Author Topic: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422  (Read 7677 times)

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Offline Aussie Susan

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Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« on: September 21, 2016, 11:52:52 PM »
I've seen messages about people successfully upgrading their Ambient weather station clones to the firmware version 2.3.3 and this is encouraging me to do the same.
However the actual weather station I have is sold by a local (to Australia and New Zealand) retailer called Jaycar with the model number XC0422. The documentation that comes with it (and can be downloaded from the Jaycar site) makes reference to Digitech and also a model number of HP1000 or XC0422 (but this is just a text string).
Looking at the various web sites and the descriptions of the functionality, I am fairly sure that it is the same as the Ambient WS1001.
Looking at the files on the device and comparing them with (for example) the files in the download of the 2.3.3 firmware from the Ambient web site, they look the same to me.
My concern is that there is some difference that is buried deep in the device that makes the upgrade files not compatible and I will brick my device (and right now I can't afford to replace it).
My question is to anyone who has bought the XC0422 from Jaycar and who has upgraded the firmware (from 2.2.2 as bought) whether they were able to do so successfully and/or if there were any tricks and tips they used?
Alternatively the same question to anyone who has a Digitech XC0422?
I'm pretty certain these are all the same devices but I would like more than just my own opinion!
Susan

Offline Aussie Susan

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2016, 02:42:51 AM »
Assuming that I DO have a WS1001, the documentation (both for the WS1001 and that came wit the actual device) show how to to a backup to the SD card.
However the backup only seems to be the data in a CSV file.
Is there a way to do a full device backup and how do you restore from that backup?
Susan

Offline SpringHillWeather

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2016, 01:01:40 PM »
Assuming that I DO have a WS1001, the documentation (both for the WS1001 and that came wit the actual device) show how to to a backup to the SD card.
However the backup only seems to be the data in a CSV file.
Is there a way to do a full device backup and how do you restore from that backup?
Susan

I have an AW-1001 wifi.   

The backup only copies the files as mentioned to the card but no restore that I could ever figure out.
Also once you upgrade firmware it deletes the previous history.  I've never been able to figure out how to get the original DB files back on the console where it shows the historical data from day one.
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Offline Aussie Susan

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2016, 08:31:52 PM »
Thanks for the reply.
I suspected as much but hoped it was not so.
Susan

Offline viper2440

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2016, 06:53:58 PM »
Hi Susan

I am just about to purchase the Digitech XC0422 from Jaycar and wondered if you had any success in applying the Ambient firmware to it ?
Like you, my investigations seem to indicate that the Digitech XC0422 is a rebranded Ambient WS1001 device so I would expect (hope) the firmware would be compatible.

It looks as though Holman used to also rebrand the same device as the WS1000 (Weather Bureau Solar Pro Colour)
https://www.holmanindustries.com.au/products/weather-bureau-solar-pro-colour/

Have you been bold enough to try the Ambient firmware yet :) ?

Is this the right place to get the firmware
https://ambientweather.wikispaces.com/ws1001-wifi

cheers
Gary

Offline Aussie Susan

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2016, 10:12:32 PM »
Thank you for the prompt Gary - I should have come back here to close off this question.
Yes I have upgraded to 2.3.3 from the web site you reference and it worked well.
You do need to check the .ini files so they reference the 433MHz band.
While I didn't do it, there are also comments in other posts here about some of the other ini file options and values that can be used to not delete all calibration settings and historic data. I read those after I did the upgrade and after I had to redo the entire calibration (especially the part about setting the wind direction for the southern hemisphere). I can't remember where they were off the top of my head but a search should help you find them.
At the moment my station just uploads to WU and I've not tried to play with the internet settings (although it should be possible and others have posts here showing what they have done). In the other hand I have found that EasyWeatherIP (for the Mac in my case) does talk with the console well (and I'm looking further into how it does this) and that goes some way into satisfying my wishes to get access to the data locally (not just through the WU web site).
Susan

Offline viper2440

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2016, 07:26:11 AM »
Thanks Susan, FYI today I purchased the XC-0422 from Jaycar. I've already upgraded it to v2.3.3 of the Ambient software using the SD card.
I made a backup before I upgraded using the USB cable and was a bit surprised when I realised the unit runs on Windows Mobile (quite a blast from the past).

Your comment about Southern Hemisphere calibration prompted me to do some digging and I found this explanation on another thread:
"This wind direction issue is perhaps the main disadvantage for southern hemisphere residents at the moment. It is because the solar sensor has to face the sun to power the batteries, and the sensor assumes the solar sensor is facing south (rather than north as it has to in Australia etc)."

I assume that all we have to do is set the calibration for Wind Direction to 180 degrees and then we can mount the unit with the solar sensor facing north rather than south ?



I haven't got Weather Underground working yet because I am having problems activating my WU account (the account validation emails seem to get lost and they won't let you register a PWS until you validate your email address).

I've purchased a 1.8m J pole antenna mount (also from Jaycar) which I will use to mount the unit on the garage roof (making it sit roughly 4.5m off the ground.) It should be quite free of obstructions for wind speed readings I hope.

