DM41X Beta Programme

Discussion around the SwissMicros DM41X calculator
TwoWeims

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by TwoWeims »

The paint on the yellow shift key was chosen for a reason.
The amount of paint remaining is inversely proportional to the effort you are putting into beta testing.

If your shift key is still yellow at the end of the beta test period, you will be severely punished by the beta police... :lol:
toml_12953
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Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by toml_12953 »

smp wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 8:37 pm
rprosperi wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 7:50 pm
... Regarding the "SF" legend, I think that's unique, as I've seen several machines and photos and have not seen that before.

The proper spin, should you decide to sell it later, is "rare early BETA DM41X with yellow-dot" :o
Yep, that's me. Why can't I be lucky like that when I buy a lottery ticket? :lol:

smp
Hey, I beat 99.99% odds when i had an operation on my stomach. That's what the success rate was as quoted by the surgeon. Guess who was in the "lucky" .01%? Yup, me!
Tom L

Some people call me inept but I'm as ept as anybody!
DM10L SN: 059/100
DM41X SN: 00023 (Beta)
DM41X SN: 00506 (Shipping)
DM42 SN: 00025 (Beta)
DM42 SN: 00221 (Shipping)
WP43 SN: 00025 (Prototype)
jthole
Posts: 129
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:46 pm
Location: Netherlands

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by jthole »

TwoWeims wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 9:32 pm
If your shift key is still yellow at the end of the beta test period, you will be severely punished by the beta police... :lol:
I am just a basic user (no mcode, synthetic programming and such) but I use the DM41X several times each day. I even leave my regular calculator (HP 11C or 17Bii) at home at the moment. Apart from the shift key, the machine is holding up very well.
The only protection is that I have it in a thick leather pouch, in my laptop bag.
DM42 s/n 06181 DM41X s/n \(\beta\)0005 (sold)
Rmollov
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 7:55 pm
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by Rmollov »

smp wrote:
Fri Feb 07, 2020 7:33 pm
Now that the new calculator glow has started to die down (not really, just kidding!) I just noticed that I have a blemish on my keyboard. The SF legend seems to have a blob on it. I guess, since I know what the legend is supposed to be, I never looked at it that closely. I'm not even sure why it just caught my eye. See the attachment.

Does anyone else have any minor blemishes like this, or am I the only lucky one?

smp
I'm lucky too...
Spoke to Michael and replacement key bezel should be sent.
Image

Apart of that calculator is piece of art. Keyboard a lot better than DM42's, not original HP41's but usable.
I only have one recommendation for future hardware versions, rubber feet should be placed as close as possible to the edges; now when using leftmost/rightmost column keys calculator tend to rock.

After little play with it here is what I find firmware-like:
Display mode with Alpha & X-register shown is somewhat confusing when running programs. Tested it with SURVEYING pack and (of coarse) alpha shows last prompt which is meaningless; I'd rather have X & Y instead of X and Alpha. In short, programable XY display mode would be very nice. That said I find XYZT display mode quite useless and gladly would have X,Y, blank, Alpha or similar instead.

PS Just noticed the above has already been addressed in suggestions section; I like the full black line replacing alpha register, it somehow logically separates the screen and adds to the original HP41 view.

PPS Not too elegant: ;) :lol:

Image
Last edited by Rmollov on Wed Feb 12, 2020 1:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
TwoWeims

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by TwoWeims »

Rmollov wrote:
Sat Feb 08, 2020 2:48 am

I only have one recommendation for future hardware versions, rubber feet should be placed as close as possible to the edges; now when using leftmost/rightmost column keys calculator tend to rock.
I first noticed this with my DM42 but I did not hear any other complaints about it here so I thought it was just a fluke.
But now, my DM41X is doing the same thing. So, I have dug a little deeper...

The back metal case is not flat. There is a slight curvature to it so that the rubber feet do not fully contact the desktop. They only make contact at the inner-most edge of the rubber foot. Pressing a key in the outer columns causes the calculator to want to rotate about this point. This may actually explain why some key don't always register since the force applied to the outer keys is divided between pressing the key down and rotating the calculator around the edge of the foot.
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pauli
Posts: 252
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Location: Australia

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by pauli »

One of the slots for the locking tabs down the bottom and under the keyboard isn't properly formed. There is a rough feel rubbing a finger over it and the tab isn't quite right where it sits.

Still, that's not a significant problem.


Pauli
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d4days
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Location: PA

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by d4days »

Got mine and everything seems fine. No blemishes, key issues, LCD issues, or any of that. The ONLY thing that would be nice (not really necessary, but nice), would be the option to change the font from the original 41 to whatever. I know the original is just that, original, but I have the DM42 and it's nice to be able to increase or decrease the font, and the font is much easier to read than the 41 font. It would just be a nice option (when something is near perfect, it's kinda hard to find any faults).
DM42 - SN: 00054
DM41X - SN:00032
HP 10C,11C,12C,15C,16C,27S,34C,38C,41C/CV/CX,45,48S/SX,67,71B,75C,97S,
and alot more...
jjohnson873
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:19 pm
Location: Carmel, IN USA

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by jjohnson873 »

I noticed that there is no menu item in the SETUP menu to delete a .raw file from the DM41X calculator FAT disk. You can LOAD or SAVE a .raw program to the FAT disk, but you cannot delete by using the calculator menu in SETUP. If you make a file name mistake, it would be nice to delete and/or rename the file from the DM41X SETUP menu. Of course this can be done once you connect the DM41X to a computer, via USB, and just delete a file from the FAT disk.

Also note that if you leave some odd characters in the ALPHA register and then try to save your .raw file using the SETUP menus, you get a NAME ERR and a file length of zero on the FAT disk. And then, of course, you can't delete that file without connecting your DM41X to your computer to delete it from the DM41X FAT disk. ~ Jim J. ~
DM41X S/N: 00010(beta), DM41X S/N: 0866(production) and some other HP calcs.
Ignatz
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jan 23, 2020 6:30 pm

Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by Ignatz »

I have a 'ding' / 'Macker' at the bottom of my facia, too: will post a pic when I have time. In contrast to what was said on the HP Museum forum, the colour on my gold and blue keys is completely off from the facia legends. S/N: 00055.

I’m in agreement with the posters who’d like to have the option of a DM42-like display: seems like a bit of a waste of that gorgeous display. 'X', 'Y', 'Z' & 'T' labels would be great, too. And agree that the feet should be spread wider.

So, is there a link to a manual? And is there any way of going directly to the blank 'OFF' screen directly, rather than cycling through the pictures?
Last edited by Ignatz on Thu Feb 13, 2020 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Walter
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Re: DM41X Beta Programme

Post by Walter »

Ignatz wrote:
Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:24 pm
I have a 'ding' / 'Macker' at the bottom of my facia, too: will post a pic when I have time.
I'm looking forward to your picture but doubt you have a 'Macker' there. :lol: Presumably you have a Macke instead, at least at your facia... 8-) ;)
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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