New G2 firmware available.

[mill]

Just a short message to let G2 users know that the new December 24 firmware is available from the Yahoo tech groups Gemini-II.

This version has a new start up menu, and also needs the latest ASCOM driver from the Drivers sub directory GeminiTelescopeInstaller(1.0.36.0). exe PLEASE NOTE: THIS VERSION IS STILL BETA. CHANGES WERE MADE TO IT EVEN TODAY.

Martin.

[midnight]

Fantastic news!

Thanks for the heads up Martin. I hope Rene is taking a break. The Gem 2 is coming along nicely.

Darrin...

[mill]

Darrin, Rene is now busy with the PEC routine so that is going to be fun testing.
Also when upgrading to this release via the upgrade program or via FTP you have to reset the sram via the web interface and redo your settings.
Also don't forget to set your mount to a cold start before repowering your G2 or else it will not update.

Martin.

[midnight]

Thanks Martin for the info.

I am using Stephen's updater program for the 1st time and it has successfully updated (forces a cold boot). In the past I did the update manually via an FTP program.

PEC is interesting in that it must be a complex routine given that Rene has spent so much time on it.

I hope Gemini 2 develops into a more open framework as it has a huge potential to do a lot within the controller that is currently done by an external computer.

I'm keen to have a closer look at PAA and whether it can substitute for say Alignmaster.

Cheers,
Darrin...

[mill]

:) I can't say on a open forum what is in the pipeline for the G2 but i can say that the possibilities are almost endless.
The feature port isn't used yet and there can be more done with the usb1 port etc etc.

[TrevorW]

What significant changes have happened in this release, thanks

[mill]

Trevor the meridian flip is now working, dimming the display works, and PAA and some other functions work reliable now.

[TrevorW]

Whats PAA, dimming the HC display works fine on my HC

Doh!!

Cheers Trevor

[mill]

PAA= Polar Alignment Assist DOH!!!!
:P

[TrevorW]

Oh!! never use it, sorry, by the way do I update the same as usual ie: takeing out the SD card from the main unit deleting the old files then copying the new version over onto the SD card etc

Cheers

[mill]

No you don't have to take the cards out.
You can FTP the files onto the main controllers SD card or use the method from this site -->> http://www.gemini-2.com/updatefirmwaremethods.html

Cheers.

[midnight]

I just did a PAA last night and this is a large improvement. I never got anywhere near this level of success before. Very happy indeed:D

I could slew from M42 to M45 and then Sirius and then to Thor's Helmet and it was damn close even at 10x on the 40D preview. No model. I had previously drift aligned about 6 nights ago.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

But I am noticing it is still not accepting the timezone as +8GMT after a GPS update (even manually changing it is not being accepted). It keeps defaulting to -8GMT and I have to power it down and up again to get it to keep +8GMT. I am using a Garmin GPS which plugs straight into Gem 2 RS232 port. It picks up lat and long as always.

Regards,
Darrin...

[mill]

Darrin when you set the time via the web interface it will hold.

[mithrandir]

I can never understand why people want their Gemini configured to local time. Mine works perfectly configured to use UTC aka GMT.

OK, WA, NT and Qld don't use DST but it's just one more thing to confuse issues.

Maybe one of you can come up with a good explanation.

[mill]

It is fairly simple Andrew.
When you set the local time in the G2 it also sets the GMT etc and most people know their own time zone better than the GMT so in the end it is just convenience.
What Gemini system do you use?

[mithrandir]

I have a G1 Martin, and I also have a GPS to set it, so it makes more sense in for me to stick to UTC. When I get a G2 I will run it on UTC also.

If I ever use it, I run my CG5 on UTC also.

If you noticed, I chipped Tom earlier today for putting the wrong UTC offset for Sydney in one of his Y! posts. Wrong offsets confuse people all the time with the trouble it causes getting their alignment right.

[midnight]

Gemini 2 with the attached GPS sets it. I don't. The problem is that it sets it to -8Hr and so when you do a goto to say Sirius, the mount starts going to somewhere below the horizon. This why I think Gem 2 uses the timezone.

I must be missing something but the mount surely needs to know the offset from GMT unless it can work it out from the longitude.

If I can avoid using the GMT offset for Gem 2, please let me know as I don't really need the local time.

Darrin...

