Software progress

Isn’t your wife going to be upset that the spark has left the bedroom? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

hehehe :smirk:

On topic: new firmware is out!

It’s great that 2.9/2.10 were released a couple of days ago to fix some of the bugs but will the feature releases destined for 2.9 still be happening today or are you now behind on those? I’m not sure where else to go for updates in this respect. I think this was something Dean was getting at previously, there is nowhere for the layman brewer to go and see this info clearly. I purchased this mainly for the ability to be able to switch on the HLT and monitor it remotely, the fermentation chamber side I’ve been using the age old STC’s for a long while but this device, I see as something new and special with many benefits as long as the software actually delivers.

Luck and Cheers.

I was thinking the same!

We bumped the version number earlier because of these bug fixes, PWM support is still part of the next feature release. Yes we are a bit behind.
I have already written a PWM actuator class and the unit tests to verify it works, but have not integrated it in the temperature control algorithms yet.

If you can read code, look here:
https://github.com/BrewPi/firmware/compare/develop...feature/pwm-actuators?expand=1

The class manages that even with infrequent and irregular updates, it still maintains the correct average duty cycle by adjusting the toggle moment for each period. Output of the unit tests looks like this:

*** Results running 100 periods and random 0-500 ms update intervals,with duty cycle 100 and period 10000 ***


l->h timestamp  h->l timestamp       high time       low time
_/       20001   \_      26708         6707 ms        3683 ms (ignored)
_/       30391   \_      33981         3590 ms        6435 ms 
_/       40416   \_      44343         3927 ms        6251 ms 
_/       50594   \_      54849         4255 ms        6071 ms 
_/       60920   \_      64790         3870 ms        6372 ms 
_/       71162   \_      75096         3934 ms        6248 ms 
_/       81344   \_      85478         4134 ms        5904 ms 
_/       91382   \_      95333         3951 ms        6104 ms 
_/      101437   \_     105504         4067 ms        6132 ms 
_/      111636   \_     115377         3741 ms        6309 ms 
_/      121686   \_     125513         3827 ms        6297 ms 
_/      131810   \_     135823         4013 ms        6047 ms 
_/      141870   \_     146040         4170 ms        6291 ms 
_/      152331   \_     156197         3866 ms        6391 ms 
_/      162588   \_     166622         4034 ms        6333 ms 
_/      172955   \_     177117         4162 ms        5887 ms 
_/      183004   \_     186941         3937 ms        6208 ms 
_/      193149   \_     196971         3822 ms        6292 ms 
_/      203263   \_     207488         4225 ms        6092 ms 
_/      213580   \_     217612         4032 ms        6173 ms 
_/      223785   \_     227533         3748 ms        6352 ms 
_/      233885   \_     238052         4167 ms        6010 ms 
_/      244062   \_     247895         3833 ms        6297 ms 
_/      254192   \_     258222         4030 ms        6192 ms 
_/      264414   \_     268420         4006 ms        6125 ms 
_/      274545   \_     278517         3972 ms        6033 ms 
_/      284550   \_     288585         4035 ms        5967 ms 
_/      294552   \_     298245         3693 ms        6558 ms 
_/      304803   \_     308964         4161 ms        6144 ms 
_/      315108   \_     319038         3930 ms        6427 ms 
_/      325465   \_     329749         4284 ms        5722 ms 
_/      335471   \_     339245         3774 ms        6477 ms 
_/      345722   \_     349833         4111 ms        5892 ms 
_/      355725   \_     359652         3927 ms        6184 ms 
_/      365836   \_     369586         3750 ms        6282 ms 
_/      375868   \_     379823         3955 ms        6045 ms 
_/      385868   \_     389871         4003 ms        6384 ms 
_/      396255   \_     400429         4174 ms        5856 ms 
