Firmware for ECG P2's

[Porsche]

Hi all. Just wanting to find out a about exactly what firmware is?
I'm just reading through the J1sys website and I see bits about firmware updates.
Is firmware something that I need to regularly update on my controllers?

Cheers

 

[BluePiggy]

Firmware is basically software that is hard coded into a device. It is saved on a little chip inside the device and will remember settings.



A good example of this is on a ADSL Modem. If you go to the admin page via an IP Address it will load a site that looks like a webpage. In here you can change settings, enter a user name and password and change lots of other settings. This "Webpage" is loading from the firmware.


Lots of devices have firmware, EG controllers, printers, modems the list goes on.


By updating firmware you can give an old device new options that may not have been available when the device was released. Firmware updates can also fix bugs and performance issues.


Always be very careful updating firmware on any device. A UPS is a good idea.
An unexpected power outage when updating firmware can brick a device making it useless, this is very rare however worth noting.


I hope this helped

 

[Porsche]

Perfect, thank you.
Understood.

 

[kane]

And a general rule with firmware updates (for anything) is "if it's not broke, don't fix it".. So unless you're seeing an issue, best to leave it as it is..

In the case of our chrissy light controllers, the main reason for firmware updates is to add support for new types of pixels. Or to add features that weren't completed when the controller was shipped. (for example, the P12S has two dmx outputs, but Ed hadn't finished the code to support these when they were shipped - if you wanted to utilise these, you needed to upgrade the firmware)