Bricked WTC, any hope?

[S-F]

I have a W2C and I bricked it trying to update the firmware on a Windows 7 machine. Not until later did I see that you need to conduct the procedure with an XP machine. The thing no longer lights up or does anything really. Well, except take up space that is. Is there any chance of getting it back on its feet? Google fails me completely in this quest.

Thanks all.

[Pete]

Maybe not.

I have 4 USB Way2Call devices and 1 serial Way2Call device and have never upgraded them and they all have worked fine for me.

I am currently using two of them right now.

Never saw a procedure here; but then again never looked.

BUT we do need some Homeseer user widgets documentation that is accessible to all.

I propose that the documents are named.....with some catchy never forget type catch phase.....

The "old fashioned" way to update firmware is to connect a serial link to the motherboard, interupt the boot and manually transfer the firmware. That said I have not seen any W2C users do this here to date.

[Uncle Michael]

I have a W2C and I bricked it trying to update the firmware . . . Is there any chance of getting it back on its feet? Google fails me completely in this quest.

I suspect your best hope is to try contacting the manufacturer. They may be able to help you with an undocumented fix or be willing to do a repair - for a price, of course.

[S-F]

I suspect your best hope is to try contacting the manufacturer. They may be able to help you with an undocumented fix or be willing to do a repair - for a price, of course.

Yeah I was afraid of that. Their forums are a ghost town. I'll send them an email I guess.

Thanks guys.

[Wadenut]

W2Cs do show up for good prices periodically on Ebay. Best right now looks like about 150.

[Bestgear]

You could probably locate the eprom on the pcb and just flash it directly....

Eprom proggys are cheap these days.

David

[lhfarm]

I suspect your best hope is to try contacting the manufacturer. They may be able to help you with an undocumented fix or be willing to do a repair - for a price, of course.

A few years back (still on HS2) my Way2Call died and I contacted the manufacture. They did not offer a repair program. Basically told me to send it to recycling. I did. It was/is a great product, but I didn't care for the attitude and haven't invested in another.

Barry

[S-F]

You could probably locate the eprom on the pcb and just flash it directly....

Eprom proggys are cheap these days.

David

Yes, well.... I think that one might be a little beyond me.

A few years back (still on HS2) my Way2Call died and I contacted the manufacture. They did not offer a repair program. Basically told me to send it to recycling. I did. It was/is a great product, but I didn't care for the attitude and haven't invested in another.

Barry

Good to know. I haven't tried calling them yet. Really this thing never worked properly for me and I can accomplish most of what I need with a $10 modem and UltraCID. I understand why HST was not intending to port HSPhone to HS3. The W2C is pricy, persnickety and for a niche market.

[Pete]

Personally have owned some four of these devices over the last 10+ years. The original serially connected (not USB) did work with the first version of Homeseer.

That said too I never attempted to updated the firmware as it worked fine with stock firmware.

Here too never really utilized the Homeseer remote phone control / answering machine functions of said device / HSPhone.

Its been a few years now but here removed answering machine / busy signal call waiting and other extra features on my copper lines.

Folks hear a busy signal on my copper lines if I am using them which is my preference as I do prefer no interuptions when using the phone.

The firmware in my Leviton OmniPro II has similiar features relating to remove control and I never utilized those features.

The device features are based mostly on copper connected phone line use.

Many folks are moving away from this to using primarily VOIP or Cellular phones.

A plugin that would work with a commonly used Asterisk / other VOIP software would be nice but most folks too just utilize off the shelf from whoevery / whatever ISP. These boxes are locked down and you could just use the W2C box on the phone wires coming from the boxes.

Personally here still have copper and have added multiple VOIP lines and shut off / forward my cell to my copper when at home. I do utilize my cell phone(s) in the home; never have though.