newRPL on HP 39gs

[stored]

(05-02-2017 08:16 PM)Claudio L. Wrote:  The changes to the code on github don't seem enough to make newRPL run on a 39gs, do you have more changes that you didn't commit? I'd like to see them all, perhaps I can put the 39gs/40gs as a secondary target. I'd have to recompute and recompress all those tables with less precision, though, and I don't know how small I can get them to be but I could give it a shot.

Hi, Claudio!

That would be great to have newRPL on HP 39gs.
Thanks you!

Repository contain the following important changes regarding original newRPL (September 2016):
1. Changed firmware identifier to "KINPOHP39G+IMAGE".
2. Changed display size to match HP 39gs.
3. Removed SD card and filesystem subsystem.

If also shrink tables size (I don't commit this changes), this will be enough to get working firmware for real calculator.

I can update repository to synchronize with actual newRPL changes, if it helps.

[Claudio L.]

(05-03-2017 06:26 AM)stored Wrote:  Hi, Claudio!

That would be great to have newRPL on HP 39gs.
Thanks you!

Repository contain the following important changes regarding original newRPL (September 2016):
1. Changed firmware identifier to "KINPOHP39G+IMAGE".
2. Changed display size to match HP 39gs.
3. Removed SD card and filesystem subsystem.

If also shrink tables size (I don't commit this changes), this will be enough to get working firmware for real calculator.

I can update repository to synchronize with actual newRPL changes, if it helps.

I saw those changes, but the firmware does not autodetect the 512 kb vs 256 kb of RAM, I thought you had made those changes as well.
I guess in your tests you never filled up more than half the memory, otherwise it would've crashed.

No need to merge the latest, I can see the changes you made on github and are quite simple.
I actually want to create a proper folder target-39g (like there is for the 50g), define the constant TARGET_39G, and I'm debating whether I should include stubs for the file system functions rather than remove them completely (to keep the commands visible, so RPL source code can be exchanged between 39g and 50g targets, all SDxxx commands will simply work as if no card is inserted, ever. The same stubs will be needed when newRPL is ported to the Prime too.
I did find the RPL code to generate the constants (yes, the tables were generated using newRPL itself), and the paper I took the idea from, although I don't recall much of the math involved to actually successfully modify the tables, so don't expect this to be working tomorrow.
What I don't have is a 39g for testing, I can test on my 50g but I'm going to need at least a couple of people to test the ROM thoroughly on real hardware once I release it.

[stored]

(05-03-2017 05:42 PM)Claudio L. Wrote:  I saw those changes, but the firmware does not autodetect the 512 kb vs 256 kb of RAM, I thought you had made those changes as well.
I guess in your tests you never filled up more than half the memory, otherwise it would've crashed.

Oh. Unfortunately, I missed this moment.
And in some conditions it crashed, you're right.

I just commit my changes with shrinking tables, but it seems it does not help much.
Sorry.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(05-03-2017 05:42 PM)Claudio L. Wrote:  What I don't have is a 39g for testing,

A 39G, G+, gs or gII? :D

[Claudio L.]

(05-03-2017 07:58 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  

(05-03-2017 05:42 PM)Claudio L. Wrote:  What I don't have is a 39g for testing,

A 39G, G+, gs or gII?

Well, since I don't have any of them, I had to do my homework first, but now I can answer more informed.
newRPL will target 39g+, 39gs and 40gs, which are practically the same machine as the 50g (the 40gs has 256kb RAM and 2MB flash, so it can run the "full" newRPL, the 39g+ and 39gs both have only 1 MB of flash, hence we are talking about cutting down on ROM space).

[Claudio L.]

Status update:
I created almost everything needed to release 3 different targets simultaneously: 40gs, 39gs and the 50g. Almost because I still need to recreate the transcendental tables for the smaller footprint of the 39gs.
Since that takes some work and I decided to do it, I'm also reworking the tables to switch from decimal CORDIC to binary. Not using decimal in the loop should increase speed substantially, although a conversion to decimal will be needed at the end. We'll see how much faster it is (if any).
And the tables required have a reduction in size due to the more compact storage (going from 8 digits in 32-bits to 9 and a fraction), plus the fact only 4 tables are needed instead of 8 (but those 4 are larger than the other 8, still a reduction in size).

[Minori Hiraoka]

I've been testing NewRPL on 39gs with stored's binary release, and so far, it's working fine for me in basic calculations.
One thing that is bugging me it that keyboard overlay of 39gs differs greatly from 50g. I have memorized some of the differences (especially # and h keys, I'm using my calculators mostly for hexadecimal calculations), but on the long term, I think key remapping or new key overlay is a must on this hardware.

I'm really sorry for my bad English. English is not my first language.

[Luigi Vampa]

[OFF TOPIC]

(05-23-2017 11:39 AM)Minori Hiraoka Wrote:  I'm really sorry for my bad English. English is not my first language.

Welcome to the club of non-native speakers.
You don't need to apologise, just try your best, and don't forget 'Google Translate' is our best friend in case of doubt :0)

[Claudio L.]

(05-23-2017 11:39 AM)Minori Hiraoka Wrote:  I've been testing NewRPL on 39gs with stored's binary release, and so far, it's working fine for me in basic calculations.
One thing that is bugging me it that keyboard overlay of 39gs differs greatly from 50g. I have memorized some of the differences (especially # and h keys, I'm using my calculators mostly for hexadecimal calculations), but on the long term, I think key remapping or new key overlay is a must on this hardware.

