empeg-car software beta-10a release.

* Versions:

empeg-car player 0.86
emplode          0.86
empegUpgrade	 0.86
emptool		 0.83
kernel           2.2.14-rmk5-np17-empeg22

* Notes

*  General

This release makes changes to the configuration of your empeg-car that will
not be revoked by installing a version prior to beta8b.

When submitting bug reports to bugs@empeg.com please put each bug in a
separate email - this helps us to classify bugs and to archive the reports
when the bugs have been fixed.

Release notes are not cumulative. If you are upgrading by more than one
release then please read each set of release notes. These are available at
http://www2.empeg.com/upgrades/test/all_notes.html

You should not run this version of the player with an earlier release of
emplode or this version of emplode with an earlier release of the player.

*  Installation

Download either the consumer or developer images and emplode (or emptool)
from the empeg-car upgrades site.

You should install the new emplode or emptool before installing this
release. If you fail to do so your empeg-car unit will not function and it
will be necessary to apply the upgrade again using the correct version of
empegUpgrade or upgclient.

Remove the power connector from your empeg-car and connect your empeg-car
to your computer using the supplied serial cable. Do _not_ reconnect the
power to your empeg-car.

The upgrade can be installed by serial only. Select Upgrade empeg-car
software from the Tools menu and either enter or browse for the upgrade
file. Click Next and select the serial port that your unit is connected
to. Click Next again.

When the upgrade program displays "Finding Unit" plug in the empeg-car
power connector. The upgrade should then be applied.

* Changes:

*  player:

For safety reasons a full screen text visual will be selected automatically 
when the unit is powered on in-car. A graphical visual can still be
selected but this is entirely at your own risk. Please do not report this
as a bug.

The information visual used when not in-car is now restored correctly on
power up.

The player no longer crashes when selecting a visual in radio or auxillary
mode.

The mute setting is no longer being reset when switching input channels.

The player now deals better with files that are not MP3. If it does not
find two valid MP3 frames in succession within the first 32K of the file it
will assume that the file is not an MP3 and display a message to that
effect.

Playlist end behaviour has been improved. If a unit is powered down when at 
the end of a playlist then it will be at the beginning of the playlist next 
time it is powered up. Pressing play in either case will cause the playlist 
to play again from the start.

The now & next visual has been rearranged slightly.

Other minor changes.

*  emplode:

When requested to play an item from within emplode the player will now
switch on first if necessary.

The USB driver will now install just as easily on Windows 2000 as on
Windows 98.

0xffffff92 errors during stages 9, 10 and 11 when using serial should now
be fixed.

Other minor changes.

*  empegUpgrade:

Minor changes.

*  emptool

No changes.

*  developer

The kernel has been upgraded to a 2.2.14 derivative.

When in-car the baud rate is now set to 4800 once the player gets running.

* Known bugs:

The empeg hangs if connected via USB to a machine that is switched
off. Removing the USB cable fixes the problem.

The emplode install program doesn't restart the computer when necessary to
ensure that the empeg-car device is found. This is not always essential.

The emplode program doesn't check whether files are valid MP3 files before
downloading.

The same PIN may be entered for more than one tune/playlist - the empeg-car
will play the first one it finds.

Plugging more than empeg-car into a single machine via USB may confuse
emplode.

It is not currently possible to play WAV files on the unit.

Mike Crowe 2000/03/25 18:05 GMT
mac@empeg.com