Mackie DL1608 software firmware mismatch problems

[kirkdickinson]

I sent Mackie a help request but never heard back. Thought I would ask the same question here.

We have a DL1608 set up at our church for the youth band to use. Our church's Wi-Fi is completely locked down with limited access for visitors. When we set this board up we put a router directly into the board just for the purpose of controlling it with iPads. This works well. Except… We have many different users from different technical skill levels.

What sometimes happens is somebody will come in to use the soundboard and agree to the forced firmware update. Then another user will come in and their older version of software will not control the board with the new firmware. Since the Wi-Fi is locked down, that person is is out of luck.

This happened last week to us when there was a big youth event planned and they could never get the sound to work because nobody had the correct software. That was not the first time we have had this issue.http://cacophony.aspinock.com/index.php?board=26.0

Is there a way to password protect the DL 1608 from getting a firmware update? If so, will a newer software version still be able to control an older firmware version?

I have one of these personally and don’t have this problem because I keep my iPad updated all the time and plan to update the firmware before sound check if necessary. At the church with the youth this seems to be a near impossible task to manage.

What steps can we take to prevent being locked out with software firmware mismatch problems?

Thanks,
Kirk

[Wynnd]

Software version on the iPad or iPhone has to match the mixer.  No way around it.  I’m not aware of anyway to prevent someone else from coming in with a different controlling pad and forcing a download of whatever Master Fader they have.  If there is wi-if to the internet available, you could require loading ONLY THE LATEST VERSION, but with version 5 coming out soon, I have two iPads that won’t run iOS 10.x or later and therefore shouldn’t be able to run Master Fader 5.  You could always dock an iPad and lock it in place and require that one to be the only one for firmware upgrades.  If you have the 30 pin connector, there is a lightning connector kit available from Mackie.  (I have one waiting for installation because the 30 pin iPad is one that will tank at the next upgrade.). 

[Wynnd]

I will admit that I’ve really enjoyed the upgrades with Master Fader.  I would never go back to an earlier version.

[kirkdickinson]

Thanks for answering my post. I am going to have to have a long talk with the Youth pastor about best practices. I have one of these and just haven't had this problem myself. I keep things updated.

Kirk

[dpdan]

You should change the password on the DL1608 router, and not let anyone know what the password is for the youth's DL1608.

There needs to be one iPad locked with the "pad" lock on the DL1608 mixer, and another one that is kept secure where only authorized people can get access to it.

Or, just get an analog mixer, there will never be issues like this again.
   

[ToH2002]

Exactly what Dan said: don't allow just anybody to access the mixer - have dedicated iPads for mixer use only (limit their access in MasterFaders access control settings and lock it down with a PIN) and keep the WiFi password secret so only the dedicated iPads can access the mixer and not everybody on their iPhones..

This is a piece of professional audio equipment and not a video game - only let someone who knows what they're doing configure the beast and restrict access for "normal users" to what they can cope with.

Good idea also to have one iPad locked into the mixer - that's something you can't do with the DL32R...

Cheers,

Torsten

[dpdan]

good advice Torsten!

Dan