OSTC 2 TR (& plus??)

OSTC's running hwOS sport or tech
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jam_uk
Posts: 12
Joined: Thursday 20. December 2018, 09:08

OSTC 2 TR (& plus??)

Post by jam_uk »

Suggestion:
Devices with the internal battery should detect the hardware and not offer a battery selection in software after a restart whhen the battery is fully discharged or via the reset menu.

The battery selection should be fixed.

Inadvertently selecting the wrong battery means the charge fails and the device shows fully charged though it is not. This is dangerous at it then fails underwater at a random time.

This has happned to me!!!
heinrichsweikamp
Posts: 4370
Joined: Sunday 13. May 2007, 18:07

Re: OSTC 2 TR (& plus??)

Post by heinrichsweikamp »

Hello,

Selecting the correct battery is absolutely required, especially in the OSTC Plus. There is no reliable way to differentiate between a 3,6V Saft battery and a LiIon rechargeable battery. The OSTC only "sees" the cell voltage. Some errors are detected already (Like inserting a 1,5V battery and selecting a 3,6V one).

Regards,
Matthias
jam_uk
Posts: 12
Joined: Thursday 20. December 2018, 09:08

Re: OSTC 2 TR (& plus??)

Post by jam_uk »

Instead of detecting the battery, detect the hardware.

Is there not a means for the software to probe and ask the hardware what it is?

When I've worked on many products where there are multiple variants I normally have input pins or a OTP PROM that tells the software what the hardware is, defined in factory. That way software can behave differently on different hardware.

Failing that the safe thing to do would be have dedicated software builds for hardware with a built-in battery, then there can be no mistakes.

Relying on the user to select the correct battery when selecting the wrong (or the default) could make the unit behave in a dangerous manner is a bit dodgy.
dadefay
Posts: 115
Joined: Thursday 2. February 2017, 15:39

Re: OSTC 2 TR (& plus??)

Post by dadefay »

Hi jam_uk,

The OTSC Plus, which has exactly the same electronics as the OSTC 2, can be fitted with a rechargeable battery or with a non-rechargeable battery, the user decides what is the more convenient for him. Since their voltage are almost the same (3,6 V vs 3,7 V), there is no means for the software to detect if it must activate the charger or not.

Consequently, the user must know what he does, exactly has for the gas mixes, as well as for many other parameters.

By the way, some formula of courtesy is always appreciated on the forum...

Kind regards.
Didier A. Defay
OC trimix instructor / Trimix CCR diver
France

OSTC 2 #18835
- OSTC Plus #16077
-- OSTC 3+ #4806
--- OSTC 3 #3999
jam_uk
Posts: 12
Joined: Thursday 20. December 2018, 09:08

Re: OSTC 2 TR (& plus??)

Post by jam_uk »

Dedier,

I find it ironic that two months after you posted the previous message OSTC had a serious HSE issue at the Boot Show when a battery exploded. I am told people were hurt.

I'm a hardware and software engineer with 25 years experience in product design and a background in safety systems. A manual is never a replacement for good design. Anybody that believes that is setting themself up for a fall.

Hardware and hence software can detect batteries, and in the case of replacable batteries should (in fact it's a CE requirement and especially for lithium battery products where it's an international requirement not an EU mandate).

OSTC have admitted this with the promise of 3.02.

Permanant storage IS available and such safety critical seetings should not be lost if the battery is flat or removed. In products such as the OSTC2 where the battery can't be replaced the system should behave as such. They may share the same internal hardware but they can be factory programmed with a hardware ID.

I am sorry if you feel I have spoken out of turn, but I can safely say that I am not a satisfied OSTC customer and in my right to be critial because of my profession.
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