Setup Guide - Upgrading Minidrive firmware_front.ai

Upgrading Minidrive Firmware
TM
BSS AUDIO MINI DRIVE
Upgrading your MinidriveTM will give you access to the NTMTM filters and
allow control and monitoring through a PC running HiQnetTM London ArchitectTM .
Before you begin you will need a Windows PC, a Null Modem serial cable
and the firmware installer from BSS Audio. Make sure your computer is
equipped with an RS232 serial port. Do not use a USB serial adapter as
we have found their performance to be unreliable. If your computer does
not have a serial port, there are several ways you can add one to your
system. We recommend a PCMCIA serial card for laptops, or an Ethernet
serial device server that can be used with any Ethernet enabled desktop,
laptop or tablet PC. Follow the installation directions of the manufacturer
and confirm proper operation before proceeding. Connect a DB9 null
modem cable between the RS232 serial port on the PC and the RS232 port
on the FDS device.
Firmware upgrades are available for free; all you need is the serial number
of your unit. You can usually find the serial number on the side of the unit.
If you have multiple units, you only need one of the serial numbers.
You can download the firmware upgrades from this website:
http://www.bssaudio.com/techsupport/softwareversions.html
Once you register you will be sent an email with a link to download the
firmware installer package. In the zip file you download you will find the
firmware file, instructions and the Miniload application. Please note that
the FDS-334 and FDS-336 use different firmware. Please download the
appropriate version for the device you have.
Device Setup
You need to change some of the default options on the Minidrive to enable
it to communicate through its serial port.
~ Press the Utils button to enter the Utilities menu
~ Use the Navipad to scroll through the menu options
~ Select MIDI Mode from the menu
~ Use the Rotary Encoder to change the value to PC Port
bssaudio.com
Upgrading Minidrive Firmware
TM
Software Setup
Unzip the files to a new folder (e.g. c:\firmware ) and launch the
Miniloader.exe. Click the Browse button and path to the folder where you
unzipped the files. Select the file with the A21 file extension. Again make sure
you are using the correct firmware for the device you are upgrading.
Please Note: the Application is titled “FDS-334 Minidrive RS232 Program Loader
V1.xx). You will use this application to load firmware to both the FDS-334 and the
FDS-336. The firmware files are unique for each of the devices however.
Next chooses the COM port you are using on your PC to connect to the device. Leave
Midi Channel set to all; this setting is only used when uploading to multiple devices
connected together via MIDI. It is recommended that you upgrade each device
individually for best results.
Press the GO button to start the file transfer. The LCD
display on the front of the device will display information
related to the file transfer. Once the file transfer is
complete the device will reboot. After reboot the start-up
screen on the device should display:
BSS FDS-334T(336T)
B1.01
Updated
About Serial Adapters
Due to the fact that the functionality of RS-232 converters is highly dependent on the
computer, we can not guarantee that any serial converter will work with your
computer OS and motherboard combination. The following list includes converters
known to work with some computers in the field but we will not be responsible for
any communication failure. If your computer does not come with a Serial port, we
recommend that you use a PCMCIA to Serial Adaptor. While PCMCIA adaptors are
more expensive we have found that they work more consistently with more computers
and more external devices than USB to Serial converters. We have tested the
following PCMCIA to Serial adaptor: Quatech SSP-100
http://www.quatech.com/catalog/rs232_pcmcia.php
Other PCMCIA to Serial adaptors reported to work with computers in the field include
the following:
http://www.socketcom.com/product/serial.asp
http://www.bb-elec.com/product_family.asp?FamilyId=23&Trail=6&TrailType=Main
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
BSS/Harman Music Group
8760 S. Sandy Parkway. Sandy, Utah 84070
Telephone: 1 (801) 566-8800 * Fax: 1 (801) 568-7662
bssaudio.com