Flash Blaster II v.2.00 for the Falcon digital console Falcon ENGLISH

Transcription

1 User's manual for: Flash Blaster II v.2.00 for the Falcon digital console Falcon ENGLISH

2 Overview Installation Communication Menùs&Functions Problems Upgrades Flash Blaster II v.2.00

3 DESCRIPTION Flash Blaster II is a program (for Windows 95/98/NT) supplied with LEM's Falcon digital console; it's used to Update the unit's Operating System by transferring the new version of the O.S. (Operating System or Firmware) from a Personal Computer to the mixer It's extremely easy to use: after having physically connected the Falcon and a Personal Computer with the minimum necessary requisites to carry out this procedure, using the cable supplied (via serial port), just activate the program from the PC, set Falcon to carry out the update and press Go! on the FlashBlaster II's main panel. Once started, the program should appear as follows on the desktop: Technical Requirements Flash Blaster II can be run in the following Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows 95 (all versions) any language Microsoft Windows 98 (build 4.10 and later) any language Microsoft Windows NT Service Pack 1 and later (with or without IE4) any language Any hardware configuration is valid, providing it's able to manage a or type serial port; default data transmission speed is 38,000 bauds/s.

4 INSTALLATION Flash Blaster II is installed using the usual "setup.exe" installation file, which can be found in the FlashBlaster directory (backup disk). Once the "setup" executable file has been activated, the procedure will prompt for confirmation of the directory in which it has to be installed: it's normally: C:\Programs\Lem\Falcon\Update. If necessary, change the path according to your requirements and confirm the choice. If necessary, change the path according to your requirements and confirm the choice. After installation, a directory named Update will be created and will be normally accessible from Start of Windows 95 (Start in Windows 98) via the following path: Programs > Lem > Falcon > Update. As with all software specifically written for Windows 95/98/NT, Flash Blaster II can be uninstalled by simply removing it from the list of installed programs, which can be reached as follows: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove. In any case, Flash Blaster II doesn't add files to the system (*.DLL or *.VXD), so can always be easily removed. The directory used to hold the update files is the same one as the program; however, its path can always be changed. Lastly, it must be remembered that the installation of Flash Blaster II doesn't require a system reboot to complete the procedure. NB: the Flash Blaster II files that you can download from our Internet site might be zipped using Winzip or Rar.

5 COMMUNICATION The Falcon and the PC are connected using the appropriate cable supplied with the digital console: to be precise, between the PC's serial port (COM1, COM2, COM3 or COM4) and the Falcon's serial port. Should you require to change the Flash Blaster II serial communication port (the default port is COM1), for example because a serial mouse and/or modem is connected to it on the PC, procedure is as follows: 1. Select the OPTION menu item in the Flash Blaster II program. 2. Select SETTINGS and access the menu. 3. A dialog box will appear which allows to change the serial port you want to use. 4. Open the pull-down menu using the small arrow on the right of the box containing the default COM (COM1). 5. Select the COM required. 6. Confirm your choice with OK. 7. The dialog box closes and from that moment on, Flash Blaster II is set to communicate with the PC via the COM you have chosen.

6 Serial cable connection diagram Precautions In order to carry out data transfer to/from PC successfully and without problems, a serial communication port (COM) must be used on which there are no other programs running which could carry out polling on the port status: this could jeopardise correct operation of Flash Blaster II. (see Problems section)

7 MENUS AND FUNCTIONS Description of menus and functions Use Go! Trouble shooting Description of the functions Flash Blaster II has 3 menus and 1 control function that can be accessed immediately: ACTION > Execute Exit Execute (whose immediate access command is also found on the program's main panel with the Go! label) allows to transmit the new Operating System to the Falcon.Exit finishes Flash Blaster II procedure. Exit finishes Flash Blaster II procedure.

8 OPTIONS > Settings Settings allows to change the serial communication port used for connecting the Falcon to the PC. HELP > About About displays some information on the program and the current version of the software. The Go! function key (Transmit Receive Abort) is the immediate access key for the Action > Execute command. Use Once Flash Blaster II has been started, it can handle all the operations of transfer to/from Falcon, cancellation of the Flash memory and the updating (uploading) of the new Operating System (firmware). So you don't need to operate the machine in any way, apart from enabling the special function OPTION> Update (page 2/4)>Enter to prepare the machine to receive communication on the serial port Flash Blaster II operates as follows: the first thing that is checked is the correct synchronization of the serial ports of the Falcon and the Personal Computer; if this is correct, Flash Blaster II starts the first stage, which consists in Uploading the Firmware to the Falcon's internal memory (RAM). After having checked that all the files required have been correctly transferred and are congruent and complete, the second phase starts, i.e. the actual updating of the console's Firmware, preceded by the deletion of the current Operating System to leave space for the new one.

9 Go! command Using Flash Blaster II is really easy: 1. Activate the program. 2. Enter the Falcon's OPTION > Update menu and press ENTER 3. Click on the Flash Blaster II's GO! command...and watch: The GO! key changes to Running. In the message window below, all the various stages of the procedure are shown. First of all, the exactness of the "waiting for sync" message is checked. At the same time, the green E/H LED lights up (on the Falcon), showing that the 2 serial ports are in sync. Should it be found that there is no communication (in the event of Update Software function not being enabled on Falcon, the serial cable being disconnected or anything else), after a 20-second time-out, the following message appears: if everything is in order, the first stage begins, with the "physical trasfer" or Upload of the Firmware (Operating System) to the Falcon's RAM. The message window shows the type of operation being carried out: Phase (type of operation being carried out) - The name of the being transferred (File:xxxxxxxx) - the number of the current data packet (Packet nnnn.) - The address being written (Address xxxxxxx) - The size of the locations being written (Size nnnn). The LEDs of Falcon's 2 VU-Meter bars will gradually light up in cycles, from the top to the bottom, showing that the Upload is proceeding regularly.

