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Hp-85

smp

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
1,716
Location
Bedford, NH, USA
Hi all,

I recently dug out my pristine HP-85. It still works just fine. I have it stored in the official HP luggage case they had at the time. I have a ROM Drawer and a few ROMs, a 16K Memory Module, and a small stack of pre-recorded tapes provided by HP. The tape drive attempts to work but does not seem to be actually moving the tape around. The printer is still working.

This is one of those early machines that was made specifically for people in businesses to put them to use doing whatever they wanted by programming and interfacing them to whatever they wished. It never had a big following of folks programming games for it, or anything like that for more general popular use.

So, is anyone here doing anything with an HP-85, 86 or 87? Does anyone know where to go to get the tape drive refurbished? Would I be better off trolling around on eBay and trying to get an HP-86B, or some HP-IB disk drives, or whatever? What would be a good setup to try to put together?

Oh, and has anyone ever seen the CP/M cartridge setup for one of these? Are they around any more?

Thanks,
smp
 
Refurbishing the capstan in the tape drive is not a big deal. Do a google search and you will find various techniques. Personally I used the method of building up layers of shrink tubing. That worked fine on two drives I refurbed. Also, your printer belts are probably also shot, but they are available from www.sdp-si.com, their part numbers A6B16-080025 and A6B16-175012.

You may be amused at this: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/album.php?albumid=56&attachmentid=3221

Lou
 
Refurbishing the capstan in the tape drive is not a big deal. Do a google search and you will find various techniques. Personally I used the method of building up layers of shrink tubing. That worked fine on two drives I refurbed. Also, your printer belts are probably also shot, but they are available from www.sdp-si.com, their part numbers A6B16-080025 and A6B16-175012.

You may be amused at this: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/album.php?albumid=56&attachmentid=3221

Lou


Ho Lou,

Thanks very much for your encouraging and informative response.
I don't know if I will make the attempt or not. I am not all that facile at electro-mechanichal repair!

;-)

smp
 
WOW!
Thanks a million. I am in touch with this person, now. I am trying to find if the special HP floppy disk is available.
smp

I forgot the CP/M module doesn't work with the 85. Only the 86/87.

Manuals and software are available on the net.

http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=175
http://www.hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?hwdoc=175
http://hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?sw=11

http://www.series80.org/PDFs/HP82900A-CPM-Intro.pdf
http://www.series80.org/PDFs/HP82900A-CPM-Ref.pdf
 

Hi again,

Thanks very much for that note. I started this thread out with my current HP-85, but since my interest is in getting a machine going with the CP/M Auxiliary Processor, I am in the middle of acquiring an HP-86 to support that end. Hopefully, my acquisition of the HP-86 and the HP-9121D will go well, and I will have a platform that will be capable of supporting the HP-82900A in the future.

smp
 
$80 would get you one today:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110867482419
HP 80 SERIES DESKTOP CALCULATOR COMPUTER 82900A AUXILIARY PROCESSOR

Hello again, all,

DRAT! I wasted too much time worrying if $80 was too much to spend for the HP-82900 Auxiliary Processor, and now someone has beaten me to it. Now I am once again on a quest to find one of these available at a reasonable price. Google shows me an outfit called Recycledequipment.com that offers a number of HP Series 80 modules for sale. The 82900A is listed for $150 (ouch!). Does anyone have an opinion about these folks? Reputable? Does anyone have any other pointers to offer that I might follow up on to dig one of these modules up somewhere?

Thanks, in advance. And, I apologize for being a bone head and not jumping on the good deal that was right in front of me.

smp
 
Reading this thread makes me think I should get my HP-85 out to see if it is still working.
The disk system has an st-506 drive in it (5MB LOL) wonder if I should apply power to it.
At least I don't HAVE to have working tape drives :)
Might be an idea to replace all the power supply capacitors before applying power.
Has anyone had experience with this aspect?
 
Hi,

Thanks for speaking up. I just went ahead, plugged it in and gave it a try. Perhaps if I thought about it more, I would have been more concerned! My HP-85 has been stored in its luggage case since I acquired it back in the middle to late 90s, so I would put its storage time at about 15 years. I had no problems except what I found out about the tape drive not completely working.

smp
 
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