(June 22, 2010) In the days of standard definition analog television, you would take your new TV home, plug it in and watch it. It played exactly as the engineers intended it, only requiring tweaking of the user controls to optimize the available settings, or hiring an ISF calibrator to make fine adjustments via the set’s service menu. For better or worse, those days are over. Today, TV makers design their mid and high end HDTVs (including 3D sets) and Blu-ray disc players to be electronically factory modified after purchase. To get your new TV to perform as best as it can, (in some cases simply properly) you’ll need to get the set’s firmware periodically updated. Unfortunately, all TV retailers queried never tell the buyers of the necessity to perform updates at the time of purchase!
What’s Firmware?
It’s a hardware device, computer instructions and data that reside as read-only software on that device. HDTVs and Blu-ray players’ functions and performance criteria are governed by the software. If it’s not updated with the latest implementation and instead used in the “out of the box” condition, your display may not be functioning as intended by the manufacturer. With “just in time” manufacturing and major retailer demands for equipment makers to ship new product by a specific date or face major financial penalties (such as cancelled orders), equipment makers often deliver products to the retailer and end user that cannot function as they should in order for the manufacturer to meet the retailer’s deadline. The solution, a firmware update to bring the TV up to spec, supplied by the set makers’ websites or servers.
2010 Model Issues
We are in the process of testing a number of 2010 model HDTVs and Blu-ray players. All to date have required firmware updates to enhance performance, add or correct a number of performance functions and in the case of Blu-ray players, allow the playing some newly released discs. Without a firmware update, early and current Blu-ray players can’t play all new discs because disc authoring continues to change.
Why Don’t Retailers Tell You About Firmware Upgrades
Investigating “assisted selling” local stores (Best Buy, Sears, PC Richard and 6 Ave Electronics), we never observed a salesman informing the customer that upgrades are available, or needed and then instruct the buyer as to how to perform them. Nor have we ever heard a salesman ask if the customer was aware the new TVs and players need Internet connectivity near the player to easily perform upgrades. All these stores offer services to connect an HDTV or Blu-ray player to your home Internet router. Best Buy is the only chain we’ve seen advertise Internet connectivity services through its Geek Squad department.
We don’t know why they don’t tell you, however a possible reason, no local retailer suveyed has the Internet connected to their store demo TVs and Blu-ray players. Yes, often the hot new 3D TV demonstration unit does not perform nearly as well as its capable, until the installation of the latest firmware.
How To Upgrade
To perform a firmware upgrade an HDTV requires at least a USB port, memory card slot, Ethernet connector or wireless connectivity. Firmware is either downloaded to the memory device from your Internet connected computer, then inserted into the TV or one can make a direct connection to manufacturer’s server via the Ethernet or wireless Internet connection on the display. The means to obtain the download may vary depending on the brand. The update may be available by direct Internet connection or a download to USB drive or other memory device. However, it is often the case the set maker’s server is where the update first becomes available. Since an Internet connected TV doesn’t need the owner to mess with a PC and memory device, it is the fastest and best way to update your TV or Blu-ray player.
All Internet connected TVs tested to date require the owner to request a firmware download via the TVs on-screen graphics. Panasonic Blu-ray players allow you to opt-in for automatic downloads. It constantly checks for updates and seamlessly downloads and installs them as they become available, keeping your player always up to date.
When shopping for a Blu-ray player or mid to high end HDTV in an assisted store (i.e. Best Buy) ask about your options to get the latest firmware before you leave the store. Inquire how much it will cost to get them to run an Ethernet cable from your router to the TV’s home location, so you can get all the performance and functionality you paid for.
Edited By Michael Fremer
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I am sorry but i dont buy that, If most people can download music to there ipods and mp3. They can do a simple firmware update. Not telling them and when there TV dont work, Or they call up the store that is when the geek squad come into play and more money for the store. i have played dumb at some bestbuys and the story they tell you to get geeksquad.
Since there is no money to be made, firmware updates are not even on most stores radar map. You might hear of one from the support department, if the store even has one.
For legacy gear its best to check the manufacture support web-site. Even better, buy gear with a system update (firmware) menu item.
Since more components have Ethernet connections I had each room of my new house wired with CAT 5E cabling.(Actually home builders now use Cat 5E Ethernet but still call it “phone wire”). System updates are now painless.
Its best to plan ahead and start implementing a Gigabit distributed home network, as more content is streamed over the Internet. I’m ready!
This was a good article. I did want to point out, without knowing where you live; that in my Shreveport, LA BB our Main 3D demo Tv is not connected online, mostly due to it requiring aditional dangels to attach the ethernet cable. But we do have the bluray player, a PS3 and and Xbox all firmware updated and ready to show off. We even updated the TVs firmware with a USB. And to answer your main question, most stores do not talk about firmware updates frankly because it scares customers and loses sales. “you mean I’m buying something that already obsolete, outdated, or even broken?” Is what they say. Or they feel overwhelmed by the thought of setting up a wireless network device, with passwords and stuff. Not to mention the additional cast if they dont have an ethernet drop near there TV. Long cables runs aacross the floor look tacky, in the cieling is laborus, powerline thernet adapters are simple enough , but are a $100-$300 extra investment on a product most customers are still unsure why they need. Lasly few of them think our prices are fair for what we do in our instalations, thats a whole other bag of worms. So while I make it my duty to inform and educate all my customrs I can understand why some retailers are not to keen on the idea.
Great article. Very useful and important information. We always tell our customer to have their receivers, BD players and TV upgraded for the best possible performance and operation.
Our staff techs always connect the network to all devices whenever possible and with our clients knowledge and permission. I must say it takes out much of the customer service and support issues.
-Robert