From: dug@kd4nc.uucp (Doug Drye KD4NC)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: Re: Reliability of HP95LX?
Keywords: keyboard failure, serial port failure, Franklin Case for the 95LX
Date: 26 Jul 92 02:48:00 GMT
Organization: KD4NC HAM Packet Radio Gateway

greg@octopus.dpsi.com (Gregory R. Travis) writes:

>Can anyone attest to the reliability of the HP95?  I just picked up my
>THIRD unit from Service merchandise in 2.5 months.

I can. We have 6-8 in my office and another 5-6 belonging to 
ham radio/computer friends that I would hear about it if anyone had problems
I've heard of ONE problem unit that had battery drain problems..
(it worked fine, it just "ate" batteries at about three times the normal
rate). We're HP computer customers, the district sales mgr heard one of
us was having a problem, he had another unit in house the next
day (that's what I call service, interdepartmental support!!)
The local distributer (Entre' Computer center had given us the run-around)
They sent it off and had the unit fixed and returned..

>My first one had the ESC and F1 keys die.  This was about three weeks ago.
>I took it back to Service and they replaced it with another.  Yesterday it
>too died; wouldn't receive anything through the serial port.  Service
>again replaced the unit and everything is working again this afternoon.

That's good to know... I could understand the MENU key wearing out
or MAYBE the ESC, but F1???, don't understand that one????
perhaps you should check the voltage AND waveform on the
connecting unit.. perhaps it's getting some "spikes" from the
Nav units...(perhaps Magnetos/Generators put out spikes??? what
do they use to generate 12V in airplanes????) or ESD in the plane????
I don't know anything about aviation electronics, but
it may be worth checking....

>I am not abusing the units, never dropped, etc.  The serial port gets used
>in my plane (input from navigation units) and it didn't get hit by
>lightning or anything.

Maybe it's scared of heights :->  
I throw mine around (in a leather
case)... never a problem... had mine since the they were first available
my unit was number 9 of 10 of the first shipment in the area...

>BTW:  Service, here in Bloomington, has been JUST GREAT.  Their "official"
>return policy is 30 days from purchase.  My first one failed 63 days
>after purchase and they replaced it no questions.  The second one failed about
>70-80 days from (original) purchase and again no questions.

>They have all been 1MB units (and, yes, the left side hinge was "loose"
>on all of them).

>greg
>--
>Gregory Reed Travis				D  P  S  I
>Data Parallel Systems Incorporated   greg@dpsi.com (For MX mailers only!)
>Bloomington, IN			     greg@indiana.edu (For the others)

My Sharp Wizard suffered terribly from my mis-handling.. 
I carried it "bare" in my jacket pocket.. 
it was scratched and worn, when I traded it off...

But the HP95LX has faired much better...  it isn't even scratched...
but there is a reason.... my boss picked up several of the Franklin
"day-timer" type zip up cases... usually you put address book and
appointment "filler" in the three ring part..... but I put blank loose leaf
note paper in it for drawings and notes that I need to scribble
when I am in too much of a hurry to type in the information...
I carry my business cards and airline tickets/bills/checkbook behind
the leather "flap"... on the other side Franklin sewed Velcro
on the left inside of the leather  notebook.... they included
a plastic "adapter" in the kit with velcro to stick on the
back of the adapter... The "adapter" clamps around the 95LX
and "grabs" the little slots that run from end to end of the
unit on the front and back edge (for the docking adapter that
HP sells for the Newstream receiver, and other things I suppose)

So when you unzip the leather notebook, the 95lx is on the left
securely mounted (nothing could fall out of the notebook anyway
because the zipper completely encloses the contents...)
The case has a metal ring sewn into the binding and a swivel
and a strap that makes it easy to carry it along with your
briefcase (who has room IN their briefcase????)
It has "slots" in the back for business cards or PCMIA cards
the backing of the unit is very stiff, which provides much
protection for the contents...

When my boss gave me the notebook, I thanked him and told him that
I would try it, but didn't think I would use it.. too cumbersome...
Thas was four months ago.. I'm still carrying it everywhere I go...

If I drop my 95 now, it curls the leather corner of the case.. and
cushions the shock to the 95lx.. 
another advantage, if I forget the unit when I leave my office
it's not obvious what is inside.. most people would think it's
just a paper organizer (looks exactly like one of the small
day-timers).. I believe that this has helped me more than
once to recover the unit.. If I leave it somewhere (it happens)
they usually don't even look inside... When I carried a
"bare" Sharp organizer people are curious ... My unit even
"grew legs" in the office one day and walked away.. I think that
the Franklin case is good protection.

Since I've built up this product, I suppose I should give the
contact numbers in case anyone out there is interested...
Franklin Orders 800-654-1776 24 hours FAX 800-242-1492
they have larger cases but mine in called the GEMINI for $59.99


that's a bit steep if it's coming out of your own pocket..
they also have a leather "calculator" style case for $14.99 and
a vinyl one for $8.99.

I thought I saw the Franklin case in the Edu-calc catalog, but
I don't see it in catalog #55.. 

Doug

PS: I am in no way connected with Franklin International.
-- 
Doug Drye KD4NC
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops