How to upload firmware to logcard

[btlnorway]

Hi!!

I want to upload firmware to logcard so I can easy update the firmware on C2 machines on my gym.
I have a card reader, and I have put in a logcard, but I can't find out how to upload the firmware on the logcard?

Regards Bjørn Tore

[Carl Watts]

Don't think its possible with the PM3 or PM4.

Yes its possible on a USB memory stick on the PM5, that's because the stick has a huge memory. The LogCard is just not big enough.

Just use a laptop or something windows based that has a USB port and go from machine to machine with a USB cable.

You want to be VERY CAREFUL trying to update the PM3's with older firmware V82 and earlier, you actually need to update it twice, to V101 and then the latest version. V101 doesn't even need a internet connection, it extracts the update from the utility saved on your PC.

There is a special way to update the older firmware or you can get into trouble and BRICK the monitor and it will then be useless. The Gym owners will not be happy if you stuff the monitor.

You will also find that unless the logcard gets used in the monitor on a regular basis (and in Gyms it almost never gets used) and continually "Swipes" the contacts clean inside the monitor it may or may not work now due to oxidisation and just contamination from partials in the air and moisture form a layer on the card connector and switch and it no longer works. Putting in the logcard results in no change on the screen, it just doesn't see the card.

Send me a PM if you want to know the pitfalls and how to avoid them.

[btlnorway]

As I use Ergdata, I don't see any reason to use the logcard anymore. For future: It should be possible to update firmware with Ergdata
I have been in some different gyms, and It happens often that the firmware is old and I get errormessage when using Ergdata. (It's annoying)
As I try to act like a normal person I don't use to bring my laptop to every gym I visit

I think there is 1 or 2 very old PM3 monitor at my gym, without microprosessor. I will check the version before I update this firmware.
I have updated some firmwares, but I can't remember that I got any options to upload anyother than the newest firmware.
I bought a modell D with PM3 and it had version 101, so just regular firmwareupdate.

[Citroen]

Hi!!

I want to upload firmware to logcard so I can easy update the firmware on C2 machines on my gym.
I have a card reader, and I have put in a logcard, but I can't find out how to upload the firmware on the logcard?

Regards Bjørn Tore

That's not possible. The LogCard doesn't have enough space it's only 32K bytes (32768 characters).

The way to update PM3/PM4s is with a Laptop running the C2 Utility and a USB-A to USB-B cable.

[Carl Watts]

Hi!!

I want to upload firmware to logcard so I can easy update the firmware on C2 machines on my gym.
I have a card reader, and I have put in a logcard, but I can't find out how to upload the firmware on the logcard?

Regards Bjørn Tore

That's not possible. The LogCard doesn't have enough space it's only 32K bytes (32768 characters).

The way to update PM3/PM4s is with a Laptop running the C2 Utility and a USB-A to USB-B cable.

^^^^^ What he said.

The trip to the gym to update the firmware is a one off event, smaller than a laptop even a notebook would be fine.

V101 is easy you can go straight to V108 with this.

V56 (from memory), V61 and V82 are the tricky ones that need the zipped V101 update utility on the Concept 2 website to move to V101 then the newer update utility 6.97 can be used from then on.

http://www.concept2.com/service/monitors/pm3/firmware

Not sure if Concept 2 will ever do any more updates to the PM3 now that the PM5 has come along so its probably going to be one off thing for you to do.

Be very careful getting the USB cable round the right way and don't force it into the monitor or you will take the USB socket off the board.

Again with over 10 years of having no connector fitted, oxidation of the connector contacts can be a problem in a gym environment of humidity and sweat and you may have connectivity problems with the USB device not being recognised. I have had to replace a number of sockets on PM3's either pushed off the board or green in colour from corrosion.