Author Topic: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?  (Read 47247 times)

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Online torkelmj

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #150 on: March 04, 2013, 02:37:33 PM »
That came out so wrong. I'd not at all intend to indicate that johnd works for Davis Instruments. Please accept my sincere apologies.

Offline dalecoy

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #151 on: March 04, 2013, 06:23:56 PM »
I believe you're referring to postings made by johnd, who is not (AFAIK) a spokesman for Davis.  He was quoting what Davis had told him.  I am personally grateful for those postings, because otherwise we would not have any communications.

Wrong. Not unless he's one of the guys answering from the support(at)davisnet.com email address - under a different name.
The above statements came from that address, being just another example of meaningless corporate communications. The "reliability" (not really) and "enhancements" (not really) statements were made in two email messages received from the mentioned support address. #-o


OK, please post the complete emails.

Online torkelmj

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #152 on: March 05, 2013, 05:03:28 AM »
I'd rather post an excerpt with the essential stuff - edited to make sense when reading from the top and leaving out the name of the helpful support representative:

>> (...) has been updated for greater reliability and to provide for future enhancements.

> Does the above imply that there are reliability issues with FW v. 1.90? If so, anything to be aware of?
> Also, are there plans of future enhancements not included in present consoles - dictating that we should
> await further enhancements before ordering our stations?

(...) There are no known reliability issues with 1.90, we are always updating the design and hardware
on our stations to keep up with current technology. At this point there are no plans for future
enhancements to our stations.

Offline dalecoy

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #153 on: March 05, 2013, 10:27:41 AM »
I'd rather post an excerpt with the essential stuff - edited to make sense when reading from the top and leaving out the name of the helpful support representative:

>> (...) has been updated for greater reliability and to provide for future enhancements.

> Does the above imply that there are reliability issues with FW v. 1.90? If so, anything to be aware of?
> Also, are there plans of future enhancements not included in present consoles - dictating that we should
> await further enhancements before ordering our stations?

(...) There are no known reliability issues with 1.90, we are always updating the design and hardware
on our stations to keep up with current technology. At this point there are no plans for future
enhancements to our stations.


Why do you conclude:

And what to make out of the crap that the Davis rep. served on a silver plate?
...
Just another sad example of damned lies being served to customers.

1.  You asked about reliability of firmware 1.90 and got an apparently-correct answer.  You didn't ask about reliability of console hardware.

2.  You asked (implied) if customers should quit buying current hardware and were told 'no'.  What would you expect Davis to announce?

3.  You were also told that there are internal changes to the console hardware.  Do you have some reason to believe that's a lie?

Of course, we might make other/additional assumptions about Davis' reasons.  And we can easily observe and criticize that Davis has not publicly told the entire situation (compatibility, updates/downgrades, etc.).  Lots of omissions of information.  Lots of opportunities to jump to conclusions.

I just don't personally see any "crap" or "damned lies".

[Please note that I don't consider myself to be a "Davis fanboy", and that I said from the "green dot" beginning that Davis was creating a support disaster]

Offline rdsman

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #154 on: April 27, 2013, 12:48:45 PM »
Today I updated my Vantage Vue to firmware version 3.0.  My Vue is a Model Number 6250 with a Manufacturing Code of F120131D039.  Below are the steps that I performed:

I first connected a non-Davis USB interface adapter which appears as COM18 and verified communications using Hyperterm.  I powered down the Vue.  I then disconnected this and installed the Davis "Green Dot" USB logger which appears as COM11 and again verified communications.

I downloaded the DirectFromPC_Vue_3_00.exe file from the Davis website.  I attempted to run it on two different PC's (Windows XP, SP3) and all I could get was "Problem opening communications port!"  During this, I noticed that if you were using a real Serial port, the Davis firmware updater would only allow ports COM1 thru COM9.  So using Device Manager, I reconfigured the Davis logger to appear as COM1.  I then successfully updated to version 3.0. and verified communications with Hyperterm.

I powered down the Vue and reconnected the non-Davis USB adapter and powered it back up.  I was able to run the following commands:

TEST - worked.
STRMON - worked.
STRMOFF - worked.
NVER - returned 3.0.
VER - returned May 1, 2012.

Does the fact that I used a Davis logger to update the firmware change anything, I don't know.



Ray

Online johnd

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #155 on: April 27, 2013, 01:13:09 PM »
Today I updated my Vantage Vue to firmware version 3.0...

So, I think the only 'issue' you're flagging up here is one about compatibility of the firmware updater utility with COM port numbers higher than COM9?

The Vue console you're updating was a non-green-dot one and so there would not have been expected to be any issues either with updating it to v3.00 or using alternative loggers/interfaces.

