Analog Heat +FX OS Update issues

Elektron Gear Analog Heat
1

Hello,

I’m new to Elektron gear, so just checking here in case I’m doing something silly before I send a new AH +FX back as faulty.

I got a AH+FX and a DT2 at the same time.
I cannot get the AH to update it’s OS.
It’s on 1.01.

I try and connect via either USB or MIDI DIN using the transfer app (1.9.5).
Using USB, I see the device in the drop down list at the bottom, click the small connect button there, then it appears at the top, I click connect there and the app freezes/crashes.

I tried a factory reset. Same result.

I tried using the OS update menu, and the separate link from the transfer app to drop the sysex file in, this freezes/crashes.

I need to unplug the USB to be able to restart transfer.

I tried via the deeper startup menu on the AH. Here, I drop the file in, and the AH screen says something along the lines of “Transfer aborted, reboot”.

I’ve tried reinstalling the transfer app, different cables, different USB ports.

At this point I feel convinced it’s a faulty unit out of the box and I’m about to send it back, but would be delighted to be corrected.

Have to say pretty disappointed with my first experience of Elektron for something as simple as this.

Are faulty units common at all?
Are there any other things I can try?
Any help really appreciated.

The DT2 works fine with all this.

2

https://www.elektron.se/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Analog-HeatFX_OS1.02_dist.zip

presumably you’ve selected the correct version ^ and unzipped it and taken the .syx from the folder etc

might be safest to ensure the [ USB MIDI ] option is selected in the settings / system / usb config

and if it can connect it should be receiving the .syx and prompt you for a yes to proceed

i’ve just done this as mine was on 1.01 (now on 1.02 using Transfer. 1.9.5)

i’m on Mac

Don’t use a Hub if possible and avoid having too much else going on when doing so although it should generally be fine

If you hold down [Active] when you power the AH+FX up it will take you to the test menu - don’t be too tempted to update that way unless you read the documentation rigorously, but you should run a test (option 1) for peace of mind

If you are on Mac you can use a MIDI librarian like snoize’s Sysex Librarian to send the sysex to the AHFX … do that via options / system / os upgrade then send the sysex over … it doesn’t need to be Transfer … but you’d want to ensure your librarian was working smoothly by testing sending a preset dump and receiving it first to ensure the transfer rate is not an issue

1 Like
3

Thanks for the reply @avantronica.
I’ve tried all those things yes.
I’m on PC.

4

This looks more like na issue with the comp. Can you try different computer or friends one before sending the unit back?

1 Like
5

Thanks @mp, is there a specific reason you’d think that? The DT2 works without issue.
I’ve no access to any other computers unfortunately.

6

Just that the app is crashing and freezing . . . however if you have no issues with updating DT, then it could be indeed the AH issue.

1 Like
7

More for my own notes on this thread…
I found this thread:

I also see the checksum error when trying to update via MIDI DIN with the separate link in the transfer app and the OS update from the settings menu.

Also possibly related:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Elektron/comments/1oaw5un/problems_upgrading_digitakt_ii_os/

Are there any similar apps for PC that would allow me to try changing the transfer speed?

Scraping the barrel at this point I think though. It all feels a bit Windows 95 for such an expensive device tbh.

8

I wonder if anyone knows:

Do Elektron now ship AH+FX units with OS higher than 1.01?

I really feel like if I can somehow squeeze a newer OS in it, that will solve things. However, I don’t have the means to setup the very narrow set of circumstances that (at least my research so far suggest) seem to be needed for that to happen.

I think if I get a replacement from the shop it will just be the same.

I also wonder how many of these units:

  1. Are actually out in the wild
  2. Shipped with 1.01
  3. Have owners that would bother to want to upgrade.
  4. Have a PC, with no means (that I’m at least aware of) to do a 1990s style SysEx dump and adjust transfer speed to get their 2020s £900 device to have a chance of working.
  5. Of that superset above, have owners that would persist in trying to do so on discovering they couldn’t.

Wonder if I’m in quite a narrow group of users given that?

Do the shops have any way of knowing (perhaps by the serial?) what OS it shipped with?

Finding it hard to conceal my frustration with this thing.

