Unitiserve software version?

How can I find out what software version I have on my Unitiserve 2TB? It looks like I need to do incremental updates rather than just update to latest version. I’m in the process of upgrading the software/firmware of both my Unitiserve and Unitiqute2. The latter doesn’t have native Tidal on it but appears to have firmware 4.4 on it. I thought it should have had Tidal on it at this firmware version!?

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The latest Unitiserve firmware is 1.7c. You need to get this from your dealer, or directly from Naim, who can post you a CD. You need to be on the previous version, 1.7b, which is still available on the product web page, before loading 1.7c, as you cannot skip firmware versions.
Your streamer firmware should give you Tidal, as this was introduced in version 4.4, but the latest is 4.7, and I would suggest updating to that in any case, and then see if Tidal is there. You can do this straight from 4.4. This assumes that your Unitiqute is not the old version with a 24/96 streaming board. This needs a hardware upgrade to a 24/192 board to run Tidal.

To add to what Chris says, if you or the previous owner went to 4.4 on your UQ2 without putting 4.3 on first, then Tidal etc will be missing. This was an oversight by Naim when they prepared the 4.4 update.

But as Chris says, if you now apply 4.7 then all will be fine again.

And it’s essential to do the 1.7c update on your Unitiserve as this fixes several problems caused by the demise of the AMG metadata lookup service. You can check what software version you are on using either the Naim n-serve app for IOS, n-serve for Mac or the Windows DTC, which you can download from the Naim website.

Best

David

Thanks for the replies chaps. How do I know which board is in my UQ2. It’s serial number starts 381xxx and there’s a paper sticker on the back 4.4.0 so I need to go to 4.7 it seems. Might not be any point if the board won’t support Tidal though.

Looks like the Unitiserve is at 1.7b

In the front panel display menu you can find the info you need:

24bit/192kHz
capable streamers are
identified by displaying
3DXXXXX in the “BC SW” line
of their System Status screen
(Setup > Factory Settings >
System Status).

That makes life easier, you just need to load 1.7c

I’ve checked your post Chris. I’ve now established I have 1.7b on the Unitiserve and 4.4 on the UQ2 and confirm the BC SW line starts with 3DXXXXX so looks like the 4.3 step was either bypassed or the unit was built as 4.4 standard. However, looks like I should be able to get to Tidal native on the UQ2. Just one other question. Is there anything else I need to update before I install 1.7b and 4.7? Drivers etc?

Why is 1.7c only available on a disk supplied by name and not through the support pages? That’s going to have to wait till after christmas now.

All Unitiqute 2s have the 192 kHz board.

You need to get the 1.7c firmware disc by phoning Naim technical support or your dealer may have it.

Regarding 4.7 you don’t need any drivers except that your PC/Mac will need to be able to see the UQ2 through the USB port and you do need drivers for that. It’s all explained in the instructions with the update. Exactly what you need depends on your model of PC/Mac.
Best

David

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Naim haven’t really explained why, but it’s something to do with making sure they are available to support you as you do the update because server updates can be hard to unscramble if they go wrong (but the Unitiserve updates always worked fine for me!)

Best
David

The 1.7c update improves the speed and possibly accuracy of CD metadata lookups, but I found that mine ran perfectly well on 1.7b, so it should be fine for a couple more weeks.

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Yes as Chris says it’s about metadata lookup. 1.7b uses AMG and if no response from that then goes to MusicBrainz and then finally Freedb. If it doesn’t find metadata anywhere it queues the job and has another go later.

But the AMG lookup closed a few years ago and so 1.7b will never find it now, and you lose time while it waits in vain until it times out every time you do a rip. And the AMG queue of unknown discs gradually gets added to until one day it can’t get any longer and the server hangs.

But as Chris says a couple of weeks is fine. I would leave ripping hundreds or thousands of albums until after you have 1.7c though.

Best

David

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Right then. I’ll crack on and get the UQ2 firmware update sorted. Thanks. Ian.

It’s been a while chaps!

I have not visited the Forum for about 5 years for various reasons and now I need some assistance with my UServe (2012).

Reading your post David makes me wonder if my UServe is hanging in start up mode for the reason you outline, l.e., I have not upgraded the software for some time and when I recently turned it off and on, I get the continuous quick flashing of the logo. It has currently been slashing since 20.30 this evening, it is now 00.10.

It was last updated about 4 years ago by my dealer when the external power lead needed replacing, so it is certainly lagging behind. As it seems to be in constant start up mode, the UServe can not be detected, so I can’t tell you what the current update is.

Do you think this could be the problem though?

An old firmware version should not prevent your Unitiserve from running. It’s worth updating it, but the flashing logo indicates a fault which you need to deal with first.

Thanks Chris, I thought it might be something more serious…it’s still flashing this morning.

It’s been very reliable thus far despite some of the well documented issues some owners have endured. I will hale my dealer here in Oslo, it will probably require a trip back to Salisbury.

This could just be a dead battery, in which case you should ask your dealer if they are able to replace it rather than sending it to Salisbury.

I agree with Chris. If you have access to a VGA monitor, you can plug it into the back of the US, restart it and then see at what point in the startup it hangs.

Changing the battery is simple to do if you would be confident about doing it in a PC. It’s the same steps basically. You would also need a PS2 keyboard to tell the Unitiserve to use the default Naim bios settings. If your dealer can’t help, a Naim colleague @NeilS often advises people on how to make the change if they would have some difficulty getting their unit back to Salisbury.

Best

David

Thanks David, I will try this first.