Browsing a 1983 HP Computer Catalog

I need to take it easy for a little bit so I figured this would be a great time to take a look at one of my favourite pieces of computer paraphernalia I have and explore this 1983 HP Computer Users Catalog!

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[nathantron]

What you have there is an "Archival Copy" companies back then use to keep between 10 and 100 copies of all published materials for reference and use in future marketing and research. Rare find, usually coveted by museums and the "fancy pants" collectors, very valuable.

[zeddie]

Nice LGR doing a 95 build and you doing some chill Catalog showcase. Amazing friday so far!

[Many_Sparrows]

This is one of the best catalogue videos I’ve ever seen, super engaging and love the props/video examples. Great job!

[PaulinesPastimes]

Wonderful things. Printer enclosures were quite common back then, people made their own. An office I worked in in the mid 80s had NEC computers that used 8" floppy discs. I have a number of Verbatim clamshell boxes that once held discs and they now make fantastic storage for my 7" 45 RPM records! 😊👍

[ml.]

So many computer companies of this era were convinced that printing a colour pie chart was the killer app.

[CubicleNate]

I think it's absolutely fun to look back at the state of the art from 40-ish years ago. I have, only in recent years, become interested in the non-Commodore vintage computers so this is a great look at the past.

[hiredgun]

that blank space on the back of the catalogue is for a dealer stamp or label sticker, not a mailer spot. we still use the same thing on the back of industrial equipment sales brochures at work

[FukugawaUtake]

Those 28C batteries are the same ones used in the 41C series (N type), though that one takes 4 of them! So glad I picked up one of those from a Goodwill a number of years ago, the cheapest ones on eBay now are quite a bit more than what I paid!

[Stjaernljus]

Adrian Black has an hp 150 (non pc compatible) MS-DOS machine with touchscreen. The earlier models are Z80 machines running CP/M.

[LusRetroSource]

This is so cool. I love going through old catalogs and seeing just how far we've come.

[DavidWonn]

One word sums it all up:

"Hilarious!"

[MichaelAStanhope]

CuriousMarc has done repairs on his HP Terminal's tape drives, something similar might work for your HP-85. He has quite a few HP videos.

[AGSM]

I was 18 at the time that catalog came out and I desperately wanted an HP-85. I'm a diehard HP fan. I mowed lawns to earn the money to buy an HP-33E, had an HP-15C in college, and when I landed a job I bought an HP-28S and followed that with the 48SX when it was released. Now, in the age of eBay, I have built a collection of the HP's I'd wished I could have afforded back in the day. But still no HP-85.

[SKY]

I love your video. I sunk so deep into the sofa. Deep relaxation TM

[awsomedude]

Ohhhh I have a couple of acrylic printer stands…. I had no idea what they where or how to use them till now. Neet!

[brianj]

I'd like to see more catalog vids!

[finkelmana]

whatever happened to the Data General?

[drewkennerly]

Shits hilarious. As a dood who installs medical lab workstations in the modern day I totally get it dog.

[colinstu]

29:11 it could've been a label that fell off or was taken off. Lots of magazines put the address on a label which you can later peel off if you want.

[betamax]

I'm pretty sure that EEVblog Dave did a video about interfacing one of these systems to an hp osciliscope type device a year or two ago?