10 Should any problems occur in this phase, such as the accidental disconnection of the cable or the ports going out of sync, Flash Blaster II will warn you with the message already seen above. When the Firmware is at last safely in the Falcon's RAM, the real work of updating the O.S. begins. It's only at this point, after having finished the UPLOAD stage, that the Falcon deletes its Flash Memory to leave space for the new O.S. The Flash Blaster II will show the following message: Attention: the Falcon's power supply can be disconnected at any time before the Flash ERASING, without any consequences. When the desk's switched on again, it will run a BOOT with the old Operating System. After a few moments, the program will inform that updating has begun (Phase: Programming Flash), which is very clearly seen by VU-Meter's LEDs flashing rapidly on the Falcon. When this operation is finished (the mixer enters the same mode as at the start of Updating, i.e. with just the W LED lit, display empty and VU-Meter LED bars off), the Falcon must be switched off in order to be started again with the new O.S. At this point, Flash Blaster II can be terminated from the ACTION >EXIT menu.

11 Transfer/programming errors and solutions The updating procedure for the Falcon is quite safe; the decision to carry out an Upload of the entire Operating System to the internal RAM is taken precisely for safety reasons and to reduce operators' difficulties with data transmission problems to the utmost. The only moments in which there is a greater risk of possible operating faults is during the actual ERASING and PROGRAMMING phase, which is however all handled by the console; here, in fact, Flash Blaster II has already finished its work (...with the Upload phase). In the event of there being a power failure during the PROGRAMMING phase, this results in an unfortunate situation, in which the old O.S. has already been deleted and the new one hasn't yet been programmed: (the program's panel will display this error message which, although referring to generic communication problems, warns the operator of the fact that for uncertain reasons, an error has occurred in the flash deletion phase); But if the procedure has already reached this point, then it's also true that Flash Blaster II hasn't had any previous problems with the successful transfer of the new O.S. to the console's RAM and it will therefore be possible to repeat the operation successfully from the beginning; in fact, in the event of there being no valid Operating System when uploading has to be carried out, Falcon's low-level Boot (...Bios ) assumes Update condition itself (waiting for Sync on the serial port and with the W LED lit): so all that has to be done is start Flash Blaster II again and click on GO! to repeat the system Update.

12 The failure might occur during the ERASING Flash phase (the program's panel will display this error message which, although referring to generic communication problems, warns the operator of the fact that for uncertain reasons, an error has occurred in the flash deletion phase); Here again, Falcon will prepare itself for Updating (waiting for Sync on the serial port and with the W LED lit): so all that has to be done is start Flash Blaster II again and click on GO! to repeat the system Update from the beginning. Attenzione: the only really critical phase can only occur in the event of the Firmware and the low level Boot being updated simultaneously: however, this is a rather uncommon situation which might only be necessary in the event of having to modify the way in which Falcon is updated and this is not normally required for the periodic Firmware updates. In all these cases, there will be a further warning in the text file (normally README.TXT) attached to the Flash Blaster II software, specifying the particularly critical nature of the procedure about to be carried out. In fact, in the unfortunate event of an interruption occuring during the ERASING Flash phase with a simultaneous update of Firmware + Boot (due to various causes, such as a power failure), the machine will not be able to be started, and must be taken to the nearest Assistance Centre to have its Flash restored.

13 PROBLEMS During tests relative to the various user configurations of Flash Blaster II, some application problems occurred, essentially due to serial communication, and were as follows. Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 e Remote Services With some Personal Computers on which the Windows CE remote connection package was installed, there have been problems with correct communication between Flash Blaster II and the Falcon. These difficulties seem to have been due to excessive polling of the serial port by the Microsoft software and when rather lengthy data were being transferred. In these cases, there's a breakdown in the communication between Flash Blaster II and the mixer (after numerous unsuccessful attempts to send the data "packets"), which meet with incorrect interpretation of partial and incomplete data (or anyway unusable). The problem can be solved by obliging the Windows CE Connection Services to temporarily use a parallel port instead of the serial port assigned by default (or an IRDA port - infrared): consult your Windows CE manual (Connection Services) for the correct procedure for changing the communication port. Symantec Winfax Here again, the communication problem is created by excessive polling of the software on the serial ports to intercept any Faxes or data transmissions arriving. Solutions haven't yet been found in alternative to trying to use a different port to the one assigned to Winfax for communication between Flash Blaster II and the Falcon See COMMUNICATION section for instructions regarding changing the port.

14 In general Try to set up communication between Flash Blaster II and Falcon using a serial port that isn't already occupied. If this is not possible and transmission problems occur, identify the software that (in your opinion) might interfere with communication and (if possible) disable it, even temporarily. The majority of problems occur when using Windows 98 along with programs that make intensive use of the serial port. Make certain that the Microsoft serial communication drivers are correctly installed in the system. If all attempts at communicating are unsuccessful, try replacing the cable supplied with another serial cable wired as shown in the diagram in the Communication section. In any case, should problems persist, contact us at the following address: tech@lemaudio.com. Lastly, consult our Internet site in the SOFTWARE section to check if there are new versions of Flash Blaster II or warnings of other irregularities and relative solutions. Our Team is continually at work on perfecting and optimising this software, the utilities and the Falcon Operating System.

15 UPGRADES Upgrades of this program can be carried out on-line connecting to our Internet site at the following URL: In the site's SOFTWARE section, you can find all the information and upgrades for this utility and others written specially for the Falcon, along with updated versions of the Operating System. Any changes made to the user's manual will also be available on-line in HTML and PDF format. In the event of explanations and/or problems unable to be solved without specific support, it's possible to contact LEM directly by writing to: