hwOS Tech: Version 3.09 beta 3 available

[U-96]

Hi

I was diving today with my OSTCplus with firmware 3.09 beta 3. During the dive the OSTC works well. Now I'm trying to download the dive to Diving Log via bluetooth without success. Again, I have testet the connection with OSTC Companion and it works wothout problems. With Diving Log I had no probelm to download my dives with the former firmware versions. Is the problem maybe the firmware version for OSTC cR?

Best regards
Michi
OSTC 2C #7452
OSTCplus #17296

[Ralph]

Hi Michi,

the dive data downloading protocol has not changed, but maybe Diving Log also uses an updated library that may cause problems, as i showed in my last post with an older version of Subsurface working fine whereas the latest one is bumpy at least to say. Does it already fail at establishing connection? Then it is likely to fail due to the same reason.

On an OSTC plus you can put any TR or cR firmware. The firmware detects on which hardware it is running and then activates the appropriate functions. It's just that the limits of the program memory space doesn't allow to put all functions in one version any more. In case of the OSTC plus, it doesn't have neither the TR circuitry nor external sensor support, so both firmware variants will run the common core only, which is exactly the same.

BR
Ralph

[dadefay]

Hi Ralph,

Here is the different configuratinos I could test on my OSTC Plus :
1 - Smartphone Arcos NX569J, Android 6, HWOS 1.1.10 : connection ok (after several trials), firmware update ok (from 3.08 to 3.09 beta 3).
2 - PC Asus (i7 7th gen), Windows 10, Subsurface 3.9.3 : connection ok, configuration ok, firmware update fails (many trials).
3 - Same as 2 with OSTC Companion 3.2 beta 1 : connection ok (after several trials), firmware update ok.

Not easy to conclude which part is faulty, but I suspect Subsurface 3.9.3 Bluetooth module to be unreliable...

By the way, with hwOS 3.09 beta 3, I noticed two points :
- I cannot download my lats dives, done with 3.08.
- After a Bluetooth connection, the menu entry Bluetooth Mode disappears, you must completely exit the menu to recover this entry.

Best regards.

[U-96]

Hi Ralph

The OSTC plus write the following status in bluetooth mode:
- "Starting...Done."
- "Download mode enabled"
- "Exited"
After that, in the menue settings is the second line "Bluetooth Mode" not existing. To restart bluetooth I have to colse the menue completely and start the menue settings from the main screen. When I do this twice I get the line "Bluetooth Mode" back.

The downloader of Diving Log write the folowing status:
- "Download beginnt"
- "Download Tauchgäng"
- "OSTC Plus nicht gefunden, bitte überprüfen ob er angschlossen und eingeschaltet ist. (DC_STATUS_TIMEOUT)
When I downgraded to the last version 6.0.16 of Diving Log I get the same behaviour.

Now I have downgraded my OSTC plus to V3.01. The download to Diving Log works but the last dive (under V3.09 beta 3) has no data in it.

Best regards
Michi
OSTC 2C #7452
OSTCplus #17296

[Ralph]

Thanks for sharing these probing data!

I also saw the BT entry in the menu disappearing from time to time. Every time the OSTC restarts into the surface mode, it makes a new auto-discovery of its hardware features. In general, this features some "auto-healing" in case some subsystem didn't respond when polled for existance. So there must be some hang in the BT module when BT doesn't show in the menu, with the BT module recovering after some time so to be discovered again on the next restart. To me, that smells like we have some stuck in the data transfer protocol between the OSTC and the external tooling. I will have a deeper look into the libdivecomputer software on how it interacts with the OSTC, as it is used by many other software.

@Michi: when you say it has no data in it, do all entries read with 999.. or 255.., or how does it look like?

Ralph

UPDATE 3:

A lot of time has went into debugging and testing this week, on OSTC side, but also on libdivecomputer side we're now close to rolling out an updated version we belive is now bullet-proof regarding firmware upload - thanks a lot Jef for your efforts!

All the other bugs (dive download, BT menu entry disappearing) are also fixed, a V3.09 beta 4 will be out soon...

