Firmware #3.822 [Update]

[alquinn]

Paul,

I should add that I see an open connector 10-pin connector block on the horizontal main board but it's not only not labeled PL1, it's not labeled at all. This open 10-pin connector is right next to another connector that has a cable running to the USB port. Is this the open connector block you're referring to?

Al

[clp560]

Hi

I have the Mk3 board. I've taken a picture of the board and you can see where the PL1 (clearly marked on this board) and JP5 connectors are on mine. Hope this helps to get you up and running again.

Paul

[happyfreddy]

hi
For any Update You only use the USB connector and Remote Software on Your PC .
It´s equal to use USB like shown in Pic of "clp560" or with connected Extension Board and it´s USB Connector on board

Plug PL 1 is only for factory "first programming" of HX3 board and never in use by any update.
The "first programming software" contains the BOOTLOADER - tool and with this BOOTLOADER You realize
to make any later UPDATE possible.

For this still forget the existance of PL 1

[alquinn]

I got it working. Thanks for helping me Paul.

I don't know what that connector is called that you directed me to but it certainly was the one I needed to put the jumper on the middle pins of to run HX3_repair. Once I successfully ran HX3_repair I was able to update the corrupt FPGA code and then the firmware. I'm now at FPGA 05072015 and FW 3.812, and the HX3 Expander Module is reading the drawbars on my Nord Electro 4D in a linear manner.

I'm disappointed by the difficulty of the update process and the fact that I received a brand new product just weeks ago that needed to be updated almost immediately. The text in the HX3_avr_repair readme file really messed me up. It says "Insert CONF_DIS jumper JP5 and RESET jumper on PL1 position "R"." Problem is the only PL1 I saw was on the vertical front board of the Expander module. I guess they meant to say the connector that Paul showed me in the photo he provided but that connector is not labeled. It was only after I ignored the instructions and followed Paul's direction that I got it to work.

While the HX3 expander sounds great I would not recommend it to a friend in light of what's expected of the customer to update it. I want to keep my friends.

[clp560]

To be fair almost all of the updates have gone smoothly using the Editor, just an odd time when it has corrupted the FW and an AV repair was necessary. Personally, I like the idea that small fixes are possible by the owner. Most manufacturers just bring out a new model next year and you need to buy the whole thing again! This certainly happened with my Hammond-Suzuki XK-3 and the HX3 has turned it back into a great organ. Not all the firmware upgrades are needed by everyone anyway, sometimes it's just a specific fix for a particular controller.

Don't be afraid to recommend it to your friends - they'll love it (and you) when they hear the sound :-)

Paul

[clp560]

Meanwhile, back to the FW3.822 update. The XK-3 pedal drawbar issue is not fixed (FPGA: #05072015). I assume the scan cores are updated with the FPGA update, though they have the same date as the previous scan cores. I guess this is a tricky one to solve because of the Hammond-Suzuki midi implementation. Be nice to get there eventually but workarounds are easy enough in the meantime. Everything else is fine.

Paul

[clp560]

Pedal drawbar issue is solved!

I downloaded the new Editor/FW update app and the scan cores in the folder were dated 7/7/2015. The previous #3.822 folder had the earlier scan cores. Using the original Editor I simply updated the HX_MIDI scan core and sure enough, the XK-3 pedal drawbar problem is fixed!

Thanks Carsten.

[alquinn]

To be fair almost all of the updates have gone smoothly using the Editor, just an odd time when it has corrupted the FW and an AV repair was necessary. Personally, I like the idea that small fixes are possible by the owner. Most manufacturers just bring out a new model next year and you need to buy the whole thing again! This certainly happened with my Hammond-Suzuki XK-3 and the HX3 has turned it back into a great organ. Not all the firmware upgrades are needed by everyone anyway, sometimes it's just a specific fix for a particular controller.

Don't be afraid to recommend it to your friends - they'll love it (and you) when they hear the sound :-)

Paul

Yes, I agree. It was the corrupt FPGA and AV repair that caused the most frustration and time spent. Better, more accurate, instructions would have helped. Perhaps something got lost in the translation to English. I don't know.

Having to disassemble the product strikes me as a bit much. I think we should be able to update firmware without disassembling the product. Also, I had to go to a local computer store to get jumpers as I didn't have any available. I took a few things apart at home looking for some but couldn't find any. All in all, this update was very time consuming.