iSTAR Pulsar utilises fully automatic firmware updates; each time a device connects to a registered Wi-Fi network, it looks for and installs any available firmware updates without any manual user action being required.
NCTech will notify all users when a new firmware version is available, here's how to apply an update once it's available:
- Ensure that a Wi-Fi network registered to iSTAR Pulsar is in range, or register a new one for the purposes of updating*
- Ensure that there are no captures in the upload queue - if there are, they're going to upload once the update has completed
- Connect the device to the Wi-Fi network by moving the mode switch to the Left
- The device will look for and install the update, as indicated by first a pulsing blue Wi-Fi status LED, then a pulsing yellow system LED
- When the status LEDs both return to solid green, the update is complete, users should then power the device off and back on again and it will have been fully updated
* In order to search for and install a new firmware, the network used MUST be registered with the option to "Upload via this network" enabled:
Checking current firmware version
Each time the iSTAR Pulsar Mobile App connects to a device it displays the serial number and firmware version in a notification in the top bar:
Alternatively, users may look in the app Settings page to see the serial number and firmware version of connected iSTAR Pulsar device:
Open 3-line menu in top-left corner
Select "Settings"
Device SSID and firmware version are shown under the unit in the "Devices" tab:
Version history
v2.6.1 - released 5th October 2020
Features and improvements:
- Update License Features for SDK Processing
- Date and time of last time a capture was copied to USB
- Upgrades can be applied from external USB
- Shutdown added to OSC (NOT visible on WebUi)
- Improved live preview
- Info.txt contains date of license flag expiration
- Improved Wifi stability when in AP mode
Fixes
- Uploads skipping files on first switch to Client Mode
- Failed to capture after 3rd segmentation
- Camera drops frames due to long response time from server
- Fixed Segmentation fault from libcrypto
- Fixed headVeh, magDec and magAcc in the -gps.txt file are always 0
- Fixed GPS status is incorrect after indoor capture or locking
- Fixed Random segmentation fault from openssl due to multithreading
- Fixes PPS Showing as disabled
- Fixed Buffer Race conditions
- Fixed wrong data info.txt related to end of capture
v2.5.5 - released 20th December 2019
- Added fix to prevent device from capturing before sync has been achieved - users are advised to wait for 40 seconds from reaching ready status before initiating capture, see this article for details
- info.txt file now contains license flag expiration dates
v2.5.4 - released 27th November 2019
- Updated LED sequence on boot (LED will now "breath" between Red/Yellow (Orange) rather than flashing green)
- Initial frames dropped where exposure is unsettled
- Capture presets expanded to 4 locked presets and 2 custom modes where settings can be configured
- Frame dropping settings defined in clearer “fps” or “distance” spacing
- Capture's frame count, time and distance updated every 5 seconds during capture
- Increased feedback of USB-C copy progress, shown "per-capture"
- Uploads session uploads info.txt file first
- Debug log files stored on device for 30 days
- Enabled resumable uploads (large file uploads can now be resumed if interrupted)
- License file now contains generation date/time
- info.txt file now contains if a capture used PPS timing from GPS
- Bug fixes
v2.3.0 - released 30th April 2019
- Live preview with exposure compensation enabled
- Indoor capture modes
- USB copy speed improvements
- Bug fixes
v2.2.2 - released 15th March 2019
- Uses wifi password reset feature to reset all wifi system settings
- Bug fixes
v2.2 - released 26th February 2019
- Enhanced exposure of overcast conditions
- Support for Windows formatted external drives (Pulsar+ license required)
- Facility to capture at specific frame rate
- Enhanced support for firmware, calibration and license file application
- Bug fixes