Avant US Firmware Update

Working through my Avant and trying to address a few issues. Now I'm looking to see if getting it up the latest revision will address the issue I'm having with the component video input and provide a more up to date external equipment list. The component input is a little dark and there are light and dark flashes across the screen with image movement. The component, s-video, and RF inputs do not suffer from this, so I know it's not just the tv, but is isolated to the component input.

The TV menu states:

Beovision Avant

06 IC1 AP SW 2.0

14 IC707 FEP SW 2.1

Build Date Feb 20, 2001

Is there a way to order the update the latest firmware chip? Is there a way to find out what devices are supported?

Well, no 5.1 firmware available but I was able to order version 4.9 that is supposed to support a remote component video switch. It also sounds like the component video input problem is due to old caps on the board.

Are you finding that the component input results in a magenta hue? That seems to be a common fault with the early US Avants. I have one. A firmware update won't correct that. It will need some work done by a B&O technician & it doesn't sound cheap. HOWEVER, unless you are using the projector output, I've found that the s-video on the Avant is much better than the component video quality. This is because the Avant is only 480p and does its video processing magic on the composite or s-video input but NOT on the component. The one device that you will find you need a component connection for is the Apple TV (first gen. - the 2nd and 3rd gen Apple TVs have only HMDI). Unfortunately, the Apple TV was what I used most on my Avant - so I had to suffer the magenta hue. That is, until I got frustrated with the magenta hue and replaced my Avant with a Beovision 10.

In the event that you do sometimes use the projector output, it's useful to know that you should connect BOTH the component and s-video connections for each device. Also, you want to select the output of the device as 1080i. By doing so, the projector will use the 1080i input. Since 1080i isn't supported by the Avant's built-in monitor, the Avant will drop down to the s-video and process that video to give a great picture on the Avant.

Updating the firmware for the PUC is always a great idea. This will give you control of current devices such as blu-ray players and the Apple TV.

I could be wrong, but I think you'll need a BeoZap software update with that chip you ordered? Also, the symptoms you described point to the US box as the problem with your component input. 

Yes, it sounds like I would need an update using BeoZap to get new devices on the list. The guy I spoke to at Atlantic Systems mentioned the caps are probably dried up on the board that handles the component input. At that point I decided I may just stuck with the composite and S video inputs because it thought they actually looked better. Now I know why, so thanks for that info. I am not having the magenta hue issue, my component input looks darker and gets blotches of light and dark areas on the screen during action. Very distracting.

The firmware is actually a set of chips and since I have rev 2.0, it's probably a good idea to bump up to 4.9, but I really don't know what issues are resolved, so I'm just going on faith. So I'm confused about the whole process - the chips handle background operations, the EEPROM holds the setting for this specific tv (I'm not changing that), and I need someone to use BeoZap to update the external equipment list?

He also said that any firmware above 4.7 can control the component switcher to allow multiple component inputs to use the single input on the BV. So that sounds interesting, but I may wind up just using the S video inputs for everything to take advantage of the internal processing.

So, unless I have some issues that are addressed by the new firmware, do I just hold onto them as insurance and just get the BeoZap update? If so, is my only option to have someone come to my house to BeoZap it? I really don't want to take the BV out of the house if I don't need to for obvious reasons. Finally, how new are the devices available from BeoZap? FiOS Cicso HD DVR and Apple TV covered? Any ideas or advice?

You will definitely need a qualified B&O service technician to come to your home to do the upgrade. I live in Indianapolis and a technician came from Cincinnati to do the job. I believe he charged about $500 to $600. He opened the Avant and replaced the chips and updated the PUC to the latest version to control the latest blu-ray players, Apple TV, etc. The update will give you the option in your setup menu to control a component switcher. The box that is controlled is made by Zektor. HOWEVER, you can find some very good switchers that can learn the Zektor IR command and that cost much less. You control the switch box by using a mini RCA splitter connected to the V.AUX control socket on the Avant and using an IR blaster. The switcher can switch the component input to correspond with TV, DVD, SAT, and V.AUX. However, I can't remember which order those are in. The $500 to $600 did not include fixing the faulty component input. The technician recommended replacing the entire chassis -- which sounded quite costly, so I passed on that repair. However, the technician DID vacuum out the Avant while it was open. I was amazed at how much dust and lent can gather in the Avant! That thing could have been a real fire hazard. 

P.S. The way the PUC works on the Avant US and BeoSystem 1 is different from how it works for the BeoSystem 3 and newer B&O tvs. With the newer TVs you tell the technician what devices you specifically need and he custom-programs that into the firmware update for you. For the Avant, you don't tell the technician what to program. You just get the latest firmware version that contains a huge list of devices from which you can select under the "external devices" section of the setup menu on your Avant. Not all devices show up for all Beo4 controls. For example, some devices might have to be used as "V.AUX" while others might have to be controlled by "DVD." B&O tech support will have an Excel spreadsheet that they can email you that shows which devices can be controlled and by which IR command.

One more thought: Apple TV will definitely be in the newer PUC. The control for blu-ray players is usually pretty generic, such as "Sony blu-ray" or "Samsung blu-ray" rather than having your specific model. One of the most frustrating things with the generic blu-ray controls is that they often don't control the most important function of all: "pause." Cisco HD DVR will probably by listed as "Scientific Atlantic 8300HD."