[mithrandir]

Darrin is this recent firmware? If not maybe it is now fixed. I'd say ask on the Y! Gemini 2 group. The sign for GMT offset is always confusing, and was changed from G1 to G2. There were a few occurences reported of signs on numbers not working the same in the web pages and on the handpiece. Maybe this is one of them.

You are 8 hours ahead. Programmers can't seem to decide if it should be -8 or +8. Different people use different conventions and confuse everyone who uses the other.

I can't see why it needs to know the GMT offset if you've supplied it UTC from the GPS, unless it is for the web pages and even that is bad style. What if your web browser was on a computer in a different timezone to the mount?

I keep an eye on the Y! G2 group and am waiting for a few more bugs to be sorted before I make the G1 to G2 jump.

[mill]

When i use my GPS it sets the right time and Long/Lat but the local time zone is always 1 hour behind because it sets the UTC time and it looks like that doesn't take in account that we in VIC are in summertime.

And there is a new firmware out again, the french spelling is corrected and now you can set the startup mode on the hand controller.

[TrevorW]

After updating the new firmware which I did my way as it's simple and works, I had trouble setting the time offset and location co-ordinates from the handset they kept changing after I entred them. I connected via ethernet cable and used the web page to set them and they held.

Cheers

[midnight]

Trevor, I had a similar issue except it was just the timezone. After a cold start, I query the GPS and it correct sets my lat and long and I notice the timezone is set to -8hr. I forgot to check this initially as I then did a slew to Sirius and that's where it went down in the opposite direction.

I would then realise it is -8hr and then set it to +8hr and it would not accept it. So I would try again (not accepted) and then cycle a warm start and it would then have 8hr for the timezone which is correct for WA. I rarely use the web interface due to my setup but this is where I believe Gemini 2 is using the timezone to calculate instead of say UTC and then adjust based on longitude. I might flick this question on the Gemini II tech groups.

Andrew, this was with the Dec 24 firmware where I regularly check on the Yahoo tech site which is a fantastic resource. Apart from that, the G11 and Gemini 2 are worth every dollar and it's great to see it develop and that it has a huge potential.

Cheers,
Darrin...

[midnight]

I got a reply from Tom over in tech groups and his response appears to link with Andrew's indication of using UTC only.

I did not think of this because my brain was assuming that Gemini was relying on the local time to work out object locations.

By entering UTC and a timezone of 0 removes issues like daylight saving, +'s and -'s etc. So Gemini must calculate the observer's location objects from the longitude starting from UTC.

This makes sense and far more accurate.

This question really began in my mind back when I had a LXD55 Autostar where I would enter my co-ordinates and local time. Then slewed to a bright star and noted its position. Then I would repeat the exercise using the same co-ordinates but then recalculate my local time by simply extrapolating from UTC the longitude as a ratio of 12hrs (eg when I was in living in Yarraman at the time ~151East, so I would add 12 x 151/180 onto the UTC and enter that in my time). Then I would slew to the same object and remarkably the position was closer to the centre. Ie Autostar at the time appeared to use local time in its calculations somehow!!!

A long and interesting observation.

Darrin...

[danny.h]

Hi G2 users,

I am new to the Gemini 2, had it delivered about 8 weeks ago.
Do I have to do a firmware update given that the unit is new?

[mill]

Hi Danny.

Yes you have to flash new firmware, the newest firmware is from Dec 31 and has a lot of enhancements.
Go here http://www.gemini-2.com/updatefirmwaremethods.html for an explanation how to do it.

Martin.

[mithrandir]

Danny, join the Yahoo Gemini 2 group. There was another G2 software release in the last day or so as Martin says.

[danny.h]

Thanks for the info. I'll try my luck in updating.

[TrevorW]

Danny fairly straighforward the simplest and I know it works way is to remove the SD card from the main unit delete the existing files on that via a card reader then copy the new files over onto the SD card

remember to put a piece of cardboard under the battery clip in the main unit before removing the SD card and only remove it after you've put the SD card back

Once the new firmware is uploaded you'll have to re-set mount, location and time details

instructions etc on how this is done are on the G2 User group site

Nothing too it really just follow the instructions

[mithrandir]

Y! G2 user group - http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Gemini-II/

Tom Hilton's G2 web site - http://gemini-2.com/

As long as your G2 has moderately recent firmware (and a new one should have) you don't have to pull anything apart. There is a program to load firmware via the ethernet port on the G2.