Written by Paul McGowan
The PS Audio Network Bridge connects the PerfectWave DAC and the DirectStream DAC to a home network. It is a slide in PCB and the upgrade of its firmware is reasonably easy to do. If your Bridge is installed in a PerfectWave DAC and you are upgrading to a DirectStream DAC, it will be necessary to also upgrade the Bridge firmware to communicate with DirectStream. The latest Bridge firmware is backwards compatible and will work with either model of DAC.
Bridge version 0.2.15 is now available. Your firmware update button on the DAC front panel touch screen should become active today. Just press it to upgrade bridge firmware.
You will need: A uninterrupted ethernet link to the Bridge while the update takes place.
To see the firmware update button, when you're in the Bridge screen on the DAC press the 'Home' button. You'll see the various inputs for the DAC. You should see "Media Bridge" (or the name you gave the Bridge) in the middle of the three options. On the right side of that you will see a green button. Press it. A new page appears, called "Bridge Setup". In the center of the setup page at the bottom you should see a green icon immediately to the right of the words "Firmware update" Press the green button.
Do not touch anything after you've activated the update. Wait until the DAC reboots (it will take 10 to 20 minutes)
Alternate method (more intricate):
You will need: A computer with uninterrupted internet access that's connected to the same router as the DAC. The DAC must remain connected to the router and ethernet at all times.
1) As above, navigate to the "Bridge Setup" screen. In the middle of the screen you'll see a section called "Network Settings". There are two, one for wireless (on the right) and the other for hardwire Ethernet (on the left) Under the hardwire Ethernet symbol is a green button. Press it.
2) A new screen appears, showing the Ethernet communications addresses. At the top of the screen you'll see the words "IP Address" with some numbers in this format: XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
3) Write this number down.
4) Press the little green box in the lower right of the screen with the check mark in it. You'll go back to the "Bridge setup" screen. There's another one there. Push its green check mark button. You'll be back at the DAC Bridge input select screen. Select the 'Media Bridge' and you'll be at the Bridge operational screen. (This is important, if you don't go back to the Bridge operational screen the update won't happen)
5) Go to your computer and type in the IP address into the web browser. Hit 'enter.' You'll see a PS Audio Bridge web page pop up. Click the link that says "network upgrade" A new page appears called "Firmware Upgrade- Network." Copy the following and paste it into the box on the screen.
http://updates.psaudio.com/bridge/upgrade- version>.ub
6) Press the "upgrade firmware" link. Say 'yes' to all the questions. Let it load. This may take 10 to 20 minutes. Do nothing with the browser until it completes.
7) When everything works a small pop-up box will appear that says "Successful!" Click on the 'OK' button.
8) The DAC will then reboot. Wait for the reinitialization. Go back to the Bridge operational screen and readjust the volume as desired.
6) Press the "upgrade firmware" link. Say 'yes' to all the questions. Let it load. This may take 10 to 20 minutes. Do nothing with the browser until it completes.
7) When everything works a small pop-up box will appear that says "Successful!" Click on the 'OK' button.
8) The PWD will then reboot. Wait for the reinitialization. Go back to the Bridge operational screen and readjust the volume as desired.
