Buying a HP-49G+ - how to know which keyboard?
Tom Alsberg
I have been in the past few months thinking of buying a programmable
graphing calculator.
Having read all kinds of reviews, specifications, and instruction
manuals, I got to deciding between the TI-89 Titanium and the HP-49G+.
Reading a bit more and looking into the user manuals, the HP-49G+
seems to be best for me.
However I read that previous models of the HP-49G+ were problematic
in many ways, many of which were fixed by ROM updates, but one of
them being only solved by newer hardware - the keyboard response and
durability - it appears there are three generations of the HP-49G+
which in hardware basically in the keyboard, and the 3rd generation
has the best keyboard while the 1st generation has a very bad
keyboard.
Two questions:
First, I would like any feedback or comments on what exactly the
differences between the generations are.
Secondly, I've been looking for buying a HP-49G+ online (difficult to
get one in shops here Israel), and the best deal I found is this one
from Samson Cables:
http://www.samsoncables.com/catalog/prodDetail.cfm?Prod_ID=360
They say their serial number begins with CNA52, which is of the newer
fixed models. Can I trust them on this? How can I identify which
generation a HP-49G+ is from, or what hardware problems it has, from
its serial number? Any table with the ranges and their generations?
Regards, any information appreciated here,
-- Tom
--
Tom Alsberg - certified insane, complete illiterate.
Homepage: http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/~alsbergt/
* An idea is not responsible for the people who believe in it.
KID
- odered from Samson Cables via e-bay 3/19/06
- sent 3/20/2006
- arrived (in Italy) about 3 weeks after (standard spedition)
s.n. label: cna525002xx
SERIAL (from development lib) CN444009xx
Keyboard seems Ok IMMO. Not the top, not so bad. HW works perfectly.
KID
http://groups.google.com/groups?as_umsgid=4a3b8nF...@individual.net
regards
simple mind
eric at hpcalc.org. It is much better than my first generation 49G+.
I can't get it to miss or double a keystroke and the feel is noticably
better. I can also see the screen with sunglasses on which I could not
do with my first generation 49G+.
Eric was fast to send my calculator! And you can ask him specifically
if he has the newer ones.
Eric Rechlin
> s.n. label: cna525002xx
All the CNA525 calculators I have seen have had the second-generation
keyboard, not the third, so I do not recommend them.
Unfortunately, I have not had a lot of luck getting the third-generation
units. Right now, my supplier is still shipping out a mix of CNA52 and
CNA53 calculators so I never know what I will get next.
I still do not know exactly when the second-generation keyboard ceased
production, but I'm almost certain it was somewhere between CNA525 and
CNA534.
Regards,
Eric Rechlin
(Remove RPL from my email address to reply)
KID
I've a HP48SX (many years old :-)) and in comparison 49G+ keyboard is
"dissimilar".
As I told, It is not so bad and, for my use, good enough. Until I start
using a 49g+, anyway, I stopped using 48. HW and SW are many
generations ahead ;-)
Thank you
KID
Scott Thompson
In summary, get a unit with a serial number CNA534 or higher.
I'm still trying to find a suitable supplier for such a unit. I think I've
read somewhere that hpcalc.org can guarantee a third-generation model. I'm
going to check that right now.
FWIW, I own an HP48GX with two 128k RAM cards. It works great, but I ended
up buying a Voyage 200 PLT from TI because of its keyboard, larger display,
and ability to do symbolic integration, etc. It is very Engineer
unfriendly, though, as far as the keyboard layout. For example, to get an
EE requires a shift operation, unlike the EEX key on the GX. If I have to
do engineering work, I insist on my GX.
I'm looking towards the 49G+ because of its faster processor, SD card memory
capabilities, RPN, and now symbolic integration. (I know I can install
ALG48 or ERABLE, etc., but my memory's full with development tools and
similar libraries).
Good luck, please keep me posted on your progress; especially if you find a
suitable source for a reasonable price.
--Scotty
Tom Alsberg
hints, for the information.
On Wed, May 03, 2006 at 05:39:10PM +0000, Scott Thompson wrote:
> I've been doing a similar search and ran across this:
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.hp48/browse_thread/thread/c13df971c543c6a6/86c86482eaac349a?lnk=raot
This article by Eric Rechlin was very useful for me to read.
> In summary, get a unit with a serial number CNA534 or higher.
Yes, that seems to be the safe way I'll be going for.
I have not yet made an order for a HP-49g+, but am still looking.
> I'm still trying to find a suitable supplier for such a unit.
