'ello 'ello...

So I FINALLY got around to trying the update. I have a standard looking serial cable but I had no way of really knowing if it was a null modem cable or not, but I decided to give it a whirl. I followed all the instructions in the installer and the error I'm consistently getting is "Cannot connect to receiver (rx/tx)". I tried both serial ports on the computer I was trying, in combinations of COM1 and COM2 for each. Nothing worked, same error every time. One other possible issue is that I was using a computer that I do not have admin rights on, so if the installer was trying to alter the PC's registry, maybe that was a problem too?

Is this a pretty good indicator that I'm using the wrong cable? I'm asking around the network department here at work to see if they'll loan me a verified serial cable to try again this weekend, but I figured I'd post my question today and see what you guys think.

Thanks in advance!

It may very well be that you are using a null modem cable. But I have had a failure to communicate problem with a straight through serial cable. The solution I found, suggested by the folks at Outlaw, was to shut the receiver down overnight (press the power button on the back). The next day communications worked fine. So you might try that before concluding that you have a cross-over cable. The other issue may be that you only have a few seconds from when you press the reset button to start the update. If you wait longer you get an error message. So get the updater running and select the HEX file before you press the reset. After resetting the 1070 immediately click to start the update.

Bob

It sounds like a null modem to me (and reminds me of the time I tried to use a crossover network cable without realizing that it was terminated as a crossover). If you can borrow a straight-through cable from work, that'd be a good place to start.

Well I stopped at Staples and I bought a Belkin Serial Cable.
I'm still having problems.

The update kicks off (unlike my previous experience) but it ends with the same exact error message as before.

Steps:
1.) Load updater
2.) Outlaw is plugged in, amber light is on, unit is off
3.) RS232 cable is plugged in
4.) Hex file is specified
5.) Click the reset button with my pen on the back of 1070
6.) Initiate update

Updater status bar begins to progress from left to right and if I recall it's saying "Deleting..." or "Removing..." - something to the effect that it's removing the old firmware or parts of it.

It got through that "phase" and the status bar reset, this time saying "Program..." - after about 20 seconds, it failed saying the old message:

Cannot connect to receiver (rx/tx).

I tried it one more time, and that time around, it went through the "deleting..." phase MUCH slower. The first time it finished the delete phase in about 2 minutes. This second time around, I literally got up, got coffee, showered, told everyone to NOT touch the PC ! Some time later I peeked into the office and the "Cannot connect to receiver (rx/tx)" error was up again.

Should I send the unit to Outlaw to update? I'm moving soon and I need my receiver soon...

Thanks!

Just an update to the story...I spoke to Edward in support yesterday who suggested I go home, unplug the unit for a bit. He suggested I plug the unit back in, Master Power to ON, boot up the receiver, hook up the serial cable, and then hit the reset button in the back. He said this should cause the relay to "snap" off and then the firmware update should work.

I ran into a problem immediately. Since the failed firmware update, I had not tried to power on the unit completely. This was the first time. When I plugged the unit in, and hit the master switch on in the back, the amber light did come on. But when I hit the power button on the front, nothing really happened. The green light came on in the front, but nothing showed up on the blue display. I hit the power button (on the front again) and it the front light stayed green. It wouldn't power down to the amber light. I tried a couple more times. The unit appears dead right now. If I hit the reset button in the back, the light will go amber while it's depressed, but when I let go, it goes back to green on the front. No "snapping" occurs. I'm a little worried that the failed update hosed my receiver...I put another call into support and left a message for Edward. Hopefully we'll have some resolution soon.

Stay tuned!

Update: 1070 is going home to the nest to resolve it's problem. Hopefully it'll come back soon...! And updated