What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

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Joga
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Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 5:08 pm

What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

Post by Joga »

Hi. I've searched this forum and SwissMicros main site (https://www.swissmicros.com/models.php#DM15), but I cannot find a more technical description of the different firmwares that is available for the DM-15L. I'm sorry if this is bleeding obvious and I just somehow missed it.

I understand that and why the matrices are limited to 8x8, but if I understand correctly that goes for all versions. So why would anyone use "stock" firmware if M80 has more memory, and why use M80 if M1B enables even more memory?

Another related question is about the decoder/encoder on http://www.swissmicros.com/nut_decoder/#decoder
Can I back up the programs of a DM-15 with "stock" firmware and then load it onto the calculator after flashing say the M1B version? The dump has a little header that tell these versions apart. Can I just change the dump header "DM15" to "DM15_M1B" and upload it to a calculator running the M1B version?
grsbanks
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Re: What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

Post by grsbanks »

The stock and M80 variants go back a long way. From before I was involved with Swiss Micros anyway. If memory serves (no pun intended) it's down to the hardware that was running the firmware. Recent hardware revisions can run the M1B variant. However, I'm happy to be corrected!

A dump from one variant cannot be loaded as-is into another. You'd have to decode it and get a text listing, then re-encode that listing to the destination variant.
There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who do not.
Joga
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Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 5:08 pm

Re: What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

Post by Joga »

Thank you for the prompt answer! But are there really any downsides to run the M1B firmware? I'm wondering because the calculator is delivered with the stock firmware, not the M1B variant.
grsbanks
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Re: What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

Post by grsbanks »

Really? That's odd! I thought they shipped with the M1B variant. Mine did, both of them.

Sure, go ahead and flash the M1B variant.
There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who do not.
Joga
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Joined: Thu May 02, 2019 5:08 pm

Re: What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

Post by Joga »

Thank you again! Yep, mine come with the stock V27 version (a few days ago, thank you SwissMicro, this is my second unit after mine DM41 I bought a couple of years ago). Have now flashed the V28 M1B variant and it went well! Next exercise is to try to restore my programs I already made. :)
michel_b
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Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2019 10:07 pm

Re: What is the downside of using the M80 or M1B firmwares for the DM-15?

Post by michel_b »

Joga wrote:
Sat May 04, 2019 8:09 pm
Next exercise is to try to restore my programs I already made. :)
IMHO the best tool for backing uo and restoring DM15 programs (and even progamming on the PC and get readable listings) is Torsten Manz's excellent simulator : http://www.hp-15c.homepage.t-online.de .

It can communicate directly with the DM15 / 15L. Plus there is a whole lot of programs of all kinds readily available.

But beware to set the memory size on the simulator accordingly to the firmware installed on the calculator !

Personally I use the M1B. Why have less when you can get more ?
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