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another beta image release
#1
I found a few minor issues while sailing this past week.   I recommend everyone update to this latest image:

https://pypilot.org/images/tinypilot_2020_10_27.img.xz


I am looking forward to feedback.   If no serious problems are found this may eventually be a stable release, I'm hoping to make soon.
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#2
(2020-10-28, 05:06 PM)seandepagnier Wrote: I found a few minor issues while sailing this past week.   I recommend everyone update to this latest image:

https://pypilot.org/images/tinypilot_2020_10_27.img.xz


I am looking forward to feedback.   If no serious problems are found this may eventually be a stable release, I'm hoping to make soon.

I will try it the next days an report.


One question. Witch is the Tinypilot Signal-k port for websocket connection ?

I'm getting also in to OP-2 and all seems stable, but I use the TPC NMEA connection and want to try the websocket Signal-k.
I use OP2 as accespoint and TP 2.0 as client. 

Right now I have a testsetting with LED´s for Clutch, Port and Stb. but going to  try now on the boat.

Save sailing
Andreas
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#3
for signalk, tinypilot discovers available server and connects using zeroconf.

So you just need to communicate with signalk node server.

I have tested this only running pypilot either on openplotter or tinypilot connected to a network with openplotter. In both cases the signalk is available on the openplotter pi.
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#4
I'm still on a one-year old image and it works fine for me. It took me quite a while to get it to this stage, but now the pypilot machine is in 100% production use; the backup raymarine has been in the bunk locker even since. Unless I have a very good reason to upgrade, I'm afraid I will stick to this version, allowing me to adjust gains while steering which I could not do with other solutions.

Bit ashamed, because this is not the open source spirit of course, and I feel I am a bit obliged to follow and feed back on every update. But sorry to say that is not going to happen for now  Confused and I'd rather focus on my sailing mileage. If, however, these new self-learning, AI, fuzzy logic, phase locked loop pilots start to look promising, I'm the first one to rig up a new prototype setup and test it on the boat!
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#5
if the old version is working, keep it. You can always make a backup of the sd card to an image file on disk too.

There are many more features in the new image but as far as a working autopilot that can follow routes steer to wind etc, the old image is fine.

New features include
1) two way signalk communication
2) rf remote control support
3) easy reprogramming of all keys to various functions
4) easily reprogram any IR remote without special calibration
5) display of calibration plots in the webapp as well as opencpn plugin
6) improved cpu efficiency, but this is offset because the loop runs at 20hz instead of 10hz giving finer timings
7) improved display support
8) numerous bug fixes
9) more efficient data system leading toward future improvements
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#6
So back from sailing.

Installing the new immage was just swapping SD-Cards. So also if needed easy to swap back.
My old tinypilot was 0.12 with OP1.2 and the corresponding plugin at the navegation pi3b+ at the nav desk.
I have done arround 1000 NM in the courrent year verry happy and no problems.

So today I used also a headles PI4 with OP2 and the newest pypilot plugin 0.22.5 witch will go to replace the one at the nav desk if the testing is a sucess.

So after booting I edid the pypilot.conf to my proven gains and servo settings. Also I changed a line with somethiing
hat.eprom=true into false. (I guess i have no hat and no eprom but not shure about ;-) )

I tested all wifi connection types, Master, Managed with fixed IP, Managed with dhcp. ---- all worked fine

I had a problem with signal-k connection wich I worked arround by setting into signal-k an TCP output to get winddata into pypilot and in to OPENCPN an TCP input to get roll and pitch to the PI4.
Later I found that er was an connection request for singnal-k at the security options wich I had to allow and to gant read and write permissions. So my foult an I remooved the TCP connections.

The LCD display and keys at the helm worked right away just had to flip the display adjust the port and Std keys as they were inverted. That was easy done by the webapp. ----- GREAT

As there was verry few wind I just motored. Stearing in compass mode was good and as epected. I could not notice any diference in this conditiones .....

I like the wind display with 180 Stb/Port and the underline too see witch side.

So here a few and mor cosmetic observations:
In the LCD the wind underline is thicker on the upper number (actual wind) then at the lower numer (wind to steer).
I like more the slim line as it dit not touch tbe number and it is thatfor more visible.

In the Pypilot Plugin when the wind ist from Port, every time you make a change ther coms the 360 figuere before the -180 is displayed. I think ist an output befor recalculation. Also der is no sign for wind from stb. it would be nice to have -90 and 90- ... a minus in front and minus behind for wind from port.

Tacking is not working, it beginns and than the AP disengages.

When it comes to remote control, I have keys at the helm, Pypilot Plugin at the Nav-Desk and Mobile Phone/Tablet for any remote needes, with webapp or VNC-Viewer to the PI at the Nav-Desk.
So I dont need more RF/Wifi remotes .... but I understand that others like them.

Conclusion of the day:
I will stay with Tinypilot 0.25 image from 27.10.2020 an now change the OP1.2 at the nav with PI4 OP2

Wishlist: Tacking/Jibing and selflearning ..... but I also can live without

Thanks a lot Sean !!!

Save sailing to all
Andreas
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#7
Thanks for the feedback.

(2020-10-29, 07:34 PM)xfactor99 Wrote: So back from sailing.

Installing the new immage was just swapping SD-Cards. So also if needed easy to swap back.
My old tinypilot was 0.12 with OP1.2 and the corresponding plugin at the navegation pi3b+ at the nav desk.
I have done arround 1000 NM in the courrent year verry happy and no problems.

