Firmware OS support

[caldoverde]

I just took delivery of a Classic 250 yesterday and we're in the process of installing it, setting it up and digesting the manual. Do you only provide firmware upgrades for Windows? We're Mac-based here ... 

[boB]

I just took delivery of a Classic 250 yesterday and we're in the process of installing it, setting it up and digesting the manual. Do you only provide firmware upgrades for Windows? We're Mac-based here ... 

Yes, at the moment it requires windows for upgrading the firmware.

I use a Mac Pro myself but have bootcamp and windows XP as well.
We will definitely be adding support for OS X in the future, but for the
moment we are stuck with windoze.

You might be able to get parallels to get it to work though.  I haven't tried that.

boB

[jtdiesel65]

Linux too?

[boB]

Linux too?

Yes, if we can do Mac or Windoze, then Linux would also be included.

The local app runs on all 3 now since it uses adobe AIR.

boB

[laszlo]

I have tried the windows updater program under vmware Fusion  on the Mac, but  loader gets into some issue with the serial port, so it could not update the firmware.  Parallel may run into same issue, but it may work for all we know, so it's worth giving it a shot.   Some time ago, boB was talking about  creating an IP based firmware updater, and that should be the focus.

I just took delivery of a Classic 250 yesterday and we're in the process of installing it, setting it up and digesting the manual. Do you only provide firmware upgrades for Windows? We're Mac-based here ... 

Yes, at the moment it requires windows for upgrading the firmware.

I use a Mac Pro myself but have bootcamp and windows XP as well.
We will definitely be adding support for OS X in the future, but for the
moment we are stuck with windoze.

You might be able to get parallels to get it to work though.  I haven't tried that.

boB

[caldoverde]

Thanks for that. I had Parallels but haven't had a use for Windoze in so long now that it no longer runs on my updated OS. Are you reckoning on having firmware upgrades platform-independent before the next crucial upgrade? If not, guessing I could lean on a couple of friends with Windows laptops ...

[boB]

Thanks for that. I had Parallels but haven't had a use for Windoze in so long now that it no longer runs on my updated OS. Are you reckoning on having firmware upgrades platform-independent before the next crucial upgrade? If not, guessing I could lean on a couple of friends with Windows laptops ...

Unfortunately, updating firmware with OS X is going to be quite a while I would imagine.
It shouldn't be too hard to do using serial USB on OS X though.
We can update software through TCP/IP but only the Classic itself...  Not the MNGP remote.
That is because the Classic acts as a communications bridge to the MNGP and it works for
USB but the other stuff is quite a bit more complicated to implement but it is definitely in
the works.

I am just the opposite of you, I am on a Macbook Pro right now, but my critical software only runs under windows.
If my compiler (IAR) would run under OS X, I would be a happy camper and most likely would stat on the Mac
side of bootcamp.  No parallels or VMware for me.  I need full resources for this the way it is.

I would borrow your friends' laptop with windows on it for now.   If you have a choice, I would use windows
XP rather than the  Windows 7 that some call the "Redmond 7 Virus"...   There 'can' be issues with that OS
but 9 times out of 10 it works just fine nowdays.

boB

[lanceb]

I just upgraded all 4 of my Classics. boB said I should put Windows on by MacBook Pro, however I don't mind very well and I just refuse to do this. I purchased a Dell that was going to recycling for $10. This required a little adult supervision as I know nothing about Windows, XP or any other. The upgrade went well and I found on the 2nd Classic that I could hook up the USB and go straight to step 30 in the upgrade instructions for the 2nd 3rd and 4th Classic.Wheeeee!

[boB]

I just upgraded all 4 of my Classics. boB said I should put Windows on by MacBook Pro, however I don't mind very well and I just refuse to do this. I purchased a Dell that was going to recycling for $10. This required a little adult supervision as I know nothing about Windows, XP or any other. The upgrade went well and I found on the 2nd Classic that I could hook up the USB and go straight to step 30 in the upgrade instructions for the 2nd 3rd and 4th Classic.Wheeeee!

Lance !  That's GreEt !!   Congratulations !

boB

[David]

What would be involved in getting it to work for OS X?  It appears you are using a USB driver on Windows to communicate with the Classic and update the firmware?  I'm planning on getting the Classic shortly but don't know how I am going to be able to update to the latest firmware.

[lanceb]

It really wasn't very hard to upgrade using a Windows computer. See above post. I actually downloaded the instructional video into my MacBook Pro, and set it up next to the obsolete Windows XP computer, and the instructional video works very well because it is set up in steps and it will go forward or back in steps from the buttons. I did have to get some help "where is the control panel on this thing" after the 1st one upgrading the other Classics was a piece of cake. The 2 laptop method was very helpful to a computer incompetent such as myself. There has never been a charge controller that was so easy to upgrade as the Classic is. It is so fabulous to have charge controllers that can "grow" as boB and friends come up with new things. I am sure that there is no limit, so using a Windows system at this point was well worth it, and didn't turn out to be as yucky as I had expected.