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The Malahit DSP2 (a.k.a. Malachite) is a great little all-in-one receiving device with a quite active and helpful user community around the world. Examples include the various Telegram groups (example here), Youtube channels (example here), Reddit subs (example: here), etc.

The purpose of this article is to just collect a few things that I have found particularly useful and to save having to look them up again.

1. Setting the clock is the most non-obvious and hidden feature I've ever seen on a device. [Note that for earlier firmware (prior to 2.20) the button labeled "Radio" was labeled "Hard"] This info is accurate as at firmware 2.20A and prior. To set the clock press and hold the Radio (or Hard) button until you hear a beep and get the clock setting screen. Then turn the volume encoder to change a value and press the volume encoder to move to the next value (day, month, year, hour, minute). To save the time, press and hold the volume encoder. To exit without saving, press and hold the tuning encoder.

2. Due to the nature of the power button (it's not a hard switch, but a push button), there is always a small current drain even when the unit is off. There is also nothing in the hardware to protect the battery from becoming over discharged. When a lithium ion battery becomes over discharged, it's pretty much dead and can no longer be recharged. For this reason it's important to keep the Malahit regularly charged or to completely disconnect the battery. In my case I left the Malahit on the desk from February to July this year and by the time I tried to use it, the battery was completely dead and unable to be recharged.

3. A reliable place to find all the firmware versions is here.

4. There is a great resource of hacks / tips here (which incidentally is the same site linked in point 3): http://mini-whip.de/category/malahit-dsp2/

Posted: 8-Jul-2022