REENGINEERING the old HP01

[canito]

Well .. I want to open my first discussion .
we all know that there are a lot of not properly working Hp01's out there.
Is almost impossible to get old dies .And is probably not worthy no redesign new ones (quantity being too small).Unless you live in China.But there is a solution !
There are now very small almost tiny microcontrollers that could be use to replace those all dies. The question and the topic of the discussion
Would all this effort make sense? .Does it really make sense to have an old watch with new century circuitry?.
I can design all the emulation firmware if people think that this is a valid solution . But when do you stop . What about if you need to replace all the dies ? And the vintage parts you left with ,are just the plastic and the metal ?

[rewolf]

...Would all this effort make sense? .Does it really make sense to have an old watch with new century circuitry?...

This has already been done for the Pulsar and the Synchronar. So this question is answered
The firmware is IMO the easiest part. Much harder will be to make the hardware fit into the case and integrate with buttons, battery holder, etc. The HP-01 isn't exactly a simple design. The Syncronar is primitive, the Pulsar also rather simple.

[canito]

Well yes .It seems like a logical path to take .But the question is once again ..What do you think about reegineering this watches ?

do you have a link for that IMO that you mention?

[rewolf]

Well yes .It seems like a logical path to take .But the question is once again ..What do you think about reegineering this watches ?

What exactly do you mean by "reengineering"?
You wrote "I can design all the emulation firmware if people think that this is a valid solution ... What about if you need to replace all the dies" - are you thinking about re-using any part of the original hardware (other than the display)?
http://www.led-forever.com/html/hp-01_led_watch_technology.html

do you have a link for that IMO that you mention?

IMO = In My Opinion (didn't you claim having been active in forums even before the www was invented?) - so no, I'm afraid I don't have a link for my opinion, I use to keep my opinions in my head

[canito]

Well yes i have seen those pictures ..That's why i think is very doable!

All of it can be integrated in just one CHIP!
That's called reengineering ..Which means a new solution for an old problem.
I'll see if i can find a photo of a project that i worked on .Several years ago .We put a cpu embedded in a plastic phone card . I think that this is the same width.

This thing would only require 24 pins .. That's nothing
You could add new functions to the watch too .

[Huertecilla]

As Rewolf writes, imo too Spares&Strikes are showing that the idea of upgrading the electronics to get the old watches functional again is sound and has life in it.

Wether the HP is worthwile is, again like Rewolf observes, another.
The problem is;
- how much demand is there for an HP1
- how much less a revamped one will be worth
- how much room does that leave
- room x number that will be sold
I think the economics do not add up to ´worthwhile´.

Now, if you would apply your knowledge to get individual vintage jewels going thát would be quite something.
I think thát would be a very wellcome service business.