Updating the Firmware
By updating your firmware when there is a new release you guarantee your Designer has the latest features and bug fixes. Before beginning you may want to make a copy of the patterns on your hoop
- Download the current version of the firmware onto your computer from the Downloads page. This will be zip file containing the update file itself and a changelog which explains how the firmware has changed over time.
- Unzip/extract the .zip file to be able to access the update file inside of it. The file we need is the one that ends with .hex (that’s what’s called a file extension). If you don’t see .hex it’s because your computer is configured to hide file extensions. You can either change that setting or view the file’s properties to make sure you have the right one.
- Plug your prop into your computer via a USB micro cable to access the USB drive.
- Drag and drop the update file onto the top level of the drive.
- Remember to eject the USB drive before unplugging the prop. Your computer should tell you when it’s safe to unplug.
- To apply the update you’ll need to start up your prop on battery power. Make sure to use a freshly charged battery. You may see the red status light blink a few times.
- If everything went well, your prop should reboot and begin animating patterns.
If anything went wrong, don’t worry! You can try applying the update again, or revert to a previous update using the same instructions as above but with a different update file. There’s no way to permanently ruin your hoop from an update. Contact us if you run into trouble, we’re happy to help walk you through it.