Hi everyone

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We are pleased to announce the next beta, available?to all Gemini 2 customers starting February 1st

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Please read this announcement in its entirely: it is a beta, so you should be aware of the benefits and requirements.

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Questions/comments are welcome

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A PDF version of this annoucnement (to preserve formatting) is available here:?

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Gemini 2 Level 6 Open Customer Beta, 2023

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Losmandy is pleased to announce open customer beta for the upcoming Level 6 firmware for the Gemini 2 astronomical computer.

The Lever 6 Beta is open to all Gemini 2 owners starting Feb 1, 2023

The beta will be available through a Losmandy online group via groups.io

The beta will include the software updates, instructions for how to perform the updates, and a user forum for feedback, reporting bugs, etc.

Please note that all software and support for the beta period will be through the online group, so you should feel comfortable accessing and posting to online groups

Beta Test Disclaimer

Although many of us have been using Level 6 for regular imaging for months now, it is still considered test software and may have unexpected behavior or bugs. By installing Level 6 you are accepting this possibility. We hope you will report any unexpected behaviors or bugs to the beta forum. If you are doing important imaging work or cannot risk possible downtime, we recommend you wait until Level 6 is released.

Components of Level 6

The New Level 6 is the most significant firmware update since the introduction of the Gemini 2.

This update includes a number of new firmware and software updates, including:

-????????? Gemini firmware

-????????? Hand controller firmware

-????????? Servo firmware**

-????????? Gemini Telescope.net ASCOM/virtual hand controller software (developed and maintained by Paul Kanevsky and supported by Losmandy)

-????????? Indi driver (Indi is not directly supported by Losmandy, but Losmandy owner

Jamie Amendolagine has done a supe job updating the driver to be compatible with Level 6)

**Special note regarding Servo firmware update

Updating the servo controllers is required to use Level 6. For the open customer beta, programming them requires a one-time update to the chip code that is different than our normal firmware update procedures: You will need to acquire and use an inexpensive third party chip programmer tool (called a ‘pic programmer’) to program the servo chipsAs a little background, in order to achieve some of the Level 6 features, we took an unprecedented step to rewrite the servo chip firmware. These chips control the servo motors. In order to achieve the 4x increase in resolution, we had to look at all parts of the Gemini including the servos. This is a necessary and substantial improvement, but does come at the cost of an additional upgrade procedure that is not as simple as running a firmware updater.

When Level 6 is released, we will have additional options available to make this a little easier. For the current open beta, it will require additional steps and some added complexity. For perspective, in our beta 1 program, all the customers who used this approach successfully updated the servo firmware on their own.

New Features, Enhancements, and Fixes

• New 4x high resolution mode, enhances tracking resolution to 0.14” precision
• New Horizons integration for accurate GoTo and tracking of planets, solar, lunar, comets, and other NEOs
• New variable MoveAxis rate for things like continuous satellite tracking and imaging (e.g., Sky Track)
• Gemini Telescope.net) New terminal mode for typing commands directly to the Gemini (auto calculates and appends command checksum)
• Enhanced Lunar and Solar tracking
• New meridian Flip Points for easier meridian flip configurations
• Improved DHCP support (good for travel routers)
• New troubleshooting log generation (collects and zips all relevant logs)
• New dual system control: Control 2? Gemini units from one computer
• Syncing date/time with computer supports UTC
• Option to use Hour Angle for goto (Gemini Telescope.net)
• Enhanced serial command set
• Bug fixes and small enhancements

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Known issues

• Periodic Error Correction is not currently confirmed to function correctly
• GEMPro is not yet available for testing
• In certain circumstances issuing a park command may not return the mount to the correct position. An update has been released but it has not been fully tested.

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FAQ

Which Geminis does L6 work with?

Level6 is backwards compatible with any Gemini 2, including Gemini 2 mini and the original Gemini 2 “tall boy”. It is not compatible with the Gemini 1.

Looks like there many things to update: which can I do myself?

For the open customer beta you can update everything yourself.

-????????? Servo firmware (requires a pic programmer)

-????????? Gemini firmware

-????????? Hand controller

-????????? Gemini Telescope.net/Indi

Just as a warning: it’s important you feel comfortable you can follow the directions and purchase the necessary equipment to update your servo firmware. If you follow the directions chances are extremely good you will be fine. However, there’s a possibility if you encounter an error (e.g., power outage during update, bad cables, etc.) you can brick your Gemini 2. If that’s the case, we can revive it but you will need to send it in.

Can I send in my Gemini 2 for the servo firmware update?

Right now for the open customer beta, we aren’t yet able to offer this service. Your options will be to do it yourself (we provide detailed instructions) or possibly ask for help from the user community. Eventually we will offer a service to send in your Gemini 2 for the servo update, but not right now.

I want to try out the new software. I want to do the updates and then go to a dark site for a few days of imaging. Is this a good idea?

The Level 6 beta is still considered test software, and it’s supported as test software. In other words, there may be bugs and finding/resolving issue may take time. If you go to a dark site with hopes of imaging for a couple days and it turns out you have an issue related to the beta, you will probably not be happy. We don’t recommend this kind of use.

Which should I use, Gemini Telescope.net ASCOM driver or Indi?

For the test, we recommend using Gemini Telescope.net as it is directly supported and a few features are unique to this software (mount terminal, Horizons, etc.) Indi is community developed and supported, and Losmandy owner Jamie Amendolagine has done a great job in updating the Indi driver to be L6 compatible. The Indi driver should work fine. The ASCOM driver includes unique advanced features such as the mount terminal and Horizons feature.

When will Losmandy release Level 6 as the current firmware?

We plan on switching to Level 6 as soon as the Open Beta is completed and we are satisfied the software is ready for prime time.

How long with the Open Beta last?

As long as it takes to fully test the software and resolve all critical and important bugs so we can release Level 6. Some of this will depend on how the testing progresses, what issues are reported, the nature of the fixes, and how quick we are able to address them.

Do you have plans to make the servo update easier?

Yes. We expect to have a more packaged solution available for customers to update the servo on your own, and to have an option to send it to the factory for the update.?

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Thanks

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Brian

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Brian Valente

Losmandy Astronomical

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Losmandy.com

Tutorials and vids at

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Hi Ken

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That’s more than enough space. Why are you getting new SD cards?

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Thanks

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Brian

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Brian Valente

Losmandy Astronomical

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Losmandy.com

Tutorials and vids at

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Look in the GeminiL6Beta group files section:

/g/GeminiL6Beta/files/LATEST%20VERSIONS

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Servo code is: Gemini_New.X.production.hex

HC FW code is gemhc.zip which was last updated on 12 Dec ’22 (file timestamp 30 Nov ’22 21:17)

G2 FW code is NewGem.zip which was last updated on 26 Jan ’22 (file timestamp is 26 Jan ’23 10:30)

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David

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