Firmware for Half Decent Scale
Half Decent Scale firmware v2.7.6
New in this version:
- Beanconqueror iOS bug fix. The Beanconqueror app on iOS previously could not connect to the HDS. The Android version of the app worked fine
Instructions on how to upgrade the scale firmware via USBC or Wifi.
Half Decent Scale firmware v2.7.5
- Setup option for the two buttons (tare and timer) to work even when bluetooth connected. By default, it's up to the app what the two buttons should do. If the app you're using doesn't do anything with the two buttons, but you'd like the Tare and Timer features to be enabled when app connected, you can do that now.
- Setup option to flip the screen upside down.
- Setup option to flip the position of the Timer and Weight information on screen. This can be useful if you have flipped the screen.
- The beeping sound when touching a button has been permanently removed from the firmware. The PCBs don't even have the speaker any more. Not only did people find it annoying, but the speaker was vulnerable to failure if wet, thereby completely breaking the scale. Removing the speaker improves the scale's resistance to water.
- The tilt/angle detector feature has been removed (it was a gyroscope on the PCB), both from the firmware and the PCB. Previously, this would intentionally keep the scale from powering on if the scale was not on a flat surface. This was seen as a necessary feature, adding cost, but also increasing the scale's vulnerability to not functioning if wet.
- Introduction of PCB v8.1. This is the same as PCB v8.0, but with the beeping speaker and gyroscope removed. The same firmware works on all v8.x PCBs.
- The “require a heartbeat” feature, which improves the scale's ability to connect to old versions of Android, is now optional. You can disable the heartbeat feature in Setup, if you want to use an older app that does not know to send the heartbeat.
- Weighing via the USB cable is now tested, debugged, and works with all our Chrome apps.
- Same firmware for all Half Decent Scale models. We no longer need different firmware for different PCB versions. There's only one firmware now. We've removed the PCB Version menu choice, since this is no longer relevant.
Half Decent Scale firmware v2.6.3
Changelog:
- New 'heartbeat' feature solves connectivity issues with Android 9 and older.
- Apps need to send a 'heartbeat' at least every 5 seconds, or the bluetooth connection will be dropped
- Older Android versions have a problem where bluetooth connections are kept to devices, even though the app no longer has the connection.
- The heartbeat resolves that problem, and is the same approach Decent took with bluetooth on the DE1, to resolve the same issue.
- Older apps that are unaware of the heartbeat feature, will automatically disable it when they send the LED ON bluetooth command, with the 6th byte in that command set to 00.
- Apps that want to use the heartbeat feature, should send 01 as the last data byte of the LED ON command, for example: “03 0a 01 01 00 01 08”
- The heartbeat command to send to the scale is: “03 0a 03 ff ff 00 0a”
- DE1 users should upgrade to the NIGHTLY de1app dated April 11 or newer.
- Fixed a bug that cause the HDS to reboot when the bluetooth connection was dropped.
- Fixed a bug, if the timer exceeded 65535 seconds, HDS might freeze.
- Added “Show Logo” feature in the Setup Menu, for photography purposes.
- Prevent user from calibrating the scale when a usb cable is plugged in, as the cable might cause miscalibration.
- Added SoftSleep Mode. BLE and USB command to switch off peripherals. (03 0A 04 00 for exit soft sleep, and 03 0A 04 01 for start soft sleep)
- In calibration mode, if no weight is put on the scale after the 0 calibration, the procedure will exit and return to menu.
- The empty battery icon will blink if the voltage is under 5%(about under 3.45v).
Half Decent Scale firmware v2.6
Changelog:
- Changed the buzzer duration from 50ms to 5ms. It is now a more pleasant sound and also a lower volume.
Half Decent Scale firmware v2.5.9
Changelog:
- “Exit” option for Calibration menu. Previously you could get stuck in this menu choice with no way to exit.
- Fixed bug causing a reboot when choosing Wifi upgrading firmware.
Half Decent Scale firmware v2.5.8
Changelog:
- Changed firmware name to HDS_PCB_x_x_FW_x_x_x to match the About page and WiFi OTA page.
- Commands now support send via USB, with a baud rate of 115200.
- New reset command.
- New usb weight control command.
- New gyro data command.
- New battery voltage command.
- To send commands via USB manually, please check the “Send HEX” option in Window's Serial Debug Assistant or the Mac Serialport Assistant.
- The USB weight should be enabled first using the command 03 20 01.
- The gyro and voltage are called on demand, not continuously.
Updated 2025/06/30