Originally Posted By: EricTheBlue
In a prior post, you mentioned how easy it was for you to update your Oppo player via USB at work. The only point I was making is that though it was easy and convenient for you, it may not be so for others. IMO, once you have to use the computing resources of others fix your product, the PITA factor rises.

Part of my point was that if you can't copy files onto a USB stick at home, it's highly unlikely that you can connect a processor to the Internet at home. Which is easier: carrying a USB stick elsewhere to put a file on it, or disconnecting and carrying a whole processor?

I was thinking this morning about how I've used the USB and Ethernet firmware update options with my Blu-ray players. I have used Ethernet a lot of times, and it is convenient for typical updates. USB is important to include, though, because I thought of a number of instances when I wanted to do things that I couldn't do via Ethernet. In some cases, I had to change between different firmware branches (production, public beta, or closed beta), which wasn't possible via Ethernet - I had to use USB in those cases. Other times, I wanted to roll back to older firmware. There are advantages to having USB as the primary firmware update process.

Originally Posted By: EricTheBlue
Based on first hand experience, that's simply not the case. I'm currently living in a home over 60 years old with plaster walls. When I moved in, there was no Ethernet anywhere. I used ServiceMagic.com (they now operate in most major cities) to get multiple bids to install 7 jacks in 4 rooms. Total cost, including parts and labor, was $275 (this charge would have been less has the walls been traditional stick and drywall). Obviously, cost mileage may vary, but I don't think the delta would be large elsewhere and if were only talking about one jack near the owner's equipment, I suspect the cost would be nominal. If there's no ServiceMagic office nearby then Craigslist is an option too. Simply put, getting a hardwired Ethernet jack installed need not be complicated or expensive.

Similarly, my single-story 52-year-old house was easy to wire because I could run through the attic and drop in the walls.

On the other hand, I've got a co-worker with a 30-year-old two-story house who can't get wires run easily in his living room because he's got a slab on grade and no way to get down from above without tearing out drywall. (He's one of our electrical engineers, so part if his day job is figuring out how to run conduit and cables in existing buildings.) And the friend I mentioned previously has a ~90-year-old home with plaster walls that's been added on to a few times. He's been re-wiring the electrical one room as a time, and has a very good idea of how to get wires through his house. This particular area is very difficult to reach from his office (where the home network originates). Some homes can be wired easily, but a lot can't be for various reasons.

Originally Posted By: EricTheBlue
I agree and I've enjoyed our discussion. smile How about splitting the difference? For future AV prepros and receivers, the standard should be to include both USB and Ethernet ports so the owner can decide which one will serve him/her best.

I still think USB has to happen, while Ethernet should be included for firmware updates if the unit already has Ethernet for some other reason. Adding the hardware and software costs to include Ethernet just as an extra way to update firmware is a disservice to customers who don't already have a network connection they can use. If the Ethernet port's there already, I agree that allowing firmware updates is a nice convenience.
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