Bricked UltraHDMI

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Fazz84
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2021 9:56 pm

Bricked UltraHDMI

Post by Fazz84 »

Hi All,

Really hoping someone has advise for my situation, and what I can do to resolve the issue I'm facing.

I ran an update via an everdrive for the UltraHDMI (1.6 -> 1.8) which failed. It ran for a bit, it lost signal, and hung. I gave it about an hour, but it never recovered. The red LED rapidly blinked, but it never finished. It bricked.

I purchased the install from an Ebay seller, but they have not responded. I attempted to reach out to a RetroActive email I found on-line, but I haven't received a response.

Is there anyone who is able to help? Open to any suggestion.

Really appreciate the time, thanks all!
CZroe
Posts: 141
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 3:19 am

Re: Bricked UltraHDMI

Post by CZroe »

I think we can help. :)

I already responded elsewhere but I'll go over it here too:
Your kit likely lost DCDI during the update, which can happen when you unplug HDMI, turn off the TV, change inputs, or even bump a flaky cable. UltraHDMI basically disables itself when it doesn’t see an HDMI sink. The only interface it has with the system is the digital audio/video signals so the FW is transmitted that way and is interrupted with kit loses video. Indeed, I was trying to “see” what the update “looked like” on the analog input of my TV when I first encountered this issue by switching inputs during an update. I was testing so-called “final” 1.08 FW when that happened so I brought it to Marshall’s attention and he fixed it in the final-final 1.08 FW. With FW 1.08 UltraHDMI no longer disables itself with DCDI loss during a FW update. Unfortunately, the updater itself can’t do this so it remains a problem until you are actually on that FW... which is why it still affected you. :(

A "bricked" UltraHDMI like you describe can no longer boot in order to flash itself so a clean bootloader has to be reprogrammed with an external device (USB Blaster). If it’s just a bad flash then I have the programmer, recovery file, and Quartus software to get you back up and running again. Normally this requires sending your installer the board. Unfortunately, we are swamped with installing and shipping UltraHDMI HW2 right now and the group buy takes priority for the foreseeable future. With special permission I can possibly arrange this another way to get you running again.

Edit: Glad to see you are now unbricked and enjoying UltraHDMI again. :)
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