_/      406285   \_     410313         4028 ms        6094 ms 
_/      416407   \_     420477         4070 ms        6161 ms 
_/      426638   \_     430291         3653 ms        6353 ms 
_/      436644   \_     440554         3910 ms        6251 ms 
_/      446805   \_     450791         3986 ms        6060 ms 
_/      456851   \_     460977         4126 ms        6066 ms 
_/      467043   \_     471216         4173 ms        6261 ms 
_/      477477   \_     481512         4035 ms        6023 ms 
_/      487535   \_     491558         4023 ms        6269 ms 
_/      497827   \_     501456         3629 ms        6455 ms 
_/      507911   \_     512051         4140 ms        6243 ms 
_/      518294   \_     522520         4226 ms        5839 ms 
_/      528359   \_     531951         3592 ms        6590 ms 
_/      538541   \_     542541         4000 ms        6340 ms 
_/      548881   \_     553004         4123 ms        6061 ms 
_/      559065   \_     563031         3966 ms        6268 ms 
_/      569299   \_     573288         3989 ms        6073 ms 
_/      579361   \_     583299         3938 ms        6102 ms 
_/      589401   \_     593431         4030 ms        5972 ms 
_/      599403   \_     603495         4092 ms        6087 ms 
_/      609582   \_     613497         3915 ms        6120 ms 
_/      619617   \_     623577         3960 ms        6161 ms 
_/      629738   \_     633710         3972 ms        6057 ms 
_/      639767   \_     643615         3848 ms        6394 ms 
_/      650009   \_     654284         4275 ms        5792 ms 
_/      660076   \_     663819         3743 ms        6284 ms 
_/      670103   \_     674085         3982 ms        6129 ms 
_/      680214   \_     684357         4143 ms        5922 ms 
_/      690279   \_     693797         3518 ms        6685 ms 
_/      700482   \_     704810         4328 ms        6029 ms 
_/      710839   \_     714890         4051 ms        6037 ms 
_/      720927   \_     724572         3645 ms        6510 ms 
_/      731082   \_     735392         4310 ms        5743 ms 
_/      741135   \_     745058         3923 ms        6278 ms 
_/      751336   \_     755189         3853 ms        6184 ms 
_/      761373   \_     765311         3938 ms        6198 ms 
_/      771509   \_     775349         3840 ms        6305 ms 
_/      781654   \_     785963         4309 ms        5895 ms 
_/      791858   \_     795760         3902 ms        6421 ms 
_/      802181   \_     805938         3757 ms        6411 ms 
_/      812349   \_     816545         4196 ms        6209 ms 
_/      822754   \_     826796         4042 ms        6154 ms 
_/      832950   \_     836767         3817 ms        6208 ms 
_/      842975   \_     846984         4009 ms        6017 ms 
_/      853001   \_     856959         3958 ms        6503 ms 
_/      863462   \_     867785         4323 ms        5808 ms 
_/      873593   \_     877427         3834 ms        6333 ms 
_/      883760   \_     887998         4238 ms        5764 ms 
_/      893762   \_     897311         3549 ms        6517 ms 
_/      903828   \_     907711         3883 ms        6301 ms 
_/      914012   \_     918115         4103 ms        6237 ms 
_/      924352   \_     928325         3973 ms        6243 ms 
_/      934568   \_     938544         3976 ms        6029 ms 
_/      944573   \_     948635         4062 ms        6050 ms 
_/      954685   \_     958578         3893 ms        6239 ms 
_/      964817   \_     968812         3995 ms        6143 ms 
_/      974955   \_     979196         4241 ms        5761 ms 
_/      984957   \_     988700         3743 ms        6450 ms 
_/      995150   \_     999267         4117 ms        5985 ms 
_/     1005252   \_    1009069         3817 ms        6287 ms 
_/     1015356   \_    1019467         4111 ms        6201 ms 
_/     1025668   \_    1029413         3745 ms        6431 ms 
total high time:     393676
total low time:      611777 
avg duty:   0.392 = 100/255

My hands are tied at the moment, because tax reports are due at the end of the month. I hate accounting and I really want to jump back onto software development.

