1010.5 Firmware Update for hw-Q70R/hw-Q80R/hw-Q90R Soundbars

[Estevez1979]

Good morning friends.

I've performed the firmware update for my HW-Q90R soundbar.

Given that there is no official statement from Samsung with the details of the update  I would like to check with the community what new features have been included.

- How can I check now the firmware version on the bar, to check if the rears are updated as well? In the past just by holding the sound mode button on the remote with the soundbar off the different versions appeared on the display.

Now it is not case. Now by holding sound mode for 5 seconds with the bar off it enables a new functionality: Test Tone

NEW FEATURES

- EARC functionality is enabled, this is great.

- Test tone: What it this for? It performs a test of the sound of the different channels, is it useful for anything else?

- Now in the sources appeared TV SPEAKERS, what is this for?

I would like to check specially if the update has included any update of the rears and subwoffer

[MarceloFM]

Turn off the sound bar.
Hold down the button on the remote control labelled with the gear symbol for 5 seconds (the button you use to change the sound levels such as treble).
The sound bar will turn on and the numbers will begin to scroll.
This works for the HW Q90R model.

[E11]

Hi

My SmartThings app shows 1010.5 128 (not 128R)

I checked the version and I got the same numbers. However, I did not see "earc" scrolling past.

M-0128.0
B-1010.5
H-0051.0
FD-0040.0
W-0241.0
S-0136.0
RR-0136.0
RL-0136.0

By the way my TV is LG B8 which has no eARC functionality. Could this be the reason why I'm not seeing earc scrolling past in my hw-Q90R soundbar? Or my soundbar has not still not got eARC update because the update process was faulty?

[johnGR]

Hi MarceloFM. We have the exact same readings. Some people have 241 in W and some 240. Maybe it has to do with the previous firmware. My soundbar comes from 1007.9 and after the update the W was 240. I guess the same applies to you. Maybe W-241 have those that come from 1008 firmware? I am not sure yet.

[Estevez1979]

I come from 1008 firmware and I have W-241

[johnGR]

Ok, my suspicion is verified.
I believe that there will be only one firmware from Samsung, and that is 1010.5 for everybody.
The difference will be in W. Those who update from 1008 firmware will have W-0241.0 and those who update from 1007.9 will have W-0240.0.
We will know for sure when Samsung upload the usb file in their official site.

[MarceloFM]

Hi JohnGR,

My previous firmware version was 1008. I am positive because I updated it myself via USB. I also updated the subwoofer and rear speakers, although at the time I did not know there was a way to check the version numbers, so I don't know what numbers I had previously. SmartThings displayed 1008 as expected. I never had any disconnection issues because I updated the soundbar to 1008 as soon as I removed it from the package.

My subwoofer is stuck on W-0240.0. I tried updating it again (3 times). Even paired it again. No difference. Also no issues either, so I am not worried.

[MarceloFM]

JohnGR,

Could it be because I updated to 1008 via USB? at the time this version was not available via SmartThings app, which is why I opted for downloading it and updated via USB.

[johnGR]

MarceloFM , what firmware did your sound bar have before you update it to 1008 by usb?

[mauromol]

Maybe we could write to Samsung support to ask about the differences between W-0240.0 and W-0241.0 and if it's the desired behaviour that those coming from 1007.9 in general have W-0240.0 while those coming from 1008.0 in general have W-0241.0...

I wrote today a request to Italian Samsung support via e-mail for this, but since I'm not very confident to get an appropriate answer, if many of us try to write to their local Samsung support dept maybe someone will get a proper response 😉

[MarceloFM]

@johnGR, I can't remember what version I had before 1008. I didn't care much to memorize or take note because I updated it to 1008 immediately upon arrival 😞 I was quite concerned about the disconnection issues people all over the Internet were reporting and and wanted to start with an updated soundbar to see if any problems manifested, in which case I would have returned it within the first 30 days.