I'll ask the B&O Tech Support folks for the spreadsheet of devices supported under 4.9 as you suggested. I appreciate the information. I just completed changing the LCD display on my Beo4, so I'm looking forward to the next steps to repairing the TV. I hope that just changing the firmware will get the device selections that will work and I should be all set.

Another added feature of the update is that you will be able to connect your Avant in option 6 slave mode in a MasterLink network. This is useful if you already have a B&O tv serving as video master in another room. This was not possible with the earlier firmware. You won't be able to access video from the video master on the Avant, but you WILL be able to play music from the audio master on your Avant. 

beojeff:

Another added feature of the update is that you will be able to connect your Avant in option 6 slave mode in a MasterLink network. This is useful if you already have a B&O tv serving as video master in another room. This was not possible with the earlier firmware. You won't be able to access video from the video master on the Avant, but you WILL be able to play music from the audio master on your Avant.

That's interesting - I assumed it already had the capability to play from an audio master. I was planning to hook up my BeoSound 4000 to it. Is there a link or document somewhere that can provide the changes addressed and features added in each revision of the SW?

Ok, after a couple of emails with B&O Tech Support, I have the following updates:

The 5.1 is the latest chip set of the TV. The CCDB (code convertor data base) is what controls third party devices. This version can be found by entering the service menu, and checking under the US Box. The last version of the CCDB was 4.7n, and the Cisco code that I need for my FiOS box came in with 4.7m.

I was going by the Monitor Information, which stated my AP SW is 2.0 and the FEP SW is 2.1. My US Box CCDB is 2.1. So tech support said the only chip set that was not software updateable was the original 1.3 in the Avant TV. All the chips sets in the Beosystem 1 and Beovision 5 were updateable. He also said I would not really gain anything by changing out the chip set to 5.1 or in my case, 4.9. The Beozap function will work as well on 2.0 chips as 5.1.

So the chips are hardware, Beozap is software. CCDB 2.1 does not have very many products to control at all, but 4.7n will give me dozens and dozens more. So I need a tech/installer/salesman with the Beozap program on his laptop and the update cable, and I should be good to go in about 15 minutes of download time.

I'm pretty certain that the capability of using a Zektor component switch box and the feature of the video slave mode require a chip upgrade. That's what my technician told me. 

The feature of having the Avant in video slave mode is only relevant if you already have another B&O tv in your master link. You can't have two video masters in a master link network. One of the TVs would have to be assigned as a slave if the other TV is a master. If the Avant is the only B&O tv you have, the Avant can be in video master mode and play music from your audio master.

Thanks, I've already bought the chipset, so I may wind up installing them anyway. It would be nice to know what all the new features are, but it could be fun trying it discover them on my own. I'm probably just going to stick with the composite inputs and not worry about the component switcher. I don't have another video master, so I guess I'll be just fine. I'll just need to schedule a visit to update the CCDB.

I'm scheduled to have my BV Avant updated tomorrow. Really cheap if I take it to them, but damn it's heavy. He's going to try to update it in the back of my van!

Now for the really late stupid question. Should I have already installed the 4.9 firmware chips before I have him update the BV with Beozap?

I don't know, but he changed the chips before he even started the update. It cost a little bit more to do that, but now it's done.

... And I can control my STB, DVD player, and Apple TV! Now to work out all the remote operations for my Beo4 and Beolink 1000. I also have to order an HDMI to composite converter to handle the Apple TV connection. Just awesome.

beojeff:

You will definitely need a qualified B&O service technician to come to your home to do the upgrade. I live in Indianapolis and a technician came from Cincinnati to do the job. I believe he charged about $500 to $600. He opened the Avant and replaced the chips and updated the PUC to the latest version to control the latest blu-ray players, Apple TV, etc. The update will give you the option in your setup menu to control a component switcher. The box that is controlled is made by Zektor. HOWEVER, you can find some very good switchers that can learn the Zektor IR command and that cost much less. You control the switch box by using a mini RCA splitter connected to the V.AUX control socket on the Avant and using an IR blaster. The switcher can switch the component input to correspond with TV, DVD, SAT, and V.AUX. However, I can't remember which order those are in. The $500 to $600 did not include fixing the faulty component input. The technician recommended replacing the entire chassis -- which sounded quite costly, so I passed on that repair. However, the technician DID vacuum out the Avant while it was open. I was amazed at how much dust and lent can gather in the Avant! That thing could have been a real fire hazard.

Thanks for your help, Jeff. I was able to take the Avant to the shop -Atlantic Systems - and the tech was able to update it right in my van. He replaced the chips (the ones I previously ordered from them) and updated the firmware. I was surprised how clean the tv was inside. Total cost was about $160 plus my gas for a 150 mile round trip. Still not bad at all.

The component input on my US Avant 32 is having the exact same issue with a dark screen and the dark flashes on the screen too.

Did you have any success in finding a solution to eliminate this problem?

This is apparently a problem that other Avant 32 owners have had with their component inputs, so I'm hoping there's a fix that I can perform without having to pay big bucks to fix a 20+ year old TV set.

No, Tony it was a terminal case for my Avant. I was so sorry to see it go, but I didn’t want to put any more money into it either.