HP 12C serial number
Ray Kramer
enamored with it. Having heard stories of the ruggedness (i.e. salesmen
throwing the calculators against walls) of the earlier generation 12C, I
have been inspired to track down an early 1980s model on ebay, as my
model is one of the newer Malaysian units.
Several ebay listings have serial numbers, but I have been unable to
figure out how to determine the year of manufacture from the serial
number. Does anyone have any guidance? A few sample serials are:
2618AD0942
2545A55388
2903A03666
2503A47388
2611A01878
From what I can gather the first four digits should reveal the date.
Can anyone translate these?
Also, on this topic, how many different versions of this calculator
exist. I currently know of three:
1) original model, labels molded into keys, 3 batteries
2) Malaysian, etc. with printed labels on keys, 3 batteries
3) China, etc. with printed labels on keys and one large battery
TIA
-Ray Kramer
ray (at) raykramer (dot) com
Jordi Hidalgo
http://www.engr.uvic.ca/~aschoorl/faq/48faq-2.html#ss2.20
> 2618AD0942
D?? Either a fraudulent seller or a typo :-)
As to the variations, there was a Datafile issue dedicated to
the 12C (V20N5). See also D/F V19N4p17 and V19N5p5.
Jordi Hidalgo
<surname>@tv3mail.com
--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
Ray Kramer
reference to those datafiles, but not the datafiles themselves.
Thanks!
James M. Prange
http://www.hpmuseum.org/.
--
Regards,
James
bmcl...@bellsouth.net
> 2618AD0942
> 2545A55388
> 2903A03666
> 2503A47388
> 2611A01878
>
> From what I can gather the first four digits should reveal the date.
>
> Can anyone translate these?
>
Actually, the first 2 digits reveal the year--it represents the number
of years since 1960. The next 2 digits represent the approximate week
number within that year. The letter occupying the 5th digit is a code
for the country of manufacture (A=USA, S=Singapore, etc.). The
remaining digits are a unique serial number for that unit. This is
described in more detail at the HP Museum:
Jordi Hidalgo
As Bruce says in another thread, you can order back-issues from HPCC and/or
order Jake's CDs:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=K3M7efMAnFDAFwQ2%40nodomain.nodomain.us
IIRC, Wlodek's article is also in the HHC2000/01 conference disk.
Regards,
Jordi Hidalgo
<surname>@tv3mail.com
Tim Richardson
widely and been well used, and dropped a few times, and is in
excellent shape, a little scratched and dented on the top corners (it
seems to fall this way) but apart from that it is fine.
On the other hand, my first 28C had battery contact problems (an
exchanged model fixed that), and so did my HP48G which shortcircuited
about once a quarter although I just lived with it (until it was
stolen in Milan). The 28C was made in the US, the HP48 in Singapore.
I did not throw any of my calculators against the wall, I must admit,
but the country of assembly (since this is what happens in Malaysia,
Indonesia or China, "manufacture" is too glorified for one step in the
value chain) shouldn't worry you too much.
regards,
Tim
bmcl...@bellsouth.net wrote in message news:<62da5cc8.04012...@posting.google.com>...
Ray Kramer
simultaneous with a change in production technique. For example, the
keys on my 1998 Malaysia 12C rattle very noticeably when the calculator
is shaken. The 1982 USA version that my boss has does not rattle at all.
Likewise, my unit has considerable flex when torqued, and the plastic
squeaks when the top and bottom half are pushed together. Again, the
1982 USA model does not demonstrate any of this. Late USA (I think) and
all Malaysia 12Cs have painted keys instead the of molded-in labels on
early USA models, which make them susceptible to having the numbers wear
off.
So, at least in the case of the 12C, place of manufacture and year of
production can have significant impact.