Server performance

DrTeeth

I wonder if the numbers of hits on the FRS server tends to peak when a release of SSDR is thought to be imminent.

k3Tim

I would bet it ramps up at the release announcement.    :-)

I'm thinking any day now..... 

DrTeeth

>>I'm thinking any day now.....
Me too...that is why I asked ;-).

Walt - KZ1F

I would guess after NYD, first week or two in Jan. People tend to take off the week between Christmas and New Years, kids are out of school, perhaps the testers are otherwise occupied..This is a hectic season.

Steve-N5AC

It's pretty much what you would expect.  You can tell our release dates of software just by looking at the server statistics.  This is the release of v1.4.  The dark green color is the bandwidth.  We typically run well over 100GB of bandwidth in just downloads during a release month.



We are putting out another Alpha of v1.6 this weekend.  We feel very close, but I probably said this about a month ago.  With many of our staff taking off at various times between the 23rd and the new year, we made a decision not to release v1.6 until after the first of the year.  Part of this decision is because the release is not a simple add of a few features, but rather makes significant changes in the capabilities of the radio for contesting, digital modes interfacing, logging, etc.  More than one of our Alpha team has suggested that we number the release v2.0 because of the significant capability increases.  Of course, we promised everyone that v2.0 is WAN functionality and we're sticking to this.  

The changes require our first update to the DAX drivers since their release.  As many of you know, driver installs often go without a hitch, but can also run into issues from time to time.  We wanted to be sure we had full staff if any of you had issues so we could help with them.  Without a driver update, we might have made a different decision and of course it ultimately depends on whether we've got everything just like we want it this week.  We're working hard to get it to you as quickly as we can!

George KF2T

Thanks Steve! Looking forward to a "new radio" in the new year.

KF4HR

Thanks for the update Steve.

DrTeeth

Thanks Steve. Each new release has had different version numbered DAX drivers, so are you saying that the number change did not signify a driver change?

Steve-N5AC

The DAX control panel has continued to be updated each time, but the drivers have not been.  Generally in Windows user-mode applications are very compatible across versions of Windows.  Drivers can have issues since they are privileged applications that operate more closely with the operating system.  We have seen some occasional issues during Alpha testing with the updated drivers.  We've worked to ensure as many of the issues we've seen during testing will not appear for the majority of customers (thanks to the Alpha team for being Guinea pigs), but we can't predict all of the software and hardware combinations a customer might have, so problems can occur from time to time.  Our support team has been helping customers with this sort of thing since we've been in business so we can help if problems occur.

Long term, the only reason for the DAX drivers is a translation shim from VITA-49 over Ethernet to Windows sound cards.  Most digital applications today use sound cards so we will probably not be getting away from them anytime soon, but I hope in the future that a standard like VITA-49 is more widely adopted so we don't need virtual sound cards -- and the drivers that go with them.

DrTeeth

Mni tnx for that info Steve.

Sergey R5AU

Sounds good Steve, thank you !

Ken - NM9P

Thanks, Every little "leak" of information whets my appetite even more!
I guess I can endure a few more days!  
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year to the whole staff!

Ken - NM9P

Bill N5TU

Thank you very much.  I'm looking forward to the upgrade.

Have a great holiday!

VY 73, Bill, N5TU

Walt - KZ1F

What no one, so far as I can tell, has asked; is 1.6 it for version 1?

Marv

It was just clearly laid out by Steve above that Ver. 1.6 will be just that and Ver 2.0 will be for WAN as promised!

Marv

Thanks for the post Steve.  You guys are doing a fantastic job , and always giving a lot to look forward to.  Merry Christmas to you and all of the Staff, and Happy New Year!

Marv

Walt - KZ1F

Marv, would you like to point me to where Steve said there would be no 1.7 release? I don't see it. I did see where a tester suggested that 1.5.1 be the last release on 1.x.

DrTeeth

The tester was plainly wrong (and naughty for breaking the NDA). I have not seen any mention at all that any given version of the 1.x line would be the last; indeed bug fixes will still be made available after the release of the v2 line. I use some softwares that is continually and frequently updated and the last major version update (aka the last time I paid anything) was years ago.

Tim - W4TME

There have not been any declarative statements regarding the last 1.x release of anything.  No need to get any feathers ruffled.

And, unless the information comes from an actual member of the FlexRadio management team, it is not authoritative.

Marv

Walt Corey-KZ1F

I do not know anything about a 1.7 release. But if you look at and read Steve's post about the use of bandwidth used and showing the chart, he specifically states that 1.6 will be released separate from Ver. 2.0 which will have WAN!

Tim - W4TME

"Those who readith betwixt the lines are bound to find white space..."

