Excitedly unboxing my new HP 15c Collector's Edition calculator and checking the keyboard

[@MrKentaroMotoPI]

I still have my 15c from 1984. My wife still has her 11c that I gave her in 1981. They both get used everyday and work perfectly. The rubber pads disentegrated; got replacements on eBay. You can't beat Voyager-format calculators for use in front of a computer because you can hold them in two hands, using thunbs, in front of the monitor. Brilliant. Everyone needs one of these. With all that said, I also have an HP 32SII with the rare green 💚 and purple 💜 function colors. I bought it for fraction capability. You can pry that from my cold, dead hands.

[@valuemastery]

I think this is one of the nicest calculators ever made. I got two of the Collector's Edition. One for everyday use, and one in reserve. I already bought two of the Limited Edition back then, but the "reserve calculator" died after a few years just sitting in the box (and no, it wasn't just the battery).

[@f.a.j.4685]

What?!? 😳 Explain what happened?

[@valuemastery]

@@f.a.j.4685 I have no idea. Just stopped working.

[@PhiGlotz]

I can conform, that the keyboard is really bad: Triggering or bouncing, if you like. But you can't believe your results. I often also have numbers bouncing, not only functions.

[@semeissafilho]

Good morning. You remind me of my grandson playing and comparing his toys, a true perfectionist, trying to find any imperfections he may have. Sensational

[@johnhewitt8868]

That's an interesting and helpful exploration of the key bouncing. I've had mine a few months now and yes it does happen, but only when being rather slapdash with the keying. For any carefully entered calculation, I find it's a great tactile keyboard and for me, it's a lot more reliable for entry than a spongey Casio. Also, I'm preferring it to my Hp35s for general ad hoc number-crunching for its clearer display and simpler controls. It's really a design classic and getting one of these scratches an itch I've had for 40 years!

[@PhysicswithKeith]

Yes, I've had it happen twice so far in normal use 🤔 but both times I caught it

[@thomasmathes5019]

You can get the manual ring-bound, I've done it with a few HP calc manuals over the years. Print shops can perform the service for you for a rather modest price. They cut off the glued binding then will add perforations to the pages and wire bind it. Ask them to add in a plastic covers for the front and back covers so no more abrasions on the covers. The only downside is the do get close to the printing on the page when that binding is cut but it's worth it to get the spiral binding.

[@kimchee94112]

Printed 8/82 ring bound, Advanced Functions Handbook. Printed 2/84, standard bound, Owner's Handbook. Printed 1/85 ring bound, Owner's Handbook. Printed 6/87, ring bound, Owner's Handbook.

[@deltawing9]

To test the keyboard best way is running the built in self test.

[@tanis64]

take a look at Eric's Video about recreating the HP 15C Handbooks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5inXnisdq6tq80si=Pd4bEX9cqhi8HTUm

[@PhysicswithKeith]

I'll take a look later. Thanks!

[@petermichaelketcham4407]

I ordered two units of the HP 15c CE in late 2023. Both units are from lot number 9CJ323. Neither unit had protective plastic on the keys or bezel. Given that your box had a plastic seal (as did mine) my guess is that your unit is brand new, not a customer return. Did you notice any abrasion on the bezel with a possibly matching abrasion on the inside of the plastic window of the display box? Both of my units had abrasions on the bezel and plastic window. I kept both units, but I may order another two units if I believe that abrasion is unlikely with more recently manufactured units. With the two units I received, none of the three small paper booklets with legal notices contained an English version. Based on the French version of the legal notice, I believe the English version appears on page 262 of the Owner's Handbook. In any case, I think the people who made the heroic effort of bringing us a new 15c did a great job and I hope they will consider bringing us a 16c as well.

[@Sunby59]

My recently picked-up HP15C CE (lot# 9CJ323) was sealed but did not have any protective sheet on keys or the bezel, but had protective sheet on the window of the black presentation box. My unit also had abrasion on the bezel above the LCD Panel. I could not remove the abrasion with microfiber cloth, but was able to remove by the use of NEVR-DULL by lightly wiping few times over the abrasion.