[dadefay]

Thanks Ralph.

Please note I've got the same trouble with a development version of Subsurface (4.9.3-987-g6570597f5bcb).

Kind regards.

[U-96]

Hi Ralph

In Diving Log it opens a new record. When I opend the record there was no depth, no divetime and no ohter data like deco data or temperature stored.

Best regards
Michi
OSTC 2C #7452
OSTCplus #17296

[Ralph]

What does the OSTC built-in logbook show?

[U-96]

Hi Ralph

The built-in logbook shows the profile, the page with properties and details of the dive and the gas list (after downgrading to V3.01).

Best regards
Michi
OSTC 2C #7452
OSTCplus #17296

[Ralph]

Well, so on the OSTC everything is fine, but the dive data download failed!?

I am close to providing a debugging firmware download solution, to narrow in on the "problem maker".

Update (copy from above):

A lot of time has went into debugging and testing this week, on OSTC side, but also on libdivecomputer side we're now close to rolling out an updated version we belive is now bullet-proof regarding firmware upload - thanks a lot Jef for your efforts!

All the other bugs (dive download, BT menu entry disappearing) are also fixed, a V3.09 beta 4 will be out soon...

[Alubuddel]

I had two problems with the OSTC Sport 3.9 Beta 3:

After a dive yesterday (-12 m, 50 min) the OSTC Sport did not finish the dive but got stuck at the surface at a depth of -1.7 m and continued to record the TG. Only after removing the battery the dive was gone and was not recorded in the logbook. The following dive was completed correctly at 0 m.

Today when transferring the dives to the mobile Android version of Subsurface the dive computer could be connected to Subsurface via Bluetooth (also showed the ser. no.) but the new dive could not be transferred. After disconnecting the BT-connection the item "Bluethooth" did not appear in the menu of the dive computer anymore. Only after restarting the dive computer the menu item Bluethooth under Configuration was displayed again until exactly the next BT-connection. After that it was gone again.

After downgrading to 3.8 using HWOS Config (1.1.10) the connection with Subsurface mobile could be restored, but the dive recorded under 3.9 Beta 3 (which was still in the logbook) was not transferred.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ich hatte zwei Auffälligkeiten mit dem OSTC Sport 3.9 Beta 3:

Nach einem Tauchgang gestern (-12 m, 50 min) beendete der OSTC Sport den Tauchgang nicht sondern blieb an der Oberfläche in einer Tiefe von -1,7 m hängen und zeichnete den Tauchgang weiter auf. Erst nach dem Entnehmen der Batterie war der Tauchgang dann weg und wurde auch nicht im Logbuch gespeichert. Der nachfolgende Tauchgang wurde korrekt auf 0 m beendet.

Heute beim Übertragen der Tauchgänge in die mobile Android Version von Subsurface ließ sich der Tauchcomputer zwar über Bluetooth mit Subsurface verbinden (zeigte auch die Ser.-Nr. an) aber der neue Tauchgang ließ sich nicht übertragen. Nach dem Beenden der BT-Verbindung erschien im Menü des Tauchcomputer der Punkt "Bluethooth" nicht mehr. Erst nach dem Neustart des Tauchcomputer zeigte sich der Menüpunkt Bluethooth unter Konfiguration wieder bis genau zu nächsten BT-Verbindung. Danach war er wieder weg.

Nach dem Downgrade auf die 3.8 mittels HWOS Config (1.1.10) konnte die Verbindung mit Subsurface mobile wieder hergestellt werden, der unter 3.9 Beta 3 aufgezeichnete Tauchgang (der noch im Logbuch vorhanden war) wurde jedoch nicht überspielt.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ralph]

HI,

thanks for sharing your observations! I'll try to answer / explain...

Regarding the stuck in dive mode: actually hard to tell what happened. The OSTC sensed being at depth although it was at surface, so it may have operated on a wrong surface pressure reference. The surface pressure reference can be checked while in dive mode, it is in one of the custom views. So impossible to check now after the event, but in case it repeats: please check the surface pressure reference, that would give the only possible cue to further track down the issue.

