would be delighted for such an option. I do appreciate, though, that you may not have the time nor inclination to involve yourself with refurbished stock--there may be warranty issues, etc.

In the alternative, I have suggested elsewhere that I would happily pay a decent amount for the privilege of you or someone else competently upgrading existing units. I don't know if this is convenient or even feasible.

If anyone is interested in networking around this I would be curious. For example, I can't believe that everyone who has a 41CL built it themselves. Where did you turn for assistance?

                              
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #6 Posted by Harald on 3 June 2012, 10:36 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Les Wright

[quote] In the alternative, I have suggested elsewhere that I would happily pay a decent amount for the privilege of you or someone else competently upgrading existing units. I don't know if this is convenient or even feasible. /quote]

I think the main issue with this is cost. I would concider doing it, but on top of the labour (and I am not sure how much would be fair) there would be shipping costs.

                              
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #7 Posted by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy) on 3 June 2012, 10:40 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Les Wright

Quote:
I can't believe that everyone who has a 41CL built it themselves.

Why not? Nothing to solder there: just a screwdriver and you're done! ;-)

Massimo

                                    
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #8 Posted by Les Wright on 3 June 2012, 5:36 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy)

I stand corrected. I just looked at the manual and I was reminded that the 41-series logic board was held in place by case pressure, not solder.

Still, based on past negative experience, I would still send the lot off to Randy at FixThatCalc.com. I really don't trust myself to open the calc without cracking those danged posts yet again. Randy knows how, and in the slim chance of misadventure he has the skill and gear to recover.

After NoV-64 and PIL-Box I think I need a break from cash outlay, but I do admit that the CL upgrade is on my list for my beloved fullnut CV.

                              
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #9 Posted by Eric Rechlin on 3 June 2012, 5:19 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Les Wright

Why not send it to me for installing the crystal instead of replacing it with a new one?

Take the 30b, put it in its included slipcase, and put it in a 6"x9" padded envelope, which should be sufficient protection, along with $20 ($25 if outside the US).

I will open it, install the crystal, upgrade it to the latest ROM, and ship it back to you.

Similarly, I will flash a calculator to the latest ROM with the same process if you are unable to do so yourself, just $6 within the US or $10 outside (to cover my time and postage). If you are outside the US, you can instead provide an International Reply Coupon and one or more of your country's banknotes adding up to approximately US$10 (both for my collection!).

Note to future readers: These prices are subject to change and this service may not be available indefinitely.

Note to current readers: This service will be available starting July 2, 2012. Contact me for details.

Eric

                                    
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #10 Posted by Les Wright on 3 June 2012, 5:45 p.m.,
in response to message #9 by Eric Rechlin

Eric, you made my day! I will wait for a while until experience grows with Harald's board and then check back to see if you will be offering similar service for that. I am frankly much more interested in the USB connectivity than I am the time functions or even the printing (even though I have an IR printer and that would be cool). And CR2032s are plentiful and cheap so I can live without the LiPo.

After breaking a pin on one of Gene's cables I am treating the second one with kid gloves, but even then I am always mindful that the connector is exposed and delicate and thus vulnerable. I will feel much more at ease with more robust USB connection for flashing and data transfer.

Thanks so much!

Les

                  
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #11 Posted by Namir on 2 June 2012, 5:35 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Mark Hardman

Count me in too for the USB-power and IR printing features!!

            
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #12 Posted by Etienne Victoria on 2 June 2012, 5:41 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Eric Rechlin

And thank you also for the nice overlays !

Is it still possible to order the special one with legends on top ?

I have to reclaim two V2 34s from my daughters to move them to V3 !

Etienne

                  
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #13 Posted by Eric Rechlin on 2 June 2012, 6:24 p.m.,
in response to message #12 by Etienne Victoria

You mean the blue slant ones with yellow and green above the keys? Yes, I just made another batch so I have 3 left.

