Updating Your Firmware
From Livid Wiki
Since 2010 all of our products come with a boot loader that allows you to upgrade the firmware on your Livid product over USB. This is useful for a few reasons. First it lets continue to add features to the controller on an ongoing basis and make them available to you. It also let us fix minor bugs or enhance certain functionality over time. Boot loader also lets listen to user feedback and add or change functionality with input from our users.
While our controllers are class compliant MIDI devices and will work on a Windows, Mac, and Linux, the software that is required to upgrade firmware only reliably works on a Windows machine. You will need access to a Windows PC to upgrade your firmware. If you live in some remote region of Saskatchewan that only has Macintosh computers, you can always send it to us and we'll do it for you.
Finding Your Firmware Version
To find what version of firmware your controller has you will need to use the proper hardware editor and follow these steps.
- Launch the hardware editor with the controller plugged in.
- Once it is open, go to the menu Window>Max Window, this will open a window with a bunch of lines of text.
- Look for the line "Firmware" to see the version.
For example, if it said Firmware : Ohm64 0 2 1 7,
this would be Ohm64 version 0217.
You can find the latest version of firmware by visiting the downloads section of lividinstruments.com
Putting You Controller Into Bootloader Mode
Each controller has a method for entering the bootloader that involves plugging the controller in to the USB port while pressing and holding one of the buttons.
Here is how you get each controller to enter bootloader mode.
- OhmRGB and Ohm64
- Hold down the Livid logo button on the top right while plugging in the controller.
- When you plug it in you should see two buttons on the 64 bank grid blink.
- This indicates you are in bootloader mode.
- Code
- Hold down the rubber button on the lower left of the controller while plugging it in.
- You should see led's blinking on the first encoder ring.
- This indicates you are in bootloader mode.
- Block
- Hold down the Livid logo button on the top left while plugging in the controller.
- When you plug it in you should see two buttons on the 64 bank grid blink.
- This indicates you are in bootloader mode.
- CNTRL:R
- Hold down the top right rubber button on the top left while plugging in the controller.
- When you plug it in you should see the top right button of the 4x4 grid blink.
- This indicates you are in bootloader mode.
When you have successfully entered bootloader mode your device will show up as and HID device.
Sending A New Firmware File
Firmware files have the .hex extension that contain the code needed to upgrade your device. The software required to do the firmware upgrade is called HIDBootloader and can be downloaded here http://lividinstruments.com/firmware/HIDBootLoader_26.exe
- Make sure that you have plenty of battery power, or are connected to a stable power supply.
- Open the HIDBootloader application
- Make sure the "Allow Configuration Word Programming" checkbox is selected
- Open the desired Hex file that you downloaded from our site by pressing the "Open Hex File" button
- Once the file is loaded, press the "Program/Verify" button, this will actually load the firmware onto the controller.
- Once the firmware update is complete the window should read "Erase/Program/Verify Completed Successfully".
It is now safe to unplug your controller.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT YOU DO NOT UNPLUG YOUR CONTROLLER WHILE THE FIRMWARE US UPDATING! THAT IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS IN ALL CAPS. THIS WOULD RENDER YOUR CONTROLLER USELESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO SEND IT IN TO BE OPENED UP AND REPROGRAMMED.
- If HIDBootloader will not open make sure that you have Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package installed on your system. The Windows Update utility is capable of installing this program for you. It is available there as an optional update
