Cobalt 1 drivers for Windows 8?

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Crass3000

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I purchased a new computer after my other laptop died. I then installed the most recent software for the Cobalt Dive Log with no problems.

When I plug the Cobalt into the laptop via USB it charges but I have been unable to upload my newer dives and update to the new firmware. I have done some research on the web and have found that in the Windows 8 Device Manager the cobalt is not recognized and shows no driver.

Any idea how I can get the driver for the Cobalt for Windows 8? I've looked around and I can't seem to find one.

Another question I have is the size the HEX file should be. I downloaded the ZIP file for the Cobalt's newest firmware. When unzipped to a HEX file I find in the properties that it is 2.73MB. When I use the Cobalt Dive Log software to download firmware and drag/drop the Cobalt 1 file it seems to indicate the file is in the 1.X MB region in size. Any idea what is going on there? Maybe if I have the right drivers the file size will somehow be the right size somehow? It mentions the bootloader immediately when it tries to install the firmware so maybe that is the size of the bootloader?
 
Is this a Cobalt 1 or 2? The firmware update process is different for each. You mention a Cobalt 1 file, but I want to make sure. On the Cobalt 2, the computer shows up as a mass storage device (BOOTLOADER) and you just drag the firmware file to the device (or right click and select send to) and let it copy, then eject. The Cobalt 1 requires using the Atomic update software. The 2.73 MB is about the right size for the unzipped firmware. The bootloader just refers to the Cobalt's internal boot mode.

I'm afraid I'm not very good at dealing with all the various permutations and flavors of Windows, and we didn't have anything to do with the desktop software, but my understanding is that the drivers should install with the software, unless you tell it not to install them. I know that there are many Win 8 users that have it working. The Cobalt should show up under Device Manager.

Is the Cobalt recognized on other computers? If so, we can rule out any problems with data lines or cables or a broken adapter. If you are still having problems with the Windows installation, i would suggest contacting Atomic directly. They deal with these issues all the time, and should be able to help.

Ron
 
Thanks Ron. This isn't the first time you helped me and that really makes me happy to have got the Cobalts for me and my mom. I actually just deleted and reinstalled everything and it worked fine. I had your help on three things actually. One was deleting all the dives and the factory dive. The new software just decided to put a fake dive on there or if it took one of my dives it certainly wasn't #1.

The software seems to have lots of grammar errors though. Somebody could have taken an hour or two and made sure it said ft instead of meters where it should and lots of other things like that when you download the dives. Somebody was slacking or overworked. Surprised by the amount of errors there are in there. No real affect in the real world though as I'm sure the computer will work the same.
 
Thanks, glad you have it working. I should mention that we are big supporters of third party dive log applications, which tend to be more full featured. There are a number that we have worked with to enable direct download from the Cobalt. These are low cost or, in the case of SubSurface, free applications.


Cross- platform, Windows, Mac, Linux: Subsurface | An open source divelog


Windows: Diving Log 5.0 - scuba logbook software for diver - dive log, scuba log


Mac: MacDive
Dive Log Manager


Android, and soon iOS: DiveMate | Innovation for Divers


-Ron
 
Thanks again for your great help and input. I'm a believer in buying things that work well and I would rather pay more for the best 2nd hand software. In your opinion, what software would you use if cost was not an option? I would be using it on a computer and not a phone.
Thanks again if you have an opinion on this. If you don't, thanks anyway as you have always been a great resource. Because of that I would never buy any other computer unless I got into trimix.
 
Well, I'm not a regular Windows user, so probably not the best person to ask. All of those options have demos you can look at- there seem to be plenty of happy users and all have great support. I think it comes down to the features and interface you prefer. The two I have some experience with using are MacDive and Dive Log Manager, both are full featured programs, easy to use.

Ron
 
Thanks for your responses Ron. I have what I hope is one last question. In the older version of firmware and software I was able to print out a nice page that showed the dive profile showing whichever features I wanted to on the dive graph. Under that it also printed out the dive information including the gas used, beginning and end pressure, etc. Basically it used to allow me to print out the entire information on one nice page including the dive graph showing PSI left and temperature throughout the dive for example. Under that it simply printed all the information I see under the dive information tab all on one nice sheet. Now I see no place that allows for such printing. The most I can get to print is a tiny version of the dive graph on top of the page without any of the dive information displayed under that tab. The old software printed this out just fine. Am I missing something? Is there a way to print out the individual dive graph with the dive information like under the older software? I am at the point to where I need to delete most of the dives as I have been sampling every second or something iike that. Without being able to print out this information I will be be unable to log anymore dives or they will likely get written over (not sure what the computer actually does in that situation). Please help me find a way to print all the dive information on one page so that I can show instructors my dives.

Thanks for all your help. I would love if I could just go back to the older interface. I don't use the compass so the update didn't really help much although I'm sure other users likely love the update.
 
