pvp me firmware info

stu

Member
Join Date
Aug 2005
Location
England
Posts
772
Hi
I have a question about upgrading the firmware on a PvP , I have a few pvp hmi with version 8.0 on but a lot with version 5.1-6.0 ,would the screens with version 5.1 cope with firmware 8.0 on or would there be an issue ?
Thanks Stu
 
Hi Stu,

I don't have all the answers, but it would be good to know what series of PV you have.

PV+
PV+ series 6
PV+ series 7

Regards

Rob
 
The "original" PV+ hardware supported up to version 5.10, so those older terminals can't be loaded with the OS or firmware for anything newer.

PV+ 6 terminals have a different logic module (the cast aluminum case with SD card slot) and support the OS and runtime firmware for v6.0 and later.

For my installed base, I've simply drawn a line between the 5.x and 6.x+ and keep a separate Virtual Machine for working on v5 projects. I have a specific version of firmware (5.10.08) that I've carefully stored and archived because it has a specific ControlNet bug fix that re-appeared in subsequent firmware !

The substantial differences between the ActiveX objects needed to run on the pre-6 and post-6 Windows CE operating system are another reason to keep separate engineering workstations (or VMs). Most of my projects use the Program Launcher and/or the DataLog objects.
 
Here is a decent FAQ on the compatibility of PV+6 and PV+7 terminals with older runtime applications.

It also includes a concise explanation of the equivalence of the PV+6 Compact and the PV+7 Standard terminals, with their reduced capacity for screens/memory/connections.

https://rockwellautomation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/116376

I assume there will come a point in FTView ME runtime versions where they won't be compatible with certain older PV+6 and PV+7 firmware, but I'm not active enough with those products to say when that will be.
 
It's my hunch, Ken, that for the PV+ they're intending that we migrate to the PanelView 5000 terminals which of course we use Studio 5000 View Designer to design applications. More terminals are being released as we go. They are closely aligned feature-wise. And each successive release of View Designer is adding more and more of those features we've come to expect.

I've done a couple of View Designer projects now for the PanelView 5500 10" terminals, completing one just last week to be tested this week. With Logix Designer v31, v4 of View Designer was released. It now has an Emulator feature, similar to Test Application for the PV+ and there's also VNC support now and other expansions like more screens allowed, etc.

Studio 5000, and whatever they package within it, and whether that remains with just two products or not, is where I reckon they are expecting, pushing or hoping we gravitate towards.

That's not to say the current batch of FTVME terminals are on the way out but I'm wondering will they be phased out in the coming years or be continued as a parallel option.

G.
 
I've done a couple of View Designer projects now for the PanelView 5500 10" terminals, completing one just last week to be tested this week. With Logix Designer v31, v4 of View Designer was released. It now has an Emulator feature, similar to Test Application for the PV+ and there's also VNC support now and other expansions like more screens allowed, etc.

I've also done a couple 12.1" PV5500's. I like them.
Anyway, I was at a monthly tech class earlier this month sponsored by our local A-B Rep. The PV5500 is being discontinued. V4 of View Designer is the last version that will support the 5500. It is being replaced with the PV5510, which will be released soon. They had mentioned not to use a 5500 if we could wait for the 5510.

I was surprised to hear of the short life of the 5500.
 
If Rockwell has a seminar on PV5000 I'll take a look at them, but I've largely moved to Indusoft Web Studio for my HMI needs, large and small.

If PV5000 came out with a killer function like a bolt-on SQL database or Python scripting, I might be convinced.
 
padees,

Releasing products and then soon after abandoning them for the next "latest & greatest" model? - that sounds awful like they are using us to beta test their new products while still somewhat in development. Then dropping the beta versions for the "actual" to market product. It would also be in keeping with my concerns about how they are happy to release such products to market "feature light" and then adding to and "enhancing" them as newer software versions are developed; future promising us certain features rather than delivering them from the outset.

It's one thing releasing a product and getting a few years out of them before moving on, but the rate and brevity they're doing it at these days concerns me. The PanelView Plus 6 are already "Active Mature" after only a short few years in existence. The "High Performance" features of the latest PanelView 5000 are not available on the PanelView Plus 7 "Performance" terminals. So does that spell their impending doom?...

PanelView 5000 High Performance features:-

High Speed on Screen Buttons
Scalable Vector Graphics
Property Binding
Automatic Rescaling
Alignment Guides
Events and Commands
Navigation Button with on Screen Pop-up Menu Predefined Controller
Terminal Status Screens
Smart Runtime Error Notifications

Already considering parking the "new" PanelView 5x00 terminals, feature-wise, without future plans to add key features, is misleading us, I believe. We were told they were the future, going forward, and by that you would expect a few years of updates before parking them. But as you have mentioned, padees, they appear to be doing just that - there are certain features earmarked for future addition on the latest PanelView 5x10 terminals that apparently will not be made available on the 5x00 terminals -

HMI-based Alarms
Display Import / Export
Portrait / Landscape Display Mode
Localized Keyboard
Web HMI Server (Remote Viewing / Control)
Recipe Manager
Email
Marine Certification
Conformal Coating
High Bright Display

It may be fine if an existing 5x00 terminal suits the application it's been selected for and adequately servicing, but what about the future? If, say, Recipes are required down the road? If the terminal will never natively support this relatively "common" feature, then an alternative, and potentially more costly solution may need to be implemented.

I'd love to think we're being misinformed padees, but the evidence suggests we're not. I'll be keenly watching for the next version release of View Designer, which may be v5 along with Logix Designer v32, and whether it adds anything worthwhile to the 5x00 terminals, or not.

Ken,

Choice is King, but in that regard, I'm a pauper. Our Phili-based multinational stipulates we use "state of the art" RA/AB products and software. So we cannot use other HMI terminal equipment for our in-house applications (apart from very small apps). Aside from the concerning nonsense we're discussing above, they are very nice and the software is easy to use but powerful. For instance, the Add-On Graphics are an extremely useful feature for creating tailor-made graphical instances and tying them to UDT tag instances in the controller. I've also mentioned the HMIBC (Button Control) instruction a couple of times here before - the terminal is now added to the I/O Configuration and these button object instances now work as you would expect under a monitored connection - no mistakes or necessary unlatching of tags to handle glitching. Lot's of other small and neat features, and more I'm sure to come; just not for the ones I'm using, it would appear?

G.
 
I'll be bookmarking this thread for future reference.

As end user support for a bunch of plants with various vantage PV+, it's maddening to keep all the hardware series #, firmware, and software revision straight in my mind. When I expressed my frustration to the local RA people they seems genuinely surprised.

Maybe this is for another thread, but what do you like about the Indusoft product, Ken? Client/Server ability and pricing model?
 

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