Venus OS, Venus in short, is the software running on the Color Control GX and the Venus GX. Extensive field testing in a wide variety of installation types and use-cases is very valuable to us and we're very grateful for your help.

The development cycle works like this: we develop new features, improvements and bug fixes for all the various functions. These changes are first tested internally, and after that we combine all changes, and release them as Venus OS test versions. You will be informed by email when a new test version is available.

A cycle typically consists of 10 or so test versions. After that, when everything is stable, we make the official release.

When joining the test program, your device will run on these test versions.

This is especially a note to dealers & installers: do not install test versions on customer installations.

These versions are called test versions, or release-candidates, for a reason. And are not intended for systems that need to run stable. Or unattended.

In case of a possible bug report, please reply to the emails containing the change logs, or send them to the dev-venus mailing list. Do not ask them on Disqus pages or any other regular support channel.

Make sure to mention which test version you are using.

Go to Settings → Firmware → Online updates → Update to, and there select Release candidates

To receive the emails about the test versions, make sure to register the device in the VRM Portal, and to have admin rights on it.

To do that online, see above.

To install the version with a usb-stick or sd card, download the latest image here:

http://updates.victronenergy.com/feeds/venus/candidate/images

Venus GX images are in the beaglebone directory.

Beta versions are marked with a tilde followed by the test version number. For example, v2.06~12 is test version number 12 of version v2.06. When releasing the final version of v2.06, the tilde and test number are removed, and all tested features are released as v2.06.

Change logs of the official releases are on Victron Professional.

Change logs of the test versions are emailed to the test group. And can also be found on the developers mailing list.

You can always go back to the previously installed version:

1. Disable automatic updates: Settings → Firmware → Online updates, set that to Disabled)
2. Revert to the previous version: Settings → Firmware → Stored backup firmware.

In case that available backup firmware is also a test version, and you want to go back to the last stable version, you have to do the update with an sdcard or usb-stick. Follow these instructions.

By setting your systems to work on official software. As long as you are using release-candidate aka beta versions of our software, it is not possible to unsubscribe. Not even with the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.

~~DISQUS~~