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Is Rotel Going To Make The Upgrades Dealer Installed Only?????
IS ROTEL GOING TO MAKE THE UPGRADES DEALER INSTALLED ONLY?????? my dealer said rotel is thinking about only letting dealers do the eprom or software upgrades. anybody here about this.
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It would keep the tech supports groups phones from ringing off their hooks. Probably not a bad idea, and then let the dealer distribute to those they feel they could, and just install for those who don't care to undergo it themselves. -
This all sounds good, but how much are the dealers going to charge and how long will they take to do the upgrades? If it costs me $50 to $100 bucks and my Rotel receiver is gone for a week, that's a different "deal" than whan I bought my Rotel, so I would not be a happy camper.
On the other hand, if dealers do it for free "while I wait", or at least same day (drop off in the AM, pick up in the PM) then I see this as a big improvement, given the struggles some posters have had doing the upgrades themselves.
So, does anyone know which way it will be?Comment
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I'm sure Rotel would love to send a guy to your house to do it for free :rofl:Originally posted by stantheman2
If you are not comfortable doing the upgrades, then you shouldn't even attempt it. Period! Take the unit to your dealer, thats what he's there for, and live with the consequences. No one is _forcing_ anyone to upgrade. It is not mandatory!
I'm sure Rotel are getting fed up with all the queries, questions, dead "I didn't even touch it" processors, resulting from fouled up upgrade attempts, and its a shame for everyone.
Rotel offer excellent support, and their open attitude towards software updates, ie, allowing the customer to do this for himself, is a biggie. I would be _very_ sad if it were lost.
Once again, if you do not feel comfortable software upgrading your equipment on your own, don't.- Mike
Main System:
B&W 802D, HTM2D, SCMS
Classé SSP-800, CA-2200, CA-5100Comment
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We support our Rotel equipment for pretty much the 5 year warranty period. At any time someone requests an upgrade we do it. Usually in your house when we have time, or same day if you bring it in.
That said, I'm sure there's just as many dealers out there that don't follow all the little details of the upgrades and don't even know how to do the upgrades..
And that said, the sad fact is most people get their receivers/pre-amps, hook them up and are happy until they upgrade. 99% of our customers never know there's an upgrade available and have no problem going through life with their 'outdated' receiver. I'm sure pissing off 0.1% of 1% of customers who have a crappy dealer that would charge for the upgrade is worth it considering how many support calls they must get.
Kevin D.Comment
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Only letting dealers perform the upgrades will in my opinion not reduce the workload for the supprt department.
Releases 1.1.7 and 2.1.7 for the RSP-1098 both contained serious bugs and these problems would have surfaced irrespective of whether the upgrade is performed by a dealer or by a customer.
If Rotel is serious about making upgrades more smooth I would like to suggest to widen the beta-testing group to include customers with the most common / different setups (such as 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, cable, satellite etc). That way they could reduce the chances of releasing software that is faulty.
After the problems I experienced with v1.1.7 I decided to wait with the installation of v2.1.7, and given the responses on this forum I am glad I did.
Regards,
OlafComment
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Very good point on the beta release Olaf, I have been in machine manufacturing for a number of years, and I know anytime any of our software changes, we have a specific customer base wich we will go out and install new proms, source code, or as the case may be. This works well in the fact we get real world feedback from multiple users, and yet it is a very tightly controlled situation. Hell, I believe microsoft still may do this with alot of their products, unless they taken it a step further and hired in house testers.Comment
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I think a lot of the frustration being experienced with this latest round of upgrades, besides the bugs, stems from the fact that there is not only a firmware update involved, but a ROM upgrade as well. Getting the ROM update to "take" seems to be the issue hanging a lot of people up. Perhaps that is where Rotel needs to draw the line, i.e. firmware updates: user installed, Eprom upgrades: dealer or above.Jerry RappaportComment
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From a technical standpoint, I guess I am lucky and have not had any issues in applying any of the updates including the Eprom. Part of the problem comes from documentation that could be clearer and the simple fact that a lot of people hate to read directions. Rotel's upgrade path, read software, is not as polished as some of the others; hence, there is some confusion.
I have nothing but praise for Rotel and I am very happy with my Rotel equipment. If there is one place they could improve would be the way software upgrades are performed. A better integrated self contained executable package. This may not be possible on the current generation of equipment, but something I would like to see on all future products.
Perhaps a straight ethernet connection and or straight usb to usb connection would be a step in the right direction for upgrades as most new computers have abandoned pure serial ports in favor of USB. USB to Serial Adapters seem to be a get what you pay for device.
Ultimately I hope Rotel does not take away user upgradability as I for one do not want to disconnect my equipment and take it to a dealer for something that should be simple.
Phil C.Last edited by pciav; 22 March 2005, 12:54 Tuesday.Comment
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I for one... Maybe it's because I am a computer person, but I found the updates extremely easy to do and did not have any difficulties. I guess their instructions could be a little bit better laid out, but I thought they did a very good job with the instructions as they are pretty much, step by step.
To take away this user updates for these machines, well I for one frown upon that completely. I know for myself, I would HATE to take my unit for a trip to one of the local places, let them do who knows what to it (add scratches, bounce it all around) while they take the 30 minutes or so they say it will take to update it. Meanwhile all I had to do was pull the unit out, plug it in, download the updates to it and had it back in my setup running in a matter of 6 to 10 minutes... I know which option I like.
