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HP 65 Question?
04-01-2017, 01:30 AM (This post was last modified: 04-01-2017 01:32 AM by Eddie W. Shore.)
Post: #1
HP 65 Question?
I found a HP 65 for sale at a local pawn shop. Contents: calculator, plug in, (battery doesn't seem to hold a charge, according the vendor), keys work great, card feeder looks clean, and pouch is in good condition. $399 - though the shop offered to sell it for $319. Good buy?
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04-01-2017, 01:56 AM
Post: #2
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-01-2017 01:30 AM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  I found a HP 65 for sale at a local pawn shop. Contents: calculator, plug in, (battery doesn't seem to hold a charge, according the vendor), keys work great, card feeder looks clean, and pouch is in good condition. $399 - though the shop offered to sell it for $319. Good buy?

You probably need to have the card reader fixed too. $319 is high for a an HP-65 that needs card reader repair.

Namir
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04-01-2017, 02:09 AM
Post: #3
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-01-2017 01:56 AM)Namir Wrote:  
(04-01-2017 01:30 AM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  I found a HP 65 for sale at a local pawn shop. Contents: calculator, plug in, (battery doesn't seem to hold a charge, according the vendor), keys work great, card feeder looks clean, and pouch is in good condition. $399 - though the shop offered to sell it for $319. Good buy?

You probably need to have the card reader fixed too. $319 is high for a an HP-65 that needs card reader repair.

Namir

What if the vendor doesn't know? Should I just pass? Thanks Namir.
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04-01-2017, 02:57 AM
Post: #4
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-01-2017 02:09 AM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  What if the vendor doesn't know? Should I just pass?

I assume he will plug in the power adapter and let you try running it, a short program, etc. If he won't, walk out fast and don't look back.

Assuming it operates OK:

If the card reader definitely worked, there would surely be cards with it. For bad card reader, no manuals, no Std Pac, and bad battery, I would pass. But if you can point out all these flaws, you may be able to negotiate a better price; closer to $200 makes more sense IMHO.

--Bob Prosperi
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04-01-2017, 06:41 AM
Post: #5
RE: HP 65 Question?
As always be warned: Never use the card reader unless a good battery installed operated by the charger only.
You can operate the calc from the charger but never the card reader.
I think you know
Andi
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04-01-2017, 07:37 PM
Post: #6
RE: HP 65 Question?
I asked the vendor about the card reader and the batteries. The vendor does not know about the card reader and has no cards to test. Unfortunately I don't have any HP 65 cards to test with or know anyone in the immediate area.

Also the vendor stated that the calculator was able to used with just the AC adapter (also, I don't have the classic battery packs).

I am thinking pass, but it's tempting.
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04-01-2017, 11:07 PM
Post: #7
RE: HP 65 Question?
I have decided to get an HP 21S instead. Feel better.
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04-02-2017, 01:11 AM
Post: #8
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-01-2017 07:37 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  I asked the vendor about the card reader and the batteries. The vendor does not know about the card reader and has no cards to test. Unfortunately I don't have any HP 65 cards to test with or know anyone in the immediate area.

Also the vendor stated that the calculator was able to used with just the AC adapter (also, I don't have the classic battery packs).

I am thinking pass, but it's tempting.

The '65 can read and write later 67/97/41 cards. If you have one available, bring it to the store and give it a try. Again, if all is legit, the seller should be willing to let you try.

The 21S is a nice machine for stats, but nowhere near the panache of a working HP-65. Still, if it doesn't feel right, I agree, go with the 21S. Then find some undocumented feature and show us in Nashville.

--Bob Prosperi
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04-02-2017, 01:17 AM
Post: #9
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-01-2017 06:41 AM)AndiGer Wrote:  As always be warned: Never use the card reader unless a good battery installed operated by the charger only.
You can operate the calc from the charger but never the card reader.
I think you know
Andi

Can you elaborate on this Andi? How is operating the card reader with the charger plugged-in dangerous? Is there some risk of over-current to the card motor or something along those lines?

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04-02-2017, 01:28 AM (This post was last modified: 04-02-2017 01:41 AM by Geoff Quickfall.)
Post: #10
RE: HP 65 Question?
Damage

Debatable, anecdotal evidence but yes.

The main caveat, as with the Woodstock 67, card reader does not work on charger only. Calculator does. 67 is a woodstock so of course, no charger only, but unfortunately people think it is a classic like the 65.

Of course the HP 41/67/97/65 cards are identical physically. So passing a 41/67/97 card with associated program will only test the physical drive ("to be goo or not to be goo?"That is the question as Shakespeare so aptly put I t), but will not test the read/write properties of the PCA. Of course once the capstan is proven to be functional, then you could enter a simple test program and try the write/read function.

cost is sooooo subjective. A pristine functioning HP 65 (calc PCA) with manuals and a bad card reader for me, around $150 USd but then I fix the card reader and I have spare parts (not many).

Geoff
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04-02-2017, 01:35 AM
Post: #11
RE: HP 65 Question?
Eddie,

Go back to the pawn shop in a month. It will still be there I suspect. Offer them $100 and walk out if they don't take it.

