Topfield has released a new firmware upgrade

[James @ IceTV]

Hi All,

Topfield has released a firmware update. This upgrade should correct the issue of having to reset your unit every couple of days.

To upgrade, simply follow these 3 steps:

1. Press the "Menu" button on your remote.
2. Select "Installation" on the menu.
3. Select "Firmware Upgrade" on the menu.

James

[mikeathome]

First you will need to download the firmware to USB and then select that as an upgrade source. Don't use the over the network option.

The method recommended by the mods on the topfield forum involves a reset to factory settings beforehand - see that forum for details of the whole procedure.

[IanL-S]

Yes, until we know more about how the firmware behaves it is safest to do a factory reset both before and after installation of the firmware. This ensures that the factory settings are correct for the particular firmware and precludes the possibility of carrying forward corrupted settings.

The risk of something going wrong if this procedure is not followed depends on the firmware being upgraded from and the firmware being upgraded to.

I have only done very limited testing with this firmware; no issues so far. I tried to crash and freeze both my 2400s and faild to do so. The test would have resulted in a crash or freeze under the November firmware. So, fixes are not limited to IceTV. Unfortunately Topfield/Toppro do not provide a list of fixes in new firmware.

[Dave at IceTV]

The 20 Feb 2012 firmware update is available for the following models:

* TRF-2460 Masterpiece HD Plus (system ID 32026)
* TRF-2400 Masterpiece HD (system ID 32020)
* TF7100HDPlus (system ID 32030 and 32031)

[IanL-S]

I had not noticed that there is no firmware for 7100+ with system ID 32031; not that there are that many of the latter. Strange, I'm sure when I checked yesterday that there were two Feb 2012 firmware versions.

[Dave at IceTV]

I had forgotten that even was a 32031 model but the good news that there is a Feb 2012 firmware now online for it too.

[IanL-S]

The new 2400/2460 firmware, for those who do not use IceTV EPG data includes the optimistically named Intelligent Recording (IR). Given the fanfare that Toppro made when it was introduced for the 7160 and when the 7170 was released, I would have expected Toppro to make a big thing of it. Instead there was nothing at all mentioned about it.

[IanL-S]

I have installed this firmware (pre-release) and final 6 times and twice the Toppy downloaded the EPG data quickly, but refused to download timers. Did the usual thing and repeated the resend timers request via IceTV Interactive (several times), put the Toppy into standby for a few minutes, but still no download of timers. Finally I tried Reset EPG data and shortly after the timers started to download. Once the first timer download takes place, future downloads and uploads of manually set timers works properly.

[Dave at IceTV]

Is IR enabled by default?

[IanL-S]

Your can only do IR recording if you use free-to-air EPG data. If you select IceTV EPG data the EPG dialogue dose not have an IR button ... if you press the blue function button nothing should happen.

With the free-to-air EPG guide the ability to do IR recordings is there by default, but the default record mode is one time recording. In the EPG to do an IR recording you press the blue function button. Ordinary recordings are set using the record button or pressing the OK button twice. (I do not recall if pressing the OK button 3 times creates an IR timer as I have not played with IR since late November last year).

Ian

[BeveridgeM]

I have loaded the upgrade to a 7100+ and am now not receiving EPG or timed recordings.  Have tried resending recordings from the IceTV website.  Have tried factory reset.  Any other suggestions?

[markb]

I have loaded the upgrade to a 7100+ and am now not receiving EPG or timed recordings.  Have tried resending recordings from the IceTV website.  Have tried factory reset.  Any other suggestions?

Due to a bug in the firmware (I believe) you also have to press the red button in the ICE settings page to force the ICE updates to occur. Make sure you have done a factory reset at some point after loading the new firmware. Then press that red button, re-enter your ICE settings, and then go immediately to the ICE site and "resend all recordings". Then reset your PVR to force an immediate update. My EPG and timers updated within seconds after doing this.

The factory reset should clear the ICE cache but it does not appear to do so. All works fine after doing this though. Much better then previous firmwares.

[IanL-S]

Not sure if it is a firmware bug or a problem with IceTV server; the new firmware and the server migration happened about the same time . It could be a combination.

I have not seen this (I've installed this firmware twice on 7100+ and 4 times on 2400), but that may be because I do a factory reset both before and after installing new firmware. However it definitely can happen -- I have seen it at lest once unsing earlier firmware builds.

I am confused about what the Reset EPG data is supposed to do. It was originally intended to deal with EPG data corruption, but that issue was fixed in the November firmware. I'm sure I've seen instance where it appears to do nothing, in other it refreshes the EPG data and I'm sure that I've seen it remove all timers (but this may be faulty recollection on my part.