But I do think that Rotel needs to (in some way) say that if you are computer savvy or at least feel comfortable with doing this, PLEASE take it to your dealer and let him doing it. I think too many people think, oh this can't be that hard (which well....it's not) and then get confused or something "not documented" happens and they don't know what to do from there.
I just hate to see a "blame the whole class for one student's action" type of thing... So to me, when you decide to do the upgrades, you should know what you are getting into...
Heck, I even have both my computer and RSP-1098 hooked into a battery backup (APC Smart UPS 1500) just incase the power fails, that way it won't kill the unit mid-update if the power dies on me. That's how cautious I am when I do do my upgrades and I also make sure I read and perform each step of the process. So far I'm batting a 1000 as they say.
Digital Audio makes me Happy.
-DanComment
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Personally I didn't find the update of the EPROM or the software update too difficult, and I'm just a poor ole' lumber salesman.
Another solution would be to have the update process be controlled by the program and not the user performing the update. A Rotel designed update program that could check for updated versions and install them in click of a button? This would take the user out of the equasion. Yea, yea, cost effective no, but hey it worked for microsoft (kind of :roll: )Comment
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I agree that this would be a reasonable compromise. If a user botches a firmware update, they can just try again until they get it right. But if a user botches an Eprom update, they'll likely have a boat anchor.Originally posted by DrJRapp
With all the cables I've got connected to the back of my RSP-1068, more than 30 of them at last count, there is absolutely no way I would yank the unit out of the rack to take it to a dealer just to update the firmware. (The back of my home theater rack looks like a computer networking closet, including an Ethernet connection to a network media player.) When I installed the latest firmware release, I used a laptop PC without moving the 1068 or unplugging a single cable from it. The update was a piece o' cake using the step-by-step instructions. The hardest part was finding where I had stashed away the damn update cable... (I haven't done the Eprom upgrade because I don't use 7 channels.)
By the way, anyone ever attempt to connect an Ethernet to the "Com I/O" port on the back of the 1068? I know it's just a serial port when used for the updates, but I don't know what magic tricks Rotel might have on the inside.Comment
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Has anyone out there with a 1067 experiance allot of noise from there front and rear speakers? I had a Denon AVR-4802 before this receiver and I had no noise at all! Is that a Rotel trait?Comment
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I just did the eprom and firmware (3.1.5) for my unit, went as simple and smooth as butter, instructions are laid out pretty well as I did follow them step by step...
Honestly it's so easy, there has to be a few rare times that the updates don't work...?!Digital Audio makes me Happy.
-DanComment
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It's strickly RS232 serial port. Icommand (a sister company) has a network device that can control the Rotels, but it still is serial control from it to the RJ45..Originally posted by Bostonears
Kevin D.Comment
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Too bad the questions come from idiotic service people at Authorised Dealer service centres! I just went through this issue with the moronic service people at Advance in Winnipeg...they had no clue!Originally posted by mjb
First they wanted $100 to do a FIRMWARE upgrade (when I had requested the component video upgrade). They said there was no such thing as a 10 to 100 mhz upgrade on the RSP-1066. Then the justified the cost for the firmware upgrade by the "fact" that it takes over an hour to do the work and special equipment that costs the dealer thousands of dealers.
I could go on...but I would probably blow a gasket!
WilsonComment
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Wilson you should get better service from Advance then that! Its been awhile since I've bought anything from them but they've been good to me in the past. In future if you like you're more then welcome to bring your gear to my place and I'll flash it for you.Comment
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One of my deciding factors was the upgradability of my 1067. My dealer is nice, but not very useful for anything other than actually providing the equipment.
Given the general level of support/customer service that I've come to expect living in France (not very good), I would be rather unhappy if the ability to upgrade is taken out of my hands -
- LarsComment
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Andrew,Originally posted by Andrew Pratt
I have done all own flashes. It was the component upgrade that they were supposed to do. The service people there are not too swift and actually are quite rude. I know the people there quite well and this is quite typical.
WilsonComment
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Have a very good experience in the UK from my supplier since start .. he always is willing to buy back any goods I buy from him on exchange and very promptly sends me updates etc and arranges repairs etc ... so I cannot complain at all ... recommended ... place is Cornflake on Windmill Street London :clap: .
Rgds SteveComment
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If I get that kind of treatment from the techies, I'll go straight to the top at Advance. I've been treated fantastically over the years by the car audio, tv, audio, computer, cell phone, telephone departments, but have only had to have my TV serviced once, and my Denon 3300 serviced once, both on warranty.Originally posted by wanderso
And they did a fine job in a nice way.
I wouldn't put up with any bad service. The only people I don't know is the actual guy who started advance 50 years ago, and the vice presidents. But I do know all of the department heads, and know where to go if the techies or salesmen screw up, and it wouldn't be very hard to find which of the next guys up that I know are responsible for which department.
Which is why I will be going down there to find out what they are going to do about my hissing and popping problem.
It's going to be fixed, or an agreement made in writing that when the 1057 comes out with the fixes (if they can't fix the current 1056), I will get the full money I paid for the 1056 to apply to the 1057.
'Nuff said..
GregorComment
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Hey Greg...still using the MX-500?Originally posted by GregoriusM
I know Arnold (current owner) as well as the senior staff and most of the sales people. It is always the "Wall Street" group where I run into problems. And I do send both my Kudos and Complaints to Arnold...probably on a 9,999 to 1 ratio...
I never met the guy Arnold bought Advance way back either.
WilsonComment
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