ben.mcgeever
Contributor
I did a quick google search and it seems like its listed on the results I found.
https://www.3eonline.com/ImageServe...SLuQsiGKVUdDe4vheX+5PVlLTK5UW557LXTnlMS3ngA==
New DPV - Dive Xtras
- Thread starter cathal
- Start date
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I did a quick google search and it seems like its listed on the results I found.
https://www.3eonline.com/ImageServe...SLuQsiGKVUdDe4vheX+5PVlLTK5UW557LXTnlMS3ngA==
Suh-weeeet.
Thanks for that, Ben.
Looks like it’s time for an upgrade!
Thanks for that, Ben.
Looks like it’s time for an upgrade!
I learned this evening that Dive-X has released a firmware update for the BlackTip (to v1.12). Users can install it themselves.
Download the new firmware from here:
Firmware Updates - Dive Xtras Underwater Scooters
The official instructions require that you have a Windows or Linux computer. You have to run a tool called VESC Tool. I currently only have a Macbook. Initially, I tried using the Windows version of VESC Tool inside a Windows 10 virtual machine that I have running on my Macbook in VMware Fusion. I was not able to get that to work. The Mac nor VMware registered that the scooter was connected to the Macbook, so I could not get the scooter's USB connection to pass through to the Windows VM.
I was able to find a Mac version of the software that is required, here:
rpasichnyk/vesc_tool
It worked exactly per the instructions from the video on the Dive-X firmware page.
My understanding of the firmware update is that:
It makes the BlackTip run quieter.
It extends the battery life a bit. I heard a rumor that it's almost a 10% improvement.
It allows the user to customize the number of gears and speed in each gear.
It allows the user to customize what gear it starts in.
And you can customize a couple of other settings.
Details on how to customize the gears (and some other stuff) is in the documentation that you get when you download the firmware update.
I think I'm going to get mine in the water again this weekend, alongside a buddy or two that also have BlackTips. Hopefully, at least one of them will not have this update done yet and we can compare how loud the scooters are with and without the new firmware.
Download the new firmware from here:
Firmware Updates - Dive Xtras Underwater Scooters
The official instructions require that you have a Windows or Linux computer. You have to run a tool called VESC Tool. I currently only have a Macbook. Initially, I tried using the Windows version of VESC Tool inside a Windows 10 virtual machine that I have running on my Macbook in VMware Fusion. I was not able to get that to work. The Mac nor VMware registered that the scooter was connected to the Macbook, so I could not get the scooter's USB connection to pass through to the Windows VM.
I was able to find a Mac version of the software that is required, here:
rpasichnyk/vesc_tool
It worked exactly per the instructions from the video on the Dive-X firmware page.
My understanding of the firmware update is that:
It makes the BlackTip run quieter.
It extends the battery life a bit. I heard a rumor that it's almost a 10% improvement.
It allows the user to customize the number of gears and speed in each gear.
It allows the user to customize what gear it starts in.
And you can customize a couple of other settings.
Details on how to customize the gears (and some other stuff) is in the documentation that you get when you download the firmware update.
I think I'm going to get mine in the water again this weekend, alongside a buddy or two that also have BlackTips. Hopefully, at least one of them will not have this update done yet and we can compare how loud the scooters are with and without the new firmware.
I am really excited about this firmware update. One of the things I thought was really cool about the Piranhas when reading about them was the level of customization (and this could be common on all higher end scooters, I am not sure honestly) that was allowed to the end user as far as speeds, gears, etc. You can set it up as it best fits your diving. As long as I can find time I will be plugging this in tonight.
pauldw
Contributor
Still haven't got my Blacktip in the water, but I did attempt the firmware update today. Using Windows, it seems to work. VESC could not see the file in the downloads folder, but when I put it on the desktop, it could see it. Then, my display was rotated 90 degrees, so I had to change to number from 1 to 0, and that worked. The prop is doing some odd kind of jerking a short distance a few times at first, but eventually it starts spinning slowly and then at 3 in what seems like safe start. I don't recall it doing that jerky thing before, though. So, one take home lesson is that if you're going to give the firmware update a try, move the Dive Xtras file onto your desktop first. Then pray.
I got in 2 dives (1 hour each) yesterday in Lake Phoenix, with 2 buddies who also got BlackTips.
I upgraded my firmware before we went. They did not.
Side by side in the water, the almost complete silence with the new firmware was just about unbelievable! The original firmware is loud, but not THAT loud. If someone is within 20 or 30 feet of you running a BlackTip with the original firmware, you could hear them.
With the new firmware, at one point, one of my buddies had gotten separated from us. I went looking for him. When I spotted him, he was stopped and kind of looking around, but not looking towards me. I scootered right up over him and tapped him on the head. He never heard me! I literally drove my scooter within a foot of his head and he never knew I was there until I reached down and tapped him on the head. He had a hood on, but still.
This new firmware is amazing!
I upgraded both my buddies' firmware for them during our surface interval. After that, it was REALLY easy to get separated in the water. The viz yesterday was less than 10'. With the new firmware, you could not hear it if somebody started up and started motoring off. If you weren't actually looking, someone could take off and be out of sight before you knew it.
Also, we all had 12Ah batteries. We did just under 2 hours total in the water. We were driving around for most of that time. When I was leading, I was generally running on speed 4 and sometimes 5. We were all in drysuits. 2 of us on BM doubles and 1 on a Tiburon CCR. I think we all had 2 bars (EDIT: 3 bars!) left on the battery display at the end. Which is simply to say that I feel like my battery life is significantly better than what the specs quoted. But, I haven't done a real test to prove it, so I can only say that it's a feeling, at this point.
Thank you again, @ben.mcgeever and Dive Xtras for the new firmware and for giving us the ability to load it ourselves.
All I need now is a longer body tube, so it will stay in trim...
I upgraded my firmware before we went. They did not.
Side by side in the water, the almost complete silence with the new firmware was just about unbelievable! The original firmware is loud, but not THAT loud. If someone is within 20 or 30 feet of you running a BlackTip with the original firmware, you could hear them.
With the new firmware, at one point, one of my buddies had gotten separated from us. I went looking for him. When I spotted him, he was stopped and kind of looking around, but not looking towards me. I scootered right up over him and tapped him on the head. He never heard me! I literally drove my scooter within a foot of his head and he never knew I was there until I reached down and tapped him on the head. He had a hood on, but still.
This new firmware is amazing!
I upgraded both my buddies' firmware for them during our surface interval. After that, it was REALLY easy to get separated in the water. The viz yesterday was less than 10'. With the new firmware, you could not hear it if somebody started up and started motoring off. If you weren't actually looking, someone could take off and be out of sight before you knew it.
Also, we all had 12Ah batteries. We did just under 2 hours total in the water. We were driving around for most of that time. When I was leading, I was generally running on speed 4 and sometimes 5. We were all in drysuits. 2 of us on BM doubles and 1 on a Tiburon CCR. I think we all had 2 bars (EDIT: 3 bars!) left on the battery display at the end. Which is simply to say that I feel like my battery life is significantly better than what the specs quoted. But, I haven't done a real test to prove it, so I can only say that it's a feeling, at this point.
Thank you again, @ben.mcgeever and Dive Xtras for the new firmware and for giving us the ability to load it ourselves.
All I need now is a longer body tube, so it will stay in trim...
Just upgraded my software on my Mac. Thanks @stuartv and @ben.mcgeever for making it easy peasy. All products should be open and available to upgrade and modify. It's a great feeling and something to be excited about in an otherwise strange time in our lives.
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