Introduction
Overview
The explanation in the firmware (FirmWare) dictionary is hardware with software functions. In the early days, such devices generally contained software EROM or EPROM, etc., and usually the programs stored in these hardware cannot be directly read or modified by the user. At that time, there is generally no need to upgrade the firmware, even if serious problems are found in the firmware. Bugs must also be replaced by the EPROM on the original machine with the EPROM with the written program by the professional. Does firmware refer to hardware or software? In our current understanding, firmware should refer to software. But there are many kinds of software, not all software can be called firmware. Generally speaking, the software that is the most basic and lowest level work of a system can be called firmware. For example, the BIOS on the computer motherboard we often call In fact, more professionals used to call it Firmware.
Importance
After understanding the basic principles of firmware, we can draw our understanding of firmware: "software that acts as the most basic and lowest level work of a system", while In the player, the firmware is the soul of the player, because the player has no other software composition besides the firmware. Therefore, the firmware also determines the function and performance of the player. From this point of view, the player’s firmware has almost the same status as its hardware, and to some extent, the firmware may be more important. Because only a well-written firmware program can play the role of hardware more fully and cleverly. The most famous example is that Hyunwon launched a player called "Moon Treasure Box" in 2000, but not long after it was put on the market, it was discovered that the buttons failed due to the design of the PCB board, and the problem was very common. As usual, many manufacturers may adopt the method of recall to deal with this problem, but Hyunwon company made small changes to its firmware after analyzing the principle, and let the firmware fix this kind of hardware problem. The result was soon Put down this incident. From this point of view, here, excellent firmware can also make up for some hardware defects.
Upgrade the firmware
Although it is named "firmware", it should be understood as software anyway, and due to the current progress in integrated circuits, this kind of firmware is With Flash as the carrier, upgrading the firmware has become easier and less dangerous, and the difference between the firmware program and the program we usually call has become smaller and smaller. In the early days, upgrading the firmware was mainly to solve some bugs and compatibility issues. With the advent of the information age, it is difficult for manufacturers' designs to fully meet customer needs. More manufacturers provide users with added value by upgrading firmware to provide more updated functions. Therefore, we can summarize the firmware upgrade as follows:
1. Solve existing bugs and compatibility issues
2. Improve operation methods, provide More convenient and more user-friendly functions
3. Provide more music format support
Principle
Because the current players almost always save the firmware in In Flash, upgrading the firmware is actually rewriting Flash with a new firmware program, but according to different chips and principles, there are actually two ways. The first method is to use an independent USB chip product. The most representative one is Hyundai's GDS30c6001. For this type of player, the upgrade is relatively simple and safe. You only need to transfer the new firmware program to the Flash through the USB chip. That's it. The second is that USB is a part of the main chip, and the work also needs the support of firmware. The most representative one is the current hot-selling iRiver180TC (using Philips DSP chip). For this type of player, the upgrade process is more complicated than the previous one, and there is also a certain degree of danger, because once the update fails, even the most basic USB transmission functions may be lost. Of course, for this type of player, there is also a more flexible aspect, that is, the USB transport layer can be reprogrammed. The process of handling specific upgrades for this type of player is the same as in the previous case, and the new firmware is still transferred to the Flash chip via USB transmission. Only because the USB transport layer is also supported by the firmware, the danger level after the firmware upgrade fails is higher. Of course, we will introduce the handling method of the upgrade failure later.
Preparation
Because upgrading firmware is risky, the following preparations must be made before upgrading:
1. Sufficient power The battery: can prevent the upgrade process from being interrupted due to insufficient battery power
2. Back up the originalfirmware: can prevent If the upgrade is wrong or you are not satisfied with the new version of the firmware, go back to the original version.
3. NewFirmware file: Although most products can be upgraded directly from the network, the reliability of the upgrade after downloading to the computer is higher Much.
4. Turn off computer irrelevantSoftware: In order to prevent the upgrade process from being interfered by other software, it is best to temporarily turn off unnecessary software, especially It is anti-virus software.
5. Check USBInterface reliability: It is best to upload or download the music file before upgrading, and test it Whether the USB interface is reliable.
6. Clear or format the player: In order to prevent the upgrade from failing due to insufficient Flash capacity during the upgrade, clearing the data in the player can ensure that the upgrade is foolproof.
Upgrading process
You can find the player in the hardware
The player in this situation generally has a USB The transmission does not depend on the firmware program, or the two parts are independent. This type of player upgrade failure is relatively easy to solve. Generally, you should first analyze the reason for the upgrade failure. In most cases, the player still has This is possible only in the case of music files, or the upgrade is interrupted by some unexpected reasons. The solution is also very simple, because the player can still be found in the computer, so solve the reasons one by one according to the points, and then upgrade again to solve the problem. For example, if there are more music files stored on the player, you can format the player once and try; if the interruption is caused by a certain application, you can stop the application first and try to upgrade again. In short, because the USB transmission of the player has not been interrupted after the upgrade fails, it is very easy to remedy it.
The machine cannot be turned on, the player cannot be found
This situation is generally troublesome, because the computer cannot be Communicate with the player, so the player cannot be upgraded again. But this is not to say that the player is not saved. You may try my method before you send the player to the repair station. Connect the USB of the player to the computer, and then press the power button of the player (Play button for most products) for more than 4 seconds. At this time, the computer will generally report that it has found new hardware, but the display is not the player, but the player. The model of the main chip of the player, such as "PhilipsSaa7550..." "STMP3410..." and so on. At this time, immediately open the management program of the player, or a special upgrade tool. Sometimes this special tool is not directly provided by the player manufacturer. You can check the playback Whether there are any other auxiliary programs in the CD provided by the player CD, generally speaking, the management program will immediately find the player firmware error, and temporarily load the firmware into the chip’s memory via USB, and then the chip will automatically restart, and If the player is found in the computer, it is said from time to time that the player is already normal, because the firmware is temporarily loaded onto the chip. Once the power is cut off, the firmware will disappear, so you should immediately use the management software or a dedicated upgrade tool to restart Perform a firmware upgrade.
Firmware upgrades can solve long-troubled bugs for you, and bring you new features you dream of. Therefore, upgrading firmware has become a way for digital enthusiasts to improve hardware performance. With the efforts of manufacturers, firmware upgrades have become easier and more secure. Firmware upgrades are no longer the patent of professional and technical personnel. What are you waiting for? You have no reason to refuse the "free lunch" brought to you by the firmware
Failure handling
Generally speaking, the upgrade can proceed very smoothly, but there are still many users who have experienced the upgrade. In the case of failure, there are many types of current players, so we cannot explain all the players one by one.