DP424 Firmware update to V2.21 and a WARNING about downgrading!

Just a quick post to highlight this update in case anyone receives a mix of 4 Series units and wonders why the DP424 has been bumped up to 2.21 whilst all the others are on 2.20.  This version has been introduced as a “belt & braces” version as we discovered an occasional circumstance that was causing noise issues on an isolated batch of units.  This was specific to 424 units only, and completely resolves it.  All DP424 units may be safely updated with this version, regardless.

However, let’s get one thing straight here – we do NOT recommend doing any downgrading of firmware and may the following cautionary tale be a warning to you all!  (cue maniacal laughter).

A customer recently took delivery of a significant number of DP424 units (coincidentally), already being a loyal XTA customer and having a good number of 4 Series units in his (or her) inventory.

Unboxing and turning them on he (or she) discovered that these new units were running version 2.20, and their current stock were a little behind  the times and had 1.80 in them.  Now, the sensible thing to do under these circumstances would have been to upgrade the older ones to the latest version, but he (or she – OK I am fed up with the gender ambiguity – it was a male!) decided that using a PCMCIA card, copying the 1.80 firmware to a card and downgrading the new units so they all matched was the way to go.

This was not the way to go.  The unit would warn you when you put the card in with an older version of firmware that this was not the way to go.  I repeat – it was not the way to go!

So he updates the units and they reboot.  Only they won’t boot.  The reason they won’t boot is because version 1.80 only recognises the older DSP platform used in earlier 4 Series, whilst the new version will recognise both platforms and work with all units.  So now he has a pile of bricked units, with no version 2.20 firmware in any that he can even copy onto a card and permit a reflash.

Of course we were able to get this sorted out for him and get all the units updated again but the moral of the tale is – if it ain’t broke don’t fix it (unless you are upgrading)!