Info about starter kit and "Unrecognized Firmware" issue

#1

Hi all,
I have bought two robots: one mbot and one starter kit.
I have noted two main differences and I’d like to know if they are a malfunction or not on starter kit.

  1. Starter kit has a buzzer but I was not able to produce any sound notes (short music) using the IPAD application,
    but mbot can. It is a problem of the board or is it normal ? If normal does it exists a Makeblock speaker that I may add?

  2. Yesterday, while testing the robot I had two times the problem “Unrecognized Firmware” and I have solved upgrading the firmware. Should I need to repair/substitute the board or it is “quite” normal? Now the board is running but I think that the issue may happen again. Both times the “Unrecognized Firmware” message happened while trying to use the Android app but I do not know if it is a random event or there is a connection. Once it fails, also on IPAD I have received the error message.

Last question: when upgrading firmware I have seen that is mandatory to turn off the buzzer (mandatory or suggested?), but the board must be or not turned on attached to the battery pack; plugging the USB cable to the PC the board seems active but I have not understood what is the recommendation for the power button.

Thank in advance for the support.
Maurizio

#2

Hi theprogrammer,

The buzzer on the Starter robot can’t be used on customer side. This buzzer switch is for internal testing only of our R&D guys. It is not open for users and should be turned off all the time.

For the “Unrecognized Firmware” issue, this happened in following situations:

  1. The buzzer switch is not turned off.
  2. The Main board-Me Orion board has lost the default firmware.
  3. The Me Bluetooth module has been connected to wrong ports instead of the Port 5.
  4. The battery can’t provide enough power to the Starter robot.
    Please kindly check above and correct them, then check if the same error message happens again.

As for your last question, you can leave the power button on or off during upgrade firmware.

#3