Updating Beolab 18/19 firmware with BeoLab Transmitter 1

HO

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hostler

Bronze

61 posts

Posted June 5, 2018 at 14:21 GMT

#2108051

Hi everyone

Looking for help to flash the firmware on my speakers.

I have a pair of Beolab 18's and a 19 sub connected via WISA to a BV11 46" acting as an audio master. These speakers are shared with a Beosound Moment, and I use speaker groups to allow me to switch between setups for TV watching and music listening.

Generally very happy with the arrangement, but I do experience occasional dropouts of the WISA connection. The speakers are only around 2m at most from the BV11, a chimney *** does prevent direct line-of-sight arrangement. When these dropouts occur, they are seldom easily fixed, and often result in a compete do-over on speaker connections to solve.

I replaced my old Apple Airport Extreme for Google's WiFi hubs to enjoy their automatic channel jumping to prevent interference, and that's improved things, but I still find this happening about once a month.

I recently acquired a brand new Beolab Transmitter 1 with he hope of flashing the firmware on the speakers to see if that will help, but despite following the instructions I can't seem to get the device to work as described.

I've searched the forums and there's little mentioned, but I wonder if anyone's had experience in doing this? I have popped the firmware on a USB stick, booted up as described and paired the speakers (I think) with the transmitter ... but it refuses (seemingly) to flash the firmware. The LED sequence that should happen doesn't!

The date of the firmware file is OLDER than when I bought the speakers (via LifeStyle AV!) so I would expect i'm on an older version than they might have flashed prior to my purchase.

Would welcome anyone with experience of flashing firmware in this way who may have experience / advice on any tips/tricks?

Thanks in advance

Tom

HO

Offline

hostler

Bronze

61 posts

Posted June 9, 2018 at 14:21 GMT

#2108052

Hi Sully

Many thanks for your reply - I have successfully upgraded the firmware in all three speakers today!

Your instructions, plus the direct help from another Forum member, Jérôme, expand and buildupon the official instructions.

I think the two issues I experienced were as follows - in case anyone else tries to do this:

1. Creating the USB stick on a Mac. You can format the USB using Disk Utility as MS-DOS (FAT) but you have to also select the "Master Boot Record" Scheme sub-option (not the default which is a "GUID Partition". Once done the TR1 can read the USB stick no problem.

2. Network connectivity - I had to pull all of my speakers out from their wall positions and have the TR1 about 12 inches from them in order to get a reliable network connection between them!! And even then, the process failed once.

If you remember, I had firmware from approx. 2016 on these speakers, and suffered WISA dropouts - which is why I wanted to upgrade the firmware.I use a BV11 as an audio master, and it's only around 2m from the first BL18 and 4m from the second.

I know many have commented, but I'm convinced WISA is not that robust ... given how close I had to get the TR1 to the 18 & 19 to successfully transmit just a few 100 kb of firmware, and the fact it took 15min per speaker. Examining the logs, I can see it took a few attempts - there's a mention of at least one abandoned attempt and "poor network connectivity" messages

BUT!

It's done now, and for the past few hours no dropouts ... let's see how we get on in the longer term\

AND!

I'm pretty sure I'm experiencing better sound-staging and detail following the DSP firmware updates applied, so very happy with that bonus side-effect.

Many thanks again Sully and Jérôme - really appreciate your help.

Tom

HO

Offline

hostler

Bronze

61 posts

Posted June 9, 2018 at 14:21 GMT

#2108053

Hi Sully

Many thanks for your reply - I have successfully upgraded the firmware in all three speakers today!

Your instructions, plus the direct help from another Forum member, Jérôme, expand and buildupon the official instructions.

I think the two issues I experienced were as follows - in case anyone else tries to do this:

1. Creating the USB stick on a Mac. You can format the USB using Disk Utility as MS-DOS (FAT) but you have to also select the "Master Boot Record" Scheme sub-option (not the default which is a "GUID Partition". Once done the TR1 can read the USB stick no problem.

2. Network connectivity - I had to pull all of my speakers out from their wall positions and have the TR1 about 12 inches from them in order to get a reliable network connection between them!! And even then, the process failed once.

If you remember, I had firmware from approx. 2016 on these speakers, and suffered WISA dropouts - which is why I wanted to upgrade the firmware.I use a BV11 as an audio master, and it's only around 2m from the first BL18 and 4m from the second.

I know many have commented, but I'm convinced WISA is not that robust ... given how close I had to get the TR1 to the 18 & 19 to successfully transmit just a few 100 kb of firmware, and the fact it took 15min per speaker. Examining the logs, I can see it took a few attempts - there's a mention of at least one abandoned attempt and "poor network connectivity" messages

BUT!

It's done now, and for the past few hours no dropouts ... let's see how we get on in the longer term\

AND!

I'm pretty sure I'm experiencing better sound-staging and detail following the DSP firmware updates applied, so very happy with that bonus side-effect.

Many thanks again Sully and Jérôme - really appreciate your help.

Tom

HO

Offline

hostler

Bronze

61 posts

Posted June 9, 2018 at 14:21 GMT

#2108054

Hi Sully

Many thanks for your reply - I have successfully upgraded the firmware in all three speakers today!

Your instructions, plus the direct help from another Forum member, Jérôme, expand and buildupon the official instructions.

I think the two issues I experienced were as follows - in case anyone else tries to do this:

1. Creating the USB stick on a Mac. You can format the USB using Disk Utility as MS-DOS (FAT) but you have to also select the "Master Boot Record" Scheme sub-option (not the default which is a "GUID Partition". Once done the TR1 can read the USB stick no problem.

2. Network connectivity - I had to pull all of my speakers out from their wall positions and have the TR1 about 12 inches from them in order to get a reliable network connection between them!! And even then, the process failed once.

If you remember, I had firmware from approx. 2016 on these speakers, and suffered WISA dropouts - which is why I wanted to upgrade the firmware.I use a BV11 as an audio master, and it's only around 2m from the first BL18 and 4m from the second.

I know many have commented, but I'm convinced WISA is not that robust ... given how close I had to get the TR1 to the 18 & 19 to successfully transmit just a few 100 kb of firmware, and the fact it took 15min per speaker. Examining the logs, I can see it took a few attempts - there's a mention of at least one abandoned attempt and "poor network connectivity" messages

BUT!

It's done now, and for the past few hours no dropouts ... let's see how we get on in the longer term\

AND!

I'm pretty sure I'm experiencing better sound-staging and detail following the DSP firmware updates applied, so very happy with that bonus side-effect.

Many thanks again Sully and Jérôme - really appreciate your help.

Tom