PowerFLARM USB 3 cables and ConnectMe to PowerFLARM through V7

Another example that I just noticed discussed in another thread is task declaration. I don't what word to describe the process other than a hack. To declare a task I have to take my config file, use a txt editor to edit it, put very human-unfriendly configuration statements, plug the usb stick, power cycle, hope I didn't make any mistake, left the USB stick there long enough, ... and go on with my task. I don't know about anyone else, but I would never trust I got that right for a serious task attempt!!!

We live in the world of smart phones, cloud services, proper UE, things should get easier not harder...

I am not trying to be too hard on the Flarm team. This is a wonderful tool and will help us save lives and I know it is not easy getting new products to market. However, a product advertised to do some functionality, should deliver on those promises. This is especially true in this case as a large number of consumers signed up to buy it before development was complete to help get it adopted.

On Monday, June 10, 2013 2:01:50 PM UTC-5, Morteza Ansari wrote:
By hack I mean the fact that a power cycle is needed, there is no control over which files get copied (my understanding is that all files in powerflarm will get copied if they don't exist). On Sat. I had to get some files off and used a new USB stick and had to wait for it to copy all files. Also, other than the little LED on the brick itself I have no indication of whether the copy operation is done or not. The overall experience seems very poor with very little feedback to the user.



Making other non-frequent operations (FW, DB, license updates) more challenging might be acceptable, but even those I would love to use Oudie or the display device (in my case FlarmView).



Overall given the brick doesn't have a native user interface other than a single LED, all of these operations should be done via API/protocol where the front end devices like the Oudie or other displays can handle all these operations with proper user interface and feedback mechanism.



I hope this helps explain why I look at this as a "hack".





Cheers,

Morteza



On Thursday, June 6, 2013 5:47:14 PM UTC-5, wrote:

Morteza,







thanks for your feedback. Can you elaborate on the 'hack'?







PowerFLARM doesn't copy all logs, only the ones that are not



yet on the stick.







Firmware, obstacle DB and licence updates are via USB as well, so you may want to



have a cable anyway (cost: $10). In the past, it has turned out to be less than trivial



to teach a large number of third party developers how to correctly implement



the FLARM RS232 protocols. This is another reason why we are a bit reluctant in that area.







Best



--Gerhard (FLARM dev mgr)















Thanks Paul for the additional information. To be honest the whole model of how PowerFlarm handles logfile copying seems at best to be a hack! As such the next best alternate solution would be to let Oudie handle it. As of right now I don't have the USB port brought to the front of my panel and given how the USB stick copying of log files work, I really would prefer not to do that. I want to have some level of control (like every other device!) on what files get copied and when they get copied rather than plug the USB stick, power cycle and get ALL the logs...

I would like to second Morteza's frustration with file transfer and task declaration on the brick. This is a headless device with no interface at all. if there was no need to interact with it, that would be fine, but It needs a front end of some kind to make it usable.

This is an IGC approved logger, and declaring a task by putting an edited text file on a USB stick, then transferring it by power cycling the whole thing and waiting for a blinking light you can't see to turn green..is appalling. At a minimum the user needs feedback that no mistakes were made.

For retrieving log files, should I dedicate a USB stick to the brick so it doesn't download every flight in memory each time the stick is inserted? if the stick is almost full of other stuff, what will happen? does it download newest flight files first and gracefully stop when it runs out of USB memory? Should I use a different stick for firmware updates, or is it ok to have the firmware upgraded every time I power cycle the brick if I forget to remove the config file? Should I give my dedicated USB stick to the contest scorer filled with irrelevant flights? Or should I erase all the repeatedly downloaded old flights off the contest USB stick each day?

Please, please fix this. ConnectMe works with almost every modern logger. It runs on PDAs and Oudie's, and laptops. It already has a decent interface and most pilots know how to use it. It's free, and it's already written and widely distributed. It would be a big win for your customers if you could make it work. Yes, the USB stick works, but your great product and your customers deserve a little better.

Matt

At 19:12 10 June 2013, Morteza Ansari wrote:
... and go on with my task. I don't know about anyone else, but I would
never trust I got that right for a serious task attempt!!!

Takes me back to what I said in a previous thread - paper declaration every
time on the important flights.

But to continue with this thread, I now have LX FlarmMouse, V7 and Oudie 2
running 4.40 and the whole process of downloading flights through ConnectMe
works like a dream.

At 19:12 10 June 2013, Morteza Ansari wrote:
... and go on with my task. I don't know about anyone else, but I would
never trust I got that right for a serious task attempt!!!

Takes me back to what I said in a previous thread - paper declaration every
time on the important flights.

But to continue with this thread, I now have LX FlarmMouse, V7 and Oudie 2
running 4.40 and the whole process of downloading flights through ConnectMe
works like a dream.

Thanks Matt,

you're asking some valid questions. I'll make sure they'll get answered
in future releases of the manual.

