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Unread 01/26/2010, 07:13 PM   #1
clp
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Apex Firmware Update - 4.02 Beta

If you want to help test the latest firmware for the Apex, then read on. Don't expect this release to be perfect - that is why it is a beta release. If for any reason you are not comfortable putting beta firmware in your controller, I recommend that you wait for the final release.

This release adds the following features:

- Support for PM2 Module
- Preliminary support for Vortech module
- Initial graph page displays last 24 hours.
- Customizable web status page.
- Configuration Load/Save
- Enhanced clock features. Day light savings time added, NTP internet clock set support

The firmware can be downloaded from:

www.neptunesys.com/apex_4_02.zip

Curt


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Unread 01/26/2010, 07:30 PM   #2
ENS
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Curt - I still needed to load the last firmware update. So my question is, does this incorporate everything from the 4.01-11/4/09 update so that a Apex owner would only need to add this new beta update, or would we first need to add the prior 4.01 firmware update? Thanks! Looking forward to installing the PM2.
Evan


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Unread 01/26/2010, 07:42 PM   #3
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It is all inclusive; you only need to load this 1 file and you have everything to date (all fixes, all new features, etc).


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Current Tank Info: 225G, BK 300 Deluxe, Deltec PF601, Precision Marine Kalkreactor, 2-LMIII+6 pumps, SpectraPure UHE, Apex, LunarSim, Tunze 6305s. Mixed reef, clam, fish, etc.
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Unread 01/26/2010, 07:52 PM   #4
ENS
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Thanks Ken.


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Current Tank Info: In process of designing/building new custom in-wall 330gl tank w/ 220gl sump system, LED lights, Neptune Apex controller, Deltec TC2560 skimmer, Deltec Kalk Rxtr, Ozone, and lots of other toys/equip. Moved in 2014, leaving prior in-wall tank.
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Unread 01/26/2010, 08:41 PM   #5
phuzzykins
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NTP seems to be turned on by default in this release. Like many folks, I offset the Apex clock so that I can use the season table for lighting and still have the lights on while I'm actually home.

As soon as the firmware upgrade completed, the Apex's clock was set to the current local time. I had to go in and change the offset from -5 (EST) to -15


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Unread 01/26/2010, 09:50 PM   #6
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How do you customize the web status page?


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Unread 01/26/2010, 11:01 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HeneryH View Post
How do you customize the web status page?

You will notice a drop-down in the status menu; each page coorisponds to a display page so the status will display the status and outlets per the selected page. Use Display Settings to change what each page shows (there are 4 pages).


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Current Tank Info: 225G, BK 300 Deluxe, Deltec PF601, Precision Marine Kalkreactor, 2-LMIII+6 pumps, SpectraPure UHE, Apex, LunarSim, Tunze 6305s. Mixed reef, clam, fish, etc.
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Unread 01/27/2010, 12:28 AM   #8
ZachB
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Awesome.

This controller gets better and better. Thanks Curt!


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Unread 01/27/2010, 07:23 AM   #9
Simon.Kruger
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The new version hangs my controller. Firmware and webpage update was successful.

Now everytime I web into it it hangs. I then need to reboot to get the unit working again.

Aquanotes on the iPhone works fine as long as I haven't webbed into it.

Any ideas.


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Unread 01/27/2010, 08:09 AM   #10
sjwinick
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problem with ORP after update

did the beta update with no apparent problems. apex running normally, but there is a problem with my ORP. after updating, the ORP value disappeared from the display. after investigating, it had been disabled. i re-enabled and saved. it reported enabled, but after restarting it went back to disabled.

i re-enabled again and restarted with same result.

i tried re-enabling without restarting. the value for ORP shows up in the display, but it's wrong. value before updating about 340. now shows 530. and doesn't change if i put it in calibration solution

if i try to calibrate from the menu, there is a software bug. the screen shows the ORP calibration screen momentarily and then jumps to the pH calibration screen. this is repeatable. can't get to ORP calibration screen

something broke.

please let me know if anyone has any suggestions as to something to try or workaround?

thanks

sjw


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Unread 01/27/2010, 08:40 AM   #11
sjwinick
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followup to reported ORP problem

just an added piece of info. i downgraded the code back to the prior release. all worked as before without further enabling or calibration

sjw


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Unread 01/27/2010, 04:53 PM   #12
clp
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The ORP issue has been corrected and the firmware updated. Use this link to download the latest:

www.neptunesys.com/apex_4_02.zip

Curt


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Unread 01/27/2010, 05:41 PM   #13
phuzzykins
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Curt,

Today none of the devices on the control port (I have a DC8, a DC4HD, and a Lunar Sim) were controlled.

The lights all shut off correctly after the firmware upgrade last night, but didn't power on today. I came home to a dark tank and sleeping fish.

The devices on my EB8 were controlled just fine. I verified that the DCx outlets did not respond to manual control. I had to reboot the Apex base unit in order to get the DCx outlets to respond.


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Unread 01/27/2010, 07:33 PM   #14
ump
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i just loaded the firmware update and it said it was sucessfull but when i did the self test it says revision 4.01 its supose to be 4.02 correct or am i missing something


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Unread 01/27/2010, 07:45 PM   #15
kenargo
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From the network settings screen the latest download (2 replies up from this) should read:

Quote:
4.02_1F10



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Current Tank Info: 225G, BK 300 Deluxe, Deltec PF601, Precision Marine Kalkreactor, 2-LMIII+6 pumps, SpectraPure UHE, Apex, LunarSim, Tunze 6305s. Mixed reef, clam, fish, etc.
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Unread 01/27/2010, 08:43 PM   #16
ump
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i have ran the update 3 times current firmware 4.01_ba09
Sending block: 110 of 110
Sent block: 110 of 110 successful.
Starting Apex
Upload complete

Operation complete.
but still will not show up


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Unread 01/27/2010, 09:09 PM   #17
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Make sure the path to the aqua4.hex is not pointing to an old release. Click browse and search for the hex file in the release_4.02_100124_1F10 folder.


