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  • HP Prime

    From Rick Van Camp@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jan 29 11:20:26 2021
    Hello,

    I purchased an early HP Prime for my son several years ago. The HP website cannot interpret the serial number of his calculator. Additionally. Toolbox|Catalog is present but Version is not in this list. I have never updated the firmware.

    More importantly, it appears to be experiencing problems with the On/Off button. Specifically, turning the Prime off has been a problem this week. Does anyone here know if this can repaired correctly? HP was unable to refer me to third party service
    centers and suggested I purchase a new Prime. Of course...yet another example of an American company taking advantage of American citizens. This does get old.

    Please let me know. Unfortunately, I view my situation as challenging because my son knows how to use the Prime. However, I need to ensure we get him a calculator that will not experience these problems. This suggests a 48 series because of its more
    robust keypad that has been typical of HP.

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    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John Crane@21:1/5 to Rick Van Camp on Fri Jan 29 22:54:04 2021
    On 1/29/21 1:20 PM, Rick Van Camp wrote:
    Hello,

    I purchased an early HP Prime for my son several years ago. The HP website cannot interpret the serial number of his calculator. Additionally. Toolbox|Catalog is present but Version is not in this list. I have never updated the firmware.

    More importantly, it appears to be experiencing problems with the On/Off button. Specifically, turning the Prime off has been a problem this week. Does anyone here know if this can repaired correctly? HP was unable to refer me to third party service
    centers and suggested I purchase a new Prime. Of course...yet another example of an American company taking advantage of American citizens. This does get old.

    Please let me know. Unfortunately, I view my situation as challenging because my son knows how to use the Prime. However, I need to ensure we get him a calculator that will not experience these problems. This suggests a 48 series because of its more
    robust keypad that has been typical of HP.



    HP is definitely not the icon of quality it once was. Tonight I
    repaired another HP-67 card reader. Those are a joy to repair. The new machines are not meant to be repaired. They are meant to be replaced.
    So I suppose you asked if HP could repair it? I wonder if they still
    have the facilities to do that.

    It could be something as simple as some corrosion on the ON/OFF key.
    I've never repaired a Prime, but the older machines had holes in the PCB
    where you could insert a fine stranded wire to gently scrub the inner
    surface of the metal bubble that made contact with the metal on the PCB
    under it. Scrub, blow it out with compressed air, a touch of de-oxit,
    and you're done.

    Also, check out the DM42 machine. Good quality and 'HP workalike' built
    by HP fans. And it has a 5 year warranty.


    https://www.swissmicros.com/product/dm42

    John (3665)

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rick Van Camp@21:1/5 to John Crane on Wed Mar 17 14:20:51 2021
    On Friday, January 29, 2021 at 11:54:09 PM UTC-5, John Crane wrote:
    On 1/29/21 1:20 PM, Rick Van Camp wrote:
    Hello,

    I purchased an early HP Prime for my son several years ago. The HP website cannot interpret the serial number of his calculator. Additionally. Toolbox|Catalog is present but Version is not in this list. I have never updated the firmware.

    More importantly, it appears to be experiencing problems with the On/Off button. Specifically, turning the Prime off has been a problem this week. Does anyone here know if this can repaired correctly? HP was unable to refer me to third party service
    centers and suggested I purchase a new Prime. Of course...yet another example of an American company taking advantage of American citizens. This does get old.

    Please let me know. Unfortunately, I view my situation as challenging because my son knows how to use the Prime. However, I need to ensure we get him a calculator that will not experience these problems. This suggests a 48 series because of its more
    robust keypad that has been typical of HP.

    HP is definitely not the icon of quality it once was. Tonight I
    repaired another HP-67 card reader. Those are a joy to repair. The new machines are not meant to be repaired. They are meant to be replaced.
    So I suppose you asked if HP could repair it? I wonder if they still
    have the facilities to do that.

    It could be something as simple as some corrosion on the ON/OFF key.
    I've never repaired a Prime, but the older machines had holes in the PCB where you could insert a fine stranded wire to gently scrub the inner surface of the metal bubble that made contact with the metal on the PCB under it. Scrub, blow it out with compressed air, a touch of de-oxit,
    and you're done.

    Also, check out the DM42 machine. Good quality and 'HP workalike' built
    by HP fans. And it has a 5 year warranty.


    https://www.swissmicros.com/product/dm42

    John (3665)
    Hi John,

    I cannot thank you enough for your response. I have not yet determined how I will resolve the issues with my son's Prime but suspect they will conclude with another Prime. He is a high school student and I have seen how proficient he has become with this
    instrument so I should not take this sense of accomplishment from him. On the other hand, I am very happy to learn of SwissMicros GmbH because I am an avid HP41C owner. I will have no issue supporting SwissMicros GmbH in the future and look forward to
    doing so!

    Rick

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    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)