IMPORTANT: different firmware for 7000DLE MKIII/Andromeda/8000MKII hardware shipped after 1 January 2023

[w-u-2-o]

Surprise, surprise, there is now a third variant of the now venerable Orion MKxxx boards, one that uses a Cyclone V FPGA. And, just like the last time, Apache started shipping before the new firmware could get properly posted and distributed.

It's unfortunate that parts obsolescence and supply chain issues have once again conspired to muddy the waters and complicate the firmware and hardware landscape, but at least Apache is finding parts and finding away around the supply chain challenges. Given the already existing confusion over MKII and MKIII Orion boards, and now with front panels being labeled "MKIII" with a third FPGA type involved, it might be better if people start referring to the actual FPGA part type installed, i.e. "old Cyclone IV, new Cyclone IV, or Cyclone V". Yeah, it's going to be confusing!

The new FPGA is the Intel (Altera) 5CEFA9F31. New owners of the 7000DLE MKIII (it actually says MKIII on the front), Andromedas with -CV in the serial number, and, when they finally ship, the 8000DLE MKII, will find this Cyclone V family chip inside.

The Protocol 1 firmware has been updated and posted to the TAPR Github site. Detailed instructions on how to select the proper Protocol 1 firmware version for your hardware appear there as well:

https://github.com/TAPR/OpenHPSDR-Firmw ... -Andromeda

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOADING FIRMWARE CAN BE FOUND HERE: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2333

Protocol 2 firmware is posted in this topic: viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4462

Don't forget to grab a copy of the Protocol 1 firmware to have handy before upgrading to Protocol 2, just in case of a problem.

[N4QNT]

So with the new radio marked MKIII on the front face, we installed the latest firmware Metis_Orion_MkIII_P2_CV_21.7.rbf for the 5CEFA9F31 Cyclone V, but now I'm getting reports that were off frequency 110Hz, I tried the calibration in settings but does not help.. Has anyone experience this issue yet?? Can someone please post the link for Pro1 firmware for this lates MKIII..

[K4IBC]

So with the new radio marked MKIII on the front face, we installed the latest firmware Metis_Orion_MkIII_P2_CV_21.7.rbf for the 5CEFA9F31 Cyclone V, but now I'm getting reports that were off frequency 110Hz, I tried the calibration in settings but does not help.. Has anyone experience this issue yet?? Can someone please post the link for Pro1 firmware for this lates MKIII..

https://github.com/TAPR/OpenHPSDR-Firmw ... F31%20FPGA

Notice the P1_CV in the the name.

Firmware for the MKIII whether it is P1 or P2 has CV in the name for Cyclone V FPGA.

Also I am asking that all those with the July 2022 to January 2023 MKII to stop calling them MKIII instead call them MKIIB.
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=4466

[N4QNT]

Thank you, back to normal..

So with the new radio marked MKIII on the front face, we installed the latest firmware Metis_Orion_MkIII_P2_CV_21.7.rbf for the 5CEFA9F31 Cyclone V, but now I'm getting reports that were off frequency 110Hz, I tried the calibration in settings but does not help.. Has anyone experience this issue yet?? Can someone please post the link for Pro1 firmware for this lates MKIII..

https://github.com/TAPR/OpenHPSDR-Firmw ... F31%20FPGA

Notice the P1_CV in the the name.

Firmware for the MKIII whether it is P1 or P2 has CV in the name for Cyclone V FPGA.

Also I am asking that all those with the July 2022 to January 2023 MKII to stop calling them MKIII instead call them MKIIB.
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=4466

[StefanoAlvaro]

Surprise, surprise

Hi! I received my mk3 this weekend and after reading this fantastic forum to understand its function logic I want to update to p.2. All ok with the bootloader, all ok with the fw reviews... good, I can proceed!
The installation goes well, without any problems (and it is here that the statistics start to turn bad) but.. when thetis is switched on, the machine is no longer seen.
Panic.
Bad thoughts.
Anxiety.
Hot from the back.
The MB sensor no longer flashes, it is now stopped on.
I can't find the fw 2.8,and try to reload one that works for everyone.
No effect, my mk3 has become a paperweigt.
I call a friend who bought mk2 before me, he gives me some contacts of more expert people who could help me, but hope begins to leave me when the answers retrace my attempts.
Memories come of how good it was to use for 10 minutes, and how dumb I was for not to let it be as it was.
I contact support, but on Saturday they'll never reply (but did right away on Monday, thanks Tony).
I try to launch a desperate SOS to the guru of the forum and Rick, N1GP, replies IMMEDIATELY, telling me that perhaps the problem does not exist, I could be one of the first to have received the new card, for which the development of fw was necessary dedicated, which attach on the mail.
I load it, without not much hope and the light reappears at the end of the tunnel, the MB sensor flash again, and the ON button feel me "click".

I realized how fantastic this community is, a similar problem with another machine (Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom, Flex, Elekraft, Sun…) would certainly have led me to other consequences.

God bless you Rick!!!!!!

Stefano, IZ2ZSF

[K1LSB]

Man, what a great horror story and a happy ending!

