ACT available

[Harald]

(09-04-2015 08:21 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  The low battery indicator of the 30 series, including the HP-34C, is a raised decimal at the far left digit. This decimal is not driven by software, but directly by hardware.

Oh, yes, I completely forgot about that. The only spice series calculator I have is a 32E and I don't play with that too much.

(09-04-2015 08:21 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  The HP-25 hardware, where your HP-34E firmware is running on, neither has a raised decimal at the far left digit, nor, as we are emulating the original firmware, there is a software indicator for low battery, i'm sorry.

The only possibility for a low battery indication within the HP-34E emulation, would be manipulating the original HP-34C firmware and displaying inverted decimals like the HP-25 firmware does or a blinking decimal at the far left.

This should be no problem. Perhaps I can implement that in the next version.

Since it is a "Woodstock 34C" I would vote for inverted decimal points.

(09-04-2015 08:21 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  P.S. : The HP-34E Overlay stickers are nearer to production.

Great! I would love to have Overlays.
Are you also making HP67 Overlays? I am not sure if I'd be happy with the shift + first row keys in the long run, but a small 67 is very tempting as well.

Cheers,
Harald

[PANAMATIK]

(09-04-2015 09:04 PM)Harald Wrote:  Are you also making HP67 Overlays? I am not sure if I'd be happy with the shift + first row keys in the long run, but a small 67 is very tempting as well.

Cheers,
Harald

There will be made overlays for HP-29C, HP-34C and HP-67.

The shift + first row button is IMO the only practical method for adding an additional keyboard row to the woodstock calculator. I tried also the long press method, but it was not practical when using the SST button.

Fortunately the HP-67 gold and blue prefix functions are printed below the buttons, so there is space in the first row above the woodstock buttons for the A-E lables. I think the woodstock HP-67 will become a very nice gadget.

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

(09-04-2015 09:04 PM)Harald Wrote:  

(09-04-2015 08:21 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  The only possibility for a low battery indication within the HP-34E emulation, would be manipulating the original HP-34C firmware and displaying inverted decimals like the HP-25 firmware does or a blinking decimal at the far left.

This should be no problem. Perhaps I can implement that in the next version.

Since it is a "Woodstock 34C" I would vote for inverted decimal points.

Since you were the only voter, you won with 100% and the "Woodstock 34C" has inverted decimals now if low battery is detected.

Download the new version from my website.

The only difficulty while implementing this feature was that only 4 (four) bytes are left in flash memory now. - no more features for the HP-34C

Bernhard

[Harald]

Bernhard,

I am very impressed with your quick response to bug reports and feature requests! This is simply amazing!

Four bytes is not a lot ;-) But hopefully there won't be any need for further modifications - given stopwatch and hex entry don't fit into the IR version anyway

Edit: having said that, the IR version still has an old date, so no low battery indicator there? I know I am becoming a nuisance ;-)

Cheers,
Harald

(09-08-2015 08:56 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  

(09-04-2015 09:04 PM)Harald Wrote:  Since it is a "Woodstock 34C" I would vote for inverted decimal points.

Since you were the only voter, you won with 100% and the "Woodstock 34C" has inverted decimals now if low battery is detected.

Download the new version from my website.

The only difficulty while implementing this feature was that only 4 (four) bytes are left in flash memory now. - no more features for the HP-34C

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

(09-08-2015 09:43 PM)Harald Wrote:  Edit: having said that, the IR version still has an old date, so no low battery indicator there? I know I am becoming a nuisance ;-)

Cheers,
Harald

Have another look to the update files. Now the IR version with battery indicator is also there. I didn't know you were already using the HP-34C with IR printing

You are welcome
Bernhard

[Harald]

(09-08-2015 10:02 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  Have another look to the update files. Now the IR version with battery indicator is also there. I didn't know you were already using the HP-34C with IR printing

Thanks!
I wasn't using it yet. But I will update to IR version now

[PANAMATIK]

New ACT Manual 1.05 available!

The new manual adds chapters for HP-34E and HP-67E and describes the new ACT Flash Update application.

Furthermore two HP-25E and HP-29E version 1.06 updates are available for download, which now support programmable Print X for these calculators.

http://www.panamatik.de/html/download.html

Have fun!

