HDX Service Pack 9 Update

It hasn't arrived yet at my dealer.

I don't even know what "bugs" SP9 addresses other than the one obvious issue that was mentioned in a previous thread.

Gary1--

When I asked my dealer for the update, he forwarded my request to NANA: they gave me a link to download the software for burning onto CD-R.

The update went smoothly, but honestly I haven't noticed any difference. I'm hardly an HDX pro, however.

quote:

Originally posted by nocker65:
Has anone had their HDX updated, what differences are there?

I don't think the upgrade is supposed to do anything sonically. Since mine was upgraded it has not gone into please wait mode for no reason.

Cheers

Bob

AHT said:

quote:

When I asked my dealer for the update, he forwarded my request to NANA: they gave me a link to download the software for burning onto CD-R.

I think Naim should offer ALL genuine HDX Owners the direct link to download such updates directly. I am a software engineer so this process would be no challenge to me, but I believe the majority of those who would buy an HDX would be perfectly capable of performing this update (given adequate guidance notes) without the need to go 'via your Naim dealer'.
Only those that are not confident about performing software updates should have to consider using their Naim dealer.

I'm not happy about forming an orderly queue at my Dealer to borrow their physical copy of this software update. Its inconvenient (parking costs, 30 miles round trip in heavy traffic, takes 2 hours of my time, etc...(whinge whinge )).
But more to the point, its totally unnecessary if the update is available on-line.
"Only Naim dealers can get the update" is just a silly, fuddy-duddy 'jobs-worth' limitation for what is an internet-enabled 'PC-like' product, in my view.

So, as the owner of a 3 month old HDX that now has out-of-date software, I feel sufficiently entitled to ask for the same privileges as have been already been extended to a fellow Naim HDX owner (specifically AHT!)

So, Naim, being an up-to-date forward-thinking company now making web-enable products ....Where is this software update download link?


PS. If you're worried about 'who' is downloading it, apply a few limitations just like most other download sites do.
E.g. downloaders have to enter a valid HDX serial number and manually enter the characters hidden within a randomised image that only a human can decipher, etc (I'm sure you can think up better checks than I can).

P.P.S ...

Have Naim considered remote diagnostics as an optional service available to Naim web-enabled devices, such as the HDX? Semi-automatic service updates are a practical possibility I think I.e. the HDX could inform it's owner, via the touch screen display, that an update is available, and ask them if they want to download it either now, later (after the automated backup) or 'ask me again in 1 week's time'!!
That way I don't even need to get out of my chair to do a service update

Tonytronic

quote:

Originally posted by tonytronic:
Semi-automatic service updates are a practical possibility I think I.e. the HDX could inform it's owner, via the touch screen display, that an update is available, and ask them if they want to download it either now, later (after the automated backup) or 'ask me again in 1 week's time'!!

Sounds like a Mac to me !

Sensible ideas on the updates being online I would have thought. There's a high possibility I will go for the HDX this year (if a stripped down streamer doesn't appear) and as you can see, I'm not exactly sitting in a hot spot of Naim dealers where I am...Would I be waiting on snail mail for my update CD or waiting say 6 months when I next hop on a plane for a visit to Blighty...?? Seems slightly crazy and something of a paradox considering the high-tech nature of the product...

A while back, I had to do a firmware update on my Marantz DVD player. 30 secs online, straight to the relevant page, download, burnt file to CD, pop in player, follow simple instructions, done......

Steve.

Tonytronic,

Agree with all of your points. I'm amazed that the update was posted as a notification on the forum. Not all HDX members peruse or contribute, then it is up to each dealer to then contact and notify their customers that the update is ready. And if the dealer doesn't notify the customer???

I like your idea of the automatic updates just like all of my windows and apple products. I'm not sure why Naim is not doing this.

At the least a database which HDX owners register with on the Naim website and an e-mail notification that an update is ready, with password, and description of any updates, features, links on use etc... There are software programs available or services which have databases, newsletter, e-mail notification etc... which allow this to be done very easily for relatively little cost.

I wrote about this extensively on another thread and it makes no sense whatsoever.

The only thing I can understand from Naim's perspective is potential virus corruption of your HDX database. Obviously a CD made by Naim or a file downloaded with password protection and then burnt to a CD-R does pretty much eliminate the problem.

I guess the way to do it via automatic update would be for the update to appear on your HDX front touch screen as a message that the update is ready for installation and you "touch" the yes button. The update would obviously be sent directly from Naim to your HDX and then you "re-start" the HDX. Easy.

As you said, if the company's embracing all of this "new" technology. It makes sense to makes use of it for communication/updates/upgrades. I know Linn does this as a download for its DS products. Even my $100 wine cellar program sends me updates 2x/yr this way.

I'm baffled with this one.

I now have the dealer link for the update. Naim USA was in transition with some distribution changes and location changes which involved some personal changes, hime purchases and a complete inventory transfer. There should be no future delays and apparently the link was available since the notification on this forum. This clearly isn't England's issue. This is as much my fault Gary as I could have persude harder but I didn't as all our HDXs are working fine and I was just waiting. They initially told me that they were going to send a CD when settled and probably just forgot. It happens but was a one time circumstance that I could have also helped with but I really didn't want to hassle them at that time. If clients were actually having problems,
turn around would have been normal or only a few days more.

John the fact that I didn't get the software, either the disk or the download site is not an issue. Mine has been working fine as you know.

It just seems to me that it would be much easier for you and for Naim if all HDX owners were registered with a database with NANA for US owners and Naim for UK owners. Communication about updates, upgrades, downloads etc.. could be communicated directly to you and the HDX owners who could then download the software as instructed and insert a disc into the HDX.

