Neptune programming API

[kelk1 0]

Hope that was not too long ;)

[kelk1 0]

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The manual isn't very clear on this. What happens is if you're using Paralog, only the last 10 jumps on the Neptune will be able to be downloaded with the detailed profile / graph. On the Neptune, only the last 200 jumps will have details such as altitudes and date. I just checked mine and I have these for the last 255 jumps. After that, only the total number of jumps and total freefall time is still on the Neptune.

Thank you Brian. I also received this answer from Lara@Alti-2:

"I'm sorry for any confusion regarding the logbook. I'll see if I can make the user manual more accurate in that regard. To clarify: the 10 jump full profile and the 200 jump logbook details will look identical in your Neptune's logbook. The difference between the two is that the 10 full profiles can be downloaded to Paralog where you can see a graph of your jump and export the data as you wish. Past 200 jumps, you will see basic information in your Neptune - the jump number, date, and freefall time. The number of jumps that will be stored past 200 is dependent on the memory usage."

http://www.alti-2.com/Neptune_product_pages/neptune.htm#logbook_features

PS: 255? Sounds like the usual hard deck ;) What is in jump 0? Total time?

[GravityGirl 0]

You seem to be a fine diplomat. Best of luck. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

And there are plenty of folks who use the Neptune as their primary altimeter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[Joellercoaster 6]

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They offered to give me a free license if I wanted to try to get it to work under Linux, but I really didn't have the time to tinker with it. Even so, I thought that was a really fair offer from them.

Not only is that a fair offer, it also just sold me a Neptune, assuming they'll extend it to me too .

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[AlexCrowley 0]

you're a way better diplomat than I'm ever able to be ;)

Like you I was thinking of something lightweight and minimal functionality. Paralog is GREAT at what its supposed to do (and yes, I do have a license for it), but is akin to me wanting notepad.exe over MS Word XP.

Simply having a utility that could initial a datadump would suffice - I really can't imagine that there are too many people in the skydiving world with the motivation or technical skills to use the API for eeeeeeeeevil.

As far as securing updates, a simple gpg sig would ensure the binaries integrity. It would be interesting to discover more about the hardware itself - might have to find a broken neptune simply to disassemble it and find out whats inside. Not for any business purposes, simply to find out how far the architecture could be pushed.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[dragon2 0]

Did you miss my previous post about the free companion software on the Paralog website, that just dumps data on a PDA.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[AlexCrowley 0]

No, but

1. I dont have a PDA.

2. I was referring to a lightweight desktop utility.

Just imagine that I'm not looking for a problem to be solved but just want to discuss things with other like minded people.

(I did just find the PDA free version though, thanks)...oh well off to grab a PDA emulator.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[Remster 24]

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notepad.exe over MS Word XP

I bet you like VI too!

Remster

[AlexCrowley 0]

[switching back to webbrowser from 5 open terminal windows...3 in mid-edit.]

ummmm what makes you say that?

I've decided that Vi is too complex, Im honing my skills until I can perform any editing or written task using a single line sed/awk script, rather than only most of them

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[rasmack 0]

Uhm... can it be very hard to explain Alti2 that a good way of beating L&B is to have superior applications? I do not think so. Open source is the best way to go for a company of limited ressources. It reduces the problem from one of intense developement and testing to merely being one of coordination.

Opening up the comm protocol might even enlist some (gasp) free (speech + beer) help on securing the upgrade function.

I don't think anyone here is really interested in the inner workings of the speed calculation algorithm and its friends, but a solid communications toolkit would be interfaceable to any type GUI people could dream up. The possibility to dump ascii/xml/whatever files might make me buy a Neptune instead of my Pro Track.

I see a slashdot story coming up

HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227
“I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.”
- Not quite Oscar Wilde...

[AlexCrowley 0]

Only if you really feel like not reading dropzone.com for a day or so til it falls off the front page.

I'm not overly concerned about GPL/OSS issues, but I do agree that opening it up to the skydiving community is a good idea.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[kelk1 0]

Unfortunately, here is what I just received:

"Klaus is correct, our decision is to not publish the protocol at this time."

Which I answered:
"Lara,

I am only interested in a product I bought and cannot fully use. As I
have now discovered, Paralog does not support Neptune under linux.

Judging by the number of hits on the Dropzone thread (1350 in 3 days), I am not the only one concerned by this issue.

Thank you for answering but, if this decision is final, it is rather
disappointing."

I think that concludes this attempt.

[AlexCrowley 0]

Right now I'm messing with WinCE emulators.

In all seriousness, if anyone's interested in hacking something together let me know. I've had a few discussions in the last 24 hours with people interested in approaching the problem from a couple of different angles - all of them ethical and legal.

Probably best to take it out of this forum though

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[IanHarrop 37]

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Paralog does not support Neptune under linux.

They have it listed in their downloads - is there more information that you have found?

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[kelk1 0]

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Paralog does not support Neptune under linux.

They have it listed in their downloads - is there more information that you have found?

If you look at this page (prerequisites):

http://www.paralog.net/index.php?prerequisites.htm

The penguin is grayed out.

[brianfry713 0]

This sums it up nicely.
http://www.alti-2.com/Neptune_product_pages/neptune.htm#logbook_features

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PS: 255? Sounds like the usual hard deck ;) What is in jump 0? Total time?

I didn't actually see the "extended log" they were talking about. I saw all the details on the Neptune for the last 255 (yes 2^8 - 1) jumps. After scrolling back past that point, it wrapped around to the most recent jumps I had made. I didn't try pushing the previous jump button another 255 times. Ironically, I had done around 255 jumps in the past year.

The total freefall time and total jump numbers are still up to date. I'm not worried about the older data since I back evertyhing up to Paralog.

BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

[Trae 1]

in reply to "I'm actually surprized that your mind even went there. And a bit frightened to ever meet you at a drop zone. "
...........................................................

Any DZ with Alex on it would probably be a lot safer than the ones inhabited by non-computer savy people with their heads stuck firmly in the sand.

Perhaps the over technologised AAd run electronic Alti skydiving future does hold some previously unthought of pitfalls....virtual or real.

Here's something that may make any apparent electronic paranoi seem like common sense.

I once knew a guy whose little trick was to carry around a hidden magnetic zapper.(high intensity fine point ) Not quite sure how it worked myself.
This thing when held close to anything with sensitive electronics would scramble the very fine electronic eggs inside. Haven't seen him for quite a while ( I think he works for the shhhh... Government now ) but he enjoyed playing around with things as he saw fit. Apparently ( according to him ) he wasn't breaking any laws.
I suppose such a public nuisance couldn't possibly exist in todays trusting advanced society... especially on such a perfect place as any Drop Zone .

If we all get too reliant on electronic gadetry perhaps some evil hacker could prove a point by bouncing everyone jumping through cloud with an audible and an AAD who doesn't even look at the ground or their surroundings cause they're so busy turning that last point or getting in and closing that last grip.

You mean it's scary out here?????

See You out THERE