22/Nov/2017 New PDF, new ASCOM drivers, new Windows App, new Windows Mini App, new firmware v259.
The new v259 firmware adds the ability to add a small delay after a move is finished. This tricks the client waiting just a bit longer. I was monitoring a number of forums where users were highlighting client side apps which trigger the camera image immediately after a move is completed, and this was causing stars to appear elongated as the focuser had not quite settled mechanically (even though the focuser was reporting that the move was completed).
The delayaftermove appears on the extrasettings form and must be set before connecting to the focuser. The default value is 0 (no wait). For the ASCOM driver, it appears on the setupdialog page of the driver. The range is 0 to 250ms, as testing with some of those involved in the thread found this was sufficient.
In practice, you will probably find you will never need it, but for those few who might experience this, well its in there now,
Oh, and in the firmware, there are one or two other fixes here or there as I found errors I fixed them on the fly. It was ony a couple of firmware files but I can't remember which ones they were.
Regards
Robert
Last edit: brownrb 2017-11-23
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21 Dec 2017. New ASCOM drivers, New Windows App, New Windows Mini App, new PDF. Thanks to Ian Lauwerys for help on testing the software with the Arduino Micro.
Regards
Robert
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24 Jan 2018: New Firmware v264 and new Windows Application 2390.
The changes implemented in v264 firmware (and Windows App) are significant. The serial comms handling has been rewritten and now behaves markedly different, using a queue to store and manage received commands. Up to 15 commands can be buffered at any one time. This requires the use of the myQueue library to be added to the libraries.
The Windows app has also had a number of changes centered around serial comms, as well as the ASCOM driver (yet to be released), some bugs fixed, some commands added and some messages made clearer.
The changes have been made due to what was discovered when tracing issues with a well know client application. It was found that this client application can issue up to 10 consecutive (one after the other) serial commands to the focuser per second, without waiting for any response in between the 10 calls. Some of these commands can at times be 1ms apart. Typically, any driver/controller that receives commands from an application, then needs to send these over a serial link and get a response, will have to wait anywhere between 10ms and 750ms depending upon the type of request. That is the nature of serial hardware such as a focuser controller, filter wheel, rotator, telescope mount.
The changes implemented in firmware v264, Windows app 2390 and the next release of the ASCOM drivers address these specific issues.
All previous versions of firmware are now unsupported.
Regards
Robert
Last edit: brownrb 2018-01-23
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02-Feb-2018 I noticed that some firmware files have options that the PCB does not include - so I am busy redoing some of the PCB offerings and changing firmware files. These should be released tomorrow - new PCB and new firmware that matches -
Regards
Robert
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03-Feb-208 Updates completed. New firmware 265, new PDF and other stuff. The firmware now correctly matches each of the Rev3 PCBS just uploaded. Each Rev3 PCB has hardware support for home position switch and Bluetooth added.
Regards
Robert
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12th April 2018
If you have already downloaded firmware 268 prior to today, please download it again as the original files contained some errors.
You will also need to use the latest Windows applications with this firmware
Last edit: brownrb 2018-04-11
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25-Aug-2018
New Windows PDF, windows app, windows mini app, firmware 275, log viewer pro. All changes in the associated change files.
This is a new rewrite of the windows app, now sharing common code routines with the Linux versions, so there are some significant changes underneath. Some new features have been introduced and are explained in the revised PDF. The new windows versions are for firmware 275 and above. Some bugs were fixed in the newest firmware 275.
Regards
Robert
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14-Sep-2018 Firmware 275-Update1. This includesthe ULN2003 which somehow got left off, as well as the new ULN2003H (half stepping) release. In addition the new log viewer pro update to support the next release of the myfocuserpro2 variation to be released for testing soon.
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18 Sept 2018. Updates to schematic, pcb, stripboard layout for A4988, rev9. Stanley discovered an error in the PCB where VDD needed to be connected to VCC. Thanks Stanley. Changes made and updated.
Regards
Robert
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24 July 2017
New PDF documentation uploaded
Fritzing files for all stepper driver PCB boards uplaoded
PCB can be ordered online - see PDF
Work has also started on compatibility with Arduino IDE v1.8.3 but am awaiting updated libraries by respective authors.
Regards
22/Nov/2017 New PDF, new ASCOM drivers, new Windows App, new Windows Mini App, new firmware v259.
The new v259 firmware adds the ability to add a small delay after a move is finished. This tricks the client waiting just a bit longer. I was monitoring a number of forums where users were highlighting client side apps which trigger the camera image immediately after a move is completed, and this was causing stars to appear elongated as the focuser had not quite settled mechanically (even though the focuser was reporting that the move was completed).
The delayaftermove appears on the extrasettings form and must be set before connecting to the focuser. The default value is 0 (no wait). For the ASCOM driver, it appears on the setupdialog page of the driver. The range is 0 to 250ms, as testing with some of those involved in the thread found this was sufficient.
In practice, you will probably find you will never need it, but for those few who might experience this, well its in there now,
Oh, and in the firmware, there are one or two other fixes here or there as I found errors I fixed them on the fly. It was ony a couple of firmware files but I can't remember which ones they were.
