Star Book and Star Book S Firmware Update
Latest Changes - Version 2.1
The changes below apply to both the Star Book and Star Book S unless otherwise stated.
Volume Setting
Some previous firmware versions did not save the volume setting. This is now corrected.
Description of Pluto
This has now been updated to show “Pluto (dwarf planet)” in line with that object’s latest classification.
Errors when using an SXD Mount (Star Book only)
The automatic GO-TO function sometimes did not complete its operation and object tracking could be unstable. Both these errors are now corrected.
Incorrect Button Positions – French Language Only (Star Book S)
In previous firmware versions there was an error in the placement of the descriptions of the button operations in Chart mode when used in the French language setting. The position of the "Object" and "Menu" labels is corrected in this version.
GO-TO Function for Comets
GO-TO for comets is now possible after uploading orbital element data. Further information on how to upload comet data to the Star Book S and Star Book is available here: Star Book S User Guide
GO-TO Speed Control
The maximum speed of the GO-TO function can be reduced in order to reduce motor drive noise and power consumption during slewing.
To set the GO-TO speed, from either Chart or Scope mode select Menu and scroll down to the GO-TO Speed menu item. Press Select.
Use the left and right arrow keys on the right hand keypad to move to the speed adjustment box. Use the up and down keys to select between “HIGH” and “MEDIUM”. Move to the OK box and press Select to confirm. Now scroll up to the Save Setting menu entry and press select, right or left arrow and Select again to confirm your new setting.
Display Bright Star and Messier Object Names
The names of prominent bright fixed stars and Messier objects can be displayed on the star chart screen in both Scope and Chart mode. There are options to show the names "Always ON", "Always OFF" and at various zoom levels.
In either Scope or Chart mode, press the Menu button and scroll down to Chart Setting. Press Select and you will then see the following options:
Use the left and right buttons to move between the options and change the values by pressing the up or down buttons. Move to the OK option and press select to confirm your settings. Now scroll to the Save Setting option on the menu and press select to save the new settings.
Error Correction from Build 29 (Star Book S)
In firmware version 1.2, build 29 an alignment error was found to occur when the latitude of the observing location was changed. This problem is resolved by installing the latest firmware.
Note that the Star Book S is automatically switched off when the value of latitude or longitude of the observing location is changed and the new values are saved. The new values are effective after restarting the controller.
Other Updates From Previous Versions
Spanish language support added.
The screen backlight can be switched off for better observation.
Data on stars up to magnitude 7.0 can be displayed where previously this was possible only for stars to magnitude 6.0.
The controller now supports both Vixen AGA-1 autoguider and ST-4 compatible autoguiders.
Backlash compensation added.
The controller is supported by Astro Arts’ Stellar Navigator v7 and Stellar Gear. Check the respective software websites for full details.
LCD brightness and contrast adjustments were added to the menu.
Date and time display in leap years is now correctly handled.
Display speed and scrolling speed were both improved compared to firmware version 1.1.
The “Home” position function was added to the menu.
Information Regarding Firmware Updates
The various upgrades are provided as a complete set within the firmware update. Updated, new or corrected functions cannot be installed individually.
All firmware updates are carried out at the user’s risk. If you are in any doubt about applying the firmware update, contact Opticron for advice or to arrange to return your Star Book S or Star Book for the firmware to be updated.
Firmware Update Procedure
This procedure applies to Star Book S and Star Book firmware.
Ensure that new batteries, a fully charged power tank or a mains adaptor are used when carrying out the upgrade. Power failure at either the PC or the controller during the update process may result in permanent and irreparable damage to the controller. Should power failure occur, the controller will need to be returned to Opticron for repair and all settings will be returned to their default state.
If using a cross-over LAN cable to directly connect a PC to the controller, network settings may need to be changed. Please make a note of the existing PC network settings (IP address, subnet mask, gateway etc) before applying any new settings. You will have to manually re-enter the original settings once the update has been applied.
The current settings of the controller including time, date and location will be reset after the update. Please make a note of the current settings before updating the firmware.
System Requirements
The firmware upgrade program only runs on the Microsoft Windows operating system. Owners of computers running Linux, Mac OS or any other operating system will need to return their controller to Opticron for upgrade at their cost.
The software has been tested on Windows 98SE, ME, XP Home Edition, XP Professional and Vista. It may run on Windows 7 systems but this operating system is not supported by Vixen or Opticron.
It is recommended that you use Internet Explorer version 6.0 or higher or Firefox version 3.5 or higher.
Minimum PC system specifications are as follows:
CPU – Pentium II 400MHz or higher
RAM - 128MB (Windows 98SE, ME), 256MB or more (Windows XP, Vista)
LAN – wired 10 base-T or 100 base-T
Update Procedure
We suggest that you check your current firmware version before proceeding with an upgrade. To do this, from either the initial start up menu or from the menu available in Chart or Scope mode, scroll down to the About Star Book option as shown below:
Press Select to show a screen like the one below:
The current firmware version is shown in the first line (ver2.1 in this example) and the firmware build number is shown at the end of the first line (43 in this example).