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Unread 01/27/2010, 09:36 PM   #18
ump
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Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by revnull View Post
Make sure the path to the aqua4.hex is not pointing to an old release. Click browse and search for the hex file in the release_4.02_100124_1F10 folder.
thank you thats what it was now i have the new firmware


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Unread 01/27/2010, 10:40 PM   #19
sjwinick
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thanks for the quick response

the ORP data and display are indeed working fine

the calibration menu selection still fails as i described previously. if i select ORP calibration on the display, it shows the ORP form (without the live readings) for .5 second or so and then jumps to pH calibration

sjw


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Unread 01/28/2010, 12:26 AM   #20
zoolan70
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I was able to update the firmware, but I can't update the web page. I get:

Operation Failed with the following error information:

Unable to connect to the remote server

I can get to the web page as normal, but just can't seem to update them...

Thanks for any help you can provide...


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Unread 01/28/2010, 12:35 AM   #21
revnull
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After the apex firmware is updated you need to give the controller time to reboot before you can push the web update. I had a similar problem. I had to power cycle (unplug the apex from the EB8 and plug it back in) the apex and retry the web update after the apex is back online.


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Unread 01/28/2010, 12:44 AM   #22
zoolan70
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I figured it out. I had the wrong port number entered for the HTTP port. I outsmarted myself by changing it to a very non-standard port.

Thanks for the help!


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Unread 01/28/2010, 09:13 AM   #23
sjwinick
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feedback on new status screens

just some personal opinion on the new status screens. having configurable status is definitely the right idea. to be more meaningful to me, i'd make the following suggestions:

a) status should be just that. status. no need to have any controls. i looking for one place where i can see that everything is the way it's supposed to be, visually with no clicks. the current setting (auto, on, off) is relevant as a displayed value, but doesn't have to be a control. status with control can be a separate screen

b) probably needs to be more horizontally oriented. i have enough devices and objects that i have to scroll the screen to see everything, yet i have plenty of horizontal space. vertical table is convenient, but not the best way to see things. i'd prefer things on a single visual page probably organized by module or the like with some color, more like a dashboard. the widget is more visually useful to me than the web display screen.

c) the screen configuration is the same for the display and the web. not ideal, since the two media are very different. method can still work, but web needs its own choices. obviously, display is space limited. web pages aren't as much. 16 total objects (icons or otherwise) to display is not enough to make the screen complete, so i can't configure one screen to have everything i want to see. the status screen configuration probably needs their own choices, or, instead, if a common configuration is used, there should be more lines of objects on the configuration screen and just make the display a subset using the first two and ignoring the rest used for the web status

d) the resulting output is, to my view, actually nicer on the display than the web despite the web being the better workspace. i'd like to see icons, graphics and color.


e) need way to indicate that an object that is part of the default objects for a module is not being used so that it doesn't appear on any status screens with information that isn't meaningful. this could be done by separate flag or by the control type in outlet setup having an addition choice "not used". true for the VarSpd, etc. i'd be happier with less configuration if i could simply not see the "not used" objects and get everything else organized on to one visual screen with icons and text that didn't require scrolling for most systems, even if i couldn't control the details

thanks for listening. love the product

sjw


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Unread 01/28/2010, 10:31 AM   #24
JonnyD91
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sjwinick View Post
just some personal opinion on the new status screens. having configurable status is definitely the right idea. to be more meaningful to me, i'd make the following suggestions:

a) status should be just that. status. no need to have any controls. i looking for one place where i can see that everything is the way it's supposed to be, visually with no clicks. the current setting (auto, on, off) is relevant as a displayed value, but doesn't have to be a control. status with control can be a separate screen

b) probably needs to be more horizontally oriented. i have enough devices and objects that i have to scroll the screen to see everything, yet i have plenty of horizontal space. vertical table is convenient, but not the best way to see things. i'd prefer things on a single visual page probably organized by module or the like with some color, more like a dashboard. the widget is more visually useful to me than the web display screen.

c) the screen configuration is the same for the display and the web. not ideal, since the two media are very different. method can still work, but web needs its own choices. obviously, display is space limited. web pages aren't as much. 16 total objects (icons or otherwise) to display is not enough to make the screen complete, so i can't configure one screen to have everything i want to see. the status screen configuration probably needs their own choices, or, instead, if a common configuration is used, there should be more lines of objects on the configuration screen and just make the display a subset using the first two and ignoring the rest used for the web status

d) the resulting output is, to my view, actually nicer on the display than the web despite the web being the better workspace. i'd like to see icons, graphics and color.


e) need way to indicate that an object that is part of the default objects for a module is not being used so that it doesn't appear on any status screens with information that isn't meaningful. this could be done by separate flag or by the control type in outlet setup having an addition choice "not used". true for the VarSpd, etc. i'd be happier with less configuration if i could simply not see the "not used" objects and get everything else organized on to one visual screen with icons and text that didn't require scrolling for most systems, even if i couldn't control the details

thanks for listening. love the product

sjw
Keep in mind this is an embeded web server. Doing most of those things concerning graphics and such will only take more resources and make it slower. I take speed over looks anyday. As is now it is slower than browsing the regular internet.


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Unread 01/28/2010, 11:33 AM   #25
sjwinick
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agreed. guess i don't actually find my apex slow, but i understand the point

only response would be that the goals aren't mutually exclusive and many are design options with little system cost in generating a page. don't think the apex is code constrained and the icon bit mapped graphics are probably already in there.

sjw


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