[@petermichaelketcham4407]

@@Sunby59 Thank you for mentioning NEVR-DULL. I did not know about this product, but I might give it a try on one of my two 15c CE units from lot 9CJ323. As with your unit, my two 15c CE units from lot 9CJ323 had protective film on the outside of the display window of the presentation box. My understanding is that a new lot of 15c CE units was produced in late 2023. The lot number is 9CJ351. The "351" in the lot number might mean 51st week of 2023. The units from lot 9CJ351 are supposed to have a protective film over the bezel. I do not know if they also have a protective film over the keyboard. I plan to order two more units of the 15c CE if I can verify that they will be from lot 9CJ351.

[@Sunby59]

@@petermichaelketcham4407 Be very easy with NEVR-DULL as it could be very abrasive. All you need is a small piece (they come in wad) and wipe gently.

[@kaleoride]

Got mine today. Will be USED every effing day! no storage

[@jesusfuentes7589]

Has anyone checked the latest firmware upgrade that is supposed to improve (get rid of?) the double registration of single key presses? Major work put into bringing these beauties back but unfortunately this flaw voids the whole effort. No point in using them if you can't trust your numbers...

[@hanimuammar7010]

I was experiencing a lot of key bounces on my HP 15C CE which seemed to be getting gradually worse with time. After the firmware update, key bouncing has almost been eliminated, but it can still happen if I press a key slowly or hold the key down too long. But with a rapid steady click and release it is much better than before.

[@jesusfuentes7589]

@@hanimuammar7010 Thanks. Mine is very random. Past few days it has behaved nicely but you never know when it'll do it again. I will buy the cable and do the update at some point.

[@PhysicswithKeith]

I just cannot justify the cost of the cable at the moment 😔

[@jesusfuentes7589]

@@PhysicswithKeith Notice my 'at some point' :)

[@channelsixtyeight068_]

I just prefer using actual calculators, to using a smartphone. I got two with programming leads, I may set one in permanent 16C mode. I'm not going to nitpick over the keys, the label on the back and the binding on the manual. To have them made exactly like the original, would be too expensive and I doubt very much if anyone would be willing to pay the extra costs, even though I probably would. I'm lucky to be able to get one at all as the original ones are too old and not worth the money. My two units have consecutive odd serial numbers ending in 11 and 13.

[@andreduartebueno]

Eu tive uma HP11c, no segundo grau fantástica. Super durável e eficiente. Depois uma HP41CV no curso de engenharia, adicionei módulos de memória e matemática. No mestrado tive uma HP48SX. Em 2005, ja finalizado o doutoraado, comprei uma HP50G para minha filha e outra para mim. Por volta de 2011 comprei uma HP35S e vários modelos antigos, não funcionais, para montar um mini museu para mostrar aos alunos do curso de engenharia. Hoje em dia vejo estudantes de engenharia usando calculadoras cientificas muito básicas. Não programáveis. O que representa bem a queda na qualidade dos estudantes. Regredimos muito. Lamentavelmente as grandes empresas de engenharia regrediram muito, os setores de engenharia não decidem mais nada. O mercado financeiro decidiu que tudo deve ser ruim e descartável. Ecologicamente insustentável! Em poucos anos a china vai engolir a europa e os eua fazendo produtos com melhor custo benefício. A qualidade superior do produto dos eua e europa não existe mais.

[@d.b.cooper-d4z]

OMG this video drags on... and on.. and on....

[@john_hind]

It really annoys me when you are half way through a video like this before they turn the device on! Come on, we want to see what the display looks like too! You actually get all the way through without switching the earlier comparison machines on at all! However I actually have one of these, and while it is very nice, it is undeniably expensive for what it is and they have missed an easy opportunity to add value. If you open the battery door (which is quite different from the original, so this is not an authenticity issue) there are a set of contacts for flashing new firmware. I discovered these are actually USB signals and the USB programming cable you can buy is entirely passive (not, as I assumed, a USB to serial converter). There is easily room in the battery compartment for a USB-C connector which would have eliminated the need for a programming cable and would also have enabled firmware that allowed the state of the calculator to be saved and restored to a file on a PC (like the Swiss Micros version can). Huge pity they did not do this!

[@lunam7249]

PROGRAMMABLE....put your variables, teach it your program, bam!!! 5 separate programs!! 96 or 192 variables!!!!!!!❤❤❤