So  today I used also a headles PI4 with OP2  and the newest pypilot plugin 0.22.5 witch will go to replace the one at the nav desk if the testing is a sucess.

So after booting I edid the pypilot.conf to my proven gains and servo settings. Also I changed a line with somethiing
hat.eprom=true into false. (I guess i have no hat and no eprom but not shure about ;-)   )
maybe it was "servo.use_eeprom" option?

This if true some servo settings, like rudder calibration, slew speeds max current and a few others are stored on the motor controller's eeprom. This way the motor specific settings are not lost if you upgrade, and if you have two motor controllers and two motors you could use the backup one with different settings. Hopefully this option doesn't matter for most users.

Quote:I tested all wifi connection types, Master, Managed with fixed IP, Managed with dhcp. ---- all worked fine

I had a problem with signal-k connection wich I worked arround by setting into signal-k an TCP output to get winddata into pypilot and in to OPENCPN an TCP input to get roll and pitch to the PI4.
Later I found that er was an connection request for singnal-k at the security options wich I had to allow and to gant read and write permissions. So my foult an I remooved the TCP connections.
So the signalk is working ok for wind once you granted permissions?

Quote:The LCD display and keys at the helm worked right away just had to flip the display adjust the port and Std keys as they were inverted. That was easy done by the webapp. ----- GREAT

As there was verry few wind I just motored. Stearing in compass mode was good and as epected. I could not notice any diference in this conditiones .....
Switching the rate to 20hz from 10hz will probably not affect performance unless the autopilot is working pretty hard.

Quote:I like the wind display with 180 Stb/Port and the underline too see witch side.

So here a few and mor cosmetic observations:
In the LCD the wind underline is thicker on the upper number (actual wind) then at the lower numer (wind to steer).
I like more the slim line as it dit not touch tbe number and it is thatfor more visible.
I will optimize this in the future. It also looks different on the new screen which is higher resolution.

Quote:In the Pypilot Plugin when the wind ist from Port, every time you make a change ther coms the 360 figuere before the -180 is displayed. I think ist an output befor recalculation. Also der is no sign for wind from stb. it would be nice to have -90 and 90- ... a minus in front and minus behind for wind from port.
I'll look at this also. How was the wind display in the webapp?
Quote:Tacking is not working, it beginns and than the AP disengages.
Ok, I didn't expect tacking to really work, it never really did
Quote:When it comes to remote control, I have keys at the helm, Pypilot Plugin at the Nav-Desk and Mobile Phone/Tablet for any remote needes, with webapp or VNC-Viewer to the PI at the Nav-Desk.
So I dont need more RF/Wifi remotes .... but I understand that others like them.

Conclusion of the day:
I will stay with Tinypilot 0.25 image from 27.10.2020 an now change the OP1.2 at the nav with PI4 OP2

Wishlist: Tacking/Jibing and selflearning ..... but I also can live without
I want to support much more in learning pilots and of course tacking and jibing, but it's taking a while.
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#8
More testing today, finaly with some wind.

I had to go back to tpc connetion, so no testing with signal K. As the signal-k connection was lost every 5 seconds (Reported in LCD display). I guess it is my fault in signal k sttings in OP2 as it was stable when I did more testing in OP2.

I will look at this the next time an also the webapp control of pypilot.

Today I found the following:

When in compass-mode the GPIO-Keys +/- 1/10 go to where the should, Stb and Port. In wind-mode the port keys go to stb and stb keys to port. That is verry confusing and I guess it should not be like this.

In the OPENCPN Pypilot-Plugin the gain-setting-window is sometimes emty, not allways. I have not found jet in witch occasion but I will keep an eye on it. I know , once they came back after closing and reopening OPENCPN.
I guess it is the same problem that "Andreas29" reported in this thread:
https://forum.openmarine.net/showthread.php?tid=2516.

Otherwise it was great fun stearing wind-mode and see how the pilot reacts well to the windshifts.

Thanks again Sean

Save sailing to all
Andreas
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#9
The reason they are opposite in wind mode is a +10 change to commanded apparent wind gives the opposite change of +10 compass course.

I suppose they should be switched the other way around for wind mode since it's more intuitive anyway, but right now, both cases add or subtract from the command.
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#10
(2020-10-31, 01:56 AM)seandepagnier Wrote: The reason they are opposite in wind mode is a +10 change to commanded apparent wind gives the opposite change of +10 compass course.

I suppose they should be switched the other way around for wind mode since it's more intuitive anyway, but right now, both cases add or subtract from the command.

That is how it should be and how it was at my previos version of of Tinypilot.
After installing 27-10.2020 the Stb and Port Keys were interchanged. So I corrected that with the webap Key-Setting.
But this had only efect in compass-mode. So the result was that for example +10 was adding in compass but resting in wind mode to the command. 

I dont know if this was your intention.


For me I solved it by undoing my erlier Webapp Key-Setting and changing the wires on the Pi.

Now +10 is adding in compass and in wind mode and it is working as it should.

UPDATE: it is still a little confusing ... somtimea it add somtime it rest. I guess it is because te command
goes on the app wind (0-180 range)
Maybe it wouldbe wise to command also wind in the 0-360 tange and only use app wind range for display. You will know better than me ;-)

otherwise webapp works well. Mayby the 2/10 buttens can have the signs +/-.
Also signal k is stable now. I guess my problem was that i had in Opencpn connections the tag on "automatic server discovery" or/and the expiration settings for the tinypilot signal k server when accepting the connection.


Greetings

Andreas
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