HP 85 stuff

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
Date: Mon Jul 3 09:08:17 2000

At 08:03 PM 7/2/00 +0930, you wrote:
>I am the proud owner of a HP85 after a friend persuaded a country rubbish
>dump operator that it really belonged in a museum or something similar.
>Seems to work ok, found a listing for a fractal program on the web and it
>worked after I corrected a typo in the listing. (And added a line to clear
>the graphics screen at the start of each run.
>I haven't been able to test the printer properly, but it appears ok, and I
>can't test the tape drive because I don't have any media.
>
>Anyone out there know 1) Where (if?) I can get tape media for it?

   Yes, Any DC-100 tape will work in it, after you format it, including DEC
tapes.


> 2) Any software about?

   Yes. lots but none is posted on the web that I know of. Beware that the
HP cassettes are very prone to broken belts and shedding their media so
original tapes may not be usable.

> 3) Any expansion modules.

   Yes, There's lots of them still available. Check Eb-bay. I haven't
priced other modules but the HP-IB interfaces seem to be only bringing
about $15 right now.
>
>Seems to be an original HP85 (85A?) S/N 2204B 38784

   Yes, it's an 85A. It only has 16k of memory.

>No idea where it came from originally. Possibly a local govt office. Came
>from a VERY small town in the hills.

   HP must have sold a zillion of the HP-85s. They turn up all over the place.
>
>First HP I've been able to find, nice little machine....

    Yes, they are but they have two problems. The "rubber" feed wheel on
the tape drive turns to goo and the two belts that operate the printer wear
out. You can test the printer by pressing the "TEST" button. It should
display and print the full character set.

     Joe
>
>Cheers
>
>Geoff Roberts
>Computer Systems Manager
>Saint Mark's College
>Port Pirie,
>South Australia
>geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au
>
>
>
Received on Mon Jul 03 2000 - 09:08:17 BST