7330 Firmware Release 1.9 Now Available

7330 Firmware Release 1.9 is available for download at:

http://www.scomcontrollers.com/7330firmware
http://www.scomcontrollers.com/downloads/7330_V1.9_240512.zip

The Release Notes have a complete list of New Features, Fixes and Changes to the Manual.  Here's a summary of the new features.

One focus of this release is Serial Console usability.

-- Recall Previous Console Command.  How many times have you typed the same command over and over -- or pasted it from the terminal emulator.  Now you can press Escape to recall the last command.

-- Errors Console Command.  If you have loaded a long programming file, then scrolled back to look for errors, you'll appreciate this new command.  Before sending the programming file to the 7330, you enter the console command to zero the error counter.  Then you send the programming file to the serial console.  When the transfer is done, type the errors command to display the number of errors that occurred during the transfer.

-- Simulate DTMF Commands Console Option.  Testing commands and macros can be tedious.  When you enter the command at the serial console, any audio response is sent to Port 1.  But, what if you want to know how the macro will work on Port 2 or Port 3?  Now you can prefix the command with a port number of where you want the command executed.  The command will behave as if you entered it using DTMF on that port.

Another focus of this release is I/O Expansion.  Commands have been added to make use of the AUX Serial Port to control external devices.

-- Add the I/O Expansion Chapter to the Manual.  This new chapter will explain the configuration and operation of the new I/O expansion features added in this release and coming in future releases.

-- Send ASCII Characters to a Serial Port.  With this new command, you can send any 8-bit ASCII character to an external device.  You can attached power strips, a Raspbery Pi, or a Remote Base Radio and control it with these commands.  There are Serial Run-Time Variables to provide date-time stamps and DTMF digits as entered on each of the ports.  You can use this command to send logging messages to the Serial Console.  For testing, I have a set of macros that control a Kenwood TM-V71a remote base radio. 

-- Set AUX Serial Port Baudrate Via DTMF.  You can set the AUX port baudrate in your programming commands to simplify device configuration.  This is useful if you use the AUX port to control more than one device.

If you inherit support for a controller, or can't remember how your serial port is set up, you can now enter a DTMF command to reset your serial port assignments.  You can set the serial console to be accessed on either physical RS232 port.  This is especially useful if the port you have been using has been damaged.

Some other new features.

-- Add UART DCD Logic Input for RS232-1.  This new input has a boolean and event-triggered macros so you can be notified when an external device changes this pin.

-- The 7330 never had the 9830 Run-Time Variable that was in the 7K.  This RTV has now been added.

If you have any questions about these features, let us know.  We'll walk thru it with you.