Updating my nd5xs

I don't have an ND5xs, so I'm not certain, but . . . . I think it depends on its age. I believe the older ones have an RS232 connection, and the newer ones have a Mini USB connection (not Micro).

So your first tasks are to pull out the box, turn it round to look at the back, and work out if there's an RS232 port (it will be labelled). If not, it's Mini USB. Either way, after that, follow the instructions provided by Naim.

It's like this...

Thanks. The answer I was looking for.

Excellent! As you'll see I've had this very one since June 2013, when I got my SuperUniti and it has worked faultlessly on what must be about 30 firmware upgrades since then - we beta testers work hard... As others have said, Tomtom cables and some camera cables have the same plugs. When you get the cable you will probably need to install the appropriate drivers. Naim's instructions will help with that. 

Don't forget its recommended to connect an ethernet between your PC/Mac & ND5 in addition to the USB-MiniUSB.

The Naim instructions show it connected between ND5 & a spare router port - or as I do, a LAN switch port.

If your ND5 is wireless,  I would advise to connect an ethernet if you have a spare,  and yes whilst it can (& is) be done over wireless,   a wire is more secure & no one can be sure what the failure mode will be if wireless drops out.

I suspect that Mike has something awry in his post above - you don't need an Ethernet cable between the streamer and the computer. Best practice is to have both streamer and computer wired to the network, but not to each other, except with the USB lead. My streamer is wired, but I've always used the laptop in wireless mode and everything has been fine. 

.....  hmm ,,,,  it does.'t read right,  but it still works.  The Naim instructions have a diagram & it is quite clear.   My intent was to encourage the ethernet connection as wireless contains a risk in my book; its a throwback to my previous life when we were updating over cell phones & even satellite - & if I remember right Phil Harris posted the reasons & why nots according to Naim.  OK OK I know some laptops & tablets don't have RJ45 ports,  but if you do have one,  why risk it.

Hungryhalibut is right and it's quite clear in Naim's instructions which are in the same place as the download.  You need to have a USB to mini-USB lead between the PC and the ND5-XS (I don't think the ND5-XS ever had RS232 rather than mini-USB did it?) and as well you need both your PC and your ND5-XS to be connected to your router.  This can be done by WiFi but as Mike says it is safer to do it with Ethernet cables if possible.  

The reason for these two different connections is that part of the update is delivered from the PC over the USB lead and another part is delivered from the PC over the Ethernet connection.  You need the PC and the ND5-XS to have IP addresses for this latter process and that is most easily done by plugging them both into a router.  Maybe if you have set your ND5-XS to have a fixed IP address you can do it by connecting the PC directly to the ND5-XS by an Ethernet cable, but that isn't going to work if your ND5-XS is set to use DHCP (as it is by default) and anyway this isn't how Naim says to do it.  It has to be done this way with two different connections because the two different parts of the ND5-XS being updated are not internally connected in a way to allow it to be done In one pass.  As described in the instructions, you also need the right USB drivers and for a PC you need to install these before starting the updating, although I do recall someone (I forget who) saying in the forum that they successfully let Windows find the drivers from the Internet for them on the fly.  I wouldn't risk that personally.

The whole process isn't as complicated to do in practice as it sounds, but it is worth reading Naim's instructions carefully and following them precisely otherwise you risk stress and aggravation before you are done.  It really is very hard to brick a Naim unit on this sort of firmware updating as you can always just do it again from the beginning.  But if it doesn't work the first time because you are doing something wrong, then it won't work any other time either unless you change and do it the right way.  Hence my emphasis on reading the instructions carefully before you start!

good luck

David

Yes so do I and it does work a treat!

Gentleman,

Thanks for all the good advice and tips. Very helpfull. I was able to update my nd5xs to the latetst version. And actually it was a piece off cake. But it leaves me with an enigma. Am I right or is it just my imagination playing tricks but I detect an improvement soundwise. More air, and a better soundstage. Just wondering if other people had the same experience.

Well done! It is, as you have found, surprisingly easy. The latest firmware does sound better, so it's not your ears playing tricks.