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Installing and Updating Q-SYS Software and Firmware

Q-SYS consists of multiple pieces of hardware running Q-SYS firmware and a Q-SYS design file (on the Core). The design file is created and maintained by Q-SYS Designer software installed on a PC. When creating or maintaining a design file, Q-SYS Designer on the PC and the Q-SYS firmware on the system's hardware must be the same release version.

If you attempt to load a design file onto a Core and a mismatch of software and firmware is detected, you are given the opportunity to update the hardware to the firmware associated with the Q-SYS Designer software running on your PC. If you choose to update the firmware, all of the Q-SYS hardware identified in the design receives the firmware update automatically. This design feature of Q-SYS ensures that all of the hardware pieces are quickly and easily kept synchronized with the same firmware version without having to individually update each piece.

NOTE:  Anti-virus software may have an impact on some Q-SYS Designer operations.

ClosedInstalling Q-SYS Designer

To install Q-SYS Designer on your PC, download the installation files from the QSC web site. The file downloaded from the website is the latest released version.

Follow the instructions provided in the installation program.

ClosedInstalling Multiple Copies of Q-SYS Designer on a Single PC

To install multiple copies, or versions, of Q-SYS Designer on your PC:

  1. After the first release version of Q-SYS Designer is installed, rename the following folder:

    2. C:\Program Files\QSC Audio\Q-SYS Designer or C:\Program Files (x86)\QSC Audio\Q-SYS Designer

    This folder is the default installation folder. If you installed the first copy in a different location, rename that folder.

  2. Install the second copy of Q-SYS Designer. You can use the default location or specify a new location.

IMPORTANT:   The installation program uninstalls any copy of Q-SYS Designer in a subdirectory defined during the installation process. Simply selecting different installation directories during the installation process will not allow you to install multiple copies.

ClosedInstalling Older Versions Q-SYS Designer Software

At times you may have to work on a design file that was created in an older version of Q-SYS Designer. You may not want to update the design file to the latest version of Q-SYS Designer. To open the design file without updating the file's software version, you need to install an older version of Q-SYS Designer on your PC. There are two ways to accomplish this:

ClosedUpdating Q-SYS Designer

Periodically, a new version of Q-SYS Designer is released. The design files you have created using earlier versions of Q-SYS Designer can be opened with newer versions of Q-SYS Designer. However, some of the components may have changes or new features added that cause your designs to act somewhat differently than originally designed.

Designs that created with newer versions and opened by older versions of Q-SYS Designer may very likely be incompatible with the older version of software. It is recommended that you use the same version of software as the design, or a newer version.

Be sure to check the Release Notes for any important notices concerning upgrading.

For software updates, click here.

ClosedUpdating Core Firmware

Included with the Q-SYS Designer software is the latest version of the Q-SYS firmware. When you install a new version of Q-SYS Designer software on your PC, and then "Load from Core and Connect" or "Save to Core and Run" with an earlier version of firmware on the Core, Q-SYS Designer detects the mismatch and alerts you that the hardware needs to be updated.

Deploying a design to a system that has a different version of firmware than the version of Q-SYS Designer running on the PC results in automatically changing the firmware of all the Cores and peripherals that are in the design to match the software version of Q-SYS Designer.

IMPORTANT:   This option takes a while to complete, especially on large systems. During this time, the system cannot be used. Therefore, it is a good idea to plan this operation when the system is not being used or is at its lowest traffic point. Be sure to read the Release Notes.

Choosing Update Core will:

  1. Update the Primary Core - and reboot.
  2. Update the Backup Core (if present) and reboot.
  3. Update all the I/O Frames in the design, in parallel, and reboot.
ClosedBackups

Q-SYS Designer does not provide automatic backups of the design files. However, it is good practice to save the final version of the design in a safe place. As an installer, or designer, you may want to archive a copy of the design file in a safe place, and possibly give a backup copy to the venue management. The Q-SYS Designer software, firmware and design file are all saved on the Core, and typically that is enough. However if the Core is destroyed, a good backup is your only recourse.

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