Whether has sense to update firmware in this Astro Saber?

MotoFAN · Post by **MotoFAN** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:41 am

d119 wrote:What you can do is order a firmware uplift for one of your ASTRO Sabers, but order 4 flashes on the flashkey (~$75 each), and you can update all of your radios....

1. Flashkey this is the same that iButton?
2. If Yes, iButton is required to do firmware upgrade without changing Flashport options? Really?

MotoFAN · Post by **MotoFAN** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:01 pm

Whether has sense to update firmware in this Astro Saber (Model III, 512K)?

Model Number H04KDH9PW7AN
Serial Number 465AVU0***
Internal Hardware version 000A
Firmware Version 04.01.00.00
DSP Version I06.02.00
System Package H35
FLASHCode 140001-000000-3
External Codeplug Size 2188

Questions:

1. Demodulation quality of APCO25 conversations is most important for me. Whether it is possible to considerably improve audio quality having updated firmware in this AS? I listen to a radio networks which uses XTS/XTL radios.
2. What firmware version is last accessible for this radio?

d119 · Post by **d119** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:37 pm

MotoFAN wrote:
d119 wrote:What you can do is order a firmware uplift for one of your ASTRO Sabers, but order 4 flashes on the flashkey (~$75 each), and you can update all of your radios....
1. Flashkey this is the same that iButton?
2. If Yes, iButton is required to do firmware upgrade without changing Flashport options? Really?

Flashkey and iButton are the same thing, and yes you need them to do a firmware update. They authenticate the update so that people don't go around updating firmware on a bazillion radios when they only paid for 1 or 2 upgrades.

d119 · Post by **d119** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:42 pm

Latest firmware for 512k ASTRO Sabers was on the order of R05.03.00 or something close to that. I don't know what the latest DSP for those units is. I also can't speak as to whether or not upgrading the radio to the latest HOST/DSP would even make a difference in the audio quality for you.

Why not just upgrade it to a 1MEG VOCON? Or sell that radio and buy one with a 1MEG VOCON, then you can run the latest and greatest HOST/DSP (R07.71.06 DSP N08.03.05)

Post by **escomm** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:22 pm

d119 wrote:Flashkey and iButton are the same thing, and yes you need them to do a firmware update. They authenticate the update so that people don't go around updating firmware on a bazillion radios when they only paid for 1 or 2 upgrades.

Not quite. The ibutton is separate from the flashkey. You don't actually get an ibutton when you order a firmware refresh (at least, not on the serial one).

Hightower · Post by **Hightower** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:58 am

Last firmware for the 512K boards is Host R05.06.04 / DSP 06.05.02.

Not much is gained by swapping to a 1meg board if its a VHF or UHF radio. Only 800 radios really need latest firmware and 1meg boards.

MotoFAN · Post by **MotoFAN** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:39 am

escomm wrote:Not quite. The ibutton is separate from the flashkey. You don't actually get an ibutton when you order a firmware refresh (at least, not on the serial one).

Hello escomm! Glad to see you!

Few questions:

1. What are the differences between iButton and Flashkey?
2. Whether it is required iButton to make Firmware upgrade?
3. Whether it is required Flashkey to make Firmware upgrade?

MotoFAN · Post by **MotoFAN** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:58 am

d119 wrote:Why not just upgrade it to a 1MEG VOCON?

Moto has stopped AS servicing :(

Can I just purchase 1 Meg VOCON and swap it with old one? Or not all so simply and some work is required with LAB RSS, re-alignment & etc.?

Or sell that radio and buy one with a 1MEG VOCON, then you can run the latest and greatest HOST/DSP (R07.71.06 DSP N08.03.05)

Isn't my way! I own bought cheaply like new radio. If something to buy, then XTS series.

MotoFAN · Post by **MotoFAN** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:01 am

Hightower wrote:Last firmware for the 512K boards is Host R05.06.04 / DSP 06.05.02.

Ok, thank you for exact info!

Not much is gained by swapping to a 1meg board if its a VHF or UHF radio. Only 800 radios really need latest firmware and 1meg boards.

As stated in first post, it's a VHF P25 Conventional (non-trunked) radio.

P.S.
Guys, how you think, VOCON replacement and firmware upgrade to last version will improve quality of P25 conversations?