Updating Elite Firmware

[Lt Cmdr Datas Cat]

Greetings. I am a keen RC modeller flying RC Helis. Not much point here you say but I just love anything scale. My wife has been badgering me to get my old Dublo out of the loft but I fear it is out of date even if it still has a loyal following.

Anyway, last Christmas we exchanged gifts and bought each other a couple of DCC ready locos, a Royal Scot with Pullman Coaches for her and a diesel for me.

I have picked up a working Elite controller as I believe it suits all our future needs. I am also IT literate having worked in IT for longer than I care to remember so am familiar with updating firmware software (and btw, it is always better to upgrade to the newest update available. The only problem is, many organisations do not properly test the upgrade before release so, can introduce new bugs while fixing old ones! Trust me, I am a professional Test Analyst!).

So, sorry for the waffle, my question is, do Hornby advise incremental updating of firmware software or just update from current version on your Elite to the very latest ie go say v1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc or just v1.1 to v1.44?

On some devices the incremental approach is mandatory. Which is Hornby's preferred method?

TIA

[Chrissaf]

Based upon experience of Hornby upgrading, incremental updates are not needed. The firmware updates are written as complete new data files and replace everything that exists. There are only two PICs in the Elite. The main processor that does everything and a smaller PIC in the USB & Expressnet sub-system.

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It has been known for Hornby to issue a buggy firmware upgrade, but usually issue a fix fairly promptly once identified. As long as one has archived the earlier version, the Elite supports firmware downgrades to regress back to the previous version.

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Hornby do not post previous firmware revisions for download, only the current release. So it is necessary to archive the earlier versions oneself. Forum member RAF96 has made previous versions available as a download on his own personal web site. Look to the signature panel on any of his posts and replies for a clickable link.

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PS - Since Hornby do not post previous versions for download, then that would make 'incremental' firmware upgrading impossible (without access to RAF96's personal archive) if you happen to have a current firmware level that is more than one revision earlier than the new release.

[Lt Cmdr Datas Cat]

Based upon experience of Hornby upgrading, incremental updates are not needed. The firmware updates are written as complete new data files and replace everything that exists. There are only two PICs in the Elite. The main processor that does everything and a smaller PIC in the USB & Expressnet sub-system.

.

It has been known for Hornby to issue a buggy firmware upgrade, but usually issue a fix fairly promptly once identified. As long as one has archived the earlier version, the Elite supports firmware downgrades to regress back to the previous version.

.

Hornby do not post previous firmware revisions for download, only the current release. So it is necessary to archive the earlier versions oneself. Forum member RAF96 has made previous versions available as a download on his own personal web site. Look to the signature panel on any of his posts and replies for a clickable link.

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PS - Since Hornby do not post previous versions for download, then that would make 'incremental' firmware upgrading impossible (without access to RAF96's personal archive) if you happen to have a current firmware level that is more than one revision earlier than the new release.

Thanks for that info. I do not see any instructions anywhere how to download and archive the current firmware prior to doing the update. Is this option available within the update executable?

TIA

[96RAF]

The update your Elite firmware screen tells all. There is a read me about it.

Once your Elite is recognised by your PC and the necessary drivers loaded then its a simple matter of following th update sequence, making sure you allow the time delays, keep to the plug in sequence, etc and all will be well.

 

As Chris said the updates are not incremental and you can install/reinstall to any level using the files from my signature linked web site, but as in all things there is a reason for the update so you should take it.

 

The installer is almost idiot proof, believe me I was the idiot who tested it.

 

Any problems come back here and we will advise.

Rob

[Chrissaf]

Data's Cat,

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I did say that Hornby do not make previous firmwares downloadable, so you either have to manually download each NEW firmware file as it becomes available (this of course, you can only archive from the current 1.44 version going forward) OR you manually download the previous ones from RAF96's site whilst they are still available.

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However that said, I would not bother archiving anything earlier than version 1.42. The reason being that the earlier 'updaters' were very finicky about the PC being used and were only reliable using Windows XP and Vista. The 'updater' was revised with the 1.42 firmware release, and is far more robust now with Windows 7, 8 & 10. The early pre 1.42 updaters had a tendency to 'brick' the Elite and make them unusable if using them on Windows 7 and above. A 'bricked' Elite could be recovered using Windows XP.