Mark

[RobB]

If the newest revision 7000 is factory designated as Mk3, I guess I must have the Mk 2.5, formerly unofficially the Mk3. One wonders if in the future there will be a unifying firmware to cover all the variations. Sure is developing into a minefield choosing the correct firmware.
Might I suggest a sticky post proscribing a "forum official" naming convention and the corresponding issue dates.

[w-u-2-o]

"Unifying" firmware is not possible. Each individual FPGA part number requires different firmware.

Apache did not put any board revision identification registers into the design so even if someone wanted to update Bootloader to automatically identify the board revision such an improvement would be impossible.

This, and the links above, are the "forum official" posts on the topic. There is no way to improve hardware identification beyond what is discussed in those posts. These already are sticky posts.

[RobB]

Thanks for the reply Scott.
I would be surprised if a chip as advanced as an FPGA did not have some internal identifier. <<pause>>A quick search while writing this message and Lo and behold it does
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en ... guide.html
Which should at least offer some hope the firmware devs can do something about fool proofing the updating software.


As for the "forum official" designations I was thinking along these lines.

all 7000 Mk2's prior to 1st July 2022 be referred to as Mk2 per the front panel
all 7000 Mk2's subsequent to 1st July 2022 but prior to 1st Jan 2023 be referred to as Mk2.5
all 7000 Mk3's subsequent to 1st Jan 2023 be referred to as Mk3 per the front panel

As the most active and knowledgeable forum contributor on here perhaps you may wish to "officially ordain" these identifiers or a variation of these for future discussion and disambiguation. Clearly Apache Labs have fallen short on this subject and are the root cause of some confusion and heartache for it's customers.

From a personal interest point of view I hope the short lived run of what I am calling Mk2.5 radios of mid to late 2022 do not get orphaned and forgotten with any future updates.

[w-u-2-o]

The internal identifier is not supported in the Cyclone IV, which currently is the preponderance of the units produced. And none of the boards has the necessary hardware to make that ID available to the Bootloader firmware. And there is no easy way to reprogram the Bootloader firmware on the thousands of units produced to read it. And, finally, I believe that ID is unique to the individual chip and does not identify the family. In any case, it's non-viable on some very basic levels.

It's also not possible to simply categorize things as 2, 2.5, 3, etc. Silver, blue or black case, or Andromeda? And which generation Andromeda (there are already two). With or without fan controller? With or without external fan connector? With or without internal PC?

At the end of the day they are all essentially the same, all essentially the 7000-MK-nothing. The only time it matters is if you are buying used and want to know exactly what you are getting, or when it comes time to program the FPGA. It's already bad enough we have to teach people how to read the magic decoder ring to figure out what FPGA they have. My recommendation is that if you are inclined to get out a Sharpie marker and write on the outside of the thing what it is, write "EP4CGX", "EP4CE" or "5CEFA".

[JJ4SDR]

Scott,

I am confused with regard to which ANAN 7000 DLE radios come with the Cyclone V FPGA installed? ALL radios after
July 1st, 2022?

Would sure appreciate more CLARITY on this and, apologies, if the answer to my question has already been answered!

Juha

[w-u-2-o]

Juha--did you follow the very first link in the very first post above, and read it? That's the answer.

Although that is posted at the Protocol 1 firmware repository, it is equally applicable to Protocol 2, of course.

Finally, as long as Bootloader is working correctly for you and the 7000 in question, you can simply use Bootloader to try all three variants of firmware in sequence and the version that works will tell you what kind of FPGA is inside.

[JJ4SDR]

Scott,

I did, but I am still confused and can't figure out which FPGA the radio has in it. From what I read, the physical radio must have "MKIII" printed on it for the Orion board to have the Cyclone V FPGA on it! However, from earlier exchanges with Doug several months ago, he opined that the radio might have the Cyclone V in it. The 1st owner also says that it has a Cyclone V. If that is the case then the original Orion board must have been replaced with a board that DOES have the V on it and that would normally be found in a "true" MKIII radio that has MKIII written on the front.

The radio in question was acquired by the 1st owner in July/August 2022 and it has MKII on the front. The S/N is lower than DX8300497A, but the unit has an Orion MKIII installed.

In another thread I posted results from flashing of many FW versions (see "Final" table below). Will need to dig deeper to determine which FPGA the Orion MKIII board has on it.

Final FW tests with Radio #2.jpg (103.16 KiB) Viewed 529 times

Regards,
Juha

[w-u-2-o]

In another thread I posted results from flashing of many FW versions (see "Final" table below). Will need to dig deeper to determine which FPGA the Orion MKIII board has on it.

Not at all. You have a 5CEFA9F31 Cyclone V series FPGA in your 7000.

This is unambiguous. All of the firmware versions you flagged green in your chart are for the Cyclone V. You have a Cyclone V.

The problem is that you decided to label them with "MKII", "MKIII", etc., and that is wrong. You cannot fully trust that Apache shipped a given FPGA by the markings on the outside of the chassis.

Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. If it runs with the Cyclone V versions of the firmware then that's what you've got.