I'm going to reply in line, because I'm afraid I may not be fully understanding your questions.
Thanks for your responses Ron. I have what I hope is one last question. In the older version of firmware and software I was able to print out a nice page that showed the dive profile showing whichever features I wanted to on the dive graph. Under that it also printed out the dive information including the gas used, beginning and end pressure, etc. Basically it used to allow me to print out the entire information on one nice page including the dive graph showing PSI left and temperature throughout the dive for example. Under that it simply printed all the information I see under the dive information tab all on one nice sheet. Now I see no place that allows for such printing. The most I can get to print is a tiny version of the dive graph on top of the page without any of the dive information displayed under that tab. The old software printed this out just fine. Am I missing something? Is there a way to print out the individual dive graph with the dive information like under the older software?
I'm assuming what you are asking about here is the Windows dive log software, rather than anything on the Cobalt? The Cobalt passes all of the dive log information to the desktop software, but how it is displayed, what is displayed, and what printing capabilities it gives you are up to the software developer. Nothing has changed in the Cobalt's firmware that would alter what the dive log software sees. I'm not aware of it if there has been any degradation in function for later version of the Windows dive log software from Atomic, but I don't use it either, so I'm definitely not a good source of information. I would pose questions about the desktop software functions to Atomic directly, via email or phone.

I am at the point to where I need to delete most of the dives as I have been sampling every second or something iike that. Without being able to print out this information I will be be unable to log anymore dives or they will likely get written over (not sure what the computer actually does in that situation). Please help me find a way to print all the dive information on one page so that I can show instructors my dives.
You shouldn't ever need to delete dives from the Cobalt, if that is what you are suggesting. If you have the sample storage rate set at 5 seconds- which is the highest frequency available- you will fill up the Cobalt's memory much faster than if you use the default 30 second storage rate- about 6X as fast. I should make it clear that this sample storage rate has nothing at all to do with how frequently the Cobalt samples and calculates your decompression info during diving. It does that every two seconds. It is only setting how frequently the Cobalt saves a "snapshot" of the dive data in the log. For most values, we store an average over the time selected, that is if you have a 30 second rate set, we average the depth over that 30 second period, and that's what gets saved. For NDL, however, we store the lowest value in the segment. At a 30 second storage rate, your Cobalt 1 will store about 856 hours of diving (I know the manual says 600 hours, but it's actually more). At a 5 second rate, you would get about 150 hours- some header information is only saved per each dive. The Cobalt 2 will save about 1212 hours of diving at the same 30 second sample rate. Unless you have a very specific reason, I wouldn't use the 5 second storage rate.

The Cobalt's internal memory is divided into segments. If it fills up, the oldest segment will be deleted and used for new dives- this will happen without any intervention on the user's part. If you have saved the dives to some external source, such as dive log software, then you will still have them there even if a segment is removed from the Cobalt. Different dive log software packages have different functions for making paper log books- see which fits your needs.And the Cobalt's log, with all the details and profiles, is always available to look at. But maybe I'm not understanding your question?

Thanks for all your help. I would love if I could just go back to the older interface. I don't use the compass so the update didn't really help much although I'm sure other users likely love the update.

I'm not sure which interface you are referring to- the Cobalt's interface hasn't changed much, though a new one coming will make the timer at stops much easier to read. Maybe the update you are referring to is the one where we added additional compass navigation functions? But most of the firmware changes are "under the hood" and none have anything to do with the desktop logging software.

Let me know if I'm not understanding some part of your question.

Ron
 
Hello Ron or anybody that can answer the question.


I have updated the firmware and it sounds like that is not where the problem I am having exists.

I updated to the new Windows based software that is on the Atomic website. I think this is where my problem is.

I have downloaded all my dives into the new Windows based software. I can see everything that I could see before with the old Windows based software and they are displayed in a similar way. My problem is that I print out all my dives and the information and put it in a 3 ring binder to bring it to the diveshop to show them all my dives. They want to see them so that they approve of my dives before they will accept my into the SDI Solo diver course. The old Windows based software had a print button that I believe came down from the tools menu but I have checked everywhere in the Windows software and can not find a print button. Thus I am unable to print the dives out like I could with the older Windows based software.

Do you know how to print out the dive and the information like the old Windows based software did? If not I will just call Atomic directly.

Thanks for all the help. I bought the divelog software that you mentioned. It looks like it will work well once I figure it out. I just want to take all the dives in that are printed out in the same format so that it doesn't look like I am trying to pad my dives with somebody elses divelog.

---------- Post added May 6th, 2015 at 06:27 PM ----------

I have a call into tech support and left them a message. It seems like there is no print button on the Windows divelog software on the version that works for Windows 8. If nothing comes out of this I will just do a printscreen into Microsoft Paint and print it from there. I tried that and it does work.
 
For those who are interested, the new Windows based divelog where the dives are displayed no longer has a print function.

I found that doing a FUNTION-PRTSC (function - print screen) and pasting it into Microsoft Paint you can then easily print each page.

Also the 2nd Windows divelog that RonR mentioned above costs a little ($40 or something) but it seenss to have tons of functions and you can customize what is displayed and print too. I haven't actually tried it yet but I paid and downloaded it. Looks pretty slick.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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