Woodstock Low Power

[PANAMATIK]

(11-05-2017 05:45 PM)Hans-Peter Wrote:  For a next Release, is it possible by short pressing clx to clear the last digit and by long pressing clx (1 sec) clearing the x-register?

Hello Hans-Peter,

I understand this idea vey well. But it would require some fundamental changes of the original HP firmware of each calculator, which is beyond my intentions and capabilities. I like it when the calculator is basically still the same. The many enhancements I made didn't change the character of the calculators.

And still all of them are RPN

Bernhard

[markhen]

Bernhard - since it seems I must have at least 1 of everything you craft, please add me to the list of future purchasers! Nice work.

Mark

[PANAMATIK]

Final layout has been sent to manufacturer. I expect to receive the LP boards next week. Software is running too. Minor bugs only in some of the calculators, so I have one more week for debugging.

This means, the LP circuit will be available next week. I'm very glad about it.

I didn't keep track of all of you, who showed interest in this board. Thank you for waiting so long. As soon as the LP circuit appears on my website next week, it will be ready to order (e-mail to sales at panamatik dot de).

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

Latest news: Woodstock Low Power

Still waiting for the PCBs. Only some days left

Latest firmware additions:

All 110 programs can be given a 12 character name by entering alphanumeric text besides its number from 0-109. Before loading or saving a user program you can step through a directory of all programs, showing their names or numbers, until you find the right program or find a free slot. Then load or save this program with just one key press.

When pressing any key or prefixed key for more than a second, the name of its function ("SIN", "COS" etc.) is displayed as long as the key is hold down. This reminds you of the function of the actual calculator and helps if the right keyboard overlay is not present.

When changing one of the 20 user flags and hold down its key for more than a second, the function of this flag is shown as text on the display ("AUTO SLEEP" "REPEAT KEY" etc.) to remind you about its meaning.

Bug list decreased very slowly. The latest remaining bugs are the most difficult to fix.

Bernhard

[rprosperi]

(11-20-2017 10:45 AM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  Latest news: Woodstock Low Power

Still waiting for the PCBs. Only some days left

Latest firmware additions...

While of course many of us are eager to see the new WLP machines, it is good to know that the small delays in receiving parts are being utilized to add great new features like these. The enhancements you describe will make using the WLP f/w much easier, particularly when the machine is configured for a different model. These are clever and very useful features Bernhard, thanks very much for constantly improving the new WLP.

[BobVA]

(11-20-2017 01:59 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  ... These are clever and very useful features Bernhard, thanks very much for constantly improving the new WLP.

+1!

Thanks for the update Bernhard!

[PANAMATIK]

(11-21-2017 02:13 AM)BobVA Wrote:  

(11-20-2017 01:59 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  ... These are clever and very useful features Bernhard, thanks very much for constantly improving the new WLP.

+1!

Thanks for the update Bernhard!

I wish you can have the WLP very soon in your hands. My own prototype is sometimes even fascinating to me, when I think about it. Must repeat some highlights here: Just pressing the lower left key and it's there. An LED calculator you never need to switch off, which keeps the complete last state, which can be switched to any Woodstock model and back. And showing the program steps as text in a magic red LED display. Shows the time, wakes you up. Has 5000 HP-25 program steps, 10000 HP-29 program steps, which can be used as a single program, Upload/Download with PC application included.

Thanks for waiting and for the +1!

Bernhard

[Benoit Maag]

Can’t wait... +1

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

(11-23-2017 05:49 PM)Benoit Maag Wrote:  Can’t wait...

Me neither - but I got myself into a little dilemma: In anticipation I bought a "defective" HP25 from eBay at a very reasonable price with the intention to implant one of Bernhard's boards. This morning it came with the mail and after cleaning some contacts it is not defective at all. A nicely working HP25 in good cosmetic condition. Now what shall I do? Sacrifice it and turn it into a Woodstock Low Power or wait for the next broken calculator...

Kind of a luxury problem :-)

Regards
Max

[rprosperi]

(11-25-2017 02:37 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  Now what shall I do? Sacrifice it and turn it into a Woodstock Low Power or wait for the next broken calculator...

I struggled with the same 'problem'... So, I recommend to do what I am doing: Have this machine upgraded to WLP, but save the original board/ACT to resurrect another Woodstock in the future! Bernhard has determined that any (non-27) Woodstock ACT can be used to restore another, so you can wait to find a 29C with blown ACT and resurrect that one.

Life is good when these are the problems we struggle with...

[PANAMATIK]

(11-23-2017 05:49 PM)Benoit Maag Wrote:  Can’t wait... +1

It's getting closer. The PCBs will arrive on monday. All components are already here for assembling. I have two working prototypes already for testing. Wait for only a few days more.

I cant solve the "Luxury Problem". I agree with rprosperi: try to find a defective machine, if not possible, keep the chips for somebody to repair an original machine.

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

Very close now. Woodstock Low Power PCBs arrived today! I will assemble the components tomorrow and finalize the software version 1.0

Check my website at end of week. If the LP appears there, it is ready to order.

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

I assembled the first Woodstock LP board, release version today.

