Remote update

    I am using the latest profiler version. Does the Profiler remote update with the profiler or do you have to do it separately? The reason I'm asking is that my lights occasionally do the "slightly brighter flash" that has been well reported but I read where it was going to be remedied in a software update. I have the latest Kemper head update but remote still flashes sometimes.

    After the latest update it flashed a few times which made me look to see if others had that issue (they did in older OS) but I haven't seen it do it in quite a while now. Fingers crossed.

    Quote from vjelen

    My understanding is, that remote doesn't run any sw. It is like keyboard connected to the pc. But maybe I am wrong.

    It definitely runs software. It has only ethernet going to it which means that the head communicates with the foot controller through ethernet messages.


    Even simple button presses need to be monitored, changed to the appropriate ethernet message, and sent to the head unit so it knows what to do when a button is pressed.


    The LCD also needs firmware to drive it.

    Quote from OneEng1

    It definitely runs software. It has only ethernet going to it which means that the head communicates with the foot controller through ethernet messages.


    Even simple button presses need to be monitored, changed to the appropriate ethernet message, and sent to the head unit so it knows what to do when a button is pressed.


    The LCD also needs firmware to drive it.

    You are talking about basic firmware which is part of almost all electronic devices. I am talking about operating system (and its updates). Those are 2 completely different things.

    Quote from vjelen

    You are talking about basic firmware which is part of almost all electronic devices. I am talking about operating system (and its updates). Those are 2 completely different things.

    To be clear to those who are not embedded firmware engineers .....


    The FC likely does not do any DSP. It doesn't pass signal as the head unit does.


    It very much has a build of code (firmware) that runs on it to achieve its purpose. Since it is a fairly complex piece of gear, it is likely a non-trivial set of firmware that drives it.


    "Operating System" is generally a term that describes a backbone that the rest of the code operates under. Windows, Linux, FreeRTOS, iOS, etc, etc are examples of "Operating Systems". My guess is that the FC operates an operating system identical to the OS in the head unit so that the code can be shared.


    Kemper (and many other device manufacturers) frequently use the term "Operating System" to mean a version of firmware for the device that contains BOTH an operating system and the application code that makes the device do what it does.


    Under that definition, the FC would also have an "Operating System" binary that it needs to run.


    Reguardless, as Burkhard stated, the FC firmware update is handled by the head unit update, so all this technical mumbo-jumbo is irrelevant ;). None of us need to worry about it.

    Most probably, the Remote is driven by microcontrollers which have ethernet capability (obviously), some GPIOs for the switches (obviously), some analogue ones (for the contrast poti and the connectors for expression pedals) and can drive a LCD display (maybe via I2C or similar). Most probably, the brightness is even done in software since the display seems to be the one as in the Profiler, where the contrast is done in software.


    I think one uC handles ethernet RX/TX and some E2E stuff and flashes another uC which is the one driving the unit. Maybe it’s all in one SoC. These are just some educated guesses from the behavior I‘ve seen during updating. I won‘t ever open up the units to find out until I work at Kemper itself, since I am here for guitar playing! 8)8)8)


    In summary, I think it‘s so cool to have such a flexible hardware design that still can be worked with since 2012 and that‘s still competitive. Sometimes, you have to keep it simple to keep it manageable. :thumbup::)

    So any of the flashy light things that might happen would have been fixed in later updates of the head if they were remedied. I got my unit, updated it and the flashy thing happened for a while, but after a few reboots I haven't seen it happen. Strange but all seems ok now....

    Quote from lightbox

    Just for the record:

    You don't even need to have the Remote connected when you update the Profiler. You can keep the Remote unused in a closet for months and skip multiple Profiler updates. Once you connect the Remote, it will automatically be updated.

    TLDR: Yes


    To explain what may be going on under the hood: most probably, the profiler and the remote do kind of a "handshake" and compare their software versions for compatibility. Again, most probably, the firmware flash file itself is stored in the memory of the profiler and is copied over ethernet to the uC of the remote, where it is flashed. After successful flashing the remote reboots, does the handshake again and the profiler recognizes the remote's firmware to be compatible with the one on the profiler. This means that the profiler kind of "carries" the flash file for the remote within itself until a remote is connected which requires to be flashed. As I said: pure speculation and educated guessing. :)