Swiss Micros and WP34s...

[Lode]

I noticed that now also a Swiss Micros calculator DM-15L with real buttons is available.

How about also making a new housing for the WP 34s?

The problem is, once you use the WP 34s, the functionality of the 15c is a step back

Thanks!

[Paul Dale]

Walter has toyed with landscape designs along the lines of the 34S I believe. So a landscape version isn't starting from a vacuum.


- Pauli

[Paul Dale]

The CPU used in the SwissMicros devices isn't capable enough for the 34S firmware. They top out at half the flash of the 30b CPU, although they do have slightly more RAM at the top end.

- Pauli

[Michael de Estrada]

I've just placed an order for the new DM-15L. I'm interested to see how the quality of the keyboard compares with my original HP-15C. I certainly hope it's better than the HP-15C LE. I don't use my original SwissMicros calculators very much due to the small and poor quality keyboards.

[Michael de Estrada]

Today I received my new DM-15L calculator from SwissMicros, and immediately noticed an inconsistency between the action of some keys and others. Some of the keys have a soft quiet action, while others have a strong tactile and audible click. Also, some keys seem to require overly high pressure to register consistently. I then went to the SwissMicros website and saw an announcement that sale of the DM-15L has been halted and a recall issued to replace the keyboard with a different design that will resolve this issue. The calculator is very impressive in overall quality, and I look forward to receiving the updated pcb.

Thanks to Michael Steinmann and the SwissMicros team.

Micheal de Estrada

[walter b]

Well, that was ways ago, before starting the design of the WP 34S. You should find it in the old forum archives. At the bottom line, the UI largely depends on the LCD as usual. Can we get sufficient resolution for softkeys? If true then the world is wide open - else the vintage 15C is close to optimum.

d:-)

[René Franquinet]

(09-29-2015 12:00 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  Today I received my new DM-15L calculator from SwissMicros, and immediately noticed an inconsistency between the action of some keys and others. Some of the keys have a soft quiet action, while others have a strong tactile and audible click. Also, some keys seem to require overly high pressure to register consistently. I then went to the SwissMicros website and saw an announcement that sale of the DM-15L has been halted and a recall issued to replace the keyboard with a different design that will resolve this issue. The calculator is very impressive in overall quality, and I look forward to receiving the updated pcb.

Thanks to Michael Steinmann and the SwissMicros team.

Micheal de Estrada

Well. Michael, did you receive another species of the DM-15L and if so, does it work better?

[Michael de Estrada]

(11-01-2015 11:00 AM)René Franquinet Wrote:  

(09-29-2015 12:00 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  Today I received my new DM-15L calculator from SwissMicros, and immediately noticed an inconsistency between the action of some keys and others. Some of the keys have a soft quiet action, while others have a strong tactile and audible click. Also, some keys seem to require overly high pressure to register consistently. I then went to the SwissMicros website and saw an announcement that sale of the DM-15L has been halted and a recall issued to replace the keyboard with a different design that will resolve this issue. The calculator is very impressive in overall quality, and I look forward to receiving the updated pcb.

Thanks to Michael Steinmann and the SwissMicros team.

Michael de Estrada

Well. Michael, did you receive another species of the DM-15L and if so, does it work better?

I'm still waiting to hear from SwissMicros on the status of the replacement pcb with keyboard. I received an email from them about a month ago saying that the replacement pcb was expected by the end of October, however, it's now November without any news, so I don't know when I can expect to receive it. Presumably, it's a simple replacement procedure, so a complete replacement calculator will not be sent. Once I receive and replace it, I'll post my review.

Michael de Estrada

[BruceH]

(11-03-2015 01:31 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  I'm still waiting to hear from SwissMicros on the status of the replacement pcb with keyboard. I received an email from them about a month ago saying that the replacement pcb was expected by the end of October, however, it's now November without any news, so I don't know when I can expect to receive it. Presumably, it's a simple replacement procedure, so a complete replacement calculator will not be sent. Once I receive and replace it, I'll post my review.

Likewise, I'm waiting too but I trust SwissMicros to make good on their promise so I'm happy to wait.

Also, the original email from SwissMicros makes clear that we will only receive a new motherboard not an entire replacement calculator.

[Harald]

(11-03-2015 08:56 PM)BruceH Wrote:  

(11-03-2015 01:31 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  I'm still waiting to hear from SwissMicros on the status of the replacement pcb with keyboard. I received an email from them about a month ago saying that the replacement pcb was expected by the end of October, however, it's now November without any news, so I don't know when I can expect to receive it. Presumably, it's a simple replacement procedure, so a complete replacement calculator will not be sent. Once I receive and replace it, I'll post my review.

Likewise, I'm waiting too but I trust SwissMicros to make good on their promise so I'm happy to wait.

Also, the original email from SwissMicros makes clear that we will only receive a new motherboard not an entire replacement calculator.

I did not receive an email, but there was a warning when I ordered. It said there is an issue with the keyboard and that I will be sent a new pcb and will have to replace it myself.
Looking forward to receiving one soon

[NetMage]

Just received new PCB board a few days ago, but no instructions on installing.