We're aware that not all the functionality of PF is available
for all the possible 'User Interfaces' (BF, FlarmView etc...), we're working
with the manufacturers to get them added. Feel free to direct
relevant feedback also to the display/flight computer etc. manufacturers.

re task declarations: Can be done via the RS232, should work with any
tool that already supported Classic FLARM. Manually editing flarmcfg.txt
was never considered a use case for the average user.

re IGC readout:
- Use a dedicated USB stick. Delete/backup your flights once per year,
it'll never get full (or how much do you fly? It can
be shared with F/W; the update is skipped if already installed.
- Power cycle is no longer needed with the BF display 3.2, other displays
should follow.

Contest scoring: Did you ever have a problem with a
contest scorer not accepting multiple flights on a stick? IGC files
are (intentionally) named so that the sorting order corresponds to the
chronology of flights. So it's easy to pick out the last one.

Best
--Gerhard (FLARM dev mgr)

My experience (core hooked up to SN10B and Oudie2, all with latest software) has been totally painless. Although I haven't declared a task in 13 years, my SN10 had no problem sending the R9 race tasks to the core on every flight last week at Moriarty. After each flight, using the Butterfly display and the same USB stick, it downloaded the latest flight in seconds, with positive feedback on the display of the status of the download. And Winscore doesn't care what else you have on your memory stick as long as the flight for the day is there.

I am EXTREMELY

On Thursday, June 13, 2013 9:40:26 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
My experience (core hooked up to SN10B and Oudie2, all with latest software) has been totally painless. Although I haven't declared a task in 13 years, my SN10 had no problem sending the R9 race tasks to the core on every flight last week at Moriarty. After each flight, using the Butterfly display and the same USB stick, it downloaded the latest flight in seconds, with positive feedback on the display of the status of the download. And Winscore doesn't care what else you have on your memory stick as long as the flight for the day is there.



I am EXTREMELY

(continued - fat fingers!): EXTREMELY pleased with my PowerFlarm. My only issue right now is the display of "PCAS" (non-directional transponder) targets - the range circle needs to be a bit bolder, and the altitude of the target needs to be displayed in a much bigger font as it is the primary data that is used to determine if a threat is present. I would prefer if the "PCAS" altitude and "range", along with an altitude trend arrow (up/down/level), be displayed offset and in reverse font to set it apart from the Flarm and ADS-B data.

Cheers,

Kirk

On Tuesday, June 4, 2013 7:50:10 PM UTC-7, Tim Taylor wrote:
Two comments/questions:



1. I had purchased a panel mount extension USB cable to allow me to plug the USB drive into the panel for upgrades and flight downloads. I didn't think anything about the cable type but after doing the install I can not download flights. I started looking at the cable and realized it is USB 3 (labeled SSUSB with Blue tabs). I realized PowerFLARM did not work with USB 3 drive but never thought about checking the extension cable type as well.

I installed a USB panel mount extension and downloaded yesterday's flight just fine. I am unclear what differences in cabling there are between USB 3 and other USB cables since the connectors are identical. Does USB 3 hook up more of the wires?

2. Will ConnectMe on an Oudie work with a PowerFLARM through a V7? I can see the serial number but it will not access the flights. Would be nice if we could use that in the future to download flights.

I'm using and Oudie hooked to a 302 and a PowerFlarm via a K6 MUX - works great in uploading and downloading to the 302. The ConnectMe software doesn't yet allow for PowerFlarm up/downloads but I believe they are working on it.

Hi Andy,

I don't think your statement below is correct. I think ConnectMe supports
flight log downloads from PowerFLARM, but the PowerFLARM doesn't support it
yet.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
__________________________________

wrote in message
...

On Tuesday, June 4, 2013 7:50:10 PM UTC-7, Tim Taylor wrote:
Two comments/questions:



1. I had purchased a panel mount extension USB cable to allow me to plug
the USB drive into the panel for upgrades and flight downloads. I didn't
think anything about the cable type but after doing the install I can not
download flights. I started looking at the cable and realized it is USB 3
(labeled SSUSB with Blue tabs). I realized PowerFLARM did not work with
USB 3 drive but never thought about checking the extension cable type as
well.

I installed a USB panel mount extension and downloaded yesterday's flight
just fine. I am unclear what differences in cabling there are between USB 3
and other USB cables since the connectors are identical. Does USB 3 hook up
more of the wires?

2. Will ConnectMe on an Oudie work with a PowerFLARM through a V7? I can
see the serial number but it will not access the flights. Would be nice
if we could use that in the future to download flights.

I'm using and Oudie hooked to a 302 and a PowerFlarm via a K6 MUX - works
great in uploading and downloading to the 302. The ConnectMe software
doesn't yet allow for PowerFlarm up/downloads but I believe they are working
on it.

9B

On Saturday, June 15, 2013 1:32:47 PM UTC-7, Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Andy,

I don't think your statement below is correct. I think ConnectMe supports
flight log downloads from PowerFLARM, but the PowerFLARM doesn't support it
yet.

Best Regards,

Paul Remde

Glad somebody's working on it!

A.