So for a few months now I’ve been unable to upgrade my SMP firmware. The download is slow and finishes at 100% with an error: “New firmware download failed due to unstable wireless connection. Please use a wired connection and try again.”
I find this error odd since I can stream content without issue.
Nonetheless, I was under the impression that I could update the firmware locally, by putting it on a USB drive.
I tried this, putting it on the top level of my drive but the SMP seems determined to download the file from the internet. I can’t find a way to get it to pull from the usb drive.
Does anyone know how to achieve this? I’m really trying to avoid pulling out the 50-foot ethernet cable every time I have to upgrade the firmware.
I also find the directions on the WD site somewhat misleading: http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/updates/?family=wdfwdtv_live_G3
Particularly:
- Press HOME, and then select the Settings bar.
- Select the firmware upgrade icon, and then press ENTER.
I don’t think I have a “Settings bar”, unless I’m missing something. I have a “Setup” menu item which will allow me to go the System menu and check firmware, but again, this is a internet check, not a local check.
If anyone knows how I can upgrade from a local drive, I would appreciate the assistance.
Is there any particular significance to the length of the cable you have to pull from the backside of the player to update from USB?
Outburst: Try just shutting off your Wireless LAN router to force the WDTV off the network.
If there’s no internet, it can’t try to use it. 
Thanks Tony, I’ll try that and will report back.
@Techflaws: no particular significance other than to highlight my frustrattion and point out how far away my wdtv is from my router. The big selling point of this system (my 3rd wdtv player) is that it was ‘wireless’.
I realize now that the length of the cable probably added no value to the discussion.
outburst wrote:> Nonetheless, I was under the impression that I could update the firmware locally, by putting it on a USB drive.
I tried this, putting it on the top level of my drive but the SMP seems determined to download the file from the internet. I can’t find a way to get it to pull from the usb drive.
Just to clear things up: You are extracting the content of the ZIP-file to the USB-stick and not just copying the ZIP-file to the USB-stick, right?
outburst wrote:
no particular significance other than to highlight my frustrattion and point out how far away my wdtv is from my router.
Right, but it wouldn’t make a difference cause you could just as easily plug the cable from the WDTV rather than the router. In any case, I’m always updating via USB only and never had any troubles.
@schwurbel, that’s correct. It appears there were four files within the zip archive. I’ve extracted them to the top level of one of my usb drives (a 1.5 TB HD).
Would I have better luck attaching a thumb drive with nothing on it but the firmware files?
Unplugging the router didn’t seem to help. The player indicated that the firmware check failed and that I should check the internet connection.
What are the exact file names you’re putting on the disk?
Something tells me that your firmware files aren’t the correct one.
Also, what version are you CURRENTLY running?
Finally, open the .VER file and paste its contents here.
Oh, 1.5TB HD, I always used a 8GB USB-stick formatted as FAT32, update never failed for me. Reboot the WDTV with the router’s wifi temporarily turned off and then stick the stick in. And maybe disable “search for new firmware” in the settings.
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Files are the following:
wdtvlivegen3.bin
wdtvlivegen3.fff
wdtvlivegen3.info
wdtvlivegen3.ver
Version file contents:
VERSION=‘1.11.14’
LOCATION=‘wdtvlivegen3.bin’
PKG_LOCATION=‘wdtvlivegen3.pkg’
ROOTFS2=‘’
I am currently running 1.09.10
schwurbel wrote:
Oh, 1.5TB HD, I always used a 8GB USB-stick formatted as FAT32, update never failed for me. Reboot the WDTV with the router’s wifi temporarily turned off and then stick the stick in. And maybe disable “search for new firmware” in the settings.
Update:
This worked. I cut the power, removed my media HDs, put in a 16GB usb stick with the new firmware, re-powered wdtv with router unplugged and it found and updated the firmware.
Thank you Schwurbel! :smiley:
You’re welcome.
I looked into the “how to update the firmware”-pdf, and it says to use a portable USB-stick.
I assume it can’t update from a drive which isn’t formated in FAT32 (just an assumption).
Your experience seems to confirm this.
