I am purchasing the Solmetric PVA-600 Solar PV Analyzer with the wireless kit and accessories. The question I have is how do you update the software for Solmetric products. Do you need to buy the updates? Do you download them? Does it work the same way for the SunEye?
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The SunEye software has a feature where every time the application starts it checks with the Solmetric web server (if connected to the Internet) to see if there is a software update available. If an update is available, the user is prompted with the option to upgrade at that time. Note that this feature has not always been activated. It was activated for version 2.8 (approx. Jan 2009) and is active for version 4.40.xxxx.
The software can be downloaded from the Solmetric web site at solmetric.com. The installer program will update the SunEye device, the SunEye desktop software, and the PV Designer. Existing data such as SunEye sessions and PV Designer designs will not be impacted by the update. The PV Analyzer PVA-600 works in a similar manor. When new software comes available, it can be downloaded at no additional cost and loaded into the Analyzer.
Here is a great little video about the PVA-600 Analyzer. It doesn't show how to update the software, but it is interesting.
Here are the upgrade instructions for the SunEye. In my experience, Solmetric provides free updates about every 4 months and upgrades are typically easy as any software managed portable device.
Solmetric periodically publishes updates to the software. You can find the latest version of the SunEye software at. The software on the hand-held unit and the Desktop Companion are simultaneously installed from the same installation file.
• To upgrade your software, simply run the installer by double-clicking on the new setup executable file obtained from the web site.
• To downgrade your software version to an earlier version, you must first uninstall the current version as follows:
1 On the desktop computer go to Start > Control Panel.
2 Double-click on Add or Remove Programs.
3 Locate and select SunEye.
4 Click Remove.
5 Close the Add or Remove Programs window.
6 Install the older version as you would any version, by double-clicking on the.exe file for the version you wish to install or inserting the DVD with the old software and install as usual.
N O T E Upgrading software will not affect your stored session and skyline data. All data will continue to be available. Downgrading software will not affect your stored session and skyline data, however, the sessions or skylines created in the newer software version may not be viewable in the older version.
The current policy is to support firmware upgrades for the life of the product up until the time that that product is no longer in active development. All of those updates are provided free of charge at this time. The SunEye 100 series (100 and 110 models) are no longer in development so the final firmware update has already been released and there are no more planned updates for that platform. The 210 model is still under active development and new features are released on a regular basis, all free of charge. The previous statement is also true of the PVA-600, active development and all firmware updates are free of charge.
The exception is the PV Designer software which is licensed separately and priced as a subscription. Only during the subscription period are updates included.