[GreenKeys] old computers 'n stuff

[Clay Archer]

The HP-85 was a good little computer for its time.  A few years ago I
restored one I had in storage since '82 (see my website
http://www.archerservices.com/History/hp85.htm ).   If someone picks up this
HP-85 the tape drive will probably need some repair.


-----Original Message-----
From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Robert Nickels
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 7:49 AM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] old computers 'n stuff

On 4/25/2017 11:53 PM, Gil Smith wrote:
> I have a couple of HP-85 computers, misc accessories and blank tape.  
> Working when last put away.  They were a nice little lab computer. 

I standardized on the HP-85 as a controller for automated test equipment 
back in the 80s as they were a very nice integrated solution with GPIB 
(sorry my indoctrination of "HPIB" has eventually been purged) with 
high-level support and a human interface with display, keyboard, and 
printer as well as mass storage via the little microcassette.   Quite 
ahead of the pack and not badly  priced for an all-in-one box, the 
Series 80 came out of the calculator group in Corvallis and with the 
exception of memory, used a custom chipset developed by HP.   Internal 
math was done with 15 digit precision in the CPU that was clocked at 614 
KHz!    But because of the unique architecture that executed so much in 
a single CPU cycle, the speed was fairly comparable to other offerings 
at the time.    The HP-85 looked and worked like a computer but had the 
heart of a programmable calculator!   Out for the 40 or so I bought we 
never had one failure, even in a factory test environment (I can't say 
the same for the PCs that eventually replaced them).

I later acquired a couple of HP-85s from surplus, thinking I'd hook up 
some GPIB stuff one day, which has not happened.   But after wasting 
time looking for the Nth misplaced pocket calculator in my shop I put an 
HP-85 on a shelf and it has become my go-to whenever math is needed.   
Probably not the most efficient solution but I haven't lost it yet!

73, Bob W9RAN

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