9

1.02 is a non update if over bridge isn’t your thing… that’s why I hadn’t bothered, but I suppose it’s possible the device has the latest firmware … there was one example of a similar situation recently

The only way to know for sure is to ask Elektron support … it may be simplest to get peace of mind

You’ll be covered anyway if there’s any lurking issues, but all you need imho is to verify that usb midi or audio are working otherwise …

I think if you can connect successfully to over bridge you may be up to date and it’s maybe just an oversight on the fw admin side at Elektron

1 Like
10

Thanks so much for the support @avantronica, and others.
Below is just so I can keep a personal record of what I’ve tried, and Elektron cn hopefully at some point reference this.

So I’ve had some support here, the shop have come back with some suggestions, nothing from Elektron yet so I’m rapidly losing confidence in them as a whole tbh. Admitedly it’s not been that long.

So Overbridge doesn’t see the AH+FX, works with DT2 no problem.
I can see the AH+FX as a USB MIDI device in my DAW, and I’ve verired MIDI DIN at least works to a degree as it’s picking up the clock from the DT2 just using MIDI DIN out from that into it’s MIDI DIN in.

So I think the best summary is, everything works except:

Overbridge doesn’t work.
There is no way to connect to the device from an admin perspective, whether that’s via USB or MIDI.

Even if I wasn’t interested in using Overbridge, I don’t want a £900 boutique device that’s stuck at rev 1.01.

For clarty, this is what Transfer looks like:

image
image1282×1003 63.4 KB

The progress spinny thing just spins, if I click connect on the AH+FX bar at the top, that’s when it freezes/crashes.

Using the SysEX transfer link:

If I do this via the settings menu and using USB, I get no response from the OS Upgrade screen on the device. Doing the same via MIDI DIN, it gives an error message of some kind “update failed” or something.

If I do this via the deeper boot menu (hold cog and power up) and using USB, I get no response from the OS Upgrade screen on the device. Doing the same via MIDI DIN, it gives an error message of “checksum failed” or something.

11

they are extremely busy today preparing a release, i know that, and in any case you’d usually wait at least a few days

it’s your call …

you won’t be stuck with a device stuck in time, but i can understand your apprehension (and of course the inconvenience)

like i said, there was a precedent where a different device shipped with a later os than the latest publicly available one … it ended up in a pickle for users caught out

all of which is to say, it’s a possibility your device is fine, but that’s not to discount an issue

if you are unable to connect i. strongly suggest you don’t have the DT connected at the same time, i presume you tried this

as always imho - keep it simple, especially when backing up or upgrading a device … and with respect, the breadth of PC hardware makes it such that it is much more likely to cause teething issues … again, it may not (and shouldn’t) be that, but you ought to try if you haven’t … but perhaps you’ve already discovered a valid issue … it’s a tough call

fears of being supported should be the least of your worries fwiw, but nobody likes a hassle or delayed fun

if you are not using overbridge, then the device is doing all it currently can on 1.01 - if avoiding 1.02 for a moment until support sorts you out with an explanation or issue confirmation

1 Like
12

Thanks again, funny you mention that about a new device shipping with later than publicly available OS. The DT2 seems to be on one with a C suffix, whereas the one on the site is B (I forget the actual number, but it’s the same on both). Now wondering what problems are in the post for the DT2 :joy:

1 Like
13

the letter is a meaningless detail regarding manufacturing processes or similar within Elektron … it’s not a user significant detail, unless they wanted to glean it from you … it’s only the bottom right part you need to monitor usually

it shouldn’t matter - but if it could have mattered and you loaded a technically older device firmware they should be blocking that now

don’t sweat this one is the take home imho

1 Like
14

Posting the solution for me that worked:

So Elektron came back and suggested using some software that’s not PC compatible, then suggested using some other software at my “own discretion”, not something I’d expect of a brand new product.

I tried the C6 software instead as it’s at least Elektron, but it felt a bit legacy and wrong, and AH+FX isn’t listed as compatible so was a bit of a concern. It initially didn’t work, but I added a 50ms delay to the messages (I was winging it here as there’s no guidance).

The update took, Overbridge now works, and Transfer can see and connect to the device no problem.

I’m glad it works, but have to say not feeling the Elektron support love, and surprised that a modern product like this feels as legacy and old hat as it did in getting it up to date.

1 Like