Converting the DP-008 to DP-008EX

[Guilherme]

Folks,

I have both DP-008 and DP-008EX.
Today I did some tests and was able to upload the DP-008EX firmware into DP-008.

I just managed to edit the headers in the firmware file to unlock it.

Now the old DP-008 is running the same firmware with the same features as its new brother.

Still running some tests to make sure everything is 100% working.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Great job I guess this means the firmware files aren't encrypted. You should team up with @Tony Keys re. his recent post

 

[Guilherme]

I think the code is still encrypted, I wasn't able to disassembly it.
I just made some tricks on the header of the file.

 

[dctdct]

What does this statement mean exactly?

Now the old DP-008 is running the same firmware with the same features as its new brother.

My hypothesis: the DP-008 has the same electronic pats as the DP-008EX but had a crippled firmware to allow a new price tag for the "new" DP-008EX? If this is correct it was just a marketing play.
Or are there any pitfalls applying the EX firmware in terms of FX capabilities?

 

[Guilherme]

I didn't find any issue, I think you are correct, seems like just a marketing move.

 

[Toño DRACO]

@Guilherme
I wish you could tell me how you changed the name of the firmware so that DP 008 would accept it! I have that model and I would love to be able to update it to the DP 008ex version.

 

[Guilherme]

Hi there, you have to open the firmware file in a Hex editor (I used this one: https://hexed.it/) and replace the first 7 bytes with the ones from the official DP-008 unit.

Basically I replaced "DP008EX" by "DP-008". Not that the second string has 6 bytes, so make sure you fill the 7th byte with null value (00 hex value). Be careful to not replace the 7th byte by a single "." this is not the same as null, for the 7th byte you have to enter the hex value 00 on the left (hexadecimal) side of the editor.

IMPORTANT: You can't change the size of this file or shift any bytes.
Make sure to double check what you edited and if the resulting file has the same size as before you edited it.

Make that at your own risk, I prefer to not provide any firmware here because: 1) I don't know if this is allowed in this forum; 2) I don't want to be responsible by any damage.

 

[Toño DRACO]

@Guilherme
Thank you very much!


And although I'm still confused with the seventh byte, put a null value, I'll investigate


And of course I understand the risks and assume them, again thank you for the contribution.

 

[shredd]

Now the old DP-008 is running the same firmware with the same features as its new brother.

@Guilherme - I've been following this thread with great interest...been meaning to ask:
When you got your 'oo8 to "think" it was an '008EX with your firmware hack...how is it 'behaving'? Any snafu's, problems, etc? And it's got the 'EX's features/functions??
If so - WOW!!

 

[Guilherme]

Hi Shredd, I didn't notice any difference between them. No bugs or issues that I was aware of. I didn't test 100% of all the features, but went to the most important and everything was working as expected.

They have the exact same buttons layout, with almost the same functions.

Basically the new features are:

• Mastering Effects
• Input Effects
• Stereo Wav file export function (imho, this is the biggest added value)

I didn't open both to check their mainboards. But I assume they are exactly the same.

Unfortunately, last week I sold the DP-008 (buyer asked me to keep the hacked firmware). So, right now I have only the DP-008EX and can't perform any additional test.

 

[shredd]

@Guilhmerme - that is SUPERKEWL - the main things I was concerned about is stability/etc...and also if the EX's improved features showed and and worked OK.
Sounds like it works. I'm on the hunt for an '008, and now I don't have to worry if a good deal on a non-EX one pops up - I'm willing to try your hack.
THANKS!

 

[Toño DRACO]

I did it!
@Guilherme
Thank you very much! Everything went perfectly, I already have my DP008 updated as if it were the DP008ex, with all its functions

 

[Guilherme]

@Guilhmerme - that is SUPERKEWL - the main things I was concerned about is stability/etc...and also if the EX's improved features showed and and worked OK.
Sounds like it works. I'm on the hunt for an '008, and now I don't have to worry if a good deal on a non-EX one pops up - I'm willing to try your hack.
THANKS!

Yeap, you can surely save some money getting a good used dp-008. Good luck on the search.

 

[Guilherme]

I did it!
@Guilherme
Thank you very much! Everything went perfectly, I already have my DP008 updated as if it were the DP008ex, with all its functions

Amazing, I'm glad it worked for you!

 

[shredd]

“And this just in”:

I downloaded the DP-008EX firmware update, and did the exact modification @Guilherme described.

On the same day, I scored an amazing deal on a mint-condition 1st-gen 008…
So it’s ON.

Stand by for updates as this story develops.

“That’s the news, This is the weather…now over to Flip with Sports…”

 

[BazzBass]

Flip Wilson ?!

 

[shredd]

Flip Wilson

Hehee…no…this is just a play on stupid-TV clichés…on cheesy American TV news, the sports segment is often done by some geek ex-athlete with a cheesy name like Flip or Buzz or Champ or Buck or or or…​

 

[Mark Richards]

Keep in mind: if people hack the EX firmware so it loads on the older model there could be more to the older model's internal operations (like subtle hardware timing differences which won't be handled correctly with the wrong f/w, changes in how function circuits behave, etc. ) than just changing 7 bytes so the EX firmware loads. If so they'll be on their own down the road as far as help with any troubleshooting goes.

The first question I'd be asking: Has the platform (hardware or software) been altered in any way. If so, I wouldn't have any troubleshooting help to offer.

 

[Guilherme]

The first 7 bytes on the firmware are just some sort of a header to identify the model (and prevent it to be uploaded on other devices).

They are not part of the running software. For sure the running software is not the same, since EX has some extra capabilities implemented.

 

[shredd]

Keep in mind that if you hack the firmware and tbere's more to the internal operations beyond just changing 7 bytes, you're on your own down the road as far as help with any troubleshooting goes.

The first question I'll be asking is: Have altered the patform in any way.

@Guilherme The first 7 bytes on the firmware are just some sort of a header to identify the model (and prevent it to be uploaded on other devices).

They are not part of the running software. For sure the running software is not the same, since EX has some extra capabilities implemented.

Yeah, I got that - stewpyd as I am, I understood the approach - the "header" that's modded in the firmware update is simply to tell the update that the hardware being updated is an '008, NOT an '008EX, so it'll run and not stall (thinking the device is SUPPOSED to be an 'EX).

And that the necessity of having the f/ware file emerge from the modification with EXACTLY the same byte-count is critical, since there's probably some sort of check-sum that happens when you run the update, so that the device can ensure that the file isn't curropt or otherwise harmful to run.

And no, nothing will be altered in any way - this is being done on a dead-stock/OEM DP-008 (1st-gen).

I was encouraged to proceed on this by @Toño DRACO having success getting his '008 to operate with those couple of important features the EX added, which is the point of all this.
I think Guilherme was right: the devices are probably identical - it's the software that gives an EX those extra capabilities.
Even if it FAILS, if the '008 still has its original functions only, well - nothing lost.
And if it "bricks" - that's life...but I don't think that's gonna happen.

Stay tuned!