Firmware Updates

The RTC supports over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates for both itself and the connected base station. Updates are downloaded over WiFi from LF Audio's update servers and installed automatically.

Updating the RTC

When Connected to a Base Station

If the RTC is connected to a base station, the update uses the base station's WiFi credentials automatically:

1. Long-press the screen or encoder button to open the menu
2. Select Advanced
3. Select Update Firmware
4. The RTC connects to the base station's WiFi network, checks for a newer firmware version, and downloads it if available
5. Progress is shown on screen as a percentage
6. Once the download and installation are complete, the RTC automatically restarts with the new firmware

When Not Connected to a Base Station

You can update the RTC's firmware even without a base station connection. The RTC will try to connect using saved WiFi credentials, or guide you through selecting a network:

1. Long-press the screen or encoder button to open the menu
2. Select Advanced
3. Select Update Firmware
4. The RTC tries to connect in this order:
   • Cached base station WiFi: credentials saved automatically from previous connected updates
   • Most recently used saved network: only the most recent of your saved custom networks is attempted automatically. If it cannot connect, the WiFi discovery wizard opens so you can pick a different one.
   • WiFi discovery wizard: if no cached or saved credentials are stored, the wizard opens immediately so you can select a network. If a cached credential is stored but its network can't be found, the RTC retries 3 times then reboots so you can try again.
5. The update proceeds the same as a connected update

WiFi Discovery Wizard

If the RTC needs to connect to a new WiFi network for updates, the WiFi discovery wizard walks you through the process:

1. The RTC scans for available WiFi networks
2. A list of detected networks appears, sorted by signal strength
   • Networks you have previously saved are marked with a star
   • Encrypted networks show a lock icon; open (unsecured) networks have no lock and skip the password entry step
   • Select Enter Manually at the top to type in a hidden network name
3. Select a network from the list
4. Enter the WiFi password using the character wheel: rotate the encoder or swipe to select characters, then press the encoder or tap to confirm each one
5. The RTC connects to the network and begins the update

Managing Saved WiFi Networks

You can view and manage your saved WiFi credentials in Settings > WiFi:

• View your saved networks and the cached base station WiFi
• Remove individual saved networks
• Add a new network manually
• Clear the cached base station WiFi credentials

The cached base station WiFi is written automatically the first time a base-station-connected update succeeds, and is cleared on a factory reset. Your manually saved networks are kept across factory resets; they are only removed when you explicitly remove them here.

During the Update

• The screen shows the current status message and download progress
• Do not power off the RTC or base station during the update
• The update process typically completes within a few minutes depending on your WiFi speed. The RTC firmware binary is roughly 2 MB; on a typical home WiFi connection the download takes about 10 to 30 seconds, with the install step adding another 10 to 20 seconds before the restart
• A brief WiFi problem no longer ends the update. If your network does not accept the first connection attempt, the RTC tries again, up to three attempts, and the screen shows which attempt it is on
• If the download is interrupted, it resumes from where it stopped rather than starting over, and the screen shows Resuming download with the percentage it reached. The download also gets three attempts before the update gives up
• Every downloaded update is verified before it is installed, so an interrupted or corrupted download can never be flashed
• Once all three attempts are used up, the update stops, reports what went wrong, and the RTC restarts so you can retry
• After the RTC restarts on its new firmware, it reconnects to the base station automatically. If your system is part of a multi-zone mesh, the other zones stay live throughout the update; only the unit being updated drops off the link, and the encoder on each remaining unit keeps controlling its own zones during the gap

If the Update Fails

• The RTC will display an error message explaining what went wrong
• Common issues include WiFi connectivity problems or being unable to reach the update server
• You can safely retry the update; a failed update does not affect the currently installed firmware
• Make sure you are within range of your WiFi network and that the network has internet access
• If the RTC cannot join a network (for example the saved password is wrong, or the network is no longer reachable), it retries up to three times before giving up. The screen shows the reason on each attempt, such as "Connection failed (connection refused) - retrying in 3", and after the last attempt shows "Update failed" with that reason before restarting. After the restart you can re-enter credentials from the WiFi Discovery Wizard or remove the bad entry from Settings > WiFi
• If the update server rate-limits the RTC ("Update check rate-limited - try again later"), wait a few minutes before retrying. This protects the update infrastructure from rapid polling

Repairing the Firmware (Repair Firmware)

A normal Update Firmware only installs a firmware version newer than the one already on your RTC. Once you are on the latest version, it reports that you are up to date and stops without reinstalling. That leaves no way to fix an installation that finished in a bad state.

Repair Firmware, in the same Advanced menu, installs the latest published firmware even when the RTC is already up to date:

1. Make sure the RTC is showing the main volume screen
2. Long-press to open the menu
3. Select Advanced
4. Select Repair Firmware
5. The RTC connects to WiFi and installs the latest published firmware, using the same saved WiFi networks, status messages, and progress display as a normal update

Use this to repair an update that was interrupted, or firmware that is misbehaving, or when LF Audio support asks you to.

If you are already on the latest version, Repair Firmware reinstalls that same version over the top. If a newer version has been published since, it installs the newest one, exactly as Update Firmware would.

