(2022-11-04) Updating ADT NVR firmware

We have an ADT security system, including a few cameras inside and out. Those connect to an "NVR" which is like a DVR. We had that system installed end-2019.

Today I happened to launch the "VideoView" app, and it said I needed to Update the firmware on the NVR. It linked to a page of instructions which involved a USB drive, which seems a bit crazy.

So I tried checking with support

• did online-chat, it took 10min to establish that I had to call in to Level 3 support
• spent 30min on hold, at which point their system hung up on me.

So I check the NVR interface to see if there was a browser somewhere, no, you spend all your time within