Allow Users to Return to BluOS 3.XX While 4.0 is Fixed
While I appreciate all the effort the BlueSound Team put into 4.0, and am interested in the new look and new features (Server Mode) the simple matter is that since I upgraded my Node no longer functions the way it did before.
I took it out of the box on Christmas Day ‘21, connected it to my system and the network and within moments it worked. A few days later, I started ripping my more than 3,500 CDs as I could now access them using the BluOS app on a 2TB drive connected into the back of my Node 2i.
Since that day I have taken it for granted. It always worked. As I added new ripped albums and more than a few downloaded Hi-Res FLAC downloads, the Node 2i reindexed and there they were for me to enjoy.
On Tuesday, while listening to a boxed set of classical music ripped on the HDD, I got the prompt to upgrade to 4.0. I did so without any thought because previous updates went in quickly and perfectly.
Yes, I was one of many that didn’t pick up on the new way the BluOS app would handle a connected USB or HDD. Mea Culpa. That said, I think a better presentation of this new approach would have avoided much of the “I can’t see my HDD files” panic.
Turns out, my Node 2i can see my HDD. It just can’t index it. Something the previous version did probably close to a hundred times over that last few years as I added more ripped files to the HDD.
Despite the best efforts of the member of the support team who has patiently dealt with my many questions, this key function Does Not Work.
My CDs are in storage some distance away. So, rather than me having to go get them, is it not possible for BlueSound to provide a file so that I can go back to the previous version before 4.0
I have every confidence that they will fix this and all the other issues. But in the meantime I would like to be able to use my Node 2i the way I did before.
BlueSound should provide links for the last BluOS 3.00 versions of the Controller firmware and the Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile apps.
[Oct 24, 2023 Update]
I just received the following message in response to my HDD issue from the BlueSound Technical Support Analyst who has been patiently helping me:
”After speaking with our engineering team regarding your specific issue they have been able to replicate it here in our labs. Our engineering team will be looking into this further and be providing a fix for this issue in a future firmware update.
Unfortunately, we here in technical support are not provided a timeline on future development and releases so I can not say for certain when this update will become available. However, rest assured that our engineering team will be doing everything they can to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
Our engineering team may reach out to you directly if they require any further specifics about this issue you are experiencing.”
I have been involved many times with a major upgrade of a platform and the immediate aftermath. Not only from the perspective of a client, but also a representative of the company providing the service, and later on as a VP with a global consulting firm that carried out international transformations. Being the face of the Brand in this situation is not easy.
IMHO, the BlueSound team are doing an excellent job working through these issues, and keeping those who submit trouble tickets well informed.
I’ve lived in the local community where BlueSound is based as part of Lenbrook since the company was first created. They are relatively small team who are quite active in our community. So, I am confident that they will get this done. It may not be as quick as we would like, but they are doing this themselves and not farming the work out offshore.
I also appreciate the tone of this forum. While many of us are frustrated, the people here communicate directly but in a civilized manner. This is a refreshing change to the flame wars driven by keyboard warriors that is the norm pretty much everywhere else.
And that is greatly appreciated by this NAD, PSB, and BlueSound systems owner.
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Official comment
You can change back under, Help & Support, tap User Interface.
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Mike, that only changes the style of the user interface back to 3.0, not the function. If you go into the settings and look under Music Library, you will see that the new 4.0 Server Mode toggle is present.
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And this will only revert back to the previous controller software. We also need the previous version of the firmware. So please Bluesound make a link available to download 3.20.52 firmware for those of us that got an update that is suboptimal, at least until the problems get solved. This would only be "good practice".
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+1
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I have to agree with the above.
My Vault 2 keeps stopping playback mid-track, which renders it useless and makes me ponder alternative products.
Reverting to V3 ASAP would be the least worst approach since it's clear that lots more testing of V4 is required.
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I will never understand why some one wants to change a running system in the first place.
That said, for me it would also be the best fix, just to have a version 3 living beside version 4, permanently.
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Maintaining 2 versions permanently is hell for developers so that won't ever happen.
For now, the best option for a lot of us including myself would be able to revert back to 3.0.
Bluesound should provide and option for willing users to participate in a beta program for 4.0 and release a much more stable 4.1 in the near future.
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I mean if Sonos can have two App versions then surely bluesound can.
But that's beside the point, they should never have made the version 4 in the first place, I mean who asked for it? I surely didn't, I only use my NODE2i for playing my offline wav files, which I have spend 17 years creating.
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How can I revert from this colossal mess? I am trying to sell this NAD C-658 but I can't like this. How can you release something like this?
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I am for more than 10 years a Linux user. Each time (about every month) when a major kernel update happens, you do the install and when you reboot your system, you always have the option to reload the former version of the kernel. This is insurance against fatal bugs slipping through the testing. That I call "good practice".
One would wish this procedure was adopted by a leading company.
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In terms of multiple versions, we have to remember that Bluesound have to maintain controller apps for at least three different platforms, which is a challenge in itself since those platforms are quite different from each other.
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Agreed, but that can mitigated by hiring the right developers for that specific platform. For now it seems they don't have that much development power. Considering all those weird and unnecessary issues it looks like they have small team of developers trying to develop and support too much then what they are capable of.
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It is true that not many suppliers of streamers have as many apps available as Bluesound.
Mostly it's just Android and IOS. This is one of the strenghts of Bluesound.
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Sure it is. But with 4.0 they clearly overlooked the complexity of it all. So now it's one of their weaknesses.