[Marcus von Cube]

(11-15-2015 07:46 AM)NetMage Wrote:  Just received new PCB board a few days ago, but no instructions on installing.

Just unscrew the back with a suitable tiny Phillips screw driver. Then remove the battery. Two more screws (silvery, flat) hold the PCB against the keyboard frame. Unscrew these, too.

Before you put the new PCB in, make sure that the adhesive foam doesn't get into your way. Cut it away where it interferes with the case (or shorten the small pins in the keyboard frame that press against the foam through the holes in the PCB).

Fasten the two flat screws and put back the battery. Reassemble the case.

If you have a program or data you want to keep you need to write it down before you disassemble the calculator.

[Michael de Estrada]

I received mine today and installed it w/o any problems. I didn't bother to reuse the old battery and just installed a fresh new battery in the new PCB. Also, I didn't experience any problems with the foam padding. The new keyboard is a big improvement over the original one. It does require more effort to depress the keys than on the HP 15C, but the feedback is excellent and the keys register reliably w/o repeating with a very nice audible and tactile click. The calculator comes with the M1B firmware that provides about 3.5 times more storage memory than the standard HP 15C, which greatly improves its usefulness. SwissMicros claims 30 times faster operation at 48 MHz than the HP 15C. Another significant difference is that the LCD display is about 1cm longer than the original, which allows larger fonts and improves legibility. In many ways this is the best calculator based on the HP 15C ever made.

[DMaier]

(11-15-2015 10:29 AM)Marcus von Cube Wrote:  If you have a program or data you want to keep you need to write it down before you disassemble the calculator.

Just thought I would point out that you can use the serial console to save and restore programs. This page may be helpful:

https://www.swissmicros.com/nut_decoder.html

[Marcio]

(11-17-2015 12:29 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  The new keyboard is a big improvement over the original one. It does require more effort to depress the keys than on the HP 15C, but the feedback is excellent and the keys register reliably w/o repeating with a very nice audible and tactile click...
... In many ways this is the best calculator based on the HP 15C ever made.

Sir Michael,

How does it compare against the keyboard on the 15c LE (or 12C, I heard they use the same hardware?) ?

Very much appreciated.

Marcio

[BarryMead]

(11-17-2015 06:32 AM)DMaier Wrote:  

(11-15-2015 10:29 AM)Marcus von Cube Wrote:  If you have a program or data you want to keep you need to write it down before you disassemble the calculator.

Just thought I would point out that you can use the serial console to save and restore programs. This page may be helpful:

https://www.swissmicros.com/nut_decoder.html

Also the free HP-15C simulator by Torsten Manz has a beautiful interface with the
DM-15C/DM-15L which allows you to browse a huge library of fully documented well written
HP-15C programs and allows for seamless transfer between the simulator and the DM-15L calculator.
You can get your copy from this web site:

http://www.hp-15c.homepage.t-online.de/content_web.htm

[Michael de Estrada]

(11-17-2015 11:28 AM)Marcio Wrote:  

(11-17-2015 12:29 AM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  The new keyboard is a big improvement over the original one. It does require more effort to depress the keys than on the HP 15C, but the feedback is excellent and the keys register reliably w/o repeating with a very nice audible and tactile click...
... In many ways this is the best calculator based on the HP 15C ever made.

How does it compare against the keyboard on the 15c LE (or 12C, I heard they use the same hardware?) ?

Hi Marcio,

It certainly has a much higher quality and more solid feel to it than the 15c LE. It requires less travel to register, but significantly more effort to overcome the stiffness of the snap domes. I have four 15c LEs, two of which I have used frequently, and both have developed very bad repeating keys to the point that they are practically useless, so I've stopped using them. One curiosity is that although the Enter key has two pcb switches, only the top one can be used since the button is fixed at the bottom where it is hinged. So, the Enter key only works if depressed near the top.

Michael

[matthiaspaul]

(11-17-2015 03:18 PM)Michael de Estrada Wrote:  One curiosity is that although the Enter key has two pcb switches, only the top one can be used since the button is fixed at the bottom where it is hinged. So, the Enter key only works if depressed near the top.

On the HP 15c LE or the DM-15L?

Greetings,

Matthias

[Marcio]

I have had the pleasure to handle 2 original 15Cs. The first one I sold and the second one is near-mint (there is nothing more gorgeous!), well, I noticed that the Enter key on both responds differently than the other keys. The bottom requires slightly more pressure to register than the top. The middle is as responsive as the top, so maybe there is something about that I am not aware of. So I guess the LE should behave similarly. Some say there are two domes under it, some say there is only one.

Marcio

[Michael de Estrada]

Matthias and Marcio,

I was referring to the new SwissMicros DM 15L. The Enter key on all of these calculators, HP-15c, HP-15c LE and DM 15L will operate when depressed at the top or middle, but only the DM 15L will not operate when depressed at the bottom, because the key will not move. I believe that all these calculators have two switches assigned to the Enter key.

Edit, I just got the Enter key to work on the DM 15L when depressed at the bottom. It seems that I just needed to give it a really hard initial push to break it free, and it's now working normally. It does require significantly more effort to press at the bottom than at the top, which is similar to the other ones. So, I guess you can now disregard all that I said previously.