Bernhard

[BobVA]

(10-02-2015 12:17 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  Furthermore two HP-25E and HP-29E version 1.06 updates are available for download, which now support programmable Print X for these calculators.

Works brilliantly! Thank you.

Bob

[Geoff Quickfall]

well done Bernhard. I told them at HHC2015 that you would have programmable print functions for the 25 and 29!

Now to save programs and flash!

Cheers, Geoff

[N4TVC]

Hello Bernhard,

I have 2 New ACT units 25E (r1.00 SN 00014 and r1.01 SN00015). I am going to flash them with more current code from your site and just have a basic question. I am going to use a Prolific 2303 cable that I use with a RPi. This cable provides 5.0 VDC from the USB port. I see in the New ACT manual that you rate the New ACT at 3.3-5.0 VDC. I just wanted to make sure 5.0 VDC supply on the programming port pin 4 Vcc) is safe. Also, I assume these older New ACTs can be flashed.

I've been following your work and I remain very impressed with what you have accomplished. Your User Manuals are superb, as well. Very well done, sir. My HP-67 card reader works flawlessly or I would be tempted to put a New ACT in my beloved 67, too.

73, Randy, N4TVC

[Harald]

I am sure Bernhard will answer soon as well, but 5V is absolutely safe.

[N4TVC]

(10-03-2015 04:54 PM)Harald Wrote:  I am sure Bernhard will answer soon as well, but 5V is absolutely safe.

Thank you, Harald.

[PANAMATIK]

(10-03-2015 02:47 PM)N4TVC Wrote:  Hello Bernhard,

I have 2 New ACT units 25E (r1.00 SN 00014 and r1.01 SN00015). I am going to flash them with more current code from your site and just have a basic question. I am going to use a Prolific 2303 cable that I use with a RPi. This cable provides 5.0 VDC from the USB port. I see in the New ACT manual that you rate the New ACT at 3.3-5.0 VDC. I just wanted to make sure 5.0 VDC supply on the programming port pin 4 Vcc) is safe. Also, I assume these older New ACTs can be flashed.

I've been following your work and I remain very impressed with what you have accomplished. Your User Manuals are superb, as well. Very well done, sir. My HP-67 card reader works flawlessly or I would be tempted to put a New ACT in my beloved 67, too.

73, Randy, N4TVC

Hello Randy,

5.0 VDC is save for VCC pin 4.

Thank you for honoring the ACT manual. I remember that I was so happy with my original HP-25 owners manual because of its colorful pages, which vanished in later manuals. I tried to recall only a faint breeze of the quality of these early manuals.

There is no problem to update older ACTs. The boot loader remained the same from the beginning. Only drawback after updating from early versions: the serial no will be reset to 00000. But I will send you a special update .act file, which restores your Serial No. 00014 and 00015.

If anybody else needs restoring SN after updating, please PM.

I congratulate you for having an HP-67 with working card reader. You don't need to think about replacing the ACT! It is a wonderful calculator.

Bernhard

[N4TVC]

(10-03-2015 05:49 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 02:47 PM)N4TVC Wrote:  Hello Bernhard,

I have 2 New ACT units 25E (r1.00 SN 00014 and r1.01 SN00015). I am going to flash them with more current code from your site and just have a basic question. I am going to use a Prolific 2303 cable that I use with a RPi. This cable provides 5.0 VDC from the USB port. I see in the New ACT manual that you rate the New ACT at 3.3-5.0 VDC. I just wanted to make sure 5.0 VDC supply on the programming port pin 4 Vcc) is safe. Also, I assume these older New ACTs can be flashed.

I've been following your work and I remain very impressed with what you have accomplished. Your User Manuals are superb, as well. Very well done, sir. My HP-67 card reader works flawlessly or I would be tempted to put a New ACT in my beloved 67, too.

73, Randy, N4TVC

Hello Randy,

5.0 VDC is save for VCC pin 4.

Thank you for honoring the ACT manual. I remember that I was so happy with my original HP-25 owners manual because of its colorful pages, which vanished in later manuals. I tried to recall only a faint breeze of the quality of these early manuals.