Regards
Robert
Last edit: brownrb 2017-11-23
Sounds like a very useful feature when you need it Robert. Thanks for adding it in.
-Jim
21 Dec 2017. New ASCOM drivers, New Windows App, New Windows Mini App, new PDF. Thanks to Ian Lauwerys for help on testing the software with the Arduino Micro.
Regards
Robert
28-Dec-2017 Major fix to firmware - releasd v263
Many thanks to Tim L for reporting a serious bug.
Regards
Robert
06-Jan-2018 vew PDF - please download and discard previous PDF's. v288
24 Jan 2018: New Firmware v264 and new Windows Application 2390.
The changes implemented in v264 firmware (and Windows App) are significant. The serial comms handling has been rewritten and now behaves markedly different, using a queue to store and manage received commands. Up to 15 commands can be buffered at any one time. This requires the use of the myQueue library to be added to the libraries.
The Windows app has also had a number of changes centered around serial comms, as well as the ASCOM driver (yet to be released), some bugs fixed, some commands added and some messages made clearer.
The changes have been made due to what was discovered when tracing issues with a well know client application. It was found that this client application can issue up to 10 consecutive (one after the other) serial commands to the focuser per second, without waiting for any response in between the 10 calls. Some of these commands can at times be 1ms apart. Typically, any driver/controller that receives commands from an application, then needs to send these over a serial link and get a response, will have to wait anywhere between 10ms and 750ms depending upon the type of request. That is the nature of serial hardware such as a focuser controller, filter wheel, rotator, telescope mount.
The changes implemented in firmware v264, Windows app 2390 and the next release of the ASCOM drivers address these specific issues.
All previous versions of firmware are now unsupported.
Regards
Robert
Last edit: brownrb 2018-01-23
29 Jan 2018 New PDF uploaded - added more detail on issues trying to determine backlash settings.
29 Jan 2018 New ASCOM Drivers v250 and new Windows MiniApp 2334 uploaded.
29 Jan 2018 New Tests.zip, files have been changed to reflect use of libraries which happened with v261 of the firmware code onwards.
Last edit: brownrb 2018-01-28
02-Feb-2018 I noticed that some firmware files have options that the PCB does not include - so I am busy redoing some of the PCB offerings and changing firmware files. These should be released tomorrow - new PCB and new firmware that matches -
Regards
Robert
03-Feb-208 Updates completed. New firmware 265, new PDF and other stuff. The firmware now correctly matches each of the Rev3 PCBS just uploaded. Each Rev3 PCB has hardware support for home position switch and Bluetooth added.
Regards
Robert
06-Feb-2017 Major changes coming in next release. Firmware 266 in beta testing and should be released in a week or two.
Robert
12th April 2018
If you have already downloaded firmware 268 prior to today, please download it again as the original files contained some errors.
You will also need to use the latest Windows applications with this firmware
Last edit: brownrb 2018-04-11
14042018 looks like current ascom driver 255 may have issues working with a couple of apps - will post an update soon.
22 April 2018
NEW
https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuserpro2diy/files/CODE%20ASCOM%20DRIVER%20TESTER/
ASCOM Application Driver Tester 1306
https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuserpro2diy/files/CODE%20WINDOWS/
Windows Focuser Application 2396
https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuserpro2diy/files/CODE%20ASCOM/
ASCOM Driver 259
13 June 2018 New Firmware 271, New Windows App, New PDF
July 2018 - New firmware 273, new ascomapp tester, new Windows app.
Nokia 5110 is supported as an option on L293DMini, L9110S and ULN2003 boards
25-Aug-2018
New Windows PDF, windows app, windows mini app, firmware 275, log viewer pro. All changes in the associated change files.
This is a new rewrite of the windows app, now sharing common code routines with the Linux versions, so there are some significant changes underneath. Some new features have been introduced and are explained in the revised PDF. The new windows versions are for firmware 275 and above. Some bugs were fixed in the newest firmware 275.
Regards
Robert
14-Sep-2018 Firmware 275-Update1. This includesthe ULN2003 which somehow got left off, as well as the new ULN2003H (half stepping) release. In addition the new log viewer pro update to support the next release of the myfocuserpro2 variation to be released for testing soon.
18 Sept 2018. Updates to schematic, pcb, stripboard layout for A4988, rev9. Stanley discovered an error in the PCB where VDD needed to be connected to VCC. Thanks Stanley. Changes made and updated.
Regards
Robert
18 Sept 2018
Updates to firmware rev 276 (F/C temp bug fixed), New Windows app 2414, new mini app 2431, comserver 1025, logviewerpro 1036
29 sept 2018 - Firmware 277 released. Bug fixes for all boards. Updated TB6612FNG schematic, layout, revision 3.
14-Oct-2018 New ASCOM v261 driver available.
17 Sept 2018
Nextion TFT Display released
https://youtu.be/NYa4qjsf1uc
Last edit: brownrb 2018-10-17