Failed firmware update, now Command 8 is dead!?

[painkilla72]

Hello there,

Ok, since I was getting error messages every few seconds in protools (LE 7.4) telling me it couldn't communicate with my command 8 device (the one where it asks to powercycle it...), I checked on digidesign's website for support info and found that there was a firmware update available for the Command 8.

After reading info about it, I downloaded it and started installing the "firmware updater" on my Mac Pro.

I ran the program and after recognising my Command 8 firmware version (which I forgot...0.02 maybe, not sure), I clicked on the update or install tab and located the .src file that was part of the initial download.

It started upgrading. The gauge was running and the Command 8 display read "FW/USB firmware update" or smthg similar. The problem is that after a few seconds, the progress bar was totally filled up but the program indicated that an error had happpened and it could'nt update the firmware.
After a few minutes of nothing esle happening anymore, I switched off then back on my Command 8 thinking it needed that to maybe aknowledge the upgrade while booting. Right as I turned it back on, it went nuts with the LEDs blinking and made some bad noises before going blank!

Man, I don't see what I did wrong here!

Can anyone tell me if there's anything I can do on my own to fix this issue or if I need to send it back to Digidesign for fixing. I can't even imagine they would charge me for fixing this!

Thanks for anybody's enlightning input on this frustrating problem.

[mottow]

I had exactly the same experience last week, got in touch with Digi and unfortunately they are going to make me pay for the repair, and I agree with you, it really isnt fair!!

[MasterUMC]

I've used these guys in the past for some of my studio equipment programming. Typically its about $100 per unit to re-program: aqstech.com
maybe they can help?

[painkilla72]

Hello again,

You've got to hear this, very interesting for the least...

I'm just off the phone with one of the employee from the shop where I bought my command 8 (and digi 002r) a few years ago.
Here's his input : diagnostic is that the motherboard (mainboard) is grilled (!!) and the cost to repair the device (put a new board) is around 500$ ( more or less 350 euros) !!! Even after insisting on how "unfair" and not customer orientated this situation is, the UK Digidesign technician answered him that since I am the ONLY person to go through this, then they can't do anything at all! Great philosophy. I'd like to get in touch with one of these UK Digi officials to try to have my point understood a bit more but they seem harder to contact then the Vatican. Man man man, I'm a graduated sound engineer and I work at the public national TV here in Belgium. I deal with lots of big brand names in pro audio and video and I must admit Digidesign has just let me down big time here. They just lost a good amount of credit in my eyes.

In conclusion, this supposedly little painless firmware upgrade that I was ADVISED to do on the same DIGIDESIGN website appears to be in the end a +500$ flushed down the toilet and over 2 months of unavailability. All this seems normal to Digidesign.

Once biten, twice shy...

[peppertree]

If you lived near HQ you'd be taken care of. Generally executives like to think they have a "global" brand and other happy horsecwap and if this was brought to the attention of a C-level they'd probably try to save face.

[painkilla72]

Hello kdarbyshirebryant,

I can't seem to find the page where I initially read that info. I'm searching but this is a big website. I don't want to sound paranoïac but maybe it's been removed since, just to be on the safe side. Anyway, what I remember reading was something like : "Make sure you are using the latest firmware" and/or "Using the latest firmware solves a lot of issues". It was not advised to precisely fix a "connectivity loss" issue as you stated. I remember I searched for info on digidesign.com for a while.

Anyway, the page to download the firmware is still there : http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?...36&nStartAt=41

Knowing what happened to my device, even if I had not been advised to update (but I was because that's actually how I discovered there was a new firmware availlable), finding that one page would have made me want to update the firmware most probably and caused the problem anyway.

Bottom line is : Why is it so "easy" to do a Command 8 firmware update from "Digidesign.com" if there's a risk of destroying the motherboard when doing so? If I had read something like "Warning: updating your firmware may cause your device to malfunction", I wouldn't have done the download and the install!
That is what upsets me the most now. I did everything right like mentioned in "the read me" file and the website and as a result, my Command 8 is dead BUT the replacement of the motherboard has to be paid by me because, as the Digidesign UK technician told the shop where I bought my device, I'm the only known case. Does that make me special or what?

Originally Posted by kdarbyshirebryant

Out of interest, could you point me to the place on the website where it advises this update of command 8 firmware? I've had a look around myself and can't find anything that advises updating the firmware to cure 'connectivity loss' issues. Instead I can find an update which talks about fixing fader movement 'crosstalk' from surrounding faders. Maybe I missed something?

[painkilla72]

Well, I really don't see what makes you think the unit's power supply was behaving badly??? The only problem I had with the device was a loss of synchro after upgrading from Protools 7.3.2 to 7.4 (because of another issue that has nothing to do with the Command 8). I'm sure I only had to tweak a few parameters to stablize the system which is why I went on Digidesign's website and the DUC and found out about the firmware upgrade. It was working perfect before, I never encountered any weird acting, faders were flying and all. So really, I don't see why you're talking about general misbehaving. This is no fact but pure suposition. The only fact is that after the firmware update, it went dead! And the output I got from Digidesign is not acceptable. Especially since it seems like I'm definitely not the only case. Another belgian dude had almost the same bad experience.

I'm really not sure I'll have it fixed coz I'm pretty pissed off and ready to move to something WITH a customer service.

Originally Posted by kdarbyshirebryant

You see the thing is I'm reading it the other way round: What I'm seeing is a command 8 with a power supply on the fritz generally having a bad day...loss of connectivity and general misbehaving being a symptom of the bad power supply. I wouldn't be downloading firmware in such a state though to be fair you didn't know that. I suspect the firmware download may have been the last straw: The firmware got corrupted, on reboot this bad firmware then threw some faders around against backstops (the bad noise you heard) this caused extra load on the power supply which finally gave up and threw excess volts around and fried the board.

I'd contact Digi personally and plead your case... I suspect the unit was having trouble before the update and post warranty, ask if they'll meet you half-way as some sort of good-will gesture on the cost. I think you've been the victim of bad luck....which is a surprise 'cos it's usually me