OBiTALK Community

Firmware, Software Updates => Firmware / Advisories / Notifications for OBi Products => Topic started by: Webslinger on January 22, 2016, 12:19:54 PM

Title: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: Webslinger on January 22, 2016, 12:19:54 PM
With respect to #2, Obihai support has finally updated http://fw.obihai.com/OBi2-latest.fw to 3.1.0 (Build: 5110)

Maybe these responses will help to relieve some anxiety:


1) Will Obihai continue to allow its customers to update firmware manually without using Obitalk.com if their devices are out of warranty and without paying $10 annually? Yes/No

Answer:  YES

2) If the answer is yes, why does http://fw.obihai.com/OBi2-latest.fw download 3.1.0 (Build: 4738) when the latest firmware release is 3.1.0 (Build: 5110)? Why does http://fw.obihai.com/OBi2-latest.fw not point to the lastest firmware version?

I know that I can download Build 5110 using http://fw.obihai.com/OBi202-3-1-0-5110.fw


Answer:  Are you using the preferred Chrome browser?  Please retry...

3) Will customers who do not pay $10 annually still be able to dial ***6 to update firmware without using the Obitalk.com web portal?

Answer:  yes

4) Is Obihai planning to completely block customers who do not pay $10 annually from updating device firmware manually and also block manual firmware file downloads?

Answer:  We don't do any blockings.

5) Why haven't release notes for firmware updates been made available for firmware versions beyond build 4822?
visit http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=8982.0

Release notes for 3.1.0 (Build: 4972), 3.1.0 (Build: 5069, and 3.1.0 (Build: 5110) are missing.

Answer:  Will be available soon.  Please allow sometime.
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: zorlac on January 23, 2016, 02:26:25 PM
Sounds fair to me.
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: -DC- on February 06, 2016, 08:40:53 AM
Only company I know that releases a patch first followed by documentation weeks (months?) later.
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: N7AS on February 06, 2016, 12:10:37 PM
Quote from: -DC- on February 06, 2016, 08:40:53 AM
Only company I know that releases a patch first followed by documentation weeks (months?) later.

Or maybe not at all.

Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: RFC3261 on February 08, 2016, 09:51:42 AM
Quote from: -DC- on February 06, 2016, 08:40:53 AM
Only company I know that releases a patch first followed by documentation weeks (months?) later.
You need to deal with more companies.  While it may not be standard practice, it happens, even with the "big names" (it is not uncommon to have network device updates available before the docs get out there).  Especially if one of the updates has one of those embargoed critical security fixes included ("patch now, we will tell you why later; trust us"), or some new capability they plan to announce at some future time (at the big splash event at the end of next month where they will enable it), or (especially in the new world of embedded devices) you were selected to be a part of the "alpha" test group that you did not even know you had agreed to be part of (ask some of the Nest users who did not have a common wire connected how they enjoyed their cold cold cold house when the battery died and they had to charge the device to get the furnace working again).

And the release notes that say "Improved user experience" and/or "bugs resolved" (as some companies do) are little better than no documentation at all.  In some cases the docs of bugs fixed have to be scrubbed of customer specific information, or reworded to be readable for others.  That does take time, and should ideally be resourced appropriate so that the docs can be available at/near update time, but I do understand it does take resources.

I think Obi needs to do better (for it is not company one should be proud to be part of), but they are far from alone.
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: yorktown on May 18, 2016, 10:10:54 PM
This is a solution that works for the Obi100 device: http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=11256.msg73954#msg73954 (http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=11256.msg73954#msg73954)
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: ceg3 on May 19, 2016, 06:55:45 AM
I have yet to encounter the 10.00 fee, so I'm not sure what I will do when my current OBi200 is out of warranty in July.  Maybe they should extend the warranty to say two years and then we just might replace our OBi's every two years rather than paying for extending warranty.  In this fairy tale the price is also lowered to about 25.00 for the 200. ;D
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: Mango on May 19, 2016, 07:33:15 AM
Or, just install firmware updates manually (if you really need them) and pay $0.
Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: BobTeatow on May 19, 2016, 10:42:16 AM
I got hit with the $10 update today.  I bought it for my wife's OBI 110.
I didn't want to pay again for my OBI 100...
I tried using the "latest" pointer from this forum....
But the latest was not posted....
Had to look at the version number on my wife's obi (via a service screen).
Got 1.3.0-2886  --- googled that and found a link to the official download under fw.obihai.com
BUT fw.obihai.com will not display an index of all available updates... 

WHY THE HECK NOT?  Would have saved much aggravation...  I actually did look there before forking over the $10... 

The $10 wouldn't be a big deal... BUT --- It was very rudely presented...

First my Google voice service stopped working, yesterday.
Then I re-authenticated and it worked, yesterday...
Then broken again this morning ... And I saw the $10 hold up message....
No D.I.Y. download offered there....

Then it's $10 per device, instead of per OBITALK signin/account....

GEEE... Did I miss a polite email from OBIHAI that was sent a week or two before my service just "broke"...
NOPE...
I am getting promotional offers ... So why not a service about to be interrupted if you don't take action message.... NOPE ... It breaks and holds me up for $10... Not very classy...

Up to today, I was unconditionally recommending  OBIhai products...
Now... not sure...

Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: dircom on May 19, 2016, 01:14:23 PM
For a $30-70 device that does miracles, I will not complain.

You can spend $1500 on a new refrigerator, and only get a one year warranty.

So far, Obi provides free updates, and the forums are full of info

Obviously they could do a better job at communication.

Title: Re: Some answers from Obihai Support concerning firmware updates out of warranty
Post by: SteveInWA on May 19, 2016, 05:21:31 PM
Quote from: BobTeatow on May 19, 2016, 10:42:16 AM
I got hit with the $10 update today.  I bought it for my wife's OBI 110.
I didn't want to pay again for my OBI 100...
I tried using the "latest" pointer from this forum....
But the latest was not posted....
Had to look at the version number on my wife's obi (via a service screen).
Got 1.3.0-2886  --- googled that and found a link to the official download under fw.obihai.com
BUT fw.obihai.com will not display an index of all available updates... 

WHY THE HECK NOT?  Would have saved much aggravation...  I actually did look there before forking over the $10... 

The $10 wouldn't be a big deal... BUT --- It was very rudely presented...

First my Google voice service stopped working, yesterday.
Then I re-authenticated and it worked, yesterday...
Then broken again this morning ... And I saw the $10 hold up message....
No D.I.Y. download offered there....

Then it's $10 per device, instead of per OBITALK signin/account....

GEEE... Did I miss a polite email from OBIHAI that was sent a week or two before my service just "broke"...
NOPE...
I am getting promotional offers ... So why not a service about to be interrupted if you don't take action message.... NOPE ... It breaks and holds me up for $10... Not very classy...

Up to today, I was unconditionally recommending  OBIhai products...
Now... not sure...