I have found the following deal from Comp-U-Plus interesting for it
is in a relatively good price (US $120):
http://www.compuplus.com/i-HP-49g-Graphing-Calculator-F2228A-1004699
I contacted them and sent an inquiry, at first they only specified
that the serial numbers begin with CNA5, but when I asked for further
digits they informed me the serial numbers of the calculators they
have now begin with CNA542, which should be OK.
Yet for me there are two problems - (1) I'm not sure I can trust them
on that, and (2) international ordering from them can be difficult
(even PayPal seems to work only from the USA).
> I think I've read somewhere that hpcalc.org can guarantee a
> third-generation model.
I have also sent an inquiry to Eric at hpcalc.org regarding the
serial number or generation of the HP-49g+ he sells nowadays, and
regarding shipping to Israel, but have not yet received a reply. If
you get a response from him, please let me know what the answer was.
> I'm going to check that right now.
Where I purchase from eventually depends on my experience with the
inquiries and ordering process.
> FWIW, I own an HP48GX with two 128k RAM cards. It works great, but I ended
> up buying a Voyage 200 PLT from TI because of its keyboard, larger display,
> and ability to do symbolic integration, etc. It is very Engineer
> unfriendly, though, as far as the keyboard layout. For example, to get an
> EE requires a shift operation, unlike the EEX key on the GX. If I have to
> do engineering work, I insist on my GX.
I used to have for a while a TI-82 when I was at high school, which
was for me a nice, albeit a bit limited, toy and tool. I am now a
student of maths and CS, and also somewhat of a CS professional, so I
want the calculator as a programmable computer with mathematical,
graphical, and numerical capabilities that I can take with me to
places where I do not have a computer with Mathematica available
(e.g. the library), as well as a cute toy to program and play around
with.
> I'm looking towards the 49G+ because of its faster processor,
For actual scientific/engineering work I don't feel I need anything
faster, but if I'm gonna be doing programming and putting some other
useful applications on it, a faster CPU may be a good thing. I've
read, though, that while the 49g+ CPU is faster, it is incompatible
with past CPUs, and so in most programming modes (except assembly or
code compiled for the newer processor), you do not gain much from it.
> SD card memory capabilities
That is one nice feature I am after, although I have not yet checked
what can all be done with this SD card (can SD cards at any size, like
4GB and so, be used with it? Can you access and store arbitrary data
or programs on it, so it can be basically used as an extension to the
flash memory?)
> RPN
That is one of the reason that pushed me to the HP side from the TI
side.
> and now symbolic integration.
Can be useful for me in physics courses, although we are not allowed
to use any kind of programmable calculator in exams.
> (I know I can install ALG48 or ERABLE, etc., but my memory's full
> with development tools and similar libraries).
I will of course at some point get to playing with assembly/C
programming for that HP-49 after I get it.
> Good luck, please keep me posted on your progress; especially if you find a
> suitable source for a reasonable price.
See above.
> --Scotty
Cheers,
Veli-Pekka Nousiainen
news:20060503221...@zoopee.org...
X
> read, though, that while the 49g+ CPU is faster, it is incompatible
> with past CPUs, and so in most programming modes (except assembly or
> code compiled for the newer processor), you do not gain much from it.
The 49g+ and the 48gII both use an emulator layer
so they are compatible in Saturn CPU level
The old 49G programs will work most of the time
>> SD card memory capabilities
>
> That is one nice feature I am after, although I have not yet checked
> what can all be done with this SD card (can SD cards at any size, like
> 4GB and so, be used with it? Can you access and store arbitrary data
> or programs on it, so it can be basically used as an extension to the
> flash memory?)
X
unfortunately library scan would be too slow
but you can use it as an external tape drive
(I'm comparing it to the old 41-series HP-IL mass storage)
and recall variables and programs to main RAM
>> (I know I can install ALG48 or ERABLE, etc., but my memory's full
>> with development tools and similar libraries).
Yes - while one can load these to a 48GX
even the 49G was cheaper and had ALG49, Erable & MetaKernel
all integrated, while it offered full memory and User Flash
that doesn't need any power to retain it's memory
The 49g+ offers more speed, new CPU & hpgcc, SD, larger LCD, etc
KID
with programs of 1-3kb (mean size), this is HUGE.
I use 128MB miniSD with adapter. It comes from my cell phone, upgraded
to 1GB for mp3 and navgation SW.
I use about 20MB for all 49g+ SW, instructions included (in ascii
format). I don't know what else to put in the free 100MB. Perhaps all
PC SW and PDF manuals, "just in case"...
Good luck
AB
duenod...@gmail.com
With Oper Fire in GROB format you can have almost everithing on your
hand !. I have set all the maps I need to know where am I and where
should I go !
Manuals are good idea too ! I have HLP49.SD library and seems to be
VERY usefull.
Daniel
KID
Other good ideas...
Still got lot of free space :-)
AB