Batboard

How much does motorola charge to uplift the firmware on an astro saber?

the one im looking at has too old of a host/dsp to support IMBE..

im not looking for them to flash it to IMBE, just uplift the firmware, leaving it analog will be just fine with me.

thanks

If you send in a radio for flat rate repair they will load the most current firmware verisons if there is no hardware needed (that doesn't need to be replaced because it is defective)

As for just having them upgrade just the firmware I have no idea on the price.

Why would you want IMBE compatible firmware (and pay for it) but not want them to flash it for IMBE?

I hope you don't want to franken flash your radio once it is IMBE compat.

surely they have a rate for just an uplift, i can see a flat rate ticket now "nothing wrong with radio, just uplift DSP/HOST"

then again, stranger things have happened.

I know there is a special rate for uplifting the firmware for XTS2500/5000 radios which is much lower than a flat-rate repair. I'm not sure if they offer the same thing for Astro Sabers, but I don't see why not.

Todd

maybe they dont have a similar pricing scheme for ASTRO saber to give them a reason to sell more XTS and get people to abandon their ASTRO sabers or trade up...kinda like "prohibitive pricing." Companies have been known to do this...just look how they jacked up the price of the HT1000's to get people to start moving to the Waris line. Nobody wanted to give up the ht1000's, so they just priced it out of everybodys reach. Nothing like using brute force to get your way.

OK, I'll bite, how does one "frankenflash" a radio? Lift the eeproms from the board?

Will

By using LAB to blow another codeplug into the radio.

Ah, S-records, OK, Got it.

Will

Q324 is the refresh firmware for a digital ASTRO Saber. However, like all FLASHport, it is not available through Motorola Parts. Your Motorola salesman will need to write up a STIC-1, and generate a full-blown FO. Usually, they want to piggy-back such an order on a larger one. The overhead cost of opening up an FO is easily more than $83.

Larry

Yeah,

Does this work? Blow an S record into the lower tier and make it a higher tier? Trying to explore the relms only spoken of by Pager Geek. This would help in trying to correct the reasoning behind some of the Astro products I have just lying around due to "issues".


CHART

You won't upgrade the firmware like this, so if you take an Astro Saber that is "Astro Ready" and try to frankenflash it to IMBE, it won't decode IMBE. Depending on the flash options of the codeplug your blowing into the radio, the features will only be supported by the firmware of the radio.

Yes,



Your hitting on it, want to up the firmware. So it is true the firmware stays put when you pull the S-record. I had reason to believe everything was removed due to the volatile status of the VOCON and how it wipes everything if you :o up instead of just the codeplug info. Damn

So anyone want to make a joint order for firmware upgrades?

Oh and firmware is a write only software? won't come out to be reflashed if so equipped with an S-rib or the like right?


CHART

Rescue161 is correct.

Everything is based on the firmware of the radio.

If your firmware can't support the "frankenflash" flashcode, what's the point?

If your radio is "Analog only"... noted by a DSP version starting with the letter A or M, then the radio WILL NOT DO DIGITAL. You can force a digital (IMBE or VSELP) srecord into it and it will look like it should work. The radio will program, receive and transmit a "digital-like' sound, but it is unorganized chaos. The DSP doesn't know what digital is, only to "digitize" it. The radio at the other end will do something based on what the receiving radio is capable of:
An Analog radio, will receive the garbage as it's sent. (Scanner)
A VSELP radio won't even try to decode the mess and mute it.
An IMBE radio will sound like encrypted IMBE without the proper key. (StarWars R2-D2 on acid)

You must have the proper DSP before you try any srecord upgrades.
Here's a decision tree for you:
1- If the DSP revision is A or M, it's analog only = Skip to END

2- If the DSP is I or N then look at the version number.
a- If the number is less than 6.00.00, it's VSELP capable based on the flashcode.
b- If the number is 6.00.00 or greater, it's IMBE capable based on the flashcode.

END

The above DSP's are for Astro Saber, Astro Spectra, XTS3000's only. The 2500/5000/3500 are a different scheme. They don't do VSELP at all.

tpg

Chart, it probably won't work to try to write a joint order for firmware uplifts from the Batboard. When the Moto sales guy writes a STIC-1 and opens up an FO for a firmware uplift, you need one of two things. Either piggy back it on another big equipment order, or alternatively, order a bunch of firmware uplift kits (like 10 or more). In the latter case, you need all 10 or more uplifts to be identical, except for the radios' serial numbers. Otherwise, if you try to get 10 or more Batboarders to try to place a single order, each radio is undoubtedly going to be unique. This means that each FLASHport kit needs an individual design (e.g., for its particular current firmware, its current FLASHport feature options, its Model Number, its hardware versions, etc.) and everything else that is specific to that particular portable or mobile radio. This would mean that a joint order would still require 10 or more FLASHport designs for the uplift kits. The only thing Motorola might "save" in this case over an individual order is they would have one shipping address (to Batlabs), but so what. For $83, it's worth it to them if they have 10 or more identical radios, as their FLASHport Tec programs a single FLASHport kit, but with 10 serial numbers.

I know this from personal experience. I've tried getting a single FLASHport for one or two radios, and they have done it because we buy so much stuff from them. But, normaly, they won't do this, unless you can piggy back it on a big order, or maybe find 10 radios that are the same.

Also, I don't believe Motorola would be koshure with a Batboard order for a bunch of peoples' radios. If you go this route, I'd recommend shooting straight with your Moto sales guy, and not pull the wool over his eyes.

Larry

The firmware is very different than the srecord. The Host and DSP firmwares must match, and they are "write only." You will need a SRIB, flashkey and firmware file from M with all your radio specifics to do an upgrade yourself.

You could jam an srecord from an HT1000 into an XTS3000 and it won't effect the firmware (Not saying to try that, only an example.)

Firmware is an entirely different beast and any SLIGHT error and your radio will either not work at all, or give you so many mystical errors that you'll commit suicide before you realize it's a corrupt Host or DSP firmware.

tpg

:o, click..........BANG........dead.


Will be making a phone call tomorrow.

Thanks for the info.


CHART

I've seen firmware issues, but most is due to:
Mega Flash in a OLD firmware
Actual DSP failure (rare, and usually give a 02/xx fail code)
Board damage

Most of the time (if it is a legit DSP corruption problem), the symptom is correctable either by upgrade or refresh...
or replace the vocon!!!!

tpg

Here's a question:

Since sending in one radio, or requesting a flash upgrade for one radio seems unlikely due to overhead cost to /\/\, then what if a person just depot's the Astro Saber for the work?

Mine has the frankenflash (the vocon came from Nick before I got it) and a newer host/dsp, but I wouldn't mind getting the latest host/dsp & removing the frankenflash and replacing it with a useable IMBE flash with MDC.

What are my odds for this?

Would it even be an idea to hose the vocon so it has to be replaced under the flat rate, and just advise on the symptom sheet what the flash used to include?

I hate the frankenflash my radio has, and want something legit without the garbage.

Yeah, what if you just depot'ed the radio? Shouldn't they bring it up to date then?

Yes, depoting it will get you latest and greatest firmware.

tpg