DM41X ED$ Bug in SLOW-mode

[JurgenRo]

While working with ASCII-files with Ángels ED$, I observed the following 2 missbehaviors with the machine being in SLOW-mode.

1st: The Display "flickers". This phenomenon is not quite predictable in that the "flicker" occurs either sporadically (with a couple of seconds between 2 flickers) or continuously with the "frequence" of the blinking cursor almost with the "impression" of a continuos scrolling (making it entirely impossible to work with the file).
Mostly, the sporadic flicker occurs when creating the file, while the continous flicker occurs when opening an existing file.

2nd: While ED$ is active (and behaves like described above) the machine seems to be in a state of raised power consumption: The battery indicator drops (in case of a fresh battery) from 4 bars to 3 bars. The 4 bars are shown again after exiting ED$.

ED$ seems to work regularly when the machine is in FAST-mode, though.

Edit: Typo

[rprosperi]

(11-06-2020 04:52 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  While working with ASCII-files with Ángels ED$, I observed the following 2 missbehaviors with the machine being in SLOW-mode.

1st: The Display "flickers". This phenomenon is not quite predictable in that the "flicker" occurs either sporadically (with a couple of seconds between 2 flickers) or continuously with the "frequence" of the blinking cursor almost with the "impression" of a continuos scrolling (making it entirely impossible to work with the file).
Mostly, the sporadic flicker occurs when creating the file, while the continous flicker occurs when opening an existing file.

2nd: While ED$ is active (and behaves like described above) the machine seems to be in a state of raised power consumption: The battery indicator drops (in case of a fresh battery) from 4 bars to 3 bars. The 4 bars are shown again after exiting ED$.

ED$ seems to work regularly when the machine is in FAST-mode, though.

Edit: Typo

Thanks for posting this, and with lots of details.

Is this with a beta unit or production unit, and if it's beta, have you updated it to the 1.1 f/w?

[JurgenRo]

(11-06-2020 06:55 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  

(11-06-2020 04:52 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  While working with ASCII-files with Ángels ED$, I observed the following 2 missbehaviors with the machine being in SLOW-mode.

1st: The Display "flickers". This phenomenon is not quite predictable in that the "flicker" occurs either sporadically (with a couple of seconds between 2 flickers) or continuously with the "frequence" of the blinking cursor almost with the "impression" of a continuos scrolling (making it entirely impossible to work with the file).
Mostly, the sporadic flicker occurs when creating the file, while the continous flicker occurs when opening an existing file.

2nd: While ED$ is active (and behaves like described above) the machine seems to be in a state of raised power consumption: The battery indicator drops (in case of a fresh battery) from 4 bars to 3 bars. The 4 bars are shown again after exiting ED$.

ED$ seems to work regularly when the machine is in FAST-mode, though.

Edit: Typo

Thanks for posting this, and with lots of details.

Is this with a beta unit or production unit, and if it's beta, have you updated it to the 1.1 f/w?

Hi Bob, it's a production unit, SN00270, running the latest Firmware DMCP_flash_3.20_DM41X-2.0.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

Thank you.
Anyhow I don't understand why you don't use SM's forum to report issues...

[rprosperi]

(11-06-2020 07:02 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  Hi Bob, it's a production unit, SN00270, running the latest Firmware DMCP_flash_3.20_DM41X-2.0.

Thanks for your quick reply. And, yes, I did know that the latest is 2.0 and not 1.1, it was a brief brain fart... let's just let it pass...

We'll look into it, but I just have to ask... why do you use SLOW mode at all?

[JurgenRo]

(11-06-2020 07:22 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  Thank you.
Anyhow I don't understand why you don't use SM's forum to report issues...

Done (SM Forum -> SW-Issues).
Edit: Hope, this is the right slot there (as it's actually for beta-firmware)?

[rprosperi]

Top issue confirmed. I don't see the 2nd issue, but that depends on the state of one's batteries, however it's not unexpected; when in slow mode, the emulation is basically looping to waste time to 'slow down'. Ironically, using slow mode actually consumes more (instantaneous) power than fast mode.

We'll explore this, and see if it can be easily resolved, however we've tweaked here before and this may be the way it has to stay. Fortunately, in FAST mode, the problem does not appear.

Thanks!

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(11-06-2020 07:57 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  

(11-06-2020 07:22 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  Thank you.
Anyhow I don't understand why you don't use SM's forum to report issues...

Done (SM Forum -> SW-Issues).
Edit: Hope, this is the right slot there (as it's actually for beta-firmware)?

Can't see your post but, maybe, you just registered there?
Board index / DM41X / Software issues should be the right place.
Thanks

[JurgenRo]

(11-06-2020 08:25 PM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  

(11-06-2020 07:57 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  Done (SM Forum -> SW-Issues).
Edit: Hope, this is the right slot there (as it's actually for beta-firmware)?

Can't see your post but, maybe, you just registered there?
Board index / DM41X / Software issues should be the right place.
Thanks

No, registered some time ago already. But got an instantan message stating "post has to be reviewed by a moderator before". Don't know why :/

[JurgenRo]

(11-06-2020 08:21 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Top issue confirmed. I don't see the 2nd issue, but that depends on the state of one's batteries, however it's not unexpected; when in slow mode, the emulation is basically looping to waste time to 'slow down'. Ironically, using slow mode actually consumes more (instantaneous) power than fast mode.

We'll explore this, and see if it can be easily resolved, however we've tweaked here before and this may be the way it has to stay. Fortunately, in FAST mode, the problem does not appear.

Thanks!

Thanks a lot!

[rprosperi]

(11-06-2020 08:38 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  

(11-06-2020 08:21 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  Top issue confirmed. I don't see the 2nd issue, but that depends on the state of one's batteries, however it's not unexpected; when in slow mode, the emulation is basically looping to waste time to 'slow down'. Ironically, using slow mode actually consumes more (instantaneous) power than fast mode.

We'll explore this, and see if it can be easily resolved, however we've tweaked here before and this may be the way it has to stay. Fortunately, in FAST mode, the problem does not appear.

Thanks!

Thanks a lot!

No problem.

I agree it's likely better to file bug reports at the SM forum (at least it will be once you're un-moderated, which will happen after 3 posts). In the future, Id like to request that you please only post them in one Forum, so we're not running threads in 2 places, it's confusing enough keeping track of one sometimes.

[JurgenRo]

(11-06-2020 08:58 PM)rprosperi Wrote:  

(11-06-2020 08:38 PM)JurgenRo Wrote:  Thanks a lot!

No problem.

I agree it's likely better to file bug reports at the SM forum (at least it will be once you're un-moderated, which will happen after 3 posts). In the future, Id like to request that you please only post them in one Forum, so we're not running threads in 2 places, it's confusing enough keeping track of one sometimes.

Agreed! Checked it a minute ago, the post is now online at SM-Forum.