diff --git a/max7219/example_test.go b/max7219/example_test.go
index b235c84..2a9f94c 100644
--- a/max7219/example_test.go
+++ b/max7219/example_test.go
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ func Example() {
 		dev.SetGlyphs(max7219.CP437Glyphs, true)
 		dev.SetDecode(max7219.DecodeNone)
 		dev.ScrollChars([]byte("0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"), 1, 100*time.Millisecond)
+	} else {
+		dev.SetDecode(max7219.DecodeB)
 	}
 
 	// display a count
diff --git a/max7219/max7219.go b/max7219/max7219.go
index de020c9..99c7687 100644
--- a/max7219/max7219.go
+++ b/max7219/max7219.go
@@ -290,10 +290,6 @@ func (d *Dev) writeChars(bytes []byte) error {
 		copy(x, d.glyphs[0x20])
 		w[ix] = x
 	}
-	limit := len(bytes)
-	if limit > len(w) {
-		limit = len(w)
-	}
 	charPos := len(bytes) - 1
 	for ix := d.units - 1; ix >= 0 && charPos >= 0; ix-- {
 		w[ix] = d.glyphs[bytes[charPos]]
diff --git a/max7219/max7219_test.go b/max7219/max7219_test.go
index c86ec1b..89a92ac 100644
--- a/max7219/max7219_test.go
+++ b/max7219/max7219_test.go
@@ -217,9 +217,9 @@ func TestCommand(t *testing.T) {
 	defer pb.Close()
 	record := &spitest.Record{}
 
-	dev, err := NewSPI(record, 4, 8)
+	dev, _ := NewSPI(record, 4, 8)
 	record.Ops = make([]conntest.IO, 0)
-	err = dev.SetIntensity(0x0b)
+	err := dev.SetIntensity(0x0b)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error(err)