SBIG Camera Firmware Updates

Updating your Camera’s Firmware

We release firmware updates to the Aluma, Aluma AC, STC, and StarChaser series cameras and guiders which can contain: bug-fixes, improvements, optimizations, and new features. We advise updating the DL Imaging suite simultaneously. You can update your FPGA firmware via the DL Config application as follows:

  1. Install the latest version of DL Config – this will also update your camera drivers
  2. Power up your camera and connect to the computer (USB recommended), but make sure it is not connected to MaxIm DL or other control software
  3. Download the latest firmware revision (below)
  4. Go to Start Menu / DL Config Utility and run the DL Config Utility
  5. Make sure your camera is selected
  6. Click the Firmware button
  7. Click the Browse button to locate the firmware file you downloaded
  8. Click Upload and confirm
  9. Wait until the process is completed.  Do not interrupt the process or it will revert to old firmware
  10. When complete, power down the camera and power it up again

For details on how to update your camera’s Wireless firmware, please review this document.

NOTE: Original Equipment Manufacturers with customized camera firmware should contact us for assistance. The firmware presented here is not for OEM use and is intended for end-users of standard product.

NOTE:  Users of SBIG STF, STX, and STXL series cameras should instead use the SBIG Driver Checker.

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Files

FPGA

AC4040 Firmware Revision 6

Revision 6 - 2021/05/13
+ Added support for Dual-Wheel operation of AFW model filter wheels
+ Changed default partial stacking exposure from 1s to 15s
+ Improved TEC setpoint ramp down (now independed from imaging)
+ updated max cooling power and CoolerPowerPercentage formula
+ Updated auto fan setting to be more linear
+ Updated TEC LUT to 12-bit
+ Added AFW error handling

Download MD5: b06310cc206ce26a9aed7eca18c3f4be

FPGA

AC4040 Firmware Revision 5

Revision 5 - 2021/03/18
+ Updated AC4040 firmware.
+ Fix issue with StackPro
+ Added extended cooler status reporting

Download MD5: 2864332A82DF54F30195B85613EBE710

FPGA

STC Firmware Revision 5

Revision 5 - 2021/02/05
- This firmware fixes potential issues where the image download would hang after changing binning mode

Download MD5: e9e53bdbfb27cd345ad7743b08148354

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 22

Revision 22 - 2021/01/21
- Lowered vertical shift time for 694 and 814 from 88us to 56us
- Added a flag for NEW ALUMA that disables the Guider and reports only a single imaging sensor
- Added up-to-date CameraCapabilities

Download MD5: a353f8b27a06f7f61fc39e4e00bb9972

FPGA

AC4040 Firmware Revision 3

Revision 3 - 2020/11/20
+ Initial release of AC4040 firmware.

Download MD5: d2bd57b6980752d95925d4ff233be4bd

FPGA

STC Firmware Revision 4

Revision 4 - 2020/11/14
+ Improved support for internal filter wheels by defaulting camera's "UseFWAsShutter" setting to "Off" by default.
+ Added support for changing fan controls during exposure.
+ Updated CameraCapabilities to reflect latest version of the protocol spec.

Download MD5: f9a36d9e4f3b1a337f19332bf558f099

FPGA

StarChaser Firmware Revision 6

Revision 6 - 2020/10/23
+ Improved stability when operating at low temperature

Download MD5: 5453e4ee49224370b0796604a7374ea9

FPGA

STC Firmware Revision 3

Revision 3 - 2020/09/09
+ correct issues with external filter wheel control.

Download MD5: e8a900679536df77c5978270404941cf

FPGA

StarChaser Firmware Revision 5

Revision 5 - 2020/09/03
+ corrected endianness of exposure time for FITS header and fixed AO connectivity issues.

Download MD5: b74e9bf6f9bc5cfb983edeee185ee3f3

FPGA

StarChaser Firmware Revision 4

Revision 4 - 2020/08/20
+ Fixed bug with endianness of exposure duration in image metadata.

Download MD5: 2504e224dd2fff6dc148faad7725014d

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 21

Revision 21 - 2020/08/19
+ Maintenance release containing support for new camera models

Download MD5: bca949f1bbf7e069b1ac64310eb574c7

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 20

Revision 20 - 2019/10/29
+ Status LED now defaults to "ON" in Aluma firmware, pursuant to changes in revision 18.

Download MD5: 12dde15932343a07d67348096ea344dd

WiFi

Aluma Firmware Revision 4

Revision 4 - 2019/10/29
+ Updating WiFi software to include extensions to the DLAPI communication (consistent with DLAPI version 1.3.5.0)

Download MD5: fc145bad4ba122b278123606d697bfcb

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 19

Revision 19 - 2019/10/24
+ Fixed a bug where filter wheel status was not being reported correctly (specifically, reporting idle while the filter wheel was still in transit)

Download MD5: 22b7d2dbfe4cd49416090cd314733908

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 18

Revision 18 - 2019/08/16
+ Added support for Camera Capabilities DLAPI functionality
+ Added support for controlling Status LED in Sensor Settings
+ Improved telescope guiding: Previously, guiding was done from the main line causing guide pulse durations longer than requested, usually by 15ms, sometimes even 16ms. It is now done in the interrupts, making sure that guiding duration is always precise

Download MD5: 712a80ce063455f020e0bb72c3484aa9

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 17

Revision 17 - 2019/06/27
+ Improved auto-fan feature
+ Fixed issue with camera occasionally generating a blank image
+ Filter wheel requests when no filter wheel is present now generates a DeviceError
+ Filter wheel requests that specify an out-of-bounds slot now generates an InvalidParameter error

Download MD5: 3164b1a8def119e3b74c0a7ff927b8b2

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 16

Revision 16 - 2019/03/14
+ Fixed a bug when taking images with the main and external sensors simultaneously (at different binnings) resulting in the external sensor overriding the binning settings for the main sensor
+ various optimizations

Download MD5: 5593a4cafcceb72023298abc259ee089

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 15

Revision 15 - 2019/03/07
+ Fixed a bug with the filter wheel involving timing of I2C messages, and hangs
+ Fixed a bug where camera could request an exposure before the filter wheel stopped moving

Download MD5: cae2cedf49d93c501bbdb944d826d642

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 14

Revision 14 - 2019/02/06
+ Fixed a bug with shutter initialization on connect
+ various optimizations & safety checks

Download MD5: cdba2844747b505ea375f5e91c85dcb3

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 13

Revision 13 - 2018/12/27
+ Added new auto-fan feature
+ Added support for new high-resolution shutters
+ Added support for new temperature sensors
+ Set thresholds to prevent camera from overheating: heat sink at 50C -> set fan to high heat sink at 65C -> turn off the cooler
+ Fixed bug where the CCD amplifier would stay low when an exposure was aborted, now when abort is requested, the amplifier goes back up
+ various optimizations

Download MD5: efa5120b6adfc12da5385e0cc00ee37d

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 12

Revision 12 - 2018/10/23
+ Added support for AO peripherals
+ Fixed issue when Pulse Guiding correcting pulse durations and status reporting to the camera

Download MD5: cb99719cd82dcc5d194c8bd204a56971

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 10

Revision 10 - 2018/06/28
+ Added support for KAF-3200
+ Various optimizations

Download MD5: 96ed39b736bfcc8ec6f08cc774d86475

FPGA

Aluma Firmware Revision 9

Revision 9 - 2018/05/04
+ Initial release of Aluma FPGA firmware

Download MD5: 861465028d9079f24339392976d8cb65