Updating your OS with Linux

Before starting, close all other audio or MIDI or DAW software, and disconnect all other MIDI devices.

This is a user account of the Tempest update procedure using Linux:

"I can confirm that the update works fine from Linux (Fedora Core 15 + Planet CCRMA audio repositories) with an inexpensive USB MIDI Cable (identifies as "Bus 002 Device 006: ID 15ca:0101 Textech International Ltd. MIDI Interface cable" ) and using the command "amidi" to send the Sysex file.

The basic procedure for the above is:

1. Plug in the USB MIDI Adaptor
2. In a terminal screen identify the appropriate port with the command:

amidi -l

The output should be something like:

Dir Device Name
IO hw:2,0,0 USB Midi Cable MIDI 1

(There may be other entries if there is more than one MIDI device)
The Device Port we are interesting in is the second column.

3. Send the Sysex files one by one to the Device identified above
with amidi

amidi -p <Device> -s <File>

So e.g. to send the Main OS file to the device above it would be:

amidi -p "hw:2,0,0" -s Tempest_Main_1.2.0.7.syx

Modulo the catch with the Sysex Cable setting described before the Tempest behaves exactly as with other operating systems. 

The biggest challenge with the particular interface (for me anyway) was the non-intuitive labelling of the MIDI plugs (the device is basically a
cable with USB A plug on one end, a small bulge with some LEDs and two DIN plugs the other end. I checked I had it plugged in the right way by
starting "aseqdump" on the appropriate port (as identified above) and starting the Tempest and swapping the cables until seeing the Clock
messages in the output of aseqdump.

I hope the above is useful.

Thanks for the great update and the Tempest and all of the other great products and looking forward to other great things in the pipeline."

Submitted by:

Rabid Gravy: http://rabidgravy.com/
On Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/rabidgravy
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RabidGravy

Notes from Dave Smith Instruments:

• If you received a "Statuts Byte Received In Data" message, it means some other MIDI message the Tempest was not expecting was sent through your MIDI interface. Make sure all other audio or MIDI or DAW software is closed, and no other MIDI devices are connected. If you continue to receive this message lower your transmit speed and try changing buffer settings if possible.
• After successfully installing the file, restart the Tempest by powering off/on, then send the next OS file to the Tempest. You can check the installed versions of the software by pressing the "System" button on the Tempest and navigating to the "Show System Information" option. The order in which you send the OS files should not make a difference.
• Most MIDI interfaces or sound cards with built-in MIDI interfaces will work. However, we do NOT recommend any Digidesign/Avid interfaces or Native Instruments Maschine for updating our instruments as they do not transmit Sysex correctly for updates. Alternatively, the M-Audio Uno as a cheap and widely available MIDI interface for use when updating your products. You can find them online for as little as $30-$40.
• If you are updating from Main OS 1.0 or 1.1, a new global preferences parameter has been added on the 1.2 Main OS. The "Sysex IN+OUT Cable" parameter sets whether the Tempest receives Sysex update files through the USB or the MIDI DIN port. Make sure to set the parameter to the port you wish to send the updates through after updating to the 1.2 MAIN OS. To do so, press the "Global" button to enter the global parameter preferences. Scroll to the menu item labelled "Sysex IN+OUT Cable" and set it to "USB" or "MIDI".