Why do people dislike Firmware updates??

[deacongreg]

Here it is, if firmware updates work all like J.J. said, then it would be great for everybody. And yes, maybe it is going to be a firmware world. But, and this is a big but, it needs to improve a lot, and faster.
I refuse to accept, that because I`m an audiophile/videophile, I should expect and accept it. No, to wait a half hour to get an update to JUST watch a movie is insane. Example, your kids call you to get a movie, you get it, wife is cooking up treats, snacks, and appettizers. Plus, a couple of your boys are at your house, you don`t know, wifee hooked it. You get home, turn out the lights, set the volume, put in your Blu-Ray disc, your screen says, firmware update needed!!!

I`m sorry, that is unacceptable. That is real world. Things need to get right quickly. While you guys are talking about the pending demise of HD DVD, Blu-Ray has much work to do.

[kloneman]

For most cases, relying on "firmware updates" is evidence of poor engineering, predicated on an immature design for both the device and the content. In this specific case, the "need for update" is due either to Apple's failure to provide a mature/non-conflicting control interface specification for the iPod Touch with respect to other members of the iPod product line, OR it is due to Kenwood's failure to provide a correct implementation of the iPod control interface in the first place. I do not know which of these is actually the cause, but one of them is.

There is no sound engineering reason an automotive product of ANY KIND should require a firmware update, and there are risks with the technique also. Can't you just wait until some malcontent creates a virus that contaminates the firmware, and gets it embedded into the dribbleware distribution channel????

The need to perform such updates to play multimedia content is absolutely unacceptable, and is evidence of the "get it out the door, we'll fix any problems in the field later" mentality that personal computer vendors have foisted upon us.

Originally Posted by TheMoose

Well like I said get used to firmware updates because more things are coming out every day that can be updated.

The latest is my Kenwood KDC-X991 car receiver.
At first it wouldn't control my iTouch but after a firmware upgrade it works great.

Get use to it guys, before long everything electronic will be firmware upgradeable.

[TheMoose]

Originally Posted by kloneman

For most cases, relying on "firmware updates" is evidence of poor engineering, predicated on an immature design for both the device and the content. In this specific case, the "need for update" is due either to Apple's failure to provide a mature/non-conflicting control interface specification for the iPod Touch with respect to other members of the iPod product line, OR it is due to Kenwood's failure to provide a correct implementation of the iPod control interface in the first place. I do not know which of these is actually the cause, but one of them is.

There is no sound engineering reason an automotive product of ANY KIND should require a firmware update, and there are risks with the technique also. Can't you just wait until some malcontent creates a virus that contaminates the firmware, and gets it embedded into the dribbleware distribution channel????

The need to perform such updates to play multimedia content is absolutely unacceptable, and is evidence of the "get it out the door, we'll fix any problems in the field later" mentality that personal computer vendors have foisted upon us.

Well that's one way to look at it I guess.
The deal with the Kenwood is the receiver was released before the iPod Touch was, it would function fine with a regular iPod but the Touch has different software (touch interface is different than previous iPods) the firmware update just made my Kenwood work with something that it wasn't originally designed to work with, that's a good thing!
I don't see that as anyones fault.

It's the same way with the PS3, while some firmware updates have been to fix bugs most of them have added new functionality that if not for the update would have required buying a newer version of the PS3 to get the same functionality I got for free with a firmware upgrade (think Apple).

Yes there is always a chance of things getting pushed out too soon because they can be fixed with a firmware upgrade but at least they can be fixed that way.

As for the virus, I worried about that too but since most products use their own OS it shouldn't be a problem, it would take a dedicated attack on that product to give it a virus, now if my receiver used windows there would be a lot more to worry about!

[JerryDelColliano]

The gear should work right out of the box.

HDMI is a cluster****. The players for both formats can't keep up with the specs of the formats. The specs of the formats are unclear. The players freeze ALL THE TIME and often DIE on a firmware update.

The idea that consumers will update firmware 2x per month is absurd on the part of the electronics companies. Just absurd.

[deacongreg]

Originally Posted by JerryDelColliano

The gear should work right out of the box.

HDMI is a cluster****. The players for both formats can't keep up with the specs of the formats. The specs of the formats are unclear. The players freeze ALL THE TIME and often DIE on a firmware update.

The idea that consumers will update firmware 2x per month is absurd on the part of the electronics companies. Just absurd.

Finally, someone that agrees with me. I mean, really, when you bought gear in the past, you cracked the seal, connected it, and expected sound. That is it, no updates, computer programming, that was it. As Jerry says and I agree, it should work right out of the box. The fact that we have even better technology today, means that should really be the norm today.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by JerryDelColliano

The gear should work right out of the box.

HDMI is a cluster****. The players for both formats can't keep up with the specs of the formats. The specs of the formats are unclear. The players freeze ALL THE TIME and often DIE on a firmware update.

The idea that consumers will update firmware 2x per month is absurd on the part of the electronics companies. Just absurd.

Exactly. Here we are years into this whole HDMI thing and we still have hand shake issues?

Who the **** is behind this? It's such poor design work it's disgraceful. HDMI 1.3 units using HDMI 1.3 cable and still hand shake issues. This is just not acceptable.

FIRMWARE UPDATES are more often than not to fix bugs. The proper use of a firmware update is like Moose aluded to:

Allowing a product to correctly intigrate with another "newer," product.

However PS3 updates and their ilk that are just to fix major bugs (although Sony has been real good at adding new functions to go along with the major bug fixes) is the pure sign of products released before they were ready.

The PS3 is a prime example of a product that was released way before it was ready (the 360 as well). BD is also another prime example. HD DVD on the other hand for the most part has been good besides the horrible HDMI issues.