Again, make sure your CORE functionality is working as expected (which it wasn't, looking at all the persisting bugs before 4.0) Then if you need to migrate to a new future proof framework, focus on that first. Make sure nothing of your core functionality breaks AND squash some old bugs that couldn't be fixed on the old framework. That would make people happy. You earn goodwill. Then, if everything is stable, make GUI changes. Involve your users, make it so that they can revert to the old GUI and people will be alot happier.
Don't try to do it all at once.
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If only we knew what the actual intent and implementation strategy have been.
Is this about migrating to a new, future-proof framework, or is it just about making the existing one better?
After all, the hardware platforms are still the same.
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I was also asking in this thread and Matt S. replied:
"Re: the BluOS 4.0 launch - it is both a wholesome UI overhaul, and knocks off some of the outstanding feature improvement requests. What we're most excited about with 4.0 is that it sets us up on the backend to develop the features our customers ask for in a much more focused and efficient way going forward. "
and
"Not too many more details available in regards to the backend improvements but it's probably not too difficult for you see through the 'marketing talk'. Simply put, a more friendly handshake between BluOS (which runs the Players) and the Apps (which let you tell BluOS what to do with your Player). Easier for our devs to work with = gained efficiencies in development timelines.
How will customers benefit from that? We'll be able to implement features down the road that we just couldn't on the previous platform (ex. Playlist editing, Settings Menu overhaul, etc). More info on all of that soon."
So I guess we'll "soon" hear more? His last activity on this forum was 2 months ago lol :P
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Hi Ian
Your VAULT issue is answered here; https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/18490369188247
Is this about migrating to a new, future-proof framework
Yes this is always our primary purpose for updating your product
His last activity on this forum was 2 months ago
Matt's a busy guy Bodi but only one of our Sr. Staff who monitors ALL activity on this Community site.
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We don't know that Tony. When somebody pops up in the forum asking for things and then suddenly keeps quiet for 2 months that's weird. Either you engage and keep engaged with you userbase or you don't. The least you guys can do is keep us updated on the outstanding issues, next steps, when are things getting fixed, when is the next bugfix coming out, what's gonna be solved in that bugfix, what are the priorities you're working on. We're left in the dark here.
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Hi Tony
Many thanks.
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As Bodi is intimating, what we all want to know is where we go from here.
In a corporate environment, if a software release is unsatisfactory but doesn't bring business to a halt, then management have the choice to either persevere or roll back and the users just have to accept whatever decision is made. In the case of Bluesound, the users have the additional choice of changing to a different product from a different supplier.
Just saying....
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Ian - please know we are listening... My colleague (and friend) for the past 8 years Andrew had this to say on the matter on Friday; https://support1.bluesound.
com/hc/en-us/community/posts/ 18325307448343-BluOS-4-0- Failure-to-Launch-?page=3# community_comment_ 18399415405335 we did 2 betas, over 2 months worldwide to work through issues. And with 80 devices and a large significant amount of change it is hard to find everything. We are internally not satisfied and will work to improve, but as this is the largest release we have ever done we are proud of what we have accomplished as a team.
Thanks for your patience and understanding.
That being said, look for App updates in the next 24-48 hours for iOS, Android and the Desktop App for Windows and macOS. Admittedly we did not get everything in these updates coming and look for more soon, but we want to get as many fixes out as quickly as possible.0 -
For me personally the next update is make it or break it. What I'll be keeping an eye on is USB folder navigation which basically is a simple file explorer. Any developer worth anything considers this to be a core function and if it's not fixed that tells me all I need to know.
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Hi Tony
Thank you for this. Perhaps Bodi will also appreciate this.
Please, however, don't forget reverse gear. Sometimes it's the better option if what lies ahead is unclear and potentially fraught with additional problems. Major fixes to major problems don't always work out correctly if rushed through (seen it all before), and the disruption currently being experienced is as major as it can get.
I'll shut-up now.
Best Wishes,
Ian
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What a disaster. I knew that Blusesound concentrated on audio quality at the expense of usability but..... I naively upgraded my Windows+node+vault+USB backup+speakers to v4 trusting (!!!!) that the Bluesound software testing process was competent. Utterly and completely wrong. I have now wasted 2 days attempting to re-index vault data (failed) and restore backed up playlists (impossible because the USB backup drive has been corrupted). Somehow in that mess all my vault data (several hundred CDs) disappeared. Everything has been lost and it will take hundreds of manhours to recreate. If Tony W represents Bluesound he should be ashamed of himself saying he is proud of what has been accomplished. He clearly does not understand the appalling impact on customers of Bluesounds inadequate testing process and the inevitable direct consequence that future sales will plummet. If any of my staff had displayed that attitude action would be take instantly.
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Do you have the ability to access your Vault's hard drive on a Windows PC? It should show as a network drive.
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yes it is mapped to the pc. but it is showing 1 music folder which I cannot delete (error 0x800710FE). the node library shows 4 folders and the vault thinks its got zero songs.......
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Why would you delete Music? That's where your rips all live.
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I don't think I deleted anything .... but who knows - i attempted to use the android Bluos controller and also the windows 11 controller to re-index etc and although I don't think so , it is possible that I did something bad unknowingly.
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Have you looked in your Recycle Bin for deleted rips?
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If the index is b*ggered, the Vault might not find anything.
To your recollection, have you accessed the Music folder in Windows and set about deleting its contents.
Additionally, do you use the BluOS back-up routine to back up the Vault on your USB backup drive?
If so, how do you know that your back-up drive is corrupted given that it's something that can't be read using a Windows PC due to its different formatting?
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