Anyway, so far so good. I'd like to also work out if I can upload data to WU as well as to my own website. Does anyone know if the WS-1001 can send data to multiple servers at once ?

cheers
Gary

Offline Aussie Susan

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2016, 09:56:51 PM »
Regarding the wind direction calibration, there is a section in the XC0422 user guide that tells you how to set this. Their method is to point the wind vane to the 'S' on the back of the unit and then set the calibration value to 0.
It all works out the same in the end. However the problem I had was that the unit was on the roof when I did the upgrade and so I had to wait until it was calm and then add 180 to the current reading. (The way these units do their calibration is a little strange in my opinion - it should be that you enter the offset that is added/multiplied, but each to their own I suppose.)
The backup is a bit useless in my opinion as you cannot restore from it. You can save your data but if the console resets its copy then there is no way to restore it (that I know of).
As far as I know the unit can only send to one service at a time. However I'm having some success in interpreting the way that EasyWeatherIP communicates with the device independently of it uploading to WU. If it proves to be reliable I intend t get a Raspberrry Pi unit to read the data and it can then upload to as many sites as it wants. I originally wanted to use WeeWx and I still may find a way of integrating my findings with that code base.
Susan

Offline adpad3369

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2017, 10:47:09 PM »
Hi all i just did a firmware update V2.4.4 on my Digitech xc0422 (WS-1002) which i brought at Jaycar. It loaded 915m which i think it is used for the northern Hemp. Is there anyway i can change it to 433m for Australia.

Offline Aussie Susan

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2017, 12:04:27 AM »
As far as I know, you will need to make sure that you have downloaded the correct file (as you say, the 433MHz one) and then use that to (again) update the weather console. (I know the .ini file has a entry that sets the frequency but I don't know if that is the only thing that needs to change - I would not assume so.)
I can't recall off the top of my head what the weather console uses to determine that there is a new set of files present, but if you look on the Internet for ways to downgrade the HP1000/WS1001 (which is the same device) firmware, it will tell you which values to update (I think it is the release date which you make todays date - or something like that).
Susan

Offline adpad3369

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2017, 02:37:21 AM »
Susan
still trying not happy.i looked up some they said the weather can use all 3 frequencies ps i have tried to reset the transmitter ps well and still no luck

Offline 789078907980

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2017, 12:24:14 AM »
Susan
still trying not happy.i looked up some they said the weather can use all 3 frequencies ps i have tried to reset the transmitter ps well and still no luck

Have you got it to work? I might have a trick that might get it to work.

In the main.ini set the freq to 433mhz and the version higher

Version=2.4.4 to Version=2.4.5
Frequency=915M to Frequency=433M

in the update.ini set the version higher
Version=2.4.5

It should do an auto upgrade because its a newer version, downside is that if the official 2.4.5 gets released you will just need to wait for 2.4.6 or just repeat the steps above to stay a version higher.

I'm currently running 2.4.4 on mine, though mine is the same as the Jaycar one but just got off eBay

Offline 350Z

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2017, 07:35:57 PM »
I purchased the Digitech XC0422, and I have updated it with the Ambient Firmware 2.4.4 for the WS-1001 WiFi
After playing around I learnt you do not need to change the version number you just change the date in the “update.ini” file and you can keep the version for official updates.

You can roll back by just using the next date but you need the same version number as is installed.

You can also change the DeleteDatabase to False to keep all your history for the upgrade.

Before using the Ambient Firmware in the “main.ini” file, you need to change the frequency to 443M.

The HP1000 by Fine Offset, which is what I believe the Digitech is, has firmware 2.3.6 and works just as well for me.

The Ambient firmware also has the GraphApi turned off so you do not get the forecast images, so I turn that on as well.

I add my wunderground details to make it easy.

I also added the themes to make it pretty, you can play with all the settings in the main.ini and it’s easy to go back to factory, I made the image a little darker with windows photo editor and I may try a slight change to the wind speed circle to a box.

If anyone knows what these commands do, I would be interested to find out.
WH65=False
WH60=false
ConnPC=false


ISSUE:When I use the Ambient firmware I see the Ambientwether.net option in the weather server below wundergroud, this disappears when the frequency is changed to 443 obviously to stop clones connecting to the Ambient service, does anyone know if this can be turned back on, I like their weather interface and it can be used on iPhones.

Images below show my changes.

 
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Offline steepleian

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2017, 01:09:23 PM »
I purchased the Digitech XC0422, and I have updated it with the Ambient Firmware 2.4.4 for the WS-1001 WiFi
After playing around I learnt you do not need to change the version number you just change the date in the “update.ini” file and you can keep the version for official updates.

You can roll back by just using the next date but you need the same version number as is installed.

You can also change the DeleteDatabase to False to keep all your history for the upgrade.

Before using the Ambient Firmware in the “main.ini” file, you need to change the frequency to 443M.

The HP1000 by Fine Offset, which is what I believe the Digitech is, has firmware 2.3.6 and works just as well for me.

The Ambient firmware also has the GraphApi turned off so you do not get the forecast images, so I turn that on as well.

I add my wunderground details to make it easy.

I also added the themes to make it pretty, you can play with all the settings in the main.ini and it’s easy to go back to factory, I made the image a little darker with windows photo editor and I may try a slight change to the wind speed circle to a box.

If anyone knows what these commands do, I would be interested to find out.
WH65=False
WH60=false
ConnPC=false


ISSUE:When I use the Ambient firmware I see the Ambientwether.net option in the weather server below wundergroud, this disappears when the frequency is changed to 443 obviously to stop clones connecting to the Ambient service, does anyone know if this can be turned back on, I like their weather interface and it can be used on iPhones.

Images below show my changes.

 
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 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Can you please show your system.ini file with before you changed the frequency to see the format of the ambientweather.net setting?

Thanks

Offline 350Z

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2017, 01:46:55 AM »
Thanks, I see where your going with this, I am able to connect to the device via the USB to see the files, its a windows mobile device but I cant see the system.ini file.

There are 3 folders  / "Windows",  NAND and Network.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2017, 03:24:41 AM by 350Z »

Offline waiukuweather

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Re: Jaycar/DigiTech XC0422
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2017, 03:31:50 PM »
it should be in the NAND folder