Geek thread...HP calculators...

[Cphobes]

So who has'em and are they dusty...

HP48s/sx/g/gx...or whatever...

So I bought for a ton of cash back in 1992 an HP48SX calculator. Plus two expansion cards for Chemistry and general equations. Carried me through general chemistry, organic chemistry and saved me in physics (I hate physics).

Fast forward I need a real calculator for accounting and wow, the 48SX comes out from the dustbin and is performing perfectly. I am looking for the expansion card called the "business pac"...

Just curious who might be using theirs and if they still do etc.

-Stephen

 

[OldSkoolMillennial]

A HP 50G. I had a HP-42S that was stolen. Free42 on my Android phone.

The 50G was meant to be my college calculator but we weren't allowed to use calculators in class.

 

[Cphobes]

A HP 50G. I had a HP-42S that was stolen. Free42 on my Android phone.

The 50G was meant to be my college calculator but we weren't allowed to use calculators in class.

Good stuff, I forgot I do use the Droid48sx app on my android phone. A bit buggy but it's cool as a backup.

 

[Rory1262]

I had the HP-12c, which was the tool of choice in the financial community. Wonder where it is.

 

[OldSkoolMillennial]

HP calculators have a dedicated following. (some) Collectible too.

Few so well regarded a company has even made modernized versions.
www.swissmicros.com

 

[Haggises]

#teamTI

 

[August West]

I got me one of those Texas Instruments thingies.

 

[ShavingPanda]

I have a 50G at work that is my work horse. I also have a 35S at work too on my drawings table for quick calculations. I had a 49G+ for years during school. The 50G is a great improvement on the buttons.

I really want a 15C. They came out with a limited edition that I almost bought years ago but the prices crazy now.

 

[ZJ68]

I have a 48SX, 38G, 20s, 12C and one of their little DOS palmtops, I think it's a 100LX.

 

[Raissermesser]

I found a 33S on sale when it was closed out, and bought it because I missed RPN and was programmable. Unfortunately, years of drops and once overheated took their toll, and it is no more. I miss RPN, but I didn't like how you couldn't store programs externally. That's still a failing on the HP RPN calculators.

Every now and then I look at the HP 35S, but then I go look at razors until the urge to buy it goes away.

 

[wgn!]

41CV from the early/mid 80's. If I remember I got it just as they dropped the price to something like $180. Got me through engineering school up until the time the started putting computers on everybodys desk (~20 years). Now it sits in my drawer.

 

[Cphobes]

#teamTI

I've had a TI-81 and my sons both use TI-84's...great calc's no doubt.

 

[Cphobes]

HP calculators have a dedicated following. (some) Collectible too.

Few so well regarded a company has even made modernized versions.
www.swissmicros.com

That's pretty cool, thanks for the info.

 

[Ad Astra]

Pretty sure it was the TI-30 ... Texas Instruments, not HP.
TI-30 - Wikipedia


AA

 

[Raissermesser]

The TI-30 was my second scientific calculator. My first was either a Novus made by National Semiconductor, or a National Semiconductor. It was an RPN calculator. Unfortunately, until I ended up with a Casio in the 1990s, my calculators tend not to last long. Those early LED calculators put out the RF noise, and you could pick them up on a radio. You could use them to check the hair wire in the first in-the-windshield car antennas.

 

[dezmil]

I have a 48GX that I bought in college. I loved that thing. I now use the Droid48 app on my phone as my go to calculator app. My son has started using the HP in his high school classes.

 

[OldSkoolMillennial]

That's pretty cool, thanks for the info.

If you really want to geek out there is a forum for HP Calculators including those Swiss Micros. A member even developed a modern firmware for the HP 50G which better utilizes the hardware.

HP Forums

 

[Cphobes]

If you really want to geek out there is a forum for HP Calculators including those Swiss Micros. A member even developed a modern firmware for the HP 50G which better utilizes the hardware.

HP Forums

I was considering buying a 50g off the bay, the forums are pretty cool.

 

[OldSkoolMillennial]

I was considering buying a 50g off the bay, the forums are pretty cool.

Since they've been discontinued, eBay sellers have been asking crazy amounts. I've seen cheaper on Craigslist. Just don't overpay for one.

 

[Cphobes]

I know the prices are insane online, though the 50g's seem to be cheaper than the 48GX's. I'll search craigslist though I haven't had a lot of luck there with anything.