Classic 150 firmware update notes

[aroxburgh]

Yesterday I successfully updated my Classic 150 , and would like to share what I learned in the process.
AS RECEIVED FROM FACTORY: 1070 (Classic), 1056 (MNGP).
NEW VERSIONS: 1181 (Classic, 12/01/2012), 1042 (MNGP, 12/11/2012), also 1122 (Network...as reported by the Solar Status Panel PC software)  I have no idea why my "new" MNGP firmware has a lower rev number.

My main PC runs 64-bit Vista. The updater and USB CDC drivers installed OK, but no COM8 communication. I tried running the updater several times, to no avail (including changing the baud rate from 9600 to 19200, since the latter speed is shown in the PC screen grabs in some versions of the update documentation, and removing the Classic cover to verify that the USB *red* power LED is illuminated indicating USB connection). I have come across USB COM port emulation problems in the 64-bit context before (although with FTDI, not CDC), so I was not too surprised.

I put 64-bit Vista aside, and powered up my old XP laptop; installed everything there, and proceeded as before...success!

As noted at the very end of the installation notes for version 1181 (Suggestion: Why not put such an important point at the start of the notes, even if it is an afterthought?), it is crucial to wait (about 1 minute) after the (highly misleading)  "Transferring... 100% Done", until you get the "Classic Successfully Updated" message.

I refrained from automatically doing a "Factory Defaults" reset (DC power up Classic while holding L and R arrow buttons),
because there was nothing mentioned to assure me that this would not wipe out three months of solar logging. (There
was no such assurance given with the firmware update either, but not wanting to labor over the recording of screeds of
data, by hand, from the tiny MNGP panel, I really had no choice but to take a chance and proceed, since my main reason
for updating was to get remote data display working). Proceeding without the reset, everything seemed to work, and the
logged data was intact!

Now able to use the Ethernet-connected Solar Status Panel PC program, I downloaded and exported to data to an Excel
spreadsheet for graphing.

I soon noticed that not all was normal with the Classic and MNGP after the update: It constantly reminded me with a bogus message that said "OCP is off!" and during startup I'd see something like Memory location not used: 255. Anyway, with logged data in hand, I performed the "Factory Defaults" reset (which required an assistant because of the distance between my E-Panel and the remote MNGP), and everything seems great now...POSTSCRIPT: I wrote that too soon. This morning, the first day after the firmware update, at about 0.3 kWh, the Classic lost touch with the Solar Status Panel (which had to be manually restarted), and reset the kWh to 0.0. Not good, since this feature has previously been reliable for three months on the older firmware)!

Apart from getting a more reliable kWh logging, next priority is to get the web-based reporting going. I have enabled that in the MNGP, and have my Classic MAC address and Device ID handy, but don't see anything relevant to this feature at www.mymidnitesolar.com. 

I am intrigued by the Voice setting in the new MNGP. Lacking any documentation on the feature, I set it to "Verbose" hoping to create a "catch-all" for any audio/voice activity. So far it's remained silent. The audio self-test works, so if there
is audio/voice, I should be able to hear it.

If I could make a plea to Ryan et al at MidNite, it would be to try and keep the documentation and manuals more up to date, including the (very useful) glossary of terms at the beginning of the Classic Manual. Some terms are not described anywhere...   

What the manuals need is someone who is an experienced technical writer but also removed from the hurly-burly of the project to edit them for consistency and accuracy...something I'd be very willing to do as a contract employee
The faults and omissions are many. For example, what  is "Moonscope"? In addition, the many figures are rarely referenced by number, and those few that are referring to examples. The manual has improved a lot, but the number of egregious errors has aalso increased. With a little more attention on the writing and communication (and believe me, I know what that takes in a manufacturing and R&D company), MidNite Solar can become the classy company that it obviously aspires to be. 

[Vic]

Hi arox..

Welcome to the Forum.
You have chosen the best CC,  by far,  for your application.  Nothing is perfect,  and the Classic is getting ever-closer to perfection,  it is almost there,   IMHO.   AND when it is perfect,  it will continue to get better and better.

In my experience,  companies that have tight Doc Control,  are companies that make few,  if any changes to their products ...   "It is just too difficult to propagate all of the changes and revs thorugh proudction and distribution ...   better to make almost no changes.  May introduce a new product in five years or so,  but best to not change anything  ..."

MidNite Solar appears to be a fairly small company that is very aggressive in introducing new products  that the market demands  in very short design cycles.  Some of the docs are a bit behind.   This Forum with its knowledge base and users  helps a great deal in communicating  the terminology  and function/operation of things that have been improved.

Tech Support and Engineering personnel from MidNite are the most frequent responders to queries on this Forum.  There is simply NO other Solar company that has this high level of support from Principals in the company.

You have the best CC,  which has the best support in the industry,  which is becoming very much better over a period of some small number of months,  what more could one ask for?

Other CCs are not field updateable,  or require a FirmWare Implanter that costs $250.  AND,  no other CC offers the large number of function that is built into the Classic.  It is not quite perfect,  but,  it is much more perfect than any of the competition,   and it continues to get better and better.

I am not associated with MidNite,  am just another very happy customer.
Just my experience.   Thanks,  Vic

[TomW]

Vic;

You are so right. These guys work hard to build and support their products.

I understand the need for good documentation but no reason to have a bunch of document revisions until you have a finished, mature final version of a product. Addendums / notes might be useful for newer version features as they emerge.

Most questions get a quick response on the forum but not everyone has time to hunt info down in a forum and some of us barely have internet here where the coyotes outnumber the people 2 or 3 to one.

Another happy customer with a few Midnite products in my system.

Tom

[boB]

Thank you Vic !

aroxburgh, I must totally agree with you on almost all points.  Especially the manual needing work.

On the MNGP rev. number, I am not quite sure about that ?  I will look.  But by the date, 12-11-2012,
I see it is indeed the latest...  Well, the latest until probably next week anyway.  Sorry.  It will
get better.

Great idea on making a note that lets the person know what does NOT get changed or erased when
doing an update and/or a Vuclan Mind Meld (VMM) re-initialization.

On waiting 1 minute after 100%, I'm still not totally convinced this needs to be done but at least
a couple of people have seen this make a difference...   Coincidence ?  I can't say for sure
for their experience but when I looked into this by updating, noting the CRC or checksum and
re-updating with and without waiting the minute, I could not detect a difference so I just
don't know.  Maybe it had something to do with the particular windows OS and/or PC
and how it works with CDC comm port emulation ?

XP seems to work well, vista and windows 7 appear to be sort of "iffy" sometimes and
windows 8 seems to work great.  At first, 64 bit windows 7 did not work at all !
It took a while to get it to work and appeared to work fine every time at the factory.
Obviously, Murphy is alive and well, unfortunately.

The voice is not there yet but is anticipated to be somewhat functional later this year.
Sorry it even has the word "verbose" in there.  Not that verbose could also apply to
beeping too, of course.

I'm happy that at least you got it to update.
We will keep you in mind for your possible services.

Thank you very much for your great input !  Things will only get better.
boB