Author Topic: Alesis SR-18 - where to find firmware update systex file?  (Read 2499 times)

Alesis SR-18 - where to find firmware update systex file?
« on: July 26, 2021, 10:33:54 AM »
Alesis SR-18 drum machine - I need the firmware update and can't find it on the Alesis site or anywhere else. Screen is backlit, but blank on startup. Pressing "save" + "erase" on startup has no effect.  Pressing "Rec" on startup generates a prompt to upload firmware.

Apprently it's a sysex file called "ld32-app-1.02.syx". Anyone know where I can find it or download it. Thanks!

Dave_t

Offline Chaser

Re: Alesis SR-18 - where to find firmware update systex file?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2021, 01:17:00 PM »
Alesis SR-18 drum machine - I need the firmware update and can't find it on the Alesis site or anywhere else. Screen is backlit, but blank on startup. Pressing "save" + "erase" on startup has no effect.  Pressing "Rec" on startup generates a prompt to upload firmware.

Apprently it's a sysex file called "ld32-app-1.02.syx". Anyone know where I can find it or download it. Thanks!

Dave_t

"To check if the system is still operating, press and hold the REC button while turning on the drum machine. If the underlying hardware is working you should see "Download Ready" on the screen. In which case you can proceed to try either the OS update or the Factory reset.If you still see nothing, your drum machine is in need of repair."

SR18 Reset Procedure
Hold the SAVE / COPY button and ERASE button simultaneously while turning on the SR18.

You should be able to reset and check firmware version if the "Download Ready" screen shows...If the SR18 will not reset you may have other problems.

The v1.02 download was a few website designs ago (2008) when Alesis required you to login with an email address in order to get downloads.
Your best bet/faster may be check with Alesis support...otherwise hope someone kept a copy of a 13 year old update for the old SR18 that still had v1.01.

Hellfire has all the info on his site from 2008 and the instructions had to be translated from Japanese as Alesis did not included any instructions on how to update.

http://www.hellfiredrums.com/alesis-sr18-firmware-update-problems/

ALESIS SR18 ARCHIVED

EDIT:
I went through my old data bases and found the file...attached..

Make sure you check version number of your SR18 ..FIRST....

To check what version of the firmware you have just hold down the “System Setup” button while powering on the unit.

If you do the update follow the instructions as I have read where some users have had issues and over the years I have seen users update or force an update when it wasn't necessary and bricked their module/hardware.

« Last Edit: July 26, 2021, 02:33:20 PM by Chaser »

Re: Alesis SR-18 - where to find firmware update systex file?
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2021, 05:16:15 PM »
That's awesome! Thanks for the quick and thorough reply!

I will check this out a little later - I'll be sure to proceed with caution

Thanks again!  :D

Re: Alesis SR-18 - where to find firmware update systex file?
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2021, 09:16:01 AM »


"To check if the system is still operating, press and hold the REC button while turning on the drum machine. If the underlying hardware is working you should see "Download Ready" on the screen. In which case you can proceed to try either the OS update or the Factory reset.If you still see nothing, your drum machine is in need of repair."



The good news: figured out how to get MIDIOX to send the sysex file, SR18 showed all the right messages for firmware update.

The bad news: It's still bricked. Probably need to get it serviced, which will likely cost more than it's worth.  Oh well.

Thanks again for your help.

Dave_t

Offline Chaser

Re: Alesis SR-18 - where to find firmware update systex file?
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2021, 11:11:49 AM »


"To check if the system is still operating, press and hold the REC button while turning on the drum machine. If the underlying hardware is working you should see "Download Ready" on the screen. In which case you can proceed to try either the OS update or the Factory reset.If you still see nothing, your drum machine is in need of repair."



The good news: figured out how to get MIDIOX to send the sysex file, SR18 showed all the right messages for firmware update.

The bad news: It's still bricked. Probably need to get it serviced, which will likely cost more than it's worth.  Oh well.

Thanks again for your help.

Dave_t

Did you ever get the current Firmware version to show?
If not that may be the problem..nothing to update
V1.02 is an update only..it's not going to restore a full system with banks/presets sounds etc.If you can see a current version then it may depend on what you are using for the updating..MIDI interface...USB/MIDI cable,if any MIDI is getting filtered out or the transfer rate..if it just a blank screen other than the status for updating I would check the power supply and make sure it's correct 12 volt 600ma (.6A) NEG CENTER.
I see a lot of replacements offered that are .5A...
The wrong power supply or a defective one causes odd behavior..

as you mentioned it is likely more expensive to get it fixed than to purchase.The used ones on ebay are well under 200..new is well under 300.