The BT menue item bug has been solved meanwhile, the fix will roll out with the next beta.

With the logbook / dive data transfer, there may be two reasons. What type of OSTC do you use, what age? Backgound: there are various hardware versions "under the hood", and there is a know code issue in the beta with one of the memory chips used. On the other hand, we just discovered a timing problem in the interplay of the OSTC and libdivecomputer, which fuels Subsurface connectivity. Both, the OSTC code and the libdivecomputer code are being worked on as of now, we hope to provide updates to both soon.

BR
Ralph

[Alubuddel]

Thanks Ralph for the fast answer. My Sport ist a new model (2019).

Looking forward for the next Beta.

[Ralph]

Hi all,

here's some news on the next (and hopefull final) beta:

Yesterday we were able to fix the last and really nasty bug in the firmware update procedure. Really nasty because it only showed up on older OSTC models, and also not on all of them but just individual ones, heaviliy depending on the production charge of the microprocessor that works within the OSTCs. This has now been fixed by some changes / work-arounds in software. We are in the final testing phase now and are looking forward to being able to provide a V3.09 beta 4 within the next days.

For those of you who are experiencing problems with firmware updating after installing the last beta (due to being victim of the above described bug), we will have a solution for you then as well.

best regards,
Ralph

[Alubuddel]

Many thanks Ralph for the bug fixing

[Ralph]

Well, I have the honor to forward a big deal of the thanks to Jef from libdivecomputer, as he owns such a 'troublemaker' OSTC and had to try dozens of debugging code enhanced firmware versions for us before we could pin-point the root of the problem. As part of these efforts, there will be an updated OSTC support in libdivecomputer coming soon, which was developed with collaborative in-depth knowledge of the OSTC data exchange protocol. :-)

[gr3yw0lf]

Well, I have the honor to forward a big deal of the thanks to Jef from libdivecomputer, as he owns such a 'troublemaker' OSTC and had to try dozens of debugging code enhanced firmware versions for us before we could pin-point the root of the problem. As part of these efforts, there will be an updated OSTC support in libdivecomputer coming soon, which was developed with collaborative in-depth knowledge of the OSTC data exchange protocol.

hm....
sounds like a great update is coming up - also in subsurface
thx

[Clownfish]

Ralph,

Great news about solving the updating problem. I have not been able to do it despite trying numerous software options, including Android. Also now seems to cause problems downloading dives or updating settings.

Michael
OSTC 2
#11528
Sydney
Australia

[Ralph]

Hello Michael,

then your OSTC is likely to be affected by the hardware anomaly. Please contact HW by direct email to receive tooling and instruction for doing a recovery load. The new firmware will also have a readout of the CPU revision which we're keen to know about to get an idea how many of these CPUs are in use in OSTC computers (the revision code is not printed on the chip, so one can't see in production) .

BR
Ralph

[Clownfish]

Matthias sent me some software and a hex file. After a bit of effort, I managed to change the firmware to the one for OSTC Sport and then via normal upgrade to V3.09 Beta 3. I am sure he will post the details here soon.

Many thanks to Ralph and Matthias for their help.

Michael
OSTC 2#11528
Sydney
Australia

[Ralph]

Ahm, with re-installing 3.09 beta 3 you are back to your original problem... So for installing the beta 4 once it is out, you have to repeat the recovery procedure. Using the recovery procedure should not be done too often, as it is a "no frills" way of loading firmware onto the OSTC, i.e. without any readback and checksum checks to detect transmission errors. Hence, in case of an transmission failure, the OSTC is likely to become bricked and then needs a factory load.

:-) Ralph

[Clownfish]

Okay, no problems. I am locked down in self isolation after returning from overseas dive trip so cannot dive for almost two weeks. I have now redone and gone back to 3.08 successfully.

Michael
OSTC #11528
Sydney
Australia

[heinrichsweikamp]

Continue here with the beta 4 thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=22054