DM-41

[d b]

just got this in my email.

Great. A new "need". There goes the piggy bank again.

[Jurgen Keller]

Very tempting, fits in every pocket!

[Guenter Schink]

While it's really impressive, it should be taken to the next level. That is it should include the architecture of the CL. What a device that would be

Günter

[TASP]

Poo!

One more thing on the buy list.

(unless someone here discovers it causes cancer or something)

[Steve Simpkin]

"That" is awesome!

[x34]

Will try new firmware tomorrow. Michael says time functions are fixed now. Did anybody tried if CAT is usable now? (It was very fast).

[JimP]

Exciting.... How's the keyboard? (I have a DM-15 and find it to be a bit suboptimal at times). Is this feature something that has improved with later production runs?

[BarryMead]

(04-19-2015 11:03 PM)JimP Wrote:  Exciting.... How's the keyboard? (I have a DM-15 and find it to be a bit suboptimal at times). Is this feature something that has improved with later production runs?

I know a couple of friends who own the DM-15 as well and they share in your dislike of the keyboard. They say that the tiny dome switch keyboard is a sadly weak link in otherwise strong chain of features.

The firmware is excellent, the display is better than the original HP-15C, the speed is great, the battery life is
great, but the keyboard is unreliable. You have to press the button sometimes two or three times to enter a desired digit. Even the videos authored by the creators of this calculator show difficulty in pressing the buttons.

The only reason I don't own one or more of this family of calculators, is that I heard such negative things about the keyboard.

[TASP]

Not quite causing cancer, but a hinky keyboard is a deal killer.

However . . .


my tongue in cheek idea of a while back about putting HP41 innards in a TI calculator donor body might be a little more doable now. The tiny circuit board of the DM-41 most likely would fit in most of the vintage models, and enough wire wrapping wire to connect it to the keyboard and you would be getting pretty close . . . .

[Joseph_21sv]

Uncanny, just uncanny that this comes out after I post a thread about bootstrapping a landscape alphanumeric RPN calculator wherein I mention the option of emulating its hardware by remaking an existing machine with landscape hardware or an alphanumeric display. I wonder if Swiss Micros got this idea from reading it. Of course, my idea was more that we would base the hardware emulator of it on a calculator which isn't already alphanumeric or landscape, especially the former (basing it on one which is is sort of trivial because the work of implementing alphanumerics on it or laying out its keyboard is already done for us). Even so, it makes me feel valuable to the community to have my idea executed, albeit based on an alphanumeric calculator and with a hinky keyboard.

[Alex S]

(04-20-2015 03:05 AM)Joseph_21sv Wrote:  Uncanny, just uncanny that this comes out after I post a thread about bootstrapping a landscape alphanumeric RPN calculator wherein I mention the option of emulating its hardware by remaking an existing machine with landscape hardware or an alphanumeric display. I wonder if Swiss Micros got this idea from reading it.

How long have you already this idea? The swiss micros do exist for at least 2-3 years. Will look for the exact date when I bought mine from the first batch.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(04-20-2015 03:05 AM)Joseph_21sv Wrote:  Uncanny, just uncanny that this comes out after I post a thread about bootstrapping a landscape alphanumeric RPN calculator wherein I mention the option of emulating its hardware by remaking an existing machine with landscape hardware or an alphanumeric display. I wonder if Swiss Micros got this idea from reading it. Of course, my idea was more that we would base the hardware emulator of it on a calculator which isn't already alphanumeric or landscape, especially the former (basing it on one which is is sort of trivial because the work of implementing alphanumerics on it or laying out its keyboard is already done for us). Even so, it makes me feel valuable to the community to have my idea executed, albeit based on an alphanumeric calculator and with a hinky keyboard.

Ahem... cool down.
They were experimenting on the 41C clone for some time.
This is only my last post on it.

[walter b]

Don't be afraid, they are in the business for some years already.

d:-)

[Thomas Radtke]

(04-20-2015 03:05 AM)Joseph_21sv Wrote:  Of course, my idea was more that we would base the hardware emulator of it on a calculator which isn't already alphanumeric [...]

Read messages #4f in this thread. I remember also mentioning the possibility to decode and translate display output somewhere. Must have come up with the 15C LE (the DM15CC came a couple of months later).

[Michael de Estrada]

There are two problems here:

1) There is a lot more keyboard use on the 41c as compared to the 15c. The clutzy keyboard on the DM calculators is barely tolerable on the 15c, and would be unacceptable on the DM-41 with all the long name alpha entry.

2) What makes the HP 41c so versatile and unique are the many interface modules and attachments such as the card reader, IR module and HP-IL. The lack of this capability greatly diminishes the usefulness and capabilities of the DM-41.

I think I'll pass on this one.

[Thomas Radtke]

(04-22-2015 02:55 PM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  There are two problems here:

I see another one: The Voyager form factor made the DM-15 a nice little replica, but the DM-41 suited this way looks odd.

[Dave Frederickson]

Loaded DM41_V17 on my DM-15. The first thing I noticed is that the ON button won't turn the calculator off. The other Voyager model firmware seem to work okay on the DM-15. Perhaps this is a Demo Mode. I need to make a paper overlay.

The DM-41 includes a set of overlays. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to switch models by flashing the firmware and changing the overlay.

The DM-15 can exchange data with Torsten Manz's 15C Simulator. Is there a 41 simulator that can exchange data with the DM-41?

Dave

[walter b]

(04-22-2015 05:48 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  The DM-41 includes a set of overlays. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to switch models by flashing the firmware and changing the overlay.

Assume Swiss Micro wants to make at least a little business with these models. If I understood correctly, you want to buy one model plus overlays only. Why shall they do that?

d:-?

(I won't buy it anyway - too small and too little reliable for a serious tool IMHO. YMMV)

[Dave Frederickson]

(04-22-2015 07:54 PM)walter b Wrote:  

(04-22-2015 05:48 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  The DM-41 includes a set of overlays. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to switch models by flashing the firmware and changing the overlay.

Assume Swiss Micro wants to make at least a little business with these models. If I understood correctly, you want to buy one model plus overlays only. Why shall they do that?

d:-?

(I won't buy it anyway - too small and too little reliable for a serious tool IMHO. YMMV)

I can dream, can't I? I never said it'd be a good business decision.

Dave

[walter b]

Feel free to continue dreaming.

d:-)