ROBE Uploader update V3.9 - more networking, faster updates, less hassle

ROBE RDM Uploader has been renamed to ROBE Uploader. The software self-updates automatically when launched, or installation packages are available here, which will then self-update to the latest version 3.9, bringing (besides another under the hood changes) several very exciting features:

1) Windows version of the ROBE Uploader has been redesigned and the drivers (FTDI) required for ROBE RUNIT devices are now optional, required only if RUNIT devices are to be used. If the Windows system doesn't contain the FTDI drivers, ROBE Uploader will actually work and it will allow only Ethernet network based updates. This change is only affecting Windows system as Linux and OSX (from El Captain on) contain FTDI drives by default.

2) Second biggest feature modifies network based updates in the ROBE Uploader and also in the ROBIN fixtures (list below) and the ROBE Uploader can now update fixtures on any IP network, not only on the old specified Art-Net range 2.x.x.x. If there are multiple network interfaces available when the ROBE Uploader starts, selection popup shows up to choose the desired network interface. Historically, Art-Net addressing specification suggested IP range of 2.x.x.x or 10.x.x.x later on. The 2.x.x.x range has been conflicting with some newer IANA specifications and can also be limiting in larger or more complex deployments, therefore we have added support for Ethernet based update via any IP address range. Upon switching into software update mode, the display's bootloader will now use IP address as set in the menu Address - Ethernet Settings - IP Address/Net Mask. This feature requires support inside the Robin fixtures and it is available in most Robe Robin series products with RNS2 touch screen display manufactured after July 1st 2016. See full list below. Devices manufactured before this date do contain this feature and will not gain it via DMX software update. To determine the support in the fixture, go to menu: Information: Software version, the Display processor has to show (3.0) in brackets. Technical bulletin TB35 Robin Touchscreen Display has been updated to contain details about this change to the Display PCB.

Here is a list of devices that have it already implemented as of today:

Robin MMX Blade

Robin DL7S

Robin BMFL Blade

Robin BMFL Spot

Robin BMFL WashBeam

Robin DLS

Robin DLF

Robin DLX

Robin Strobe Color

Robin DL4X

Robin DL4F

Robin DL4S

Robin Pointe

Robin 300E Spot

Robin 300E Wash

Robin 300 Plasma Spot

Robin 300 Plasma Wash

Robin Square

Robin 600 Beam

Robin 600 Wash

Robin 600 Spot

Robin 300 Beam

3) RDM Based updates

Fixtures listed above also contain new RDM based update transport layer. During update via RUNIT, if the fixture support this way of updating, the update is delivered to the unit via RDM packets, making the update faster and, depending on the used equipment, RDM enabled DMX splitters should also pass this through to the units.

Please note again, that this is only affecting newly produced fixtures or units with replaced display PCB.

Service manuals and price list of spare parts

New service manuals have been released and are available for download in the Support section of the Robe website after login. These manuals are for Spikie®,Viva™, Strobe™ - Strobe Lite™, ColorStrobe™ - ColorStrobe Lite™ , picklePATT and ROBIN® CycPix 12™. Price list has also been updated to include all these new products. The Robe Spares catalog is being updated right now.

DMX Charts, user manuals, certification, photometric charts, software updates...

Software updates: we do recommend to keep fixtures up to date with the updates - the ROBE Uploader makes this easy by automatically fetching all latest updates and due to incremental updates the updating procedure is quite fast, especially when used on Ethernet network. Check changelog of each software update for details about changes.

Documentation: many of the online available documents have been uploaded new or updated: Robin Parfect 100 DMX chart has been added, Robin Spikie DMX chart has been updated, some photometric diagrams pdf files have been renamed to a common naming scheme, declaration of conformity/ATM and TUV certificates have been renewed and updated...

To keep track of these changes, the easiest is to have the files synchronized, which has been possible for long time with the Sync, which is Dropbox like folder synchronization tool, supporting desktop and mobile system. See details below.

Sync

To keep documentation synchronized and be notified right away when we push new files to the website, you can use the Resilio Sync (free, third party Dropbox like service). Recently, we have included some Anolis document folders for easy synchronizing. One nice thing is that if used on mobile devices (Android, IOS, Windows Mobile or even Kindle devices are supported), you can download individual files upon demand, making it a nice handy tool when some specs are needed.

Constantly updated list of folders available for sync is available in our Helpdesk Knowledge Base, together with more detailed description. To see this article, login here or get your forgotten password here , or if needed, make yourself a new account here.

Quick list of keys for the shared document folders is listed below:

ROBE:

User manuals: B4UCTVY33UCKQNARVJDKNAW7MJHXANZXG

DMX charts: B6HGNTESNLYLHXGVPLQ4OFCV33XBQHZSW

Certifications: BIAO3TW4GFSSWZ4G2XK5ALSTUNZC5QMBD

Photometric charts: BEZPRXOHEGV7DGKWCO7467B5FKIAMKICB

Exterior dimensions: B3H6VVDDZHTFB2DTPKLYQNLYYSMBZTMLE

DSU for Windows: B5I5SZXSEYIWUF3SXDEAYQJBNXKZGVKJD

DSU for Linux: BN32SSHOC37L7BQAW3TLDMY5YZCZOKA3Q

DSU for OSX: BEPO7CVYV6GJWXKFFYA2I6IJ5WK7PLRD6

ANOLIS:

DMX Charts: BSCJCZI6MACYZRWARVEQET4K27ZYU3ZEK

User Manuals: B6FG3D3C37OOMOZXTIISBNNMMQPRN23RU

DSU for OSX: B2RH4GPXSPW4TKMU2TJ7K46PM2A4IC7NE

DSU for Windows: BNWKKNMKRD75PUSDNQ3NUG43RAETJESZT

DSU for Linux: B7LO4TELTSD3NGH7BMIT2U5WS725VW7WY

Specification sheets: BP7TEWECORIDMTUFY3QK5VH37IHSW3VXZ