Updating the Base Station

You can also trigger a firmware update for the connected base station directly from the RTC:

1. Make sure the RTC is connected to the base station (you should see the main volume screen)
2. Long-press to open the menu
3. Select Advanced
4. Select Update Base
5. The RTC sends an update request to the base station
6. The base station will then handle its own update process: connecting to WiFi, downloading, and installing
7. The RTC monitors and displays the base station's update progress

Update Base requires the base station to be running a firmware version that understands the update request. WVC base stations on firmware 1.0 or newer accept it; older units will silently ignore the request and the RTC will fall back to updating its own firmware instead (see "If the base station doesn't respond" below). If you're not sure of your base station's firmware version, check Base Info from the main menu.

If the base station doesn't respond

If the RTC sends an "Update Base" request but the base station goes silent (no progress updates for about 30 seconds, or 5 minutes total without finishing), the RTC will automatically fall back to updating its own firmware instead. The screen will then show the RTC's update progress rather than the base station's.

This safety fallback prevents the RTC from getting stuck waiting on a base station that may not have been able to start its own update. If you see the RTC update itself after pressing Update Base, retry Update Base afterwards once both devices are back online to actually update the base station.

Checking Your Current Version

You can view the RTC's firmware and hardware versions in System Info from the main menu. To check the base station's firmware version, open Base Info from the main menu.

How Updates Work

The RTC asks LF Audio's update server which firmware version applies to its hardware. The server can return one of three responses: a new firmware build to install, an "up to date" confirmation if no newer build is published for this hardware, or a "rate-limited - try again later" response if the RTC has been polling too frequently. Each response is reflected on the RTC's screen. If a newer build is available, the firmware is downloaded and installed. The RTC verifies that the downloaded firmware is complete and valid before switching over to it, so an interrupted download can never leave you with a half-installed build.

The LF Audio AuralSync app also shows firmware changelogs so you can see what's new in each update.

Version History

4.7.0

• Fixed a rare case where voltage, temperature, and volume could all briefly read zero on the main screen.
• Faster live readings, and smoother FFT and oscilloscope views, when the RTC has a strong link to the base station. The base station now feeds a strongly connected RTC up to about 16 updates per second on the audio views (previously 4) and on the live readings (previously 10). Requires base station firmware 4.7.0 or newer; the rate is only ever raised, never lowered.
• The faster link now re-establishes itself reliably after a reconnect, so the RTC does not get stuck on the slower link.
• Wireless reliability improvements for systems with several paired devices.

4.6.0

• Faster live readings and audio views when the RTC is close enough to the base station for a strong signal. The RTC and the base station negotiate the faster link automatically and fall back to the standard long-range link if the signal weakens, so range is never traded away for speed. Requires base station firmware 4.6.0 or newer.
• The RTC now also displays readings from a WTH temperature hub.
• The display now restarts itself if it hits an internal error, instead of going dark until you power-cycle it.

4.4.2

• New signal-strength meter on the main screen, so you can see the strength of the link to your base station at a glance.
• The Equalizer view now shows the live RCA input voltage for each channel.

4.4.1

• Simpler pairing: the setup wizard no longer asks you to choose a setup mode. Press the button on your device three times, until the light flashes, and the RTC does the rest, without disturbing your base station's existing settings or other paired controllers.
• The RTC now finds LF Audio devices by scanning for them. If it finds only one it connects automatically; if it finds several it shows a list so you can choose. It can now pair with an SSA analyzer as well as a WVC base station, and shows the analyzer's per-channel names on the audio views.
• You can now reach the menu, Settings, and Update Firmware before pairing, so an RTC with no base station can still be updated over WiFi.

4.4.0

• New Repair Firmware option in the Advanced menu: install the latest published firmware even when you are already up to date, to repair an interrupted or misbehaving installation.
• New Volume Floor control in Base Settings, which keeps the lowest usable volume controllable instead of dropping away to near-silence. Requires base station firmware 4.4.1 or newer.

4.1.6

• Improved firmware-update reliability: the remote now reliably reconnects after a base station update, and briefly shows the base station's update result before checking for its own update.

4.1.5

• The remote now remembers which channel group it was controlling after a restart.
• Channel group names update on the remote right away when you rename them from the app or base station.
• Stability improvements.

4.1.4

• Channel groups set "Relative to" another group again show the volume percentage you set on the dial (the ring still shows the actual playing level, with a dimmer band marking your setting).
• Switching between percent and decibel now updates the reading immediately.

4.1.3

• Volume rings now show the real playing level for channel groups set "Relative to" another group, with a dimmer band marking where you set the dial.

4.1.2

• Fixed a visual artifact in the setup wizard.
• The pairing reminder is now aware of the current mode.
• Improved connection reliability.

4.1.1

• Fixed the encoder press occasionally not selecting the highlighted item in the settings menus.
• The settings menu now always opens at the top item when you return to it.

4.1.0

• New Volume Mode setting: choose how the encoder changes volume. Normal keeps the existing behavior. Vibration Guard requires a deliberate run of turns before volume starts changing, so heavy bass or vibration in a loud install cannot change the volume on its own. Locked disables volume changes from the encoder entirely until you switch back.
• The remote now stays fully responsive after connecting to a base station.