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DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Hewlett-Packard HP-65
Date of introduction: | January 19, 1974 | Display technology: | LED |
New price: | $795 (MSRP 1974) | Display size: | 10 + 2 |
Size: | 5.9" x 3.2" x 1.40" 151 x 81 x 36 mm3 |
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Weight: | 10.9 ounces, 308 grams | Serial No: | 1333A23534 |
Batteries: | 3*NiCd AA-size | Date of manufacture: | wk 33 year 1973 |
AC-Adapter: | HP-82002 | Origin of manufacture: | USA |
Precision: | 10 | Integrated circuits: | HP65-CPU, Mostek MK6111...MK6113 |
Memories: | 9 | ||
Program steps: | 100 | Courtesy of: | Ken H. Meine |
Hewlett-Packard
introduced on January 19, 1974 with the HP-65 the World's first Pocket Programmable
Calculator. A marvel of engineering at its time, the HP-65 accommodates in a housing only slightly larger than the
legendary
HP-35 a card
reader for its tiny magnetic strips to archive programs. Users could store programs
with up
to 100 steps on the cards or buy pre-programmed cards from either Hewlett
Packard or third party companies.
The HP-65 was replaced after 2 years with the HP-67 featuring 224 merged program steps and 26 memories instead of 100 partially merged program steps and 9 memories. Compare these specifications with both the Texas Instruments SR-56 and SR-52 programmable calculators.
The HP-65 uses the Reverse Polish Notation with the [ENTER] key instead the usual [=] key and takes the responsibility for:
• The Death of the Slide Rule • The never ending Rivalry between TI and HP calculators users • The cat and mouse game leading to products like the HP-67 or TI-59 |
Dismantling
the featured HP-65 with
Date code 1333A
manufactured in August 1973 by
Hewlett Packard in the United States reveals a very solid design centered around
a Hewlett Packard proprietary CPU (Central Processing Unit) with multiple
Integrated Circuits (ICs) mounted in a ceramic package and supported by three
MK611X ROMs (Read-only Memories) with a capacity of 1,024*10 Bits, each and
manufactured by US semiconductor company Mostek. Please notice the Date codes on
these chips, they were manufactured between week 10 and week 32 in the year 1974
- an obvious sign for some update of the microprogramming of the HP-65.
Learn more about Mostek
Calculator Integrated Circuits.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, May 3, 2002. No reprints without written permission.