Looking at buying a nice 800Mhz Saber III from a friend of mine.
Here are the firmware numbers from the radio: R.03.00.00 and I.03.04.03.
My guess is that this IS NOT a CAI radio.
Can anyone confirm just by looking at these numbers if it's even capable of CAI? He states he can't determine the flashcode, even via the SERVICE mode method.
Thanks
Son of Trido
Need Help - Is This Radio VSLP or CAI?
Moderator: Queue Moderator
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Son of Trido
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- Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2001 4:00 pm
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motsaber99
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Elroy Jetson
- Posts: 1158
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By giving the HOST and DSP firmware revisions, it's obvious that this is an Astro product and clearly could never be a Saber.
The flashcode by itself will NOT prove if the radio is capable of IMBE or CAI compliance.
You did correctly by posting your firmware versions.
Here's your answer: Your radio is VSELP. It would have to have the DSP and HOST firmware flash updated. There is no way around that.
HOST 4, DSP 5, are the (approximate) limits at which IMBE and CAI are supported by the firmware.
Elroy
The flashcode by itself will NOT prove if the radio is capable of IMBE or CAI compliance.
You did correctly by posting your firmware versions.
Here's your answer: Your radio is VSELP. It would have to have the DSP and HOST firmware flash updated. There is no way around that.
HOST 4, DSP 5, are the (approximate) limits at which IMBE and CAI are supported by the firmware.
Elroy
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Son of Trido
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2001 4:00 pm
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junkyardnut
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 4:00 pm
Just wondering how this is done, Does Motorola charge per option for flashing or is it per radio, or????
Also, Is there any way to get Modat in a radio which is a 1 meg astro Saber other than flashing it? I am not going nuts to have it but am interested if it is something simple.
And if anyone can tell me when programming an Astro Saber does the flash code reside in the codeplug, as in does the flash info travel into the target radio with the tuning values, modes, etc. or is the flash info entirely seperate.
I think this above question would be one for Elroy as he seems to be the expert on the Astros.
Also, Is there any way to get Modat in a radio which is a 1 meg astro Saber other than flashing it? I am not going nuts to have it but am interested if it is something simple.
And if anyone can tell me when programming an Astro Saber does the flash code reside in the codeplug, as in does the flash info travel into the target radio with the tuning values, modes, etc. or is the flash info entirely seperate.
I think this above question would be one for Elroy as he seems to be the expert on the Astros.
<Just wondering how this is done, Does Motorola charge per option for flashing or is it per radio, or????>
You pay for the options, and you may or may not be charged by the radio shop that does the flashupgrading for doing it.
<Also, Is there any way to get Modat in a radio which is a 1 meg astro Saber other than flashing it? I am not going nuts to have it but am interested if it is something simple.>
The *real* way of doing it is by flashupgrading. You could dump a codeplug that has it into a radio via LAB rss, but you will lose any options that your radio had in it. Essentially, your radio becomes the one that you are dumping codeplug from. It is also very risky as you can fry the radio VERY easily with LAB. Last time I checked with the Motorola rep that we deal with, MODAT is (was I am sure by now) a SUB option of VSELP. Essentially, you have to order VSELP to get MODAT, and that was about a $568 option. Not worth it in my case, and you will lose CAI if you need it. However, it has been stated you can get MODAT with the IMBE Sabers now (no spectras). I have not found out how much this is. The rep has been advoiding me.
<And if anyone can tell me when programming an Astro Saber does the flash code reside in the codeplug, as in does the flash info travel into the target radio with the tuning values, modes, etc. or is the flash info entirely seperate.>
From what I have experienced, everything is in the codeplug. I have seen a radio flashed from one band to another, and all the tuning values where then off, until adjusted by the service menu.
<I think this above question would be one for Elroy as he seems to be the expert on the Astros.>
Got that right!
Did that file I sent you ever work for you? Send over an email
You pay for the options, and you may or may not be charged by the radio shop that does the flashupgrading for doing it.
<Also, Is there any way to get Modat in a radio which is a 1 meg astro Saber other than flashing it? I am not going nuts to have it but am interested if it is something simple.>
The *real* way of doing it is by flashupgrading. You could dump a codeplug that has it into a radio via LAB rss, but you will lose any options that your radio had in it. Essentially, your radio becomes the one that you are dumping codeplug from. It is also very risky as you can fry the radio VERY easily with LAB. Last time I checked with the Motorola rep that we deal with, MODAT is (was I am sure by now) a SUB option of VSELP. Essentially, you have to order VSELP to get MODAT, and that was about a $568 option. Not worth it in my case, and you will lose CAI if you need it. However, it has been stated you can get MODAT with the IMBE Sabers now (no spectras). I have not found out how much this is. The rep has been advoiding me.
