SonoAlti
Firmware Updates
The SonoAlti® firmware has been updated periodically since its original release in December 2017. The following is a summary of the changes that have been made to SonoAlti's firmware:

Version 1.1 changed wingsuit freefall speed from 40 to 20 mph (pertains only to wingsuit mode)
Version 1.2 added silent alarm (63rd alarm) in order to allow insertion of silence between freefall alarms
Version 1.3 changed minimum freefall activation altitude from 1,000 to 1,900 feet, in order for jump logging to be improved in mountainous regions
Version 1.4 made it so SonoAlti can be set during ascent in the aircraft
Version 1.5 doubled the battery-life of SonoAlti

While we are always glad to provide you with a firmware update free of charge if you send your altimeter in (just send us an e-mail request), Freefall Data Systems has created programs to update SonoAlti's firmware using Mac or Windows computers and a USB cable (make sure you are using a high-quality cable, not one only made for charging). The programs retain all current user settings and info while updating the base firmware.

Windows PC Updates
What does the program do?

The program consists of a simple batch file. First it prompts the user to enter the port that SonoAlti is connected to. It then puts SonoAlti into bootloader-mode on that port and then the firmware is flashed onto SonoAlti using a program called "avrdude.exe."

Windows PC Instructional Video


Step 1 Download the following compressed folder and unzip it (if asked if you want to run it, do not run it, first extract instead):

SonoAlti_Firmware_Updater.zip

Step 2 Before plugging SonoAlti in, switch on SonoAlti's Bluetooth switch (you should see a blue light). Also unplug any other USB devices from your computer for this process. Next, plug the altimeter into the computer using the supplied USB cable, or another high quality USB cable (some cheaper USB cables are only meant for charging, and will not work). You should now see the red charging light as well as the blue light on your altimeter; this indicates a good connection.

Step 3 Open the "Device Manager" program (you can search for this) and look for "Ports." You should see a "USB Serial Device" with a COM port listed (e.g. COM3, etc.). Take a paper clip and gently depress SonoAlti's reset switch on the side of the unit. You should see the list of devices update and the COM port can potentially change upon reset. The COM port that is listed upon reset is the COM port to use. Watch the instructional video for a tip if you have issues with firmware updates. Sometimes you need to manually set the port.

Step 4 Click on the "upload.bat" file in the folder you unzipped and follow the prompts, entering the COM port from the previous step.

Mac Updates
What does the program do?

The program consists of a simple batch file. First it installs Homebrew—a free and open-source software package management system that simplifies the installation of software on Apple's macOS operating system. After Homebrew's installation, a software library called avrdude (and its dependencies libusb, libusb-compat, libelf, and libftdi) is installed onto the computer; this is the library that flashes the firmware to the altimeter. After avrdude's installation, a command is run using the avrdude library to flash the software to the altimeter.

macOS Instructional Video


Step 1 Individually download these three files onto the Desktop (make sure they are not in a folder on the Desktop, but that you actually have all three files on the Desktop). Also, make certain that your computer does not add a ".txt" extension to any of these files upon download (remove that extension if necessary by control-clicking the file, then viewing the file info and renaming):

FDS_firmware_updater.command
avrdude.conf
SonoAlti_1.5.hex

Step 2 Before plugging SonoAlti in, switch on SonoAlti's Bluetooth switch (you should see a blue light). Also unplug any other USB devices from your computer for this process. Next, plug the altimeter into the computer using the supplied USB cable, or another high quality USB cable (some cheaper USB cables are only meant for charging, and will not work). You should now see the red charging light as well as the blue light on your altimeter; this indicates a good connection.

Step 3 Open the program "Terminal" on your Mac and type in "chmod u+x " (no need for quotation marks but don't forget the space at the end) and then drag the file FDS_firmware_updater.command onto the Terminal window in order to copy it's address. You will be required to input your password.

Step 4 You will most likely receive a warning that the program cannot be run because it is from a non-verified developer. To remedy this, go to your System Preferences and to Security, and then to the General tab. You should see the program in question and be able to grant it permission.

Step 5 Run the program FDS_firmware_updater.command. Follow the prompts until the firmware has been flashed to SonoAlti. If you receive an error at the end, try plugging your altimeter back in and re-running the FDS_firmware_updater.command file.