QSC CM-16-A Service manual
Service Bulletin
Title: Using TFTP to Upcode CM16a Firmware
Bulletin #: CM160005 Issue Date: July 24, 2002
Models Affected: CM16a Bulletin Revision: B
Description:
The firmware of a CM16a Amplifier Network Monitor unit can be upgraded while the unit is running on a network or locally at the
unit itself, using the TFTP utility that is built into Microsoft Windows NT, 2000 and XP operating systems (OS). This help document is
based on these OSs. The QSControl System Manager application contains the latest CM16a firmware version as of the application’s
release. For instructions on determining the version of the firmware file that you have, go to step 5 of the following Procedure. After
obtaining the latest file, complete the procedure below to upgrade the firmware in a CM16a unit.
Instructions:
Tools and materials required:
• A computer (PC) with the following minimum requirements:
Network Card: 10/100BASE-T (and Ethernet Card Media Coupler for UTP cable if using a laptop computer)
Network Configuration: TCP/IP host
Operating System: Windows NT-4 (SP-6), Windows 2000 (SP-2) or XP
• An RJ-45 terminated CAT-5 UTP network cable: standard type for network connection or crossover type for node-to-node
connection
• TFTP utility (this should be included in the OSs listed above)
• QSControl System Manager application or the most current CM16a firmware file
• The IP address and subnet mask numbers of the CM16a units needing upcoding
Procedure:
1. Power up the devices needed for this
procedure (PC, CM16a unit(s) and other
QSControl network devices).
2. Connect the PC to the QSControl network
via a standard UTP CAT-5 network
cable or connect the PC to a single
CM16a unit directly using a
crossover network cable (local
programming).
3. Start an instance of MS-DOS. To do
this, click Start, point to Programs,
then Accessories and click Command Prompt or click Start then
Run... and type
should see a window like that in
Figure 1.
4. In order to confirm that the
computer is communicating with the
CM16a(s), type:
ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of a CM16a unit. Then press ENTER. For example, if a CM16a’s IP address is
10.10.4.66, then the command would look like Figure 2.
command
. You
Figure 1. Command Prompt.
Figure 2. Pinging a CM16a.
If the command line “times out”, then check that the command line was entered correctly, that the IP address of the unit is
exact and that the computer is linked to the CM16a or network. If the ping command continues to “time out”, contact QSC
Technical Services.
5. Locate the firmware file and determine the version. The default path where the file is located is:
“c:\Program Files\QSC Audio\QSControl\QSControl Help”.
In MS-DOS, type:
cd “c:\Program Files\QSC Audio\QSControl\QSControl Help”
and press ENTER to change directories (Figure 3). Modify the path if your drive letter is different. If the firmware file is located
elsewhere, simply substitute the default path for the path where the file can be found.
To determine the firmware
version, type:
edit.
A menu bar will appear. Press
ALT+F, and then press O to open
a file in the directory above.
Press the TAB key once to place
Figure 3. Changing the directory.
and verify that there is an X in the Open Read-only checkbox. If OK is selected as in Figure 4, press ENTER. Otherwise, press the
TAB key until OK is selected and then press ENTER. The firmware file will appear and look similar to Figure 5. Three lines down
(according to the current firmware file
as of the date of this bulletin) you will
see some text that reads, “CM16A–
APPCODE–VERSION:” followed by the
firmware version. If you are unsure
whether you have the most recent
firmware file, write down the version
number and contact QSC Technical
Services (see contact information at the
end of this document).
the cursor in the Files box. Use
the arrow keys to select the
correct file. Then press ALT+R
NOTE: CM16a firmware files released prior
to version 2.3.0 use the following file name
convention: cm16axxx.hex, where xxx is
the three digits of the firmware version.
6. The firmware file that will be used in the
next step has an .s or .hex extension. If
the file name of the firmware is known,
skip this step. Otherwise, search the
QSControl help directory in order to
identify the file name and extension the
firmware file has. The entire file name
is needed for the TFTP command. The
firmware file in the following example
will be cm16aflash.s.
7. Next, type:
tftp xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx put
FIRMWAREFILE cm16a
where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP
address of the unit being upcoded and
FIRMWAREFILE is the file being used,
then press ENTER.
Figure 4. Opening the firmware file within MS-DOS.
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