<And if anyone can tell me when programming an Astro Saber does the flash code reside in the codeplug, as in does the flash info travel into the target radio with the tuning values, modes, etc. or is the flash info entirely seperate.>
From what I have experienced, everything is in the codeplug. I have seen a radio flashed from one band to another, and all the tuning values where then off, until adjusted by the service menu.
<I think this above question would be one for Elroy as he seems to be the expert on the Astros.>
Got that right!
Did that file I sent you ever work for you? Send over an email
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Elroy Jetson
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2001 4:00 pm
Technically speaking, the flashcode is actually encoded into the radio codeplug itself. Evidence of this is the commonly (mis)used cloning trick, where the flashcode transfers in the cloning process.
However, the information that the flashcode represents has to interact with the firmware in the radio. If that firmware doesn't have the same features that are being called by the flashcode and the codeplug, errors will result.
The firmware can NOT be changed via the cloning trick. It can only be reprogrammed by providing appropriate voltages to the radio that are not provided by the standard RIB but are provided by a SmartRib. However, the SmartRib is a well-protected device that is actually a small computer all by itself, and it works with the encrypted flash and upgrade files in the Astro RSS, the ones that end in .enc. When a flashing option that requires reprogramming the firmware is to be put into the radio, the RSS activates the SRIB with these encrypted files, and from that point a certain percentage of what goes on is handled exclusively by the SRIB now that it has received its operating instructions via the smartrib.enc file. The RSS itself doesn't have a clue of what's going on. And, the SRIB also has to communicate successfully with a valid flashkey, which is simply a dongle. Only when all this has occurred in the proper manner, with all necessary authorization requirements met by all items in the system, will the upgrade file be transferred to the radio. But wait, there's more! When the firmware is to be changed, the first thing that happens is the radio's existing firmware is BLANKED by the SRIB. Then, the appropriate bootstrap file, astropbc.enc or astrombc.enc (AstroPortableBootCode or AstroMobileBootCode, see?) is loaded into the radio in RAM so that the radio knows how to operate and accept the new files.
That's how the flash update system really works, in the short form.
For a flash upgrade, contact the sales manager for the state you live in. Call M and ask for the sales department and from there, track that individual down. These guys are the ones who can actually help you get a flash upgrade done.
If someone really wanted to blow a hole in the flashing system, he'd be well advised to investigate these .enc files. They're utterly essential to the whole system. It'll be a tough nut to crack, though, and that's exactly what M intends. I'm sure not qualified. I know how the system works, but I'm not much of a hacker and even less of a programmer.
I can't remember exactly about what takes MODAT and what doesn't, but I know for sure that it's described clearly in the radio information files at batlabs. Take a look.
Anyway, if you don't have a legitimate use for it, don't bother. It's a silly little noise that gets irritating the third time you hear it.
Elroy
However, the information that the flashcode represents has to interact with the firmware in the radio. If that firmware doesn't have the same features that are being called by the flashcode and the codeplug, errors will result.
The firmware can NOT be changed via the cloning trick. It can only be reprogrammed by providing appropriate voltages to the radio that are not provided by the standard RIB but are provided by a SmartRib. However, the SmartRib is a well-protected device that is actually a small computer all by itself, and it works with the encrypted flash and upgrade files in the Astro RSS, the ones that end in .enc. When a flashing option that requires reprogramming the firmware is to be put into the radio, the RSS activates the SRIB with these encrypted files, and from that point a certain percentage of what goes on is handled exclusively by the SRIB now that it has received its operating instructions via the smartrib.enc file. The RSS itself doesn't have a clue of what's going on. And, the SRIB also has to communicate successfully with a valid flashkey, which is simply a dongle. Only when all this has occurred in the proper manner, with all necessary authorization requirements met by all items in the system, will the upgrade file be transferred to the radio. But wait, there's more! When the firmware is to be changed, the first thing that happens is the radio's existing firmware is BLANKED by the SRIB. Then, the appropriate bootstrap file, astropbc.enc or astrombc.enc (AstroPortableBootCode or AstroMobileBootCode, see?) is loaded into the radio in RAM so that the radio knows how to operate and accept the new files.
That's how the flash update system really works, in the short form.
For a flash upgrade, contact the sales manager for the state you live in. Call M and ask for the sales department and from there, track that individual down. These guys are the ones who can actually help you get a flash upgrade done.
If someone really wanted to blow a hole in the flashing system, he'd be well advised to investigate these .enc files. They're utterly essential to the whole system. It'll be a tough nut to crack, though, and that's exactly what M intends. I'm sure not qualified. I know how the system works, but I'm not much of a hacker and even less of a programmer.
I can't remember exactly about what takes MODAT and what doesn't, but I know for sure that it's described clearly in the radio information files at batlabs. Take a look.
Anyway, if you don't have a legitimate use for it, don't bother. It's a silly little noise that gets irritating the third time you hear it.
Elroy