3 Jul
2006
3 Jul
'06
1:57 p.m.
The Petticoat 5 looks like it might have been built from the carcass of
an HP 9825 calculator/computer.
http://www.oldcalculatormuseum.com/hp9825a.html. The four ROM drawers
in the front look exactly like the ROM drawers on the 9825.
Indeed. As does the tape drive at the rear left of the keyboard, and the
hinges for the cover on the RHS of the machine. On the 9825 there's a
flap on top, hinged on the right side, covering the well for the printer
paper.
One thing bothers me. There's no evidence of the internal printer (at the
rear right of the keyboard). That means it _might_ have started life as a
9831 (the BASIC-language model, which didn't have the printer AFAIK). I
hope not, that machine is, I am told, rather rare.
The monitor looks like an NEC model, HP badged them for a time too. AFAIK
it was never used on the 9825/9831 though (not that that means anything
when you're making a TV prop).
-tony