Surely this project will ruin me. I needed half a day to manufacture one unit. But it is working fine and I'm very happy with the result. Up to now four units are ready to ship and components for more eight units are on my table. Thus I will need 8/2 full time days for assembling, sigh... But what about the software finish and the manual finish. Both is work for an extra week. Only one solution, I don't sleep the next days.

Bernhard

- A piece of art is never finished, it is merely abandoned, Leonardo da Vinci -

[BobVA]

(11-28-2017 10:08 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  ... But what about the software finish and the manual finish...
...Surely this project will ruin me.

But look on the bright side! You are 100% productive: no team meetings, status Powerpoints, or arguments with the "software/hardware/manufacturing guys" :-)

Looking forward to the release and thanks for the update!

[teenix]

(11-28-2017 10:08 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  Only one solution, I don't sleep the next days.

Bernhard

I know that feeling well lately :-)

I have similar things to do.

Also today I completed the full rewrite of the microcode for the HP-10 KISS calculator. (Just over 5 ROMs). A very difficult process indeed, but it seems to work as described for all the examples in the owners manual.

cheers

Tony

[PANAMATIK]

(11-29-2017 04:03 AM)teenix Wrote:  I know that feeling well lately :-)

I have similar things to do.

Also today I completed the full rewrite of the microcode for the HP-10 KISS calculator. (Just over 5 ROMs). A very difficult process indeed, but it seems to work as described for all the examples in the owners manual.

cheers

Tony

So both of us don't sleep! But 10 hours time shifted

[PANAMATIK]

Today the HP-67 part of the Woodstock LP circuit got the 15 Standard Pac programs built in.

Besides the 110 HP-67 free user programs you can load the 15 magnetic cards programs of the Standard Pac just by key press. I needed the whole day to enter and verify the programs. The Standard Pac manual as part of the HP museum disk, is not readable enough to be sure to enter all program steps error free. The procedure was to read the magnetic cards with an original (card reader repaired) HP-67. Then enter the same key codes manually into the new HP-67 LP calculator. Then read the programs from LP flash memory to PC and convert them to C source data. This data is then compiled to the LP flash burning tool and will be integral part of every LP circuit.

Still some bugs to be fixed in HP-55 emulation, but nothing difficult. The most annoying error, which costs me several weeks, I finally could track down. Microchip admitted a serious compiler error in their flag ship XC8 compiler, which I reported to them last week.

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

Woodstock Low Power hardware finally is available!

I made the LP hardware available on my website and released a new manual. I will send the first circuits to Jim Johnson, who made a presentation at the HHC2017, and David Johnson, who gave me his HP-27 for testing the LP circuit. Thanks a lot to both of you. And to all of you, who were waiting for very long time. But finally it is finished and can be ordered now.

It was much more difficult than the new ACT to get everything running, because it is a multi calculator firmware and has more hardware components playing together. I admit, that I again squeezed as many features into the circuit as possible and now there is not much space left, but everything, which was planned to fit in, could fit in. And even some more. There is even a hidden feature, which is not described in the manual, which you can find. And I had a sequence of adventures with it. The most severe adventure was that the first hardware was not usable at all and the hunt for and late discovery of a very serious compiler error, which made me nearly crazy (or really crazy, I don't know and can't decide it by myself) until I could track down the cause. Obviously my code was more difficult to compile than others and Microchip will update its compiler now. The source code will be free and published in a few weeks, when I have got some feedback and could remove bugs.

Although I could need a break now, I will process all orders as soon as possible and hopefully give you a really nice new LED calculator for christmas.

Thanks
Bernhard

[hewlpac]

Bernhard,

Thanks so much for the extra effort to get this project finished!! We all will benefit from the revived calculators and upgraded features. Can’t wait to get started using the HP-27. Will post a group picture of my HP-27 family when I get a chance .

Dave

(12-03-2017 05:27 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  Woodstock Low Power hardware finally is available!

I made the LP hardware available on my website and released a new manual. I will send the first circuits to Jim Johnson, who made a presentation at the HHC2017, and David Johnson, who gave me his HP-27 for testing the LP circuit. Thanks a lot to both of you. And to all of you, who were waiting for very long time. But finally it is finished and can be ordered now.

It was much more difficult than the new ACT to get everything running, because it is a multi calculator firmware and has more hardware components playing together. I admit, that I again squeezed as many features into the circuit as possible and now there is not much space left, but everything, which was planned to fit in, could fit in. And even some more. There is even a hidden feature, which is not described in the manual, which you can find. And I had a sequence of adventures with it. The most severe adventure was that the first hardware was not usable at all and the hunt for and late discovery of a very serious compiler error, which made me nearly crazy (or really crazy, I don't know and can't decide it by myself) until I could track down the cause. Obviously my code was more difficult to compile than others and Microchip will update its compiler now. The source code will be free and published in a few weeks, when I have got some feedback and could remove bugs.

Although I could need a break now, I will process all orders as soon as possible and hopefully give you a really nice new LED calculator for christmas.

Thanks
Bernhard

[Maximilian Hohmann]

Hello!

Wonderful...

(12-03-2017 05:27 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  Although I could need a break now, ...

Just ordered one of your modules - but as far as I am concerned, there is no hurry. I am quite busy at work and will not have time to do anything with that module in the next weeks anyway.

Thanks for your incredible effort!
Max