The other option is the automatic update route sent to each machine and downloaded to the HDX via the touch screen.

The technology is available and email lists can be run with subscription such as Constant Contact which will bulk email eliminating the need for using outlook and other inherent issues.

I wasn't complaining, just wondering why the technology isn't being used.

Trust me,if I have a complaint I promise to call you directly and will not air any dirty laundry on the forum.

Have a great weekend,

Gary

quote:

Originally posted by gary1 (US):
The other option is the automatic update route sent to each machine and downloaded to the HDX via the touch screen.

That's better.

Sort of like the Apple OS, Adobe updates.
All I have to do is click and done so long as it does not conflict with anything else.

Registered Users should get an email notice that there is a new software release, together with a link to a site, on which you can download the software together with some instructions. This is a far better way to do it (then "contact your vendor")

It is our policy that the dealer be responsibile for updates to an end-user's machine, especially if the database has become corrupted (a special utility may be used in tandem with the service pack to re-build the database, requiring specific computer peripherals for the process).

ASL Group (keep in mind that "NANA" no longer exists) does not provide download links to end users if the possibility exists that a poorly-applied update might render the machine unusable. Registered users in the U.S. may contact me directly to obtain update discs pursuant to their dealer's request.

David - with respect, I'm scratching my head as to how an update could be 'poorly applied' ?...Surely it's a push of a button (a la Apple) or popping in a CD (executable software/firmware file) which the HDX recognises and knows what to do with...?

I understand your scenario of potential conflict with a (already) corrupted database (which shouldn't happening, really), but these must be isolated cases...? The HDX is it's own entity, not like say a Mac computer where there are many 3rd party apps on board and the potential minefield of software conflicts...?

While admirably, the hands-on/control approach doesn't work so great if you are many miles from a good dealer, not to mention somewhat 'old fashioned' in the IT world of today....?

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by SC:
David - with respect, I'm scratching my head as to how an update could be 'poorly applied' ?...Surely it's a push of a button (a la Apple) or popping in a CD (executable software/firmware file) which the HDX recognises and knows what to do with...?

I know nothing of how an HDX upgrade is done, but in the case of the Apple OS *touch of a button* upgrade, whilst it is convenient, but in the past i had some conflict with whatever the part of the hardware or sometimes the software loaded, actually the updates screwed up the machine. ( was on the Apple tech for over a hour to solve this. )
And I ended up reloading the entire thing!

When a computer is involved, nothing seems to be straight forward as a layman as myself. It's great when things are working as intended, tho.

Kuma - I agree. Believe me, I've had Macs floored with Apple's very own OS update! The famous one was 10.5.2. Normally, it's software conflicts of one kind or another, which is why I normally give it a couple of weeks, especially on my main machine, whilst other users around the world guinea pig OS updates and any known major issues become apparent...Font conflicts are the real killer, try finding the offending font when you have thousands in use..!

Of course, with Time Machine, it's now very easy to 'roll back' to pre update, if big problems are indeed encountered....

However, as I say, the HDX is self contained, dealing only with it's very own software...I may be very wrong in my understanding, but I would have thought this drastically reduces the odds of any potential problems......

Steve,

My geek gods tell me that even the Time Machine fails and they don't 100% trust it. :x

When it comes to computer, I don't understand much but I know one thing.

Nothing is fail safe.

p.s. font conflict. I had a tech guy comes to my house fixing and removing all the offending fonts from the OS. ( out of thousands ) Took a half a day.

Kuma - Again, true. It's not 100% from what I have read also. Hence I also have a separate raid back-up for my main precious stuff...However, Time Machine did save my ass once, big time - my main machine start-up HD went down, mechanical failure, 1st time ever...purchased new SATA drive, slide into tower, click restore from Time Machine, all back to where it was - I think my system was down for about 2 hours. So even if it's 98%, I'll take one...

Computers, they make ones life easier don't they ?!

From my conversation with JS on friday the update is not a staright forward thing. He mentioned that there are a few steps that need to be done, can't remember, before you can take the download and then burn it to a CD-R for proper installation. He said he was going to speak to NANA(ALS) before doing it otherwise he was concerned it could mess up the HD.

Sounds like a bootable volume. In which case as simple download might not have cut it.

Yep. Never done it so better safe than sorry as there's no emergencies.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gary1 (US):
Tonytronic,

Agree with all of your points. I'm amazed that the update was posted as a notification on the forum. Not all HDX members peruse or contribute, then it is up to each dealer to then contact and notify their customers that the update is ready. And if the dealer doesn't notify the customer???

My dealer was unaware of the update when I phoned him to enquire! i had to advise him to look on the forum

As DD re-iterated if there is a concern about the updates not being employed properly then no question as to how this should be handled.

Having said that, I still think that e-mail notification to registered HDX owners about update/upgrade releases should be instituted. Very easy to do with something like Constant Contact. Naim/ASL could just tell you what's in the update and any links to instructions on use if required, then you contact your dealer for the disc.

This way nobody is left in the dark.

Anytime you're ready, Gary. I was a bit too specific in what I put on the disk and needed to transfer the entire update folder for all units included. No big deal.

Good job I was not allowed to update mine myself, it has been back at Salisbury for 2 weeks now because the dealer could not do it either!
Missing it!!

quote:

Originally posted by nocker65:
Good job I was not allowed to update mine myself, it has been back at Salisbury for 2 weeks now because the dealer could not do it either!
Missing it!!

It is the end of the 3rd week without it now, getting very pissed off !
Hopefully Adam will see this, moderate the language and tell the factory to pull their finger out. One unhappy HDX owner!