Products > Test Equipment
121GW multimeter firmware hack to prevent remembering last mode
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JDW:

--- Quote from: J-R on March 02, 2023, 08:59:45 pm ---I'm not sure if you missed it, but the firmware was hacked as you are requesting, you just need to apply the firmware that has the option you want:

factory -- mode selection persists through selector switch change and power off
hack1 -- mode selection is reset with selector switch change and power off (select preferred mode before flashing)
hack2 -- mode selection is kept with selector switch change but reset at power off (also select preferred mode before flashing)

Adding code to allow the user to select this from a menu is probably not realistic from a "hack" perspective unless someone is really motivated to continue to reverse engineer the code. I'm confident UEi will not be making further changes to the firmware unless there is a major safety issue discovered.  They have had many opportunities to make some simple, meaningful changes and have not.  Which really seems odd, as it is just not that much work.  I think they are motivated to not make further changes in order to save features for their own current/future products.

At some point in the future, I expect someone who wants to impress a future employer will pick up the reigns of the open-source firmware project for the 121GW and then things could really take off.

--- End quote ---

Thank you for your reply!  I indeed "missed that."  Well, that is interesting that someone else thought exactly as I did!

I understand what you are saying in your closing paragraph, but there have been numerous firmware updates since the 121GW was released.  Did UEi initiate those firmware updates on its own, without any feedback or pressure from Dave Jones?  I had the understanding the updates came based on user feedback about the meter in this forum.  Also, wasn't the meter itself created in close cooperation with Dave, rather than being an off-the-shelf meter that he merely rebadged? 

The reason I ask these questions is because if the 121GW is indeed a device co-created between Dave and UEi, I don't see why Dave couldn't just ask that they implement the aforementioned changes in the official firmware, such that each new release (bug fix, whatever) of the firmware does not need to subsequently be "hacked" by an end user in this thread.  Wouldn't you agree?
coromonadalix:
Good point  not sure Dave could do something  or pull some strings ....

worth to try ...
JDW:

--- Quote from: coromonadalix on March 03, 2023, 03:22:33 am ---Good point  not sure Dave could do something  or pull some strings ....

worth to try ...

--- End quote ---

Again, unless I am totally mistaken, the 121GW is the creation of a rather detailed amount of cooperation between Dave Jones and UEi.  I see no evidence it was an off-the-shelf device.  Furthermore, I don't see anyone else selling a clone of the 121GW under another brand, which gives evidence that Dave has an exclusive EEVBlog contract for the 121GW.  As such, Dave is the Supreme Puller of Strings.  Not only that, but he has YouTube influence as well.  If he asked UEi, he would receive!
J-R:
The 121GW schematic is "open".  I'm not exactly sure what that means, other than it's published.

UEi owns the firmware, as it contains their IP.

The UEi DM5x5 series has some design similarities to the 121GW, and the Bluetooth & app functionality of the DM525 is similar to the 121GW.

We probably need another Kickstarter campaign or similar to develop a clean-room copy of the UEi firmware or new firmware from scratch.  Then the community could build upon that with other functionality as desired.
JDW:

--- Quote from: J-R on March 03, 2023, 08:35:36 am ---The 121GW schematic is "open".  I'm not exactly sure what that means, other than it's published.

UEi owns the firmware, as it contains their IP.

The UEi DM5x5 series has some design similarities to the 121GW, and the Bluetooth & app functionality of the DM525 is similar to the 121GW.

We probably need another Kickstarter campaign or similar to develop a clean-room copy of the UEi firmware or new firmware from scratch.  Then the community could build upon that with other functionality as desired.

--- End quote ---

I'm afraid I still don't understand what the problem is.  Why is the owner of the IP relevant in light of the fact that the 121GW is at least co-owned by Dave Jones insofar as he worked with UEi to create the meter and therefore retains some level of exclusivity with regard to who can build it and who can buy it from UEi.  In other words, only Dave can buy it in order to sell it to us.

So with that in mind, regardless of the IP ownership of the firmware, and regardless of meter similarities, because Dave Jones worked with UEi to create the 121GW, I don't see why it is such a formidable problem for him to ask UEi to make a rather small mod to their firmware, which would exclusively be used on the 121GW.

Why should UEi do that if Dave asks?  Because not only does Dave retain some rights to the 121GW product, he also is their customer.  And if that isn't reason enough, it would bode well for UEi to understand that ongoing firmware support shows people this is a great meter and encourages more people to potentially buy it, which in turn benefits both Dave and UEi, not to mention us.
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