Power consumption reduced by as much as 50% depending on sampling configuration. Maximum sample rate for high-frequency units now 464 kHz (232 kHz for high-frequency units made before August 2011). Beta-test release for interested users.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes, version 2.0.7b

- Supports new maximum 200 MB file size, default file size now 100 MB
- Updated dialogs for high-frequency sampling

Fixes

- Fixed crashes associated with offloading data from multiple storage cards
- Fixed crashes associated with switching storage cards in older units
- Possible fix of rare bootup hang on certain units
- Improved stability and speed of IrDA transactions
- Fixed bug preventing full use of sampling memory (improves error recovery capability)
- More precise logging of adjustable anti-alias frequency value
- Refuses to execute sampling if sampling configuration errors present
- Bootloader uses only yellow LED (some configurations disable red LED during boot)

Enhancements

- Enabled 232 kHz and, for newer units, 464 kHz acoustic sample rate
- Retuned system clock speeds for significant power efficiency
- Dynamic core voltage adjustment further improves power efficiency
- Supports faster performance and lower power consumption for the latest storage cards
- Data offloading faster & takes advantage of read speeds of newer storage cards
- More thorough logging of causes & timing of sampling shutdown
- Increased available file sizes, now 20, 100, and 200 MB, with 100 MB the default
- Slightly less aggressive automatic setting of adjustable filter cutoff
- More precise explicit time synchronization when running at low power
- Better recording life for newer 3A units running on alkaline batteries

Known issues

- 20 Hz is maximum auxiliary sample rate (design target is 40 Hz)
- Ambient light level is not recorded when sampling other aux channels (3B only)
- "Clips @" request under Palm's Check Sensors pane yields incorrect values
- Sample-time decimation for high-frequency channel unavailable

Support for offset duty cycling of acoustic sampling (see the Technical FAQ for a description of duty cycling, including the new offset/delay capability).

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0.6 allows programming offset duty cycles

Fixes

- Fixed inability to talk via infrared with Palm Tungsten T3

Enhancements

- Offset duty cycling of acoustic sampling

Support for multiple storage cards.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0.5 supports storage-getting-full warning

Fixes

- Attempt to fix very rare crash during IR transactions and strobe flashing
- Clarified log statements noting end-of-sampling
- Fixed unintended locking of time-of-day clock by any sampling operation

Enhancements

- Stores acoustic data to multiple storage cards
- USB device mode makes multiple storage cards available to host PC
- Erase operation erases all storage cards, not just the first card
- Added storage-getting-full warning when configuring sampling via Palm

Alkaline battery support for new 3A units. No need to upgrade existing units.

Bug fixes.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0.4 includes additional factory-checkout dialogs

Fixes

- Fixed occasional miss of sampling periods in duty-cycled recording
- Fixed rare concatenation of two or more sequential acoustic files
- Fixed occasional hang of certain units during boot
- Fixed memory test (factory checkout tool) failure in certain circumstances

Compass calibration and testing.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0.3 required to calibrate and test compass

Fixes

- Support for both new and old compass/accel axis configurations

Enhancements

- Compass testing, per-channel
- Compass calibration with user interface

Adds second-order thermal offset correction capability on pressure channel; also support for new Acousonde 3B features.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0.2 required to test strobe (in Acousonde 3B units only)

Performance

- Slightly lower power consumption when sampling full auxiliary suite
- Faster booting when auxiliary filesystem contains many files

Fixes

- Fixes to duty-cycled sampling when combined with delayed start
- Improved stability when setting and clearing delayed-start sampling
- Improved stability of LED flashing during various operations
- Improved stability when reformatting boot device
- Fixed rare crash when stopping sampling
- Properly handles disconnected channels, if any

Enhancements

- More thorough and repeatable battery testing
- Gracefully reject attempt to record from missing optional hydrophone
- Configuration file supports storage of high-pass cutoff values
- Supports second-order temperature offset correction for depth sensor
- Support for recovery strobe (Acousonde 3B units only)
- Support for ambient-light sensor (Acousonde 3B units only)
- Acousonde can store and upload a clock app for the Palm
- Added memory self-test capability

Fixes

- Fixed crash and possible dropped samples at certain sample rates
- Zeroing pressure now applies immediately instead of after next restart
- Fixed roundoff error with sampling rate returned during Palm interaction
- LED flash type when sampling starts now more representative

First release with all functionality in place. Now supports sampling of auxiliary channels (temperature, pressure, kinematics) and duty-cycling of primary sampling.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0 required (earlier lettered versions not fully compatible!)

Fixes

- Auxiliary/logging/bootcode filesystem more robust in case of errors
- Fix for very rare sd-card write failure
- Fix for firmware corruption in certain units

Enhancements

- User warned if battery is low by a different standby LED flash
- Timing of top-of-minute LED flash more precise
- Other LED flashing behavior more consistent
- More sampling details written to log file

For acoustics-only recordings. Better responsiveness to infrared stop-sampling command.