Eric

                        
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #14 Posted by Sam Backus on 2 June 2012, 8:41 p.m.,
in response to message #13 by Eric Rechlin

And I'm the one he made the special batch for yesterday. So I want to say thank you Eric also!!! Your efforts are much appreciated!

                        
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #15 Posted by Etienne Victoria on 3 June 2012, 3:30 a.m.,
in response to message #13 by Eric Rechlin

Thanks,

I'll order right now. I don't want my 34s to look like 67s :-)

Etienne

Edited: 3 June 2012, 3:33 a.m.

                        
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #16 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 3 June 2012, 6:44 p.m.,
in response to message #13 by Eric Rechlin

Quote:
You mean the blue slant ones with yellow and green above the keys?

Personal preferences may vary a bit. I, for instance, would like orange and yellow on the faceplace, above the keys, as in the original HP-34C, and green on the slanted key face. But I understand it is not easy for you to offer so many different overlay options, so I'll stick to the original one. However, it would be easier if the overlays were listed at your commerce site, with pictures of all versions that could be chosen from.
Thank you.

Gerson.

                              
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #17 Posted by Dominic Richens on 3 June 2012, 7:21 p.m.,
in response to message #16 by Gerson W. Barbosa

Quote:
However, it would be easier if the overlays were listed at your commerce site, with pictures of all versions that could be chosen from.
Thank you.

Right now I think the only single place where you will find pictures of all the options is on the WP34s facebook page. You could always refer to that.

                                    
The true original (was: Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!)
Message #18 Posted by Walter B on 3 June 2012, 7:56 p.m.,
in response to message #17 by Dominic Richens

Don't you forget the real thing - the very original featuring a / (instead of the great American divide) and nice white letters on the prefix keys (instead of Las Vegas print featuring that ugly 'g' <shiver>).

Eric had (has?) this on his shelf as well. The author recommends it :-)

                                          
Re: The true original (was: Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!)
Message #19 Posted by Les Wright on 3 June 2012, 8:52 p.m.,
in response to message #18 by Walter B

Like most Canadians, I am a happy hybrid, enjoying both the lovely Las Vegas motif of the shift keys combined with the the European slash for division. I am glad the Eric sends out both with every overlay.

                                                
Re: The true original (was: Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!)
Message #20 Posted by Eric Rechlin on 3 June 2012, 9:07 p.m.,
in response to message #19 by Les Wright

Not every. But most of them.

Eric

                                                
Re: The true original (was: Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!)
Message #21 Posted by Harald on 4 June 2012, 4:48 a.m.,
in response to message #19 by Les Wright

And I did the oposite. White print on shift keys and divide sign.

                                                      
Re: The true original (was: Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!)
Message #22 Posted by Dominic Richens on 4 June 2012, 6:20 a.m.,
in response to message #21 by Harald

to be honest, I have to look at my wp34s to remember details like that ! I remember that Rob wanted CHS instead of -/+, can't say I ever have trouble finding it.

I do catch myself occasionally when about to press an alpha because Rob moved the labels to the right side of they keys (à la hp48). I think I could solve that by updating my emulator skin to match.

                              
Re: Thank you Eric Rechlin!!!
Message #23 Posted by Pete Wilson on 6 June 2012, 5:41 p.m.,
in response to message #16 by Gerson W. Barbosa

Quote:
Personal preferences may vary a bit. I, for instance, would like orange and yellow on the faceplace, above the keys, as in the original HP-34C, and green on the slanted key face.

Interesting you should say that. Not sure Eric will appreciate me letting the cat out of the bag, but he just finished working with an overlay I modified to be somewhat like that - my intention was to be more like the 34C, but I also reversed the menu buttons to be reminiscent of the 42S.

It has yellow (f) and blue (g) over the key labels, green (h) slant face labels, reversed menu labels, reversed shift key labels (just realized should have made them cover the slant), and letters to the bottom left (not sure why anymore).

I also separated the test labels like the 34C, spread the upper labels a bit, and replaced Py,x and Cy,x with yPx and yCx (no longer sure why).

I'll post a picture when I get the calculator and overlays.


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