Preston Firmware update with a MAC

[Erwin Landau]

Is/was anybody successful in update-ing the Preston Firmware via the supplied downloads on the Preston website?

 

I am on version 1.36 on my HU3. The current version is 2.08.

 

I am using a Mac Book Pro (2010), which it says on the website, that problems have been reported...

 

The biggest hang up was to get the USB drivers to work (and they still don't). I think that Preston should finally provide a LEMO to USB cable... but that's me. Do PC's still use Serial adapters???

 

Any ideas, suggestions, tips... would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

Unfortunately I can't just drive over to Preston, that would turn into a very long ride from Europe.

 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Sincerely,

 

Erwin

[Andrew Ansnick]

Hey Erwin,

 

Hope you and your family are well! You're missed here. Onto your firmware issue....

 

I was jumping through hoops this last week trying to update my HU3 firmware to 2.08 as well. I also own a macbook pro and was able to download and successfully install the usb to serial drivers (I think they are looking to expand on these based off what type of usb to serial adapter you have). What brand usb to serial adapter are you trying to use?

 

James at Preston was very helpful trying to troubleshoot my problems over the phone even though I had to eventually take my hand unit down to him to get the update. I would have the same issue you were experiencing where upon launching the HU3 Updater software I would get the "Connect USB adapter" message and no hand unit would be detected. I tried a different USB to serial adapter and this resolved that. You could also try reinstalling the USB drivers if you haven't already.

 

Another issue was that the HU3 Updater software would keep freezing during the firmware install, and always at a different point. So much so that it never actually worked after a dozen or so attempts. It did however erase my current firmware that was installed thus leaving me with a very expensive paper weight. I know that this Mac version of the software is extremely buggy and unreliable, this coming from multiple Preston owners. When James is back in the office on Tuesday I will be there to try and troubleshoot this problem further. Also will try to get some better answers about your problem. In the meantime, if you have access to a PC I would say beg/borrow/steal one because that seems to be the best and most reliable way to do it.

 

I agree that Preston needs to make and provide a USB to LEMO cable. They also need to re-write their Mac updater software.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I agree that Preston needs to make and provide a USB to LEMO cable. They also need to re-write their Mac updater software.

 

 

It would be even better if they rewrote the updater to wifi flash from a iPhone/ipad....

 

Just saying

[Lee Kazista]

Preston actually has USB driver firmware on their site. Download that, it has just about every Mac set up and Driver in there.

 

On occasion, we need to either reboot the Mac or plug and unplug the cable a few times to get it to recognize.

 

It is worth it to me, as NO ONE ELSE IN THIS INDUSTRY supports MAC. I am just so relieved to not need to own a PC just for upgrades.

 

Lee

[Steve Peterson]

Could you activate Bootcamp on the Mac and install updates as PC based update?

[Benjamin Treplin]

I update my cmotion with Parallels / Windows7 and an USB to serial adapter.

[Andrew Ansnick]

Alright, got it working finally! Thank you Preston for supporting us Mac users!

 

James at Preston Cinema was very helpful and took the better part of his morning last week to sit down and troubleshoot the problems I was experiencing. From what I learned, I think the solution to your problem Erwin is to check your USB to serial adapter cable and make sure it uses one of the chipsets (FTDI, Prolific, etc.) that Preston has the drivers available for download from their website.

 

I was initially using a Beldin USB to 9-pin serial adapter cable that used it's own proprietary chipset/software which (after researching) I found out wasn't even Mac OS X compatible (drivers were only available for Windows 7 or Mac OS 8 & 9). Hence why my Handunit wasn't even recognized by the updater software. I also had problems with another off-brand adapter cable purchased from Fry's that went from Serial DB-9 to USB Type B connector and used another cable to convert that to a USB Type A connector to plug into my laptop. This was the cable that would allow the updater software to recognize the Handunit and initiate the update but resulted in unreliable communication and the HU Updater software would freeze part way through the update process.

 

What I learned from all this- check your adapter cable! I have since purchased a Gearhead CA2050 USB to 9-pin serial adapter cable and have no issues whatsoever. Another cable that I know to work well (from testing it while at Preston with no issues) is the Plugable Technologies USB to RS-232 DB9 Serial Adapter (Prolific PL2303HX Chipset). Both use the Prolific chipset and should work for you.

 

Hope this solves your problem!

[Erwin Landau]

Thanks guys for the reply.

 

Haven't had a chance to look up the cables... I will though. I went to all electronics shops in my town (6) and even mail ordered a couple (the last one was $30.- and also didn't work), what a waste of cash btw. Before I posted.

Thanks Andrew Looks like I will have to spend another $12.- bucks on a cable that I don't really need... I have a shoe box filled with those. (Any takers?)

 

Still mystified that Preston only provides a serial cable, again can't say I have seen a serial port on recent Laptop PC's. And I also don't know who of my friends in the area actually still uses a desktop (which might still use Serial). Having spend $50K on my FF that cable should be included... but that's me. For that matter if I had to buy a cable for $100.- from them, that would work and didn't need an additional adapter, I wouldn't say a word either... Just this trial and error thing is going on my nerves... age I guess.

 

I'll let you know... if it works...

 

 

Thanks,

 

Erwin