There is no problem to update older ACTs. The boot loader remained the same from the beginning. Only drawback after updating from early versions: the serial no will be reset to 00000. But I will send you a special update .act file, which restores your Serial Nr. 00014 and 00015.

If anybody else needs restoring SN after updating, please PM.

I congratulate you for having an HP-67 with working card reader. You don't need to think about replacing the ACT! It is a wonderful calculator.

Bernhard

Thank you, Bernhard.

Have a wonderful "debugging Sunday Morning" ;-)

[BobVA]

(10-03-2015 05:49 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  If anybody else needs restoring SN after updating, please PM.

Speaking of constants - is the stopwatch calibration parameter preserved during a firmware update? If not, can this be done manually (e.g. writing something down then including it in the .act file)?

(I did re-calibrate mine after the 1.06 update, but I couldn't tell if the error I was seeing was normal drift, or caused by loss of the calibration date.)

[PANAMATIK]

(10-03-2015 09:18 PM)BobVA Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 05:49 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  If anybody else needs restoring SN after updating, please PM.

Speaking of constants - is the stopwatch calibration parameter preserved during a firmware update? If not, can this be done manually (e.g. writing something down then including it in the .act file)?

(I did re-calibrate mine after the 1.06 update, but I couldn't tell if the error I was seeing was normal drift, or caused by loss of the calibration date.)

Hello Bob,

Congratulations for updating to HP-25E 1.06 version and having the programmable Print X feature now.

And thank you very much for this question. I just missed to mention this in the manual, I need to add the information in the chapter about the ACT flash update application.

ACT updates preserve the stopwatch calibration value. They also preserve the operating time, flash write cycles, welcome string, user flags and serial number, which are located in protected data area.

Only updating from early versions prior to 1.04 will reset the serial number, because I forgot to locate it also in the protected data area.

Bernhard

[Geoff Quickfall]

Bernhard!!!

I have to rewrite 15 programs now to take advantage of the print -x- on the 29E Ir not to mention the 22 programs on the 25E Ir.

STOP IT, well not really, but it is a lot of work!

8-)

[BobVA]

(10-03-2015 10:57 PM)PANAMATIK Wrote:  ACT updates preserve the stopwatch calibration value. They also preserve the operating time, flash write cycles, welcome string, user flags and serial number...

Cool! Thank you!

Feature request for the ACT update application: Would it be possible to add an option (checkbox?) for a delay of, say, five or ten seconds in starting the upload after the "Send Update" button is pressed?
That way I could click the button then have time to get a good hold on the connector and make sure it's pressed firmly into the PCB.

Not urgent, just a nice-to-have.

[PANAMATIK]

(10-06-2015 02:38 AM)BobVA Wrote:  Feature request for the ACT update application: Would it be possible to add an option (checkbox?) for a delay of, say, five or ten seconds in starting the upload after the "Send Update" button is pressed?
That way I could click the button then have time to get a good hold on the connector and make sure it's pressed firmly into the PCB.

Not urgent, just a nice-to-have.

Hi Bob,

I'm sorry for my late answer. There was already a delay of 2-3 seconds for this purpose after pressing the "Send Update" button. I hope this is enough time for getting good hold. The update really begins when the LED starts flashing very fast.

Bernhard

[PANAMATIK]

(10-05-2015 06:55 AM)Geoff Quickfall Wrote:  Bernhard!!!

I have to rewrite 15 programs now to take advantage of the print -x- on the 29E Ir not to mention the 22 programs on the 25E Ir.

STOP IT, well not really, but it is a lot of work!

8-)

Hi Geoff,

I hope you don't have to rewrite your programs, but there is an new HP-25E update version 1.07 for download, which has programmable "Paper Advance" now when executing a NOP instruction. This is also available for the new HP-67E/HC67E version 1.03. Just execute or program h SPACE and you will get an empty printer line. See the new manual and HP-67 Quick Guide for description.

Unfortunately I couldn't add this feature also to the HP-29E, because it does not have a programmable NOP instruction.

Don't forget to check "Keep programs/constants" when programming the new version. Even better to store all our HP-25E programs as text file on your PC.

Bernhard