Am I missing something?

(Incidentally, our latest batch of WL loggers no longer have green dots on the packs - I think Davis have discontinued them on all packs (ie consoles and loggers). There's been no change of hardware or firmware specification AFAIK, so henceforth it will presumably be necessary to use the logger Mfg Codes to check for compatibility.)
« Last Edit: April 27, 2013, 01:27:23 PM by johnd »
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline rdsman

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #156 on: April 28, 2013, 09:57:15 AM »
Just sharing my experience.  I'll be happy to refrain from doing so...........

Ray

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #157 on: April 28, 2013, 10:03:24 AM »
Just sharing my experience.  I'll be happy to refrain from doing so...........

Sorry - please continue to do so - didn't mean to imply otherwise. The problem is that there's so much confusion around various combinations of loggers and console (green-dot and otherwise), firmware versions, alternative loggers/adapters etc that it's very helpful if posts can highlight the particular point that they're making. I was just trying to summarise to make sure that I'd understood the post accurately.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline rdsman

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #158 on: April 29, 2013, 12:57:41 PM »
Sorry, I guess I just read it wrong!

Ray

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #159 on: April 30, 2013, 11:30:58 AM »
 :-|  Hmmm...  I'm considering buying my first station and have been drooling over the Davis units even though the added expense of the dongle/logger cable has me cocking my head sideways.  Now I'm seeing some controversy regarding an apparent firmware update and the expensive logger.  Since I will be buying "new" should this controversy be a problem for me?  Could/would it likely happen again in a year or two from now?   Is Davis responding to the problem in a positive way?

It's just kinda unsettling to read some of this when I'm thinking about forking over a wad of cash for one of these.  :?

Thanks,
Ed

Davis VP2, v3.12
Cumulus v1.9.4  Build 1079
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www.beeweather.com
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Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #160 on: April 30, 2013, 06:42:45 PM »
You're right, Old Tele man, the selling prices and listed prices are (thankfully) two different things.  Still, it's a chunk of change...at least to me it is.  :-)

Ed

Davis VP2, v3.12
Cumulus v1.9.4  Build 1079
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Offline JACK10562

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #161 on: April 30, 2013, 07:55:02 PM »
Make sure you search for a "low-price quote" from whichever distributor you decide to purchase through. It can save you hundreds.
CWOP:DW5051
MADIS ID:D5051
WU:KMAEASTH4
CoCoRaHS:MA-BA-23
DavisVantagePro2Plus#6163
Cumulus 1.9.4(1097)←☼

Offline Ingineer

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #162 on: January 16, 2015, 01:06:52 PM »
It may be possible that Davis indeed did change some hardware on the board, and the 3.0 firmware looks for this change, and if it sees this change and detects a non "green dot" logger, then it refuses to communicate.  This would explain your results.  If true, this means that only people with new revision hardware are are risk for third party datalogger troubles. 
Today I updated my Vantage Vue to firmware version 3.0.  My Vue is a Model Number 6250 with a Manufacturing Code of F120131D039.  Below are the steps that I performed:

I first connected a non-Davis USB interface adapter which appears as COM18 and verified communications using Hyperterm.  I powered down the Vue.  I then disconnected this and installed the Davis "Green Dot" USB logger which appears as COM11 and again verified communications.

I downloaded the DirectFromPC_Vue_3_00.exe file from the Davis website.  I attempted to run it on two different PC's (Windows XP, SP3) and all I could get was "Problem opening communications port!"  During this, I noticed that if you were using a real Serial port, the Davis firmware updater would only allow ports COM1 thru COM9.  So using Device Manager, I reconfigured the Davis logger to appear as COM1.  I then successfully updated to version 3.0. and verified communications with Hyperterm.

I powered down the Vue and reconnected the non-Davis USB adapter and powered it back up.  I was able to run the following commands:

TEST - worked.
STRMON - worked.
STRMOFF - worked.
NVER - returned 3.0.
VER - returned May 1, 2012.

Does the fact that I used a Davis logger to update the firmware change anything, I don't know.

Offline Ingineer

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Re: Rumors about a new VP2 firmware blocking 3rd party dataloggers?
« Reply #163 on: January 16, 2015, 06:18:17 PM »
Sorry for reviving an old thread.  I did not find the discussion about the cracking of the algorithm until now.  (apparently the forum search doesn't work as expected)

For those finding this as I did, here's the algorithm courtesy of forum member Watson: http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=18110.msg200376#msg200376

Also, read Torkel's excellent paper documenting the whole fiasco: http://meteo.annoyingdesigns.com/DavisSPI.pdf
 

 

anything