2 Likes

Fantastic update, I’m watching dutifully as I would like to use this as a full brewing controller!

1 Like

Hi Elco,

Are we getting the features expected 2 weeks ago in the release that should be this weekend?

Cheers.

I take it that’s a no??

Yes, that is a no.
I can not devote my time to software development 100% of the time.
This week I had tax report deadlines and had to spend all my time bookkeeping. Matthew had a big deadline for his work at Spark, but should have more time in coming weeks.

I have worked 80 hours this week and that’s all I can do.

The required changes to the code to support mashing are big, it requires a complete refactoring of the temperature control algorithm. I have started doing this, but it is not ready for release and it will probably not be for 2 weeks.
I will have a lot more time to code this week and I will work as hard as I possibly can to implement PWM actuators, mashing and pave the way for multiple control loops.

If you think it is taking too long, I have no problem with taking the hardware back and giving a refund.

1 Like

Whoa, don’t burn yourself out!! If it’s not ready, then so be it. This isn’t a life and death situation.

4 Likes

Hang in there… we’re all looking forward to the new code, but understand things take time. As BeerGrylls says, don’t burn yourself out! Good things come to those that wait!

4 Likes

I’m in for the long run, you guys do great work. BeerGrylls you couldn’t have said it anybody, it’s not life and death…

These posts reflect the reason I started this thread… We all want to help, buy products and support this great project. We are brewers and geeks after all.

But the issues arise when users either feel misled or confused by stated deadlines and features that get missed or simply through confusion by knowing what is going on.

Everyone is on your side @Elco! They just don’t always know what is going on all the time :smile:

Good communication to your customers costs almost nothing and will gain you a lot. Keeping them in the dark then ranting at them when they ask for an update will do you no favours.

There has been no real communication on progress since a rough schedule was posted at the beginning of April. A quick note to explain you are behind but are still working towards it is just common courtesy for your customers/supporters.

This product is good and has the potential to be amazing and a market leader. If you are struggling with communication then maybe ask for help from the community instead of isolating them.

that’s barely over a month and they regularly post on the forums I think you’re just being impatient, their customer support and customer service seems to go way beyond that of other start up products I’ve experienced.

I think you need to cut them some slack and be patient, look and the developments that have happened over the last few years, brewpi is constantly evolving and just have confidence that they’ll come when they ready.

2 Likes

It was stated there would be releases every 2 weeks, I was just asking for an update as the releases didn’t happen and there were no communications on it. I don’t see how that is impatient or unreasonable in anyway. To be honest I couldn’t care if it takes a couple of months to get the next release, all I’m asking for is simple communication to that effect. It’s all about managing expectations.

1 Like

Hi @Elco

So any update on when the BrewPi Spark will be able to handle mash control? I don’t need it for fermentation control. I want to buy it, but won’t until I know it will handle my needs. Honestly I’m glad I looked at the forum before I purchased, because the web store makes it seem like it will handle mash right out of the box. I’m sure your not trying to be misleading. Personally, I think you need to updated your web store to reflect that the BrewPi Spark doesn’t handle mash control until it actually does.

Thanks for all of the hard work so far.

I agree that the photos in the store need updating. Those were mockup screens before we wrote the UI.
I am currently working on mash control. I got PWM done and am now rewriting the control loops and PID.

I hope to have something ready in 2 weeks.

Honestly. You reeeeeally need to update the store so that the product being offered doesn’t exceed what the software can reliably achieve. That does get people’s backs up. Everyone is supportive, they just need to know where they stand.

Conversely I think the website homepage still undersells things by having Arduino only text and images.

Dean.

@Elco Thanks for an update. So the next release is due around 17th(ish) June and will contain the features originally intended for Version 2.9 (as communicated above) that were planned for 26th April? Or are there other features included?