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 FW Update
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 FW Update
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
• If the update can't reach the server or stops receiving data, a stage-specific timeout (5 to 30 seconds depending on the stage) will cancel it and the RTC will restart 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 connects to a network but the password is wrong (or the network is no longer reachable at the saved credential), the screen shows a brief "Update failed - WiFi idle" or "Update failed - hardware error" message, then the RTC restarts. 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

Reinstalling the Current Version (Force FW Update)

A normal FW Update 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.

Force FW Update, in the same Advanced menu, re-downloads and reinstalls the latest published version 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 Force FW Update
5. The RTC connects to WiFi and reinstalls the current published firmware, using the same saved WiFi networks, status messages, and progress display as a normal update

Use this to recover an interrupted update, or to re-apply the latest firmware (for example if LF Audio support asks you to). It reinstalls the current version rather than installing a different one.

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 ESP32 OTA library checks that the downloaded image is complete and valid before swapping it in.

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

Version History

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.