Software & updates
The Salt Light Instrument updates itself automatically over the air, with a rollback safety net if an update ever misbehaves. Here's what's current, and how to flash it yourself if you'd rather.
Current version 2026.06.16·35 Released Jun 16, 2026 · ESP32-P4
Devices on Wi-Fi pull this automatically within a few hours. No action needed.
Flash it yourself
For the hands-on: download the current firmware image and flash it over USB with ESPHome or esptool. Verify the download against the md5 below before flashing.
Download firmware image firmware.ota.bin · 2.35 MBRelease notes
Every over-the-air update, newest first. Tap a version to read what changed.
2026.06.16·35 Privacy & data controls Jun 16, 2026
- New Privacy & data controls. A new “Privacy and data” screen (Settings → Connection) shows exactly what your display shares and puts you in charge. Basic diagnostics, counts only, like restarts and uptime, are on so we can spot problems and help faster; product-improvement data (which screens you use) stays off until you turn it on. Switch any of it off, or reset your unit's random ID, anytime.
- New See what was sent. Your display's own local web page now shows the last diagnostics summary it sent and when, and a full plain-language privacy notice lives at ecin.net/privacy.
- Improved Honest by design. Everything shared is counts and numbers only, never your location, your network, or anything on screen, sent only to Edge Coastal Instruments, never shared or sold.
2026.06.16·34 Custom location, Home Assistant & power-loss safety Jun 16, 2026
- New Set a custom location. Turn off Block Island Mode in Settings and dial in your own latitude and longitude. The Moon, planets and overhead sky map (and the sunrise/sunset times) are then computed for exactly your spot. Weather, tides and sea data stay Block Island.
- New Optional Home Assistant bridge. A new switch under Settings → Connection publishes the display's readings and event log to your MQTT broker. Off by default. Nothing leaves the device until you turn it on.
- Improved Power-loss safety. Settings are saved the moment you change them, and a cut power event is recorded in the event log, so a yanked plug can't quietly lose your preferences.
2026.06.16·33 Polish: aurora, ferry & ocean Jun 16, 2026
- Improved Aurora activity now reads as a plain-language pill, “Glow on horizon,” “Overhead glow,” and so on, colour-coded by strength, with the raw Kp number kept small alongside.
- Improved The Sea screen's water temperature now shows a warming/cooling arrow next to the trend, matching the Home screen.
- New The Ferry “Done for the Day” stamp gained a cheeky line: “so start swimming.”
2026.06.16·32 Block Island Mode Jun 16, 2026
- New Settings has a new “Block Island Mode” that pins the display to its home location, so the Moon, planets and sky map are always computed for exactly here. Groundwork for choosing a custom location.
2026.06.16·31 Air-quality alert & a ferry day-stamp Jun 16, 2026
- New A new “Air quality” alert under Notifications can let you know when the air-quality index climbs past a level you choose, with its own quiet-hours.
- New Once the last ferry of the day has sailed, the Ferry screen stamps the timetable with a “Done for the Day” mark. It clears for the new day at midnight.
2026.06.16·30 Ocean trends & a tidier sky Jun 16, 2026
- New The Home screen shows whether the ocean is warming or cooling, with an arrow and the change right next to the water temperature.
- New Surf height now has a quick visual gauge on Home: little rising bars that fill to the current size.
- Improved The sky map now shows only what's actually above the horizon, for a cleaner overhead view.
2026.06.16·29 Air quality & aurora alerts Jun 16, 2026
- New The Home screen now shows your local air-quality index at a glance, colour-coded from good to unhealthy.
- New The Sky screen tracks aurora activity (the planetary Kp index), with an optional “Aurora” alert under Notifications.
- Improved The sky map's bearing marks now include degree numbers around the rim.
2026.06.16·28 A clearer sky & sea, at a glance Jun 16, 2026
- New The Home screen now shows ocean temperature and surf height at a glance, below a more compact tide chart.
- Improved The Sky screen's overhead map has bearing marks around its rim; the Moon panel is tidier and the map has more room.
- Improved Rise and set times now show with simple up and down arrows instead of the words “rise” and “set.”
2026.06.16·27 Ferry: plan any day, not just today Jun 16, 2026
- Improved Tapping a day other than Today shows that day's full timetable with the first boat highlighted and the day named.
2026.06.16·26 A ferry board you can read at a glance Jun 16, 2026
- Changed The Ferry screen is now a clean departure board: both directions side by side, with departure, boat type and arrival in tidy columns.
- New Your next boat is highlighted with a live countdown (“in 12 min”) and its arrival, and the highlight moves down the board through the day.
- Improved High-speed and traditional sailings are colour-coded; boats that have left are dimmed.
2026.06.16·25 Sky events, surf at a glance & quiet hours Jun 16, 2026
- New Sky-event alerts: be told when something overhead is worth stepping outside for, like a full moon over open water or a bright planet well-placed in a dark sky.
- New Tonight's Sky: a quick rundown of the Moon and each visible planet, with the best time to catch it.
- New Surf at a glance: the Sea screen describes the waves in plain language, and whether it's clean groundswell or short-period chop.
- New Quiet hours: alerts still appear on screen but stay silent overnight. Each alert can opt in or out.
2026.06.16·24 Offline mode Jun 16, 2026
- New A new Offline mode in Settings → Connection: the display stops reaching the internet while everything local keeps working: screen, clock, sky map, saved weather and tides, event log, and the local web view.
2026.06.16·23 A true-to-life Moon Jun 16, 2026
- New The Sky screen shows a photorealistic Moon: the real lunar surface, lit to tonight's exact phase, with earthshine on the dark side, computed entirely on the device.
- Improved The overhead sky map is zoomed in closer on Block Island.
- Fixed Sky-map markers now clearly show each body's state by colour; swiping no longer catches on the Sharks card; the event log records reliably from first boot.