Hewlett-Packard HP-32SII Silver

Datasheet legend
Ab/c: Fractions calculation
AC: Alternating current
BaseN: Number base calculations
Card: Magnetic card storage
Cmem: Continuous memory
Cond: Conditional execution
Const: Scientific constants
Cplx: Complex number arithmetic
DC: Direct current
Eqlib: Equation library
Exp: Exponential/logarithmic functions
Fin: Financial functions
Grph: Graphing capability
Hyp: Hyperbolic functions
Ind: Indirect addressing
Intg: Numerical integration
Jump: Unconditional jump (GOTO)
Lbl: Program labels
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
LED: Light-Emitting Diode
Li-ion: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Lreg: Linear regression (2-variable statistics)
mA: Milliamperes of current
Mtrx: Matrix support
NiCd: Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable battery
NiMH: Nickel-metal-hydrite rechargeable battery
Prnt: Printer
RTC: Real-time clock
Sdev: Standard deviation (1-variable statistics)
Solv: Equation solver
Subr: Subroutine call capability
Symb: Symbolic computing
Tape: Magnetic tape storage
Trig: Trigonometric functions
Units: Unit conversions
VAC: Volts AC
VDC: Volts DC
Years of production: 1999-2002 Display type: Alphanumeric display  
New price: USD 70.00   Display color: Black  
    Display technology: Liquid crystal display 
Size: 6"×3"×½" Display size: 12 characters
Weight: 6 oz    
    Entry method: Reverse Polish Notation 
Batteries: 3×"LR44" button cell Advanced functions: Trig Exp Hyp Lreg Solv Intg Ab/c Cplx Cmem BaseN 
External power:   Memory functions: +/-/×/÷ 
I/O:      
    Programming model: Fully-merged keystroke entry 
Precision: 15 digits Program functions: Jump Cond Subr Lbl Ind  
Memories: 27(0) numbers Program display: Mnemonic display  
Program memory: 390 bytes Program editing: Auto-insert program entry  
Chipset: Saturn   Forensic result:  

hp32siis.jpg (33560 bytes)Is it possible that I am holding the very last RPN calculator from Hewlett-Packard in my hands? I sure hope not, but with the recent discontinuation of the HP-32SII, for the first time in 30 years, Hewlett-Packard no longer sells a "reverse Polish" scientific calculator. Reverse Polish notation is not completely dead yet: it lives on in the form of the HP-12C and some not-yet discontinued graphing calculators with RPL programmability. But a plain simple scientific calculator with RPN appears to be a thing of the past.

The only difference between this "silver bezel" version and the original HP-32SII is cosmetic: the colors of the metal bezel are more psychedelic, with the display surrounded by a silver rectangle.

That we live in penny-pinching times when it comes to mass produced goods is evident from the Spanish-language packaging of this HP-32SII that I just received. No, I'm not referring to the fact that it is a blister pack: that we're already used to. It is what is written on the package that caught my attention (actually, the attention of the kind chap in Spain who found this unit for me.) You see, the packaging (printed by the Hewlett-Packard Company) says the following on the back:

ALIMENTACION: 4.5V (3 Pilas AAA)

Yet no matter how hard I look, I cannot find any AAA batteries in this calculator. Which shouldn't be a surprise, since it already has three perfectly functional LR44 button cells installed in the appropriate location, so there really is no need for any AAA batteries. The button cells do a fine job powering the calculator, as indeed they have since the day the first Voyager series machines like the HP-15C were introduced.

The programming example for the HP-32SII is one I originally wrote when I first received a "brown bezel" version of this machine. It is based on a Russian programmable calculator algorithm, and it computes the logarithm of the complex Gamma function. To use the program, just enter the imaginary part, hit ENTER, enter the real part, and hit XEQ I. Make sure the calculator is in radians mode, otherwise the result will not be correct.

This program is not as accurate as the one I wrote for the HP-32S, but it sure requires a lot less program space.

I01     LBL I    CK=92AE  010.5
I02     STO B
I03     x<>y
I04     STO A
I05     0
I06     STO C
I07     STO D
H01     LBL H    CK=DC88  079.5
H02     XEQ K
H03     XEQ J
H04     RCL B
H05     1
H06     +
H07     STO B
H08     12
H09     -
H10     x<0?
H11     GTO H
H12     XEQ K
H13     2
H14     1/x
H15     RCL B
H16     -
H17     STO H
H18     RCL E
H19     ×
H20     RCL F
H21     RCL A
H22     ×
H23     +
H24     RCL F
H25     RCL H
H26     ×
H27     RCL E
H28     RCL A
H29     ×
H30     -
H31     XEQ J
H32     RCL B
H33     RCL G
H34     12
H35     ×
H36     STO G
H37     ÷
H38     RCL B
H39     -
H40     RCL A
H41     +/-
H42     RCL G
H43     ÷
H44     RCL A
H45     -
H46     XEQ J
H47     π
H48     2
H49     ×
H50     SQRT
H51     LN
H52     +
H53     RTN
J01     LBL J    CK=F14A  013.5
J02     RCL D
J03     +
J04     STO D
J05     x<>y
J06     RCL C
J07     +
J08     STO C
J09     RTN
K01     LBL K    CK=A6EE  030.0
K02     RCL B
K03     ENTER
K04     x2
K05     RCL A
K06     x2
K07     +
K08     STO G
K09     SQRT
K10     STO H
K11     ÷
K12     ACOS
K13     +/-
K14     STO F
K15     RCL H
K16     LN
K17     +/-
K18     STO E
K19     x<>y
K20     RTN