Topic: Do not understand HB's approach for updates - just my thoughts

[George]

First I really like my 1197c and would buy it again and maybe I am dumber then a box of rocks.  HB's software updates gives cause for concern, if a mistake is made during the update process you may have to return it to HB for repair, frankly after spending 3 Gs, I would not be happy risking it in the mail.  The customer is the only one at risk during transportation process.

I do not understand HB's approach to updating the units.  In all my years of experience with computers I have never seen a company state that if you do not reset the units back to default, the units may freeze up and you will have to return it to the factory to be reset, this is absolutely nuts and over controlling (in my opinion). 

I do not understand why their programmers have not front loaded the updates which would collect the current setting, reset to default, upload the updates then reload the unit back to its saved settings. 

It appears to me HB is as spastic about there software as Navionics is about theirs and I think that this going to come back to haunt them, especially if Lowrance's new system's software is not so fragile.

Again, I love my unit, but it concerns be that someday I will be in a hurry and cause the unit to freeze up.  Just spouting off.
   

[Jolly Roger]

Hi George,
I absolutely share your feelings and thoughts about this issue.
I had my 981 out of the box and updated it and had to send it back to the UK for a replacement. If there had been an alternative to buy from a different trademark, I would have gone for it.
Thanks to the support I got from Greg and from Ian at G-Comm in the UK (where I bought it) the anger lessened, but I was really upset to experience something like that. Besides that, the price I payed was also OK.

But if one reads through other forums, most of the recent discussions were about updating issues and the related problems. My feeling is that HB should keep an eye on this and get a better solution for the updates. At the moment they have a kind of monopol on the SI, but if the competitors come out with something equal, people will think twice what to buy.
Of course, most people don't write how satisfied they are with their units (the forums will be spamed to lock up I guess), but an outsider reading post after post about problems will have a wrong or confused impression about the product HB is selling.

[RGecy]

Unless the update adds a feature that I have absolutely needed or is causing problems, I do not update until I hear what others are experienceing. 

I have not updated to the current version as of yet, but I am sure I will soon.  But I will certainly keep my old Bin file on hand and will be backing up my data as usual.

[kosmo]

http://store.humminbird.com/renderImage.image?imageName=product_images\\large/aspc2_01.jpg.....................just my  thoughts.i to agree.use humminbird pc and AS PC2 cable.dont send unit back to company if you have problems with updates. hold view button while powering on unit.boot loader will be accessed  .reprogram it yourself.  the 997 units and up need more power than the 9v. use 12v battery.or something similar .i think we need  more discussion on how to  program the units ourselfs. then it wont be such a big deal if we make a mistake updating .we can go back and reprogram http://store.humminbird.com/renderImage.image?imageName=product_images\\large/aspc2_01.jpg

[reddog]

Unless the update adds a feature that I have absolutely needed or is causing problems, I do not update until I hear what others are experienceing. 

I have not updated to the current version as of yet, but I am sure I will soon.  But I will certainly keep my old Bin file on hand and will be backing up my data as usual.

Robert,

I just joined today, in order to reverse my software from 4.510 to the previous version. When I put 4.510 in, I did not reset the factory defaults, and have been so so about the upgrade.  I dont think my screen captures are nearly as good as the prior version. WHen I reset the factory defaults, and tried to reload 4.510, it wouldnt take it, so I am backing up a version, and then reinstalling 4.510 with the factory defaults reset also.



I have been  reluctant to reset the factory defaults, because I dont know if I could get back to the settings I had before. As we all know, these units take alot of tweaking to get the to give the best images available, considering all of the different installation options there are.

I told Mark Gibson earlier this year, that they not only needed the restore factory defaults, but also a menu  key where you could restore your own personal user defaults, kind of like the shortcut keys, where when you set it, it recorded all of the personal settings. Then, when you did have to restore the facory defaults, you wouldnt have to go thru and make all the necessary changes again.

Anyway,

Thanks for a great site.
Looking forward to spending some more time here.  ( Like I really needed another place to hang out)

Rollie

[George]

Reddog

I keep copies of all of the update versions on my computer just in case I want to revert back to an older version.

On this site "Humminbird Firmware / Software Updates - Downloads" - Robert is providing copies of the older updates.  You can only have one update on the SD card for the unit to update to that version.  The reason that it is recommended that the unit be reset to default, is that updates made without resetting to the default locked up some of the units.  These had to be returned to the factory to be reset, Humminbird's Customer Service is quick about getting it back to you. 

George 

[RGecy]

Rollie,

I think we do need a Restore User Settings feature.  Maybe have it saved to the SD card and then be able to restore it after an update.

Robert

[Bad Habit]

I have 2 997's and never had a problem until updating them. Now I frequently lose antenna signal on both units and get "Accessory Interlink Disconnected" messages all the time. We will see if Humminbird answers their customer service email. I called them and might have well been talking to the wall. If they don't get fixed, well then I will be buying the Lowrance units earlier than I expected to!

[reddog]

I have 2 997's and never had a problem until updating them. Now I frequently lose antenna signal on both units and get "Accessory Interlink Disconnected" messages all the time. We will see if Humminbird answers their customer service email. I called them and might have well been talking to the wall. If they don't get fixed, well then I will be buying the Lowrance units earlier than I expected to!

My guess is that the interlink may have failed.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Sounds like the InterLink to me too Reddog.

Just a heads-up here: the CRC folks are still running behind on e-mails, so don't expect any quick answers from them if you try and contact them this way.

[ITGEEK]

It is a big pain to do an update, then restore all of my custom settings.

In my opinion, the updates are absolutely necessary.  I prefer to have the newest software available.

I don't think Humminbird tells us everything that's in the updates.  I don't think they would go through the hassle of creating a new update unless it fixes at least one known problem.