I'm really sorry for my bad English. English is not my first language.

Eventually, the keyboard mappings can be changed to make them more suitable to each hardware target, that's relatively easy to do. Getting trig to work is really hard due to limited space, I'm still working on that to see if we can compact the ROM some more for the 39 target.

[RMollov]

I got a cheap new HP-39G to newRPL it and managed to flash it - hard task, (thank God I keep my old & trusty Windows 7 32 bit laptop), but now the keyboard legend problem, see above.
I've got an old (one of the very first) HP-49G+ which is not suitable for newRPL (eats batteries in no time), could it be used as a keyboard donor? The legend printed on the faceplate can be replaced by stickers, but would be great if I could use the actual keys. I assume keyboard scheme is identical to HP-49+ / 50.
Any ideas?

I want to build newRPL-Frankenstein.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers

[Alejandro Paz(Germany)]

Do you mind posting how did you manage to flash it ? Did you use jtag ?

[Claudio L.]

(05-02-2018 07:25 AM)RMollov Wrote:  I want to build newRPL-Frankenstein.

Thanks in advance,

Cheers

I believe the keyboard would fit. Actually the whole plastic front would fit, so you'd get also the front keyboard plate. The plastic screen cover (the one you remove with the suction cup) would need to be swapped, use the 39 unless you are OK with your calc showing its guts (see pictures below, the thick gray edge between the screen and the first row of keys is perhaps the only difference between the machines).
I'm not sure if the SD slot is in the front plastic or the back plastic.
The back plastic should be from the 39 since it needs the newer 4-battery compartment. Looking forward to seeing your creation, please post pictures throughout the experience.

[Claudio L.]

(05-02-2018 02:27 PM)Alejandro Paz(Germany) Wrote:  Do you mind posting how did you manage to flash it ? Did you use jtag ?

You don't need anything special. I think he said it was hard because drivers on Windows 10 sometimes give you trouble.
This might help you.

Also, this thread is quite old, so some of the fact at the beginning of this thread no longer apply. Now there's an official 39gs image, you can download and replace the official rom file, then flash the rom with the official connectivity kit.
newRPL fits complete on the 39gs, there's nothing missing, disabled, crippled or removed at all.

[RMollov]

(05-02-2018 02:54 PM)Claudio L. Wrote:  You don't need anything special. I think he said it was hard because drivers on Windows 10 sometimes give you trouble.
This might help you.

Thanks Claudio, I'll give it a go when I get some time and will take pictures too.

As far as flashing HP-39G is concerned as per your link, I'm afraid it doesn't work with Windows 10 64 bit. I spent long time playing with it - tried on my powerful work desktop, on my 2013 MacBook Air and with Windows 10 on Bootcamp - all 64 bit, to no avail. Even on 32 bit windows 7 laptop it did not work flawlessly - wrong error messages, connecting in only one out of several attempts, was not easy. When I do it again, I will carefully document the procedure and share it here. The instructions in your link should be taken with some reservations plus there are some errors like extra intervals and info lines swapped etc.

Cheers,

[RMollov]

(05-02-2018 02:27 PM)Alejandro Paz(Germany) Wrote:  Do you mind posting how did you manage to flash it ? Did you use jtag ?

I used standard USB cable with mini USB at HP-39G end (the one near the top right corner of HP-39). I followed the instructions as per Claudio's link, but they do not necessarily solve the case. On 32 bit Windows 7 it worked for me somehow, but one should use his/her imagination to interpret the intentions of the author . This weekend I'll do it again, will take notes this time and keep you posted.

Cheers,

[Alejandro Paz(Germany)]

Thanks for the info.

I'll then most probably resurrect one VM I have with winxp on it. First I have to wait for the hp39gs to arrive, I bough two: one with and one without cable.

[RMollov]

(05-03-2018 10:38 AM)Alejandro Paz(Germany) Wrote:  Thanks for the info.

I'll then most probably resurrect one VM I have with winxp on it. First I have to wait for the hp39gs to arrive, I bough two: one with and one without cable.

I'm quite sure that'll be the best way to do it. Good luck

Cheers,

[c0manche]

I managed to find a version of the HP connectivity kit for hp39gs that works on windows 10.
V2.1 Build 1330
Hp connectivity kit hp39gs build 1330

And use these usb drivers Usb drivers

The above version was the only version of the connectivity kit I managed to get to run without errors on windows 10.

[Claudio L.]

I could be mistaken but since the machines are nearly identical, the firmware download protocol is likely identical. I think perhaps Conn4x would be able to flash a 39gs. May not work but it's worth a shot if you can't get Conn3x to cooperate.
(This is untested and mere speculation, but I can't see why it wouldn't work)

[RMollov]

(05-04-2018 03:40 AM)Claudio L. Wrote:  I could be mistaken but since the machines are nearly identical, the firmware download protocol is likely identical. I think perhaps Conn4x would be able to flash a 39gs. May not work but it's worth a shot if you can't get Conn3x to cooperate.
(This is untested and mere speculation, but I can't see why it wouldn't work)

I tried it to no avail... HP-39 was not seen by Conn4x, probably because of that 4