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From version 1.42 onwards, this is not an issue to be concerned about. There is only one single forum reported incidence of an Elite being 'bricked' using the version 1.44 updater. This particular Elite was assessed by the Hornby Service Centre (when it was sent to them) as being uneconomic to repair. This inferred that this Elite had an underlying physical fault that the update attempt bought to the surface.

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Unlike some firmwares for other products you might be familiar with, there is NO automated inbuilt download new firmware from the Internet process within the product (except for the eLink where there is). The Elite firmware upgrade is a purely MANUAL process where you download an 'Updater.EXE' file for each new version. The firmware version specific .EXE file that you MANUALLY download, contains the firmware code within it.

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The official Elite Firmware .EXE file (now, currently at time of writing, is 1.44) is downloadable as a ZIP file from the 'Help & Advice' Download section of this forum website. Here is a direct link.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/downloads/view/index/cat/9/

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You say you are computer literate and familiar with installing firmwares. But even so, you may still benefit from reviewing my step by step 'How To ' tutorial accessible from links in this previous posted topic. My tutorial cuts through the misleading instructions in the official Hornby documentation (PDF files in the ZIP) which are, in my opinion, very poorly written.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/updating-firmware-on-the-elite

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Note that if your Elite is at version 1.3 or lower, that the sequence of button pressing to operate things changed in the 1.4x releases. So as well as upgrading the firmware, download the later 1.4x user manual from the 'Help & Advice' manual downloads section of this site.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/downloads/view/index/cat/11/

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PS - Can I humbly suggest that next time you do not use the 'white arrow / blue button'. This is not a 'Reply to this post' button. It is best if you write your reply in the 'Reply to this post' text box at the bottom of the page and click the green 'Reply' button. Using the blue button just duplicates my long replies unnecessarily.

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Not having a go, using the blue button is something all relative newbies on the forum seem to do for some reason. I blame the forum SW developers for putting it there, just where a 'Reply' button is expected to be.

[Lt Cmdr Datas Cat]

OK both. Apologies for any misunderstanding. Yes it was fairly straightforward. Now updated to v1.44

Bit surprised the Elite has an off on button but the 1.44 manual says there's no off on and the unit needs to be unplugged. That being the case Id recommend unplugging from the mains rather than at the back of the Elite as those pin plugs a la used in laptops eventually fail with constant plugging unplugging.

Question, if you set the clock time, is this lost if the Elite is unplugged so you constantly have to re input?

By the way, my lappie has Win 10 so easy enough.

TIA

[Chrissaf]

The On/Off button on the Elite is not a power On/Off button. This confuses many people. It has a special function when using Hornby's Sapphire Decoder 'Fuel Simulation' - see Page 49 of the Elite 1.4x user guide manual (extract below):

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Elite's internal Clock?

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Never used it myself (I have an Elite). AFAIK, the time isn't saved. It is primarily for users who want to run their trains to a timetable. Thus you would set the clock to start running at the start time of your 'timetable' this may not be the same as the current GMT time (UK) when you power up your Elite and start playing trains. It has a 'real time' and a 'scale time' function - see Page 64 / 65 of the Elite 1.4x manual. There is a similar 'real / scale' time function in RailMaster, only in that case the 'real time' is taken from Windows. Clicking the clock digits allows you to over-write the current (real live) Windows time to the time that you want your timetable time to start at. Next time RM starts, the clock will revert back to Windows time.

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Glad to hear that the upgrade to 1.44 went well. What was it upgraded from?

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PS - Everything in my train room is powered from a single wall socket (with switch). So after powering everything down in a controlled manner (stopping locos and powering down RailMaster PC). The socket switch is thrown as I leave the room. I think many on here adopt a similar power policy.

[Lt Cmdr Datas Cat]

[snip]

 

Again, thanks for the clarifications! The Elite was on v1.3.

 

I intend building our layout in one half of an integral double garage. Although this is warmed by the CH hot water boiler plus dry and weather proof, inevitably there will be some draft getting in. As such I think it would be good practice to put everything back in boxes including the Elite.

[Chrissaf]

Data's Cat,

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Can I just bring your attention to my PS comment in my reply posted at 16:51. You obviously used the blue button again and your reply at 9pm last night was held back because you requoted my image. Notice how Admin have removed the uneccessary re-quote as part of the authorisation process (denoted by the [snip] annotation). It really is better to just reply using the 'Reply' text box at the bottom of the page.