M-VAVE FM-1 firmware patcher

This script applies multiple changes to the firmware of the M-VAVE FM-1 synthesizer.

For firmware V15:

Fixes the implementation of oscillator detune to match Dexed.
Removes the reaction to MIDI aftertouch messages – which cause an unexpected strong vibrato.
Makes the oscilloscope display on the main screen dark blue to make it stand out more.
Makes the selection cursor on the FX screen green (purely as a visual indicator that custom FW is running).

Usage: python patch_firmware_v15.py FM-1.fwsc FM-1-fixed.fwsc

For firmware V16:

Removes the reaction to MIDI aftertouch messages – which cause an unexpected strong vibrato.
Changes the displayed version (on the “Globe 5” page) to “a16” as a visual indicator that custom FW is running.
Note that the oscillator detune implementation was already fixed by M-VAVE in V16.

Usage: python patch_firmware_v16.py FM-1.fwsc FM-1-fixed.fwsc

The resulting firmware file FM-1-fixed.fwsc must not be distributed, as it is under copyright by M-VAVE.

Disclaimer

Install at your own risk!

The firmware is running stable for me. The changes are localized, and don’t modify the size of the firmware, its memory consumption or its processing time. Hence, I consider them quite low risk. The risk is more about the flashing procedure in general (also applies to stock firmware): If the updater or the FM-1 crash during the firmware flashing, recovery could require hardware tools.

Requirements

Python
Either: The original V15 firmware, archived from M-VAVE’s FM-1 product page.
Or: The original V16 firmware, available as “PC Firmware” on M-VAVE’s FM-1 product page.
The firmware upgrade utility M-UPGRADE, available as “Update Software” on M-VAVE’s FM-1 product page.
The V14 firmware upgrade utility, available under “Tone Firmware Update Software” on M-VAVE’s FM-1 product page.

Installation

Patch the firmware with the Python script: python patch_firmware_v15.py FM-1.fwsc FM-1-fixed.fwsc or python patch_firmware_v16.py FM-1.fwsc FM-1-fixed.fwsc.
M-UPGRADE won’t directly let you upgrade from the stock firmware (V15 or V16) to the changed version, because it thinks both are identical.
Thus, use the V14 firmware upgrade utility to downgrade to V14 first.
Then, use the standalone M-UPGRADE to apply my firmware FM-1-fixed.fwsc.
In case you want to go back to stock firmware, you can use the same procedure (downgrade to V14, then upgrade) again.

Thanks

Kris Naphtali for making me aware of the detune issue and encouraging me along the way.
Anhang Li for a partial reverse-engineering of older firmware that served as a good starting point.
Andrey Grigoryev for the tools that deal with firmware files for the SoC that M-VAVE uses.
M-VAVE for making this fun and affordable device.

License

This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.

Anyone is free to copy, modify, publish, use, compile, sell, or distribute this software, either in source code form or as a compiled binary, for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and by any means.

In jurisdictions that recognize copyright laws, the author or authors of this software dedicate any and all copyright interest in the software to the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit of the public at large and to the detriment of our heirs and successors. We intend this dedication to be an overt act of relinquishment in perpetuity of all present and future rights to this software under copyright law.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

For more information, please refer to http://unlicense.org/