In addition, 2.0.0z adds the capability to receive (via infrared) and store the "Acousonde" .prc PalmOS application on board the Acousonde itself. An Acousonde loaded with the PalmOS application can send it out to a Palm unit that lost, or never had, this application. To do so, the user runs the Palm's built-in "Memo Pad" application, creates a new text memo with a first line that reads "Send", and beams the memo to the Acousonde; the Acousonde responds by transmitting the Acousonde.prc application to the Palm. This capability saves the user from needing to install Palm synchronization software on their desktop computer, or needing to keep a synchronization cradle/connector for their Palm. The user must still ensure that the Palm's batteries are charged and that the Palm's time is set correctly.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0e required to take advantage of warning dialogs

Enhancements

- Better responsiveness to infrared stop-sampling command
- Can store and send PalmOS "Acousonde.prc" application
- Adds warnings for sample rates unlikely to work
- Configuration file can be used to map out problematic memory card(s)
- Optical sync with real-time clock is more accurate

For acoustics-only recordings. Bug fixes.

Fixes

- Really fixed rare power-up into inconsistent state this time

Enhancements

- Erase operation faster on all units

For acoustics-only recordings with better deployment-life stability.

2.0.0w dramatically changed the Acousonde's filesystem-maintenance paradigm. Instead of maintaining the internal filesystem during logging, 2.0.0w abandoned filesystem maintenance and simply wrote data "blind" to consecutive sectors on internal storage. Then, to present the user with a good filesystem, 2.0.0w examined storage at every power-up or reset and generated a corresponding FAT filesystem from scratch. This change increased reliability.

A side effect of this change was that "fast erase" (simple reformat) could no longer be supported for the internal SD cards. They could only be "full erased", that is, completely wiped. Otherwise the filesystem rebuild could get confused.

Note: customers who configured the Acousonde to write to an external USB flash drive were unaffected by the above changes. Blind writing was not enabled for external flash drives, and likewise for an external flash drive the "erase" function continued to mean a simple reformat.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- Version 2.0d consolidates erase functions into one button
- But, 2.0.0w compatible with Palm "Acousonde" version 2.0c

Fixes

- Sampling could "secretly" quit with certain sample-rate/file-size combos
- Large log files copy correctly (without gaps) to auxiliary partition
- Greatly reduced early sampling terminations due to false power-fail detect
- New bootcode 2.0.0w fixes rare power-up into inconsistent state

Enhancements

- "Filesystem-blind" data writes during logging improve reliability and battery life
- Internal filesystem rebuilt at every boot, guaranteed consistent
- Booting much faster
- File names incorporate channel identity character and user's two-letter Site Code
- File metadata now include total acoustic path gain and anti-alias filter cutoff
- Log correctly identifies Toshiba SD hardware (including Kingston-rebranded cards)
- 30-116 kHz sample rates supported (but not as well qualified as below 30 kHz)

For acoustics-only recordings with time precision and stability.

2.0.0v incorporated over three months of testing and development. The goal was not to support full functionality, and indeed 2.0.0v still lacked three critical capabilities: sampling at rates above 29 kHz, sampling of auxiliary channels (pressure etc.), and the use of all embedded SD cards for data capacity rather than only one. Rather, 2.0.0v focused on reliability, precision, accuracy, and user friendliness to maximize dependability in the field and the clarity of resulting data.

Palm "Acousonde" commanding application changes

- REQUIRES Palm "Acousonde" version 2.0c
- Palm software allows testing of more LED behaviors
- Palm status page now reports primary storage information
- Default "erase" is quick erase, alternate erase is full/secure erase

Fixes

- Timestamps for later files no longer off by integral numbers of seconds
- User's optical time-sync marks no longer sometimes missed
- New data files recorded after reset no longer conflict with existing filenames
- Won't stop recording unintentionally due to infrared optical noise exposure
- "Monitor sync" feature better behaved and works reliably during sleep
- Fixed rare uninitialized-variable bug in FAT driver
- Delayed start begins recording at desired time, not shortly after
- Resending an accepted control program doesn't increase sampling rate
- Many error-recovery fixes/improvements for increased stability

Enhancements

- Dynamic file sizing ensures each starts no later than 1 sample after top-of-second
- Supports all sample rates up to 29 kHz (low rates still impractical due to power draw)
- Clearer user experience when using delayed-start sampling
- Shutdown of sampling on power-fail improves data safety
- Logs more details regarding built-in SD Cards
- Better logging of end-of-sampling
- Filesystem cleanup at end of sampling more thorough
- Many reliability improvements for USB Host mode
- Tighter SD card and cache behavior should improve battery longevity
- User choice of antialias bypass (or not) logged
- Bootloader 2.0.0v allows boot even in battery-low (but not dead) condition
- Updated compiler from GCC 4.1.0 to GCC 4.4.3

Supports USB connections to Windows.

Fixes

- USB Device supports Windows
- USB Device doesn't hang after several minutes on Macs
- Fixed LED flashing quirks
- FAT filenames have correct timestamps

Enhancements

- Text files use CRLF endings for DOS compatibility
- Ir-commanding erase possible when mounted as USB device
- Main oscillator discipline operation remembers discipline temperature
- Standby top-of-second LED uses high-resolution clocking if available
- Log file now available on "aux" USB partition, no need to get it via infrared