Then go back in another month...

I have bought many things from pawn shops. No need to be ugly, but they are notorious for pricing high. Haggle and walk. Haggle and walk.



Different topic: Speaker deadline ? Maybe a week before the conference. :-)
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04-02-2017, 01:40 AM
Post: #12
RE: HP 65 Question?
Should that not be 'walk, haggle, then walk?'

:-)
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04-02-2017, 07:20 AM (This post was last modified: 04-02-2017 11:01 AM by AndiGer.)
Post: #13
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-02-2017 01:17 AM)rprosperi Wrote:  
(04-01-2017 06:41 AM)AndiGer Wrote:  As always be warned: Never use the card reader unless a good battery installed operated by the charger only.
You can operate the calc from the charger but never the card reader.
I think you know
Andi

Can you elaborate on this Andi? How is operating the card reader with the charger plugged-in dangerous? Is there some risk of over-current to the card motor or something along those lines?

Not personally, never did. In the Owner's Handbook 00065-90200 we have on page 87:
Running the HP-65 from the ac line with the battery pack removed may result in damage to the calculator.
On the other hand some lines higher you can find:
Since you cannot operate the card reader/writer without a charged battery, even with the charger plugged in, the battery should not be removed while running from the ac line.

The latter could be a hint that the card reader is switched off internally with the charger plugged in. On the other side we have the warning.
Andi

Edit: This was already discussed in the old forum years ago ...
http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...read=77706
http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...read=89060
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04-03-2017, 11:16 AM (This post was last modified: 04-03-2017 11:17 AM by PANAMATIK.)
Post: #14
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-02-2017 07:20 AM)AndiGer Wrote:  Running the HP-65 from the ac line with the battery pack removed may result in damage to the calculator.
On the other hand some lines higher you can find:
Since you cannot operate the card reader/writer without a charged battery, even with the charger plugged in, the battery should not be removed while running from the ac line.

From technical point of view, the card reader only draws more current than the charger can provide. Only charged batteries can provide enough current for driving the motor. The warning does not point to a potential damage of the calculator without batteries, but just that it will not be able to read write cards.

Same is for printing devices 10/19C/97, they cannot print without charged batteries.

Only the minor design of the HP-21/22/25/25C/27/29C power supply is really dangerous for the calculator chips, if used without batteries.

Bernhard

That's one small step for a man - one giant leap for mankind.
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04-03-2017, 12:09 PM
Post: #15
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-02-2017 01:40 AM)Geoff Quickfall Wrote:  Should that not be 'walk, haggle, then walk?'

:-)

Algorithm version 1:
"walk in, haggle, walk out"

Algorithm version 2 (Inspired by "Feud" tv show related to the late actress Joan Crawford):
"walk in, haggle, make a scene, haggle, walk out"
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04-03-2017, 12:52 PM
Post: #16
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-03-2017 12:09 PM)Namir Wrote:  
(04-02-2017 01:40 AM)Geoff Quickfall Wrote:  Should that not be 'walk, haggle, then walk?'

:-)

Algorithm version 1:
"walk in, haggle, walk out"

Algorithm version 2 (Inspired by "Feud" tv show related to the late actress Joan Crawford):
"walk in, haggle, make a scene, haggle, walk out"

Algorithm version 3:
"Walk in, Haggle, Scream that this is unfair, Walk Out in a Huff"
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04-03-2017, 08:48 PM
Post: #17
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-03-2017 12:52 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  
(04-03-2017 12:09 PM)Namir Wrote:  Algorithm version 1:
"walk in, haggle, walk out"

Algorithm version 2 (Inspired by "Feud" tv show related to the late actress Joan Crawford):
"walk in, haggle, make a scene, haggle, walk out"

Algorithm version 3:
"Walk in, Haggle, Scream that this is unfair, Walk Out in a Huff"

This would be Jim Carrey's version???
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04-06-2017, 01:00 PM
Post: #18
RE: HP 65 Question?
(04-02-2017 01:11 AM)rprosperi Wrote:  
(04-01-2017 07:37 PM)Eddie W. Shore Wrote:  I asked the vendor about the card reader and the batteries. The vendor does not know about the card reader and has no cards to test. Unfortunately I don't have any HP 65 cards to test with or know anyone in the immediate area.

Also the vendor stated that the calculator was able to used with just the AC adapter (also, I don't have the classic battery packs).

I am thinking pass, but it's tempting.

The '65 can read and write later 67/97/41 cards. If you have one available, bring it to the store and give it a try. Again, if all is legit, the seller should be willing to let you try.

The 21S is a nice machine for stats, but nowhere near the panache of a working HP-65. Still, if it doesn't feel right, I agree, go with the 21S. Then find some undocumented feature and show us in Nashville.

Received the 21S yesterday. They keyboard is very nice and everything is in working condition.

As I am going through the manual, I thought what was missing for both the 20S and 21S was the ability to store routines, which could be recalled by LOAD 0-9. But I like the preloaded the programs.

Eddie
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