Download the firmware upgrade application from one of the following links, depending on which controller you own (in Internet Explorer, right click the link and choose Save Target As and in Firefox right click the link and choose Save Link As):
Star Book S Update v21.exe build 35
Star Book Update v21.exe build 43
Make a note of the folder in which the application is saved. Once downloaded, you will need to connect the controller using one of the methods described below.
a) Direct PC Connection
Disconnect the network cable from the PC if already connected. Use a cross over LAN cable (not supplied) to connect the controller to the wired LAN port of the PC.
Power on the controller and wait for one minute for the controller to negotiate its IP settings automatically with the PC.
From the initial start up menu of the controller, scroll down to the About Star Book option and press the Select key. Make a note of the IP address and subnet mask e.g. 169.254.xxx.yyy and 255.255.0.0 (where xxx and yyy can be any number between 0 and 255.
Now double click on the firmware update program downloaded above. In Windows Vista you may see a warning dialogue box (User Account Control). Select “Allow (A) I Trust This Program” to continue (similar warning dialogues may be displayed when running the application under Windows 7).
Enter the IP address obtained from the About Star Book menu option in the boxes as shown below:
Star Book firmware update
Star Book S firmware update
Click the OK button and wait for between 2 and 5 minutes for the process to complete. The time taken will depend on the PC system configuration. Once the update is complete you will receive the following message:
Turn the controller off and then on again. At the initial menu screen, scroll down to "About Star Book” to confirm the current firmware version.
You can now disconnect the LAN cable from the controller and re-attach any existing network cable. Wait a few minutes for the PC to re-negotiate any network settings before trying to use network resources (including the internet).
If the procedure above does not work the most likely cause will be that the PC and controller failed to negotiate an IP address for the controller.
You will need to check and possibly change the network interface settings as described below. For Windows XP and Vista you will need administrative rights on the user account that you are logged in as.
For Windows XP:
- Click on Start and go to the Control Panel (this may be under the Settings menu depending on your PC configuration)
- Select the Network and Internet Connections icon and then click the Network Connections icon at the bottom of the page (or click directly on Network Connections if using Classic View)
- Click on the Local Area Connection and select Change Settings Of This Connection from the menu that appears on the left of the page. Scroll down to find the entry for Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on that entry.
- Click Properties and check the IP and subnet mask settings. If the Obtain an IP address automatically button is not selected, make a note of the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and DNS server address settings. Now click the Obtain an IP address automatically button and click OK.
For Windows Vista:
- Click on Start and go to the Control Panel
- Click on the Network and Sharing Centre icon
- Click on Manage Network Connections in the column on the right
- Select "Local Area Connection - Details"
Confirm that the following numbers are set in the dialog box.
IPv4 IP Address：169.254.a.b（a,b are arbitrary numbers)
IPv4 Subnet Mask：255.255.0.0
If the numbers for your PC are different or if the "DHCP server is available" is selected to "No", it is a possible that "Obtain IP address automatically" is not set. Follow the procedure below to change the settings and obtain an IP address automatically.
- Click on Start and go to Control Panel and then select "Internet Options"
- The "Internet Properties" dialog box should now open. Select "Connection Tab - LAN Settings"
- Check that “Automatically detect settings” is selected
- Check that "Use Proxy Server for LAN" is not selected
- Restart the firmware upgrade procedure
For Windows 98SE, ME
- Select "Run" from the Start menu
- Enter "winipcfg" in the box that appears and click OK
- Select the relevant LAN card in the drop-down menu and check that the IP Address is 169.254.c.d (where c,d are arbitrary numbers) and that the Subnet Mask is set to 255.255.0.0
- If the settings are correct, restart the firmware upgrade procedure
If you see different values, the LAN card may not be set to obtain an IP address automatically. The procedure below explains how to change this setting.
- In Control Panel, select "Network.
- Select "TCP/IP->STAR BOOK and LAN card" from the list of network connections and click Properties. The "TCP/IP (Home) Properties" dialogue will now open
- Select the IP Address tab and make sure that “Obtain IP address automatically” is selected
- Click OK twice to confirm the changes
- A dialog box asking you to restart the system will appear. Click Yes.
- Restart the firmware upgrade procedure
b) Connection via LAN or Router
If connected to a LAN or a router that has DHCP enabled, the controller will acquire a network address from the DHCP server automatically. Use either the “About Star Book” menu option on the controller or the LAN or router administration software to determine the IP address that has been allocated. Now follow the procedure to upgrade the firmware as if using a direct PC connection and enter the automatically assigned IP address when prompted by the upgrade program.
If you are unsure of the network settings, contact your network administrator.
If DHCP is not enabled, follow the procedure for direct PC connection.
