WP43 Pilot Run (Poll!)

This area is for discussion about these families of custom high-end Scientific Calculator applications for SwissMicros devices.
jwiede
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 11:17 pm
Location: San Jose, CA USA

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by jwiede »

Aha, found my earlier post requesting one mid-way down pg 35. I'm guessing that works out to queue position between 160 and 320, very roughly, so I won't be holding my breath. ;D
DM42, DM16L, and a menagerie of HPs thanks to CAS (Calc Acq Syndrome)!
packrat
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2022 4:12 am

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by packrat »

Even though I'm not in the early part of the queue, seeing this moving along is very exciting!

B>
Panchdara
Posts: 148
Joined: Sat May 15, 2021 9:02 am

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by Panchdara »

I feel same as PackRat.

@Walter - Can I ask, if not too confidential,
1) How long do you expect this pilot session to last? And, what are the indicators that advance to full production?
2) I presume SM will be involved with this new line, what are their (SM) responsibilities?
3) I ask 2) above as many are also excited about the announcement of the DM32. How would these two products affect each others timescale, assuming (I hate that word) they are being developed in parallel and possibly with the same team (or members of)?

Nevertheless, this is very good news. I, too, will be making orders when instructed that they (both WP43S and DM32) are released.

I wish you success.
ben.titmus
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2021 7:50 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by ben.titmus »

I've been involved in the discussions so can probably answer your questions.
Panchdara wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 8:31 am
2) I presume SM will be involved with this new line, what are their (SM) responsibilities?
This calculator is a collaboration between SwissMicros and the WP43 team (previously WP43S). The "platform" (comprising the physical calculator including the PCB and the associated DMCP operating system) is developed by SwissMicros and the calculator "application" is written by the WP43 team. In some ways this is similar to DM42, but the difference is that we (the WP43 team) have been involved much more in the development of the physical calculator. In addition we will continue to work with SwissMicros to ensure that firmware updates work on the physical calculator. (SwissMicros have to do some work each time Free42 is updated to produce a new DM42 build, the WP43 team would do the equivalent work.)
Panchdara wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 8:31 am
1) How long do you expect this pilot session to last? And, what are the indicators that advance to full production?
It is very difficult to give timings on these things. The final WP43 will need to use the new platform (PCB and DMCP) for the DM32. This isn't ready yet, and so we will need to wait until this has been completed. I believe this is also the biggest delay for the DM32. After that we would want to be confident that the firmware has been tested adequately for the first release. We are still finding bugs frequently and until the bug rate comes down I don't think it would be a good idea to advance. I suspect we will have more bug reports when the pilot calculators are used by more people.
Panchdara wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 8:31 am
3) I ask 2) above as many are also excited about the announcement of the DM32. How would these two products affect each others timescale, assuming (I hate that word) they are being developed in parallel and possibly with the same team (or members of)?
The platform (PCB and DMCP) are produced by SwissMicros and are the same for both calculators. Therefore the timescales are linked. I doubt that they would be released at the same point, but hopefully within the same year!
User avatar
Walter
Posts: 3070
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:13 am
Location: On a mission close to DRS, Germany

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by Walter »

I'm slightly more optimistic, thinking both the DM32 and the WP43 will get their upgraded (identical) hardware in 2023. Note there will be a USB-C socket then.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
User avatar
BINUBALL
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:48 am
Location: South Korea

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by BINUBALL »

Walter wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 10:01 am
I'm slightly more optimistic, thinking both the DM32 and the WP43 will get their upgraded (identical) hardware in 2023. Note there will be a USB-C socket then.
And more faster processor maybe?
S.Korean / HP-50G | fx-570EX | fx-570CW | HP-200LX
ben.titmus
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2021 7:50 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by ben.titmus »

BINUBALL wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 1:27 pm
And more faster processor maybe?
That is the expectation, but until the DM32 platform has been finalised the exact details may change.
User avatar
tuxfish
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:17 pm

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by tuxfish »

Hi !

is this not a cute coincidence in this thread ???

At page 42 (42 – "The Answer to Almost Everything") instructions how to order the "WP43S pilot unit" are given
and @ page 43 (WP 43) details of the hardware are revealed (DM32, USB-C, model of cooperation).

*Big grin* !!! 😎
FX-602P, HP-12c, 17B, 32E, 38C, 39gs, 35, 41C/CV, 48 SX/G, 50g, DM 1xL, 42β , WP43β…
ben.titmus
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2021 7:50 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by ben.titmus »

tuxfish wrote:
Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:02 pm
@ page 43 (WP 43) details of the hardware are revealed (DM32, USB-C, model of cooperation).
I don't think I've revealed much that wasn't already known. The USB-C connector and the fact that the hardware is changing was mentioned by Michael on the DM32 preview YouTube video in a comment. It wasn't previously mentioned that the WP43 would use this new platform, but Michael mentions the reason for changing the platform is a global chip shortage so in any case we'll be forced to use this new platform sooner-or-later.

The model of co-operation hopefully isn't a surprise. The Owner's Manual specifies in the Welcome! section that the WP43 is a collaboration between SwissMicros and the WP43 team and says who is responsible for what.

The only really new bit of information is that we will soon have prototypes and that these will be different from the final form because they won't use the updated PCB and DMCP. We mention this now because we have a number that people who have been waiting can obtain at a discount (very kindly offered by SwissMicros who are paying the costs of production).

To elaborate a bit on the collaboration: the WP43 (assuming there are no problems preventing full production) will be a SwissMicros calculator just as any other SwissMicros calculator, and sold and marketed etc. by SwissMicros. The firmware is Open Source (like the DM42 which uses Free42) but WP43 is slightly different from the DM42 because we have worked together with the WP43 physical calculator in mind.
Panchdara
Posts: 148
Joined: Sat May 15, 2021 9:02 am

Re: 43S Pilot Run (Poll!)

Post by Panchdara »

@ben.titmus
Thank you so much for your detailed answers, to my questions and those of others.
I'll sit back patiently now.
Post Reply