Seriously, I think the comment Steve was making about 1.6 was a bit of tongue in cheek, referring to the fact that we have put in a lot of time and effort into release 1.6 where it feels like we have done a major release's worth of effort.

One of the major (not not the only) feature of the upcoming 2.0 is WAN access.

Steve-N5AC

After we release v1.6 and get Maestro out the door, we will work in earnest on v2.0.  There is no plan, at this point, for a v1.7.  But as time progresses, we could decide to produce an interim release for some reason.  The largest factor would be the time required to design and build v2.0.  At this point, no one at FlexRadio can tell you anything about any potential release between v1.6 and v2.0 because we simply don't know. 

DrTeeth

Steve, SSDR *needs* a GUI-centred release before v2.

It has some very rough edges and places where some very poor design choices were made; the power and SWR meters spring to mind. There are others sufficient in number to warrant a separate GUI release.

Those who do not wish to upgrade to v2 should get the enhanced GUI as part of their v1 package IMHO.

W7NGA

Why this hubbub about Power and SWR meters? Big deal ... you shouldn't be relying on the radio for this information, at least not to any precision. Antenna current, SWR on the feed line, these are important and not the duty of the transceiver. Just my opinion .. but good engineering practices should lead you elsewhere.

I am really enjoying the user-interface, and am starting to fear the distinct possibility of it getting mucked up a bit by attempting to support too many tertiary considerations.

W7NGA  dan

Steve K9ZW

@Guy - While the SmartSDR GUI should be continued to be tweaked a lot falls into personal preference rather than show-stoppers needing a redesign. 

A GUI addition that would be nice to see is "skins" like PowerSDR had but with more customization available, particularly in colors, font sizes and other legibility tweaks.

That could be rolled in somewhere along the line, rather than a dedicated release.

73

Steve K9ZW

Ned K1NJ

      The GUI is how this radio presents itself to the world.  It should be as
powerful, practical, and efficient as possible.  Some functions should be
available, but ought to be able to be turned off and on or modified as
needed by the user.
      Flex produced "PowerSDR" and knows how to make a GUI that does
not get "mucked up .... [by] ... tertiary considerations"  They know how to
do this.  A serious "GUI centered release" would be a pleasant surprise
even to those who may not think one is needed.

    Ned,  K1NJ






   

W7NGA

Not sure what any of that has to do with fixating on the Power and SWR meters. Microsoft Word is incredibly complex and powerful, and yet, when I try and use it I am overly burdened with sorting thru too many features.

Al_NN4ZZ

Guy and Ned, Agree on wanting to see some GUI improvements. There are plenty of good ideas already in the list that would make SSDR better. Steve , Agree that they don't have to be in a seperate release. It would be nice to get them before 2.0 but that is not a requirement for me. I'll get 2.0 when it is available even though I don't have any plans to use the WAN remote feature. I expect there will be other enhancements in the 2.x. Series. One reason I asked for a status update on all of the ideas (including many GUI improvements) is to find out which ones are even in play. Re: this thread. https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/roadmaps?topic-reply-list[settings][filter_by]=all&topic-reply-list[settings][reply_id]=16436540#reply_16436540 Regards, Al / NN4ZZ

DrTeeth

@ W7NGA - you have just got used to the current GUI, designed by sombody who thought it was a good idea that the meter bar (the bit that moves - not saying this to be disrespectful, just to make myself clear) gets darker the lower down the scale it moves, just when most would want more precision. For example, on most of 160M, I am only allowed 32W at the antenna. I can make a few calculations for my line loss, but then I cannot see the dark bar on the power meter. There are decisions taken that do not follow windows convention like most (>99%) of windows programs follow and areas where it is very difficult to control. You have just got used to this like most of us, but that should not stop progress :-).

Cheers,

Guy G4DWV/4X1LT

Walt - KZ1F

Some may well feel there needs to be a UI focused release.
Some may feel the UI is just fine the way it is.
Personally, I think over the last two years there have been articulated 'flaws' in the design of the UI. Season to taste.
The primary reason I asked the question, with an expectation of an official answer, is 1.6 apparently will have some major new features, for those features, it will be essentially a .0 release. I'd like to see, prior to the end of release 1 and a money release, notwithstanding what Steve just said, a point release dedicated to cleaning up all remaining reported bugs, sev 1 and sev 2  counts to zero and significant reduction in sev 3 bugs. In that way those not progressing on to release 2.x would not be burdened with unresolved bugs.

DrTeeth

Walt, I think there could be a reasonable compromise, but it would take a lot of work. It would require a search through the whole forum to see where somebody in authority from FRS has confirmed the bug/cosmetic issue and said it would be put on a list for fixing...like the date in the lower right hand corner not having the system format (whistles to look nonchalant). I'll get my coat...