How do I update the firmware on my MOTU AVB interface?

Check out the following article from MOTU’s knowledge base to learn how to update the firmware on your MOTU AVB interface.

MOTU periodically posts firmware updates for your MOTU AVB interface. These updates may include bug fixes, enhancements, and new features.

Updates are posted on MOTU’s servers. If your AVB interface has access to the internet (through your home or studio network, for example), the MOTU AVB Control app notifies you as soon as an update is made available. Otherwise, you can check back here periodically for the latest firmware update.

Firmware updating requires a network cable connection, so before you begin, connect a standard CAT-5 or CAT-6 network cable from the network port on your MOTU interface to one of the following:

• Your computer’s network port (or a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter)
• Your home, studio, or office network (with internet access)
• A MOTU AVB switch (with internet access)

You are now ready to update:

1. Launch the MOTU AVB Control web app on your computer, iPad, or iPhone, as usual.
2. Go to the Device tab.
3. In the “New Update Available” banner, click “More Info”.
4. After reviewing the list of enhancements, click OK to start the update.
5. Wait a few moments for the update to finish, then click OK to return to the Device tab.

Updating off-line, without internet access

If your MOTU AVB interface (and the computer it is connected to) has no internet access, you can download a firmware update file from another computer that does have internet, and then use the file to update your MOTU interface, as follows:

1. Download the latest firmware file.
2. Transfer the file to a computer with a network cable connection to your MOTU interface.
3. Launch the MOTU AVB Control web app on the computer, as usual.
4. Go to the Device tab.
5. Scroll down to the bottom and click “Update from File”.
6. Locate the file on your hard drive and click OK to start the update.
7. Wait a few moments for the update to finish, then click OK to return to the Device tab.

Viewing the latest firmware version information

You can confirm the firmware version at the bottom of the Device tab.

Why does the firmware update require a network cable?

We designed the firmware update to work over ethernet mostly for convenience. If you’re a user with lots of networked boxes, you can upgrade them all from a distance (even over Wi-Fi) without having to plug in directly and without having to download or run an updater application.

We also decided on this approach for engineering reasons. We put a heavy emphasis on reliability. When installing an update, the device reboots into a stripped-down recovery partition to guarantee that you can always finish updating, even if the power goes out mid-update. Since updates can also affect the Thunderbolt or USB chips, we can’t use them from the update mode.

Knowledge Base