Chapter 8. Servicing the PT878
Transport® Model PT878 Portable Liquid Flowmeter User’s Manual 195
8.12 Updating PT878 Software
By using a Windows-based PC with an infrared adapter, PT878 users can
update the meter’s operating software without the need to change the
hardware. This software can include the bootloader, FPGA software (timing
software for transit-time), instrument software, the meter string file and the
Help string file. The updating procedure involves three steps:
1. Setting up the PT878 in Flash Update mode.
2. Selecting the loading interface.
3. Loading the new software from the PC into the PT878.
CAUTION! To guard against mishap, you should print out, download
or otherwise record all logs, settings and other data you
wish to save.
IMPORTANT: When uploading new software, the PT878 uses a
“bootloader” program. Be sure that the software you are
installing is compatible with the installed bootloader
version, shown in the “About” option discussed on
page 110. If you need to replace both programs, install the
new bootloader first, before any other software.
With the current bootloader software (version 3.0 and later), two interfaces
are available for sending software to the PT878:
•IrOBEX, a recently introduced Microsoft infrared standard which allows
more straightforward use and faster file transfers, while tolerating IR
interruptions better.
•IrCOMM, an infrared standard supported by certain Microsoft operating
systems.
GE recommends updating software via the IrOBEX standard; however, the
IrCOMM standard is available for users who have problems with IrOBEX.
This section covers procedures for both standards.