Manuals: There's been some discussion about how manuals are now available only online, which is a bit of a nuisance. Last night, I watched someone on YouTube exploring an HP 41...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There's been some discussion about how manuals are now available only online, which is a bit of a nuisance. Last night, I watched someone on YouTube exploring an HP 41 calculator from the 1980s. It came with two 8 x 11" manuals, totaling 164 pages. The price of that calculator was $249 in 1983. It has two expansion slots to insert optional modules.

"Adjusted for inflation, $249 in 1983 is equal to $711 in 2022." Wow!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I recently downloaded the manual for my phone.
115 pages just for the camera part of it.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I remember getting the family calculator. It only did the four basic functions and had the red seven segment numerals. I forget what that's called??? Binary coded decimal??
I think it ran on two AA batteries or maybe a nine volt (transistor) battery.

BebuLamar

jerryc41 wrote:

There's been some discussion about how manuals are now available only online, which is a bit of a nuisance. Last night, I watched someone on YouTube exploring an HP 41 calculator from the 1980s. It came with two 8 x 11" manuals, totaling 164 pages. The price of that calculator was $249 in 1983. It has two expansion slots to insert optional modules.

"Adjusted for inflation, $249 in 1983 is equal to $711 in 2022." Wow!

I bought the original HP41C in 79 and it was $350. Someone stole it out of my car so I bought the improved version 41CV (5 times the memory built in) in 81 and also for $350. It has 4 open slot. I had the magnetic card readers, the thermal printer and the bar code reader. The entire set was more than $1000. They came with a bunch of manuals. I still use the calculator today.
It was the first calculator that can display alphabet characters as well and numbers and has continuous memory that is it doesn't lose the memory when you turn it off. Nasa used it on the space shutte.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

IfI recall correctly the HP 35 @ $295 was the first pocket calculator that had trig functions, followed by the HP 45 @ $395. all the engineers in my company had to have one. Eventually TI made a much cheaper calculator that did trig functions.

alawry Loc: Timaru New Zealand

tradio wrote:

I remember getting the family calculator. It only did the four basic functions and had the red seven segment numerals. I forget what that's called??? Binary coded decimal??
I think it ran on two AA batteries or maybe a nine volt (transistor) battery.

The little light bulb display was referred to as "nixie tube" I never bothered to learn more than that. I worked for NCR 1972 I think we dealt in Sharp calculators I know they were way expensive. And troublesome.

buckbrush Loc: Texas then Southwest Oregon

TriX wrote:

IfI recall correctly the HP 35 @ $295 was the first pocket calculator that had trig functions, followed by the HP 45 @ $395. all the engineers in my company had to have one. Eventually TI made a much cheaper calculator that did trig functions.

I forget what I paid for the TI-35 PLUS, but I still have it and am trying to downsize. If anyone wants it, give a shout thru a Private msg.

Ollieboy

Anybody remember the Bomar Brain? Circa about 1975

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Companies must save millions by not including thick, heavy printed manuals. I can see their reasoning. It's easier to look up a term - if you get the wording right - on a computer. Getting the term right can be almost impossible, though.

Fotoserj Loc: St calixte Qc Ca

Don’t forget today they have to tell you not to swallow the phone, 40 years ago we would have known not to ingest it

Morry Loc: Palm Springs, CA

jerryc41 wrote:

There's been some discussion about how manuals are now available only online, which is a bit of a nuisance. Last night, I watched someone on YouTube exploring an HP 41 calculator from the 1980s. It came with two 8 x 11" manuals, totaling 164 pages. The price of that calculator was $249 in 1983. It has two expansion slots to insert optional modules.

"Adjusted for inflation, $249 in 1983 is equal to $711 in 2022." Wow!

I recently acquired a new Samsung 75" TV and of course it did not come with any kind if instruction manual. When calling them I found that I could buy a manual for $40. plus shipping. I could also have a internet manual of 246 pages emailed to me. I encouraged them to include a good (well written) manual (like they have done in years past) and put the cost in the price of the new TV. Will they do it . . . probably not . . . but stay tuned. I believe if enough people complain about this it might happen. After all . . . we are the customer.

BebuLamar

Morry wrote:

I recently acquired a new Samsung 75" TV and ... (show quote)

But then there are many people that never read the manuals and thus they are a waste of the trees. So although I love to have the paper manuals I do have some sympathy for them not include a manual.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

Those old red numerals were LED or light emitting diodes. Basically when energized, they discharged electrons. The black ones these days are LCD or liquid crystal display. Nemonic fluid sandwiched between two pieces of glass. Energize a segment and the randomized particles in the fluid align, like opening Venetian blinds. The black number is the hidden background showing itself.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Our company bought a printing version of the HP-67 desktop calculator when they first came out and they cost as much as a new car back then.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

jerryc41 wrote:

There's been some discussion about how manuals are now available only online, which is a bit of a nuisance. Last night, I watched someone on YouTube exploring an HP 41 calculator from the 1980s. It came with two 8 x 11" manuals, totaling 164 pages. The price of that calculator was $249 in 1983. It has two expansion slots to insert optional modules.

"Adjusted for inflation, $249 in 1983 is equal to $711 in 2022." Wow!

That is why David Busch is a multi-millionaire selling his camera guides. I know I have put quite a few coins in his pocket having bought at least five of his manuals. Who wants to download 100+ pages and not have them bound like in a book. A few people may do this, hole punch them and end up with a 1" binder, but I think the number of people doing this would be small.