At 07:09 AM 9/14/02 -0600, you wrote:
>I purchased 4 HP-85Bs at auction yesterday. I was browsing information on
>HPs at http://www.finseth.com/~fin/hpdata/serial.html, and discovered that
>one of my "new" machines was manufactured in February, 1982. That's 16
>months before the 85B was released, as I understand it. Here's the serial
>number: 2210A60158. If the first two digits are the number of years since
>1960, it was manufactured in 1982. If the next two are the number of weeks
>since a certain week in November, it was manufactured sometime in February.
>
>
>
>Is that right?
Publicly that's correct but in reality HP makes items and dates them X weeks ahead so that they have a near current date when they arrive at the dealer's. I'm not sure X is the same for all divisions of HP and/or all products but 8 weeks seems to be a typical.
If the HP-85Bs were released on June 1, 1983, this one was
>either a prototype that rolled off the 85A assembly line, or it's an 85-A in
>disguise. Do the 85B covers fit the 85A?
Yes they'r eexactly the samew size. The difference between them is that the 85B has more memory. FWIW I used to have an 85 (or 85B?) pre-production unit that had a sticker that said "Property of HP Do not sell. Demo Unit" and it had a 9999 data code.
If so, there's a hapless soul
>with an 85B that thinks it's an 85. And I own both models.
>
>
>
>Something else that's interesting: This particular model had an older-style
>riveted-on serial number plate, while the other three had newer stickers. It
>s also the only one with a 82936A ROM DRAWER. This drawer has the
>00085-15002 PLOTTER/PRINTER ROM. I don't think that's significant, but
>maybe??
>
>
>
>One other thing: The FCC-ID on three models ends with 85B. The model in
>question either hasn't got one, or I can't find it.
>
>
>
>If you can shed any light, please do so. I plan to keep one and sell off
>the other three. If I'm selling an 85-A, I want to make sure that's what I'm
>advertising. In fact, I may just want to keep two of them.
>
>
>
>Also, how much is an 85-A worth? I can't find them for sale anywhere.
They show up on E-bay frequently. The selling price depends mainly on what all comes with it. The 85s by themselves only bring $50 or so.
I have to run now. More later.
Joe
>
>
>
>Cheers,
>
>
>
>John
>
Received on Sun Sep 15 2002 - 07:29:00 BST