The Canon P170-DH is a solid machine — right up to the morning the ink roller fades, the roll runs out mid-total, or it simply stops. Here is how to keep working exactly the same way on the PC — key for key — and what it saves you in paper and ink roller every year.
Windows 10, 11 and Server · 10 MB · no account needed
Everything carries over, key for key
The tape, blind touch typing, the key sound, Grand Total, the memory and the tax key — they all work the way they do on the Canon P170-DH. The full switch guide shows every key and where it lands in DeskCalc, what stays the same, and what a paper tape simply cannot do.
Read the full switch guideWhat the Canon P170-DH costs you every year
A machine on the desk does not feel like a running cost, because it is paid in small amounts. Here is the same calculation our ROI sheet uses, with this model’s own supplies.
| Item | Assumption | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Paper rolls (2¼″) | 6 rolls at $0.99 | $5.94 |
| Ink roller (Canon CP-13) | one per year | $3.00 |
| Electricity | 9 W, 8 h/day, 5 days, 48 weeks — 17.28 kWh at $0.15 | $2.59 |
| Running costs | $11.53 | |
| Plus the machine itself | spread over 8 years | $80.00 |
| Total over 8 years | $172.24 |
Running costs are rounded to the cent; the eight-year total is calculated from the unrounded figures.
Against one DeskCalc licence
| Workplaces | DeskCalc | Machines | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29.95 | $172.24 | $142.29 |
| 5 | $119.95 | $861.20 | $741.25 |
| 10 | $199.95 | $1,722.40 | $1,522.45 |
Figures from our ROI sheet. Change the assumptions to your own numbers: Open the ROI calculator
Give your Canon P170-DH a proper send-off
Switch to DeskCalc, send a photo of your old Canon P170-DH, and we refund 40% of your purchase straight to your PayPal — and your machine earns its place on the Wall of Retired Machines.
See the wall & get 40% backQuestions about replacing the Canon P170-DH
Can DeskCalc really replace a Canon P170-DH?
Yes. DeskCalc is a Windows program that works the way the Canon P170-DH does — a running tape you read as you type, blind touch-typing on the numeric keypad, Grand Total, the memory keys and a sales-tax key. Everything carries over key for key; what goes away is the printing, the supplies and the wear. The full switch guide shows where every key lands.
Do I still have to buy the Ink roller (Canon CP-13) and paper rolls?
No. DeskCalc’s tape is on the screen, not on paper, so there is no ink roller (Canon CP-13) and no paper roll to replace — ever. That recurring cost, about $11.53 a year to keep a Canon P170-DH running, is exactly what the switch removes.
Which keys are different from the Canon P170-DH?
Almost none. +, −, ×, ÷, %, Grand Total, item count and the memory keys all map straight across. The one thing DeskCalc has no dedicated key for is Cost / Sell / Margin — and you won’t miss it: a markup is one labelled line on the tape (cost × 1.30), a margin is cost ÷ 0.80.
Does DeskCalc need an account or an internet connection?
No. It runs entirely on your PC — no account, no cloud, no connection — and what you calculate stays on your computer. It installs on Windows 10, 11 and Server and is a 10 MB download.
Can I get the tape into Word or Excel?
Yes. Copy the tape and paste it into Word, Excel or a PDF — with the columns, the labels and the negative amounts in red. That is the part a paper strip from the Canon P170-DH could never do.
Can I try it before I give up the Canon P170-DH?
Yes. The trial runs 31 days with no limits and no account — long enough for a full month-end, the only test that matters. A single licence is $29.95.
Try it before the Canon P170-DH dies
The trial runs 31 days with no limits and no account. That is long enough for a full month-end — which is the only test that matters.
Canon and P170-DH are trademarks of Canon Inc.. DeskCalc is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Canon Inc.. The name is used here only to describe which machine people switch from.