FREE THE TONE PA-1QG, PA-1QB, PA-1QA Programmable Analog 10 Band EQ User Manual

FREE THE TONE PA-1QG, PA-1QB, PA-1QA Programmable Analog 10 Band EQ

Overview of Update Steps

1. Prepare a PC (Windows) or Mac (Macintosh) computer and setup your MIDI interface for data transmission.
2. Download MIDI software (for Mac: SysEx Librarian, for Windows: SendSx) from the specified website and install it on your computer.
3. Download the latest firmware from the Free The Toneʼs website.
4. Connect the PA-1Q series to the MIDI interface and send the firmware to the PA-1Q series by using the installed MIDI software.
5. When the PA-1Q series 【LEVEL】display counts up to “100” and stops, push the 【PARAMETER】encoder switch, and the unit will automatically initialize itself and the firmware update will be completed.　Since the user preset contents are not erased by this process, users can safely do the update.

Firmware Update Procedures

1. Confirmation of Firmware Version

   • Turn on the power to the PA-1Q series.
   • Look at the 【LEVEL】display on the top panel and note the version information shown just after powering up.
   • Turn off the power to the PA-1Q series.
     You will see a number such as “1.00”, etc. If the version number of the firmware to be downloaded from the Free The Tone website is larger than the one you saw on your PA-1Q seriesʼs display, please proceed to the update steps described below. If the version numbers are the same, then the latest firmware has been installed in your unit before shipment from our factory and you do not have to perform firmware update.(It is not possible to write firmware of another model such as PA-1QG firmware to PA-1QB/PA-1QA, or PA-1QB firmware to PA-1QG/PA-1QA)

2. Preparation of Computer and MDI Interface

3. Prepare a PC (Windows) or Mac (Macintosh) computer and a MIDI interface.

4. Connect the computer and the MIDI interface.

5. Download the MIDI interface driver and make data transmission ready.
   At this phase the PA-1Q series and the MIDI interface are not connected.
   Regarding setup procedures for your MIDI interface, please refer to its operation manual. (* Please use a stable data transmissionable MIDI / USB interface cable for connecting a MIDI device to a PC. We recommend Roland USB MIDI Interface UM-ONE mk2 because we use this model for operation tests.)

6. Download of the Latest Firmware for PA-1Q series
   From the Free The Toneʼs website (https://www.freethetone.com/en/support/download/firmware/), download the latest firmware file for the PA-1Q series (PA- 1Q＊Y_FIRMWARE_V＊＊.ZIP) and unzip it.
   (Note that ＊= model number such as G or B, ＊＊= firmware version number.)
   Be sure to write down the name (ex: FIRMWARE) for the download destination folder in which you save the file.
   NOTE: When downloading the file, you may sometimes encounter a message which says that downloading PA-1Q*_FIRMWARE_V＊＊.ZIP can damage your computer. In such a case, ignore the message and continue the download.

7. Download and Installation of MIDI Software
   Mac users: go to page 3.
   Windows users: go to page 7.

For Mac Computer

1. Preparation of MIDI Software

   • Download the freeware “SysEx Librarian” from http://snoize.com/SysExLibrarian/ and save it in any folder.
   • Unzip the downloaded ZIP file and install it.
   • Start SysEx Librarian. The following screen will appear:

2. Configuration of SysEx Librarian
   Select the MIDI interface to be used from the main windowʼs pull-down menu. (Example: When using the Roland USB MIDI Interface UM-ONE mk2, “UM-ONE” will be displayed as shown below. The display will differ depending on the interface, so please refer to the interface manual.) The list of interfaces will not be shown if the MIDI interface is not connected or the MIDI interface driver is not installed correctly. In such a case, please check if the MIDI interface is connected correctly and the driver has been installed.
   When you select the interface to be used, the screen changes to the following one:

3. Selection of Update File

   • Click the “+” (or “Add…” on some versions) button located near the left bottom corner of the main window.
   • Select the latest FUTURE FACTORY firmware file youʼve downloaded.
     After selecting the file, the following message appears. Click the “OK” button.

When the file is successfully read, its file name is listed as shown in the figure below. Click the file name to highlight. Now the file data in your Mac is ready to send.

4. Connecting PA-1Q series and MIDI Interface

   • Connect only the PA-1Q seriesʼs 【MIDI IN】 terminal to the MIDI interfaceʼs 【MIDI OUT】 terminal.
   • While holding down both the 【◀Cursor Key】 and 【▶Cursor Key】 switches on the PA-1Q series, turn on the power to it. The 【PRESET】 display indicates “UP”, 【LEVEL】 display indicates “—” . Now the PA-1Q series is ready to receive the data.

5. Data Transmission
   Click the “Play” button near the left top corner of the SysEx Librarianʼs main screen. Data transmission starts as shown in the figure below.
   The PA-1Q seriesʼs 【LEVEL】 display starts counting up from “000”. Data transmission will complete in about 30 seconds.
   CAUTION!
   NEVER TURN OFF THE POWER TO THE PA-1Q series DURING DATA TRANSMISSION.

6. When the PA-1Q seriesʼs 【LEVEL】display counts up to “100” and stops, press the 【PARAMETER】encoder switch, then the unit will automatically initialize itself and the firmware update will be completed.

For Windows Computer

1. Preparation of MIDI Software

2. Download the shareware “SendSx” from http://www.bome.com/products/sendsx and save it in any folder. You can use it free for a trial period.

3. Unzip the downloaded ZIP file and install it to your computer.

4. Start SendSx. The following screen will appear:
   

5. Configuration of SendSx
   Select the MIDI interface to be used from the “MIDI Out” menu. (Example: When using the Roland USB MIDI Interface UM-ONE mk2, “UM-ONE” will be displayed as shown below. The display will differ depending on the interface, so please refer to the interface manual.) The list of interfaces will not be shown if the MIDI interface is not connected or the MIDI interface driver is not installed correctly. In such a case, please check if the MIDI interface is connected correctly and the driver has been installed.
   
   When you select the interface to be used, its name is shown in the lower half of the screen:
   

6. Selection of Update File

7. Select “Open” from the “File” menu.
   

8. In the file selection window, select the firmware file youʼve downloaded.

When the file is read successfully, a screen that looks like the following will appear. Now your computer is ready for data transmission.

4. Connecting PA-1Q series and MIDI Interface

5. Connect only the PA-1Q seriesʼs 【MIDI IN】terminal to the MIDI interfaceʼs 【MIDI OUT】 terminal.

6. While holding down both the 【◀Cursor Key】 and 【▶Cursor Key】 switches on the PA-1Q series, turn on the power to it. The 【PRESET】 display indicates “UP”, 【LEVEL】 display indicates “—”. Now the PA-1Q series is ready to receive the data.

7. Data Transmission
   Click the Send(F4)” Button located in the lower left section of the SendSxʼs main screen. Data transmission starts as shown in the figure below. After about 5 seconds, the PA-1Q seriesʼs 【LEVEL】display starts counting up from “000”. Data transmission will complete in about 30 seconds.
   CAUTION! NEVER TURN OFF THE POWER TO THE PA-1Q series DURING DATA TRANSMISSION.
   

When the PA-1Q seriesʼs 【LEVEL】display counts up to “100” and stopps, press the【PARAMETER】encoder switch, then the unit will automatically initialize itself and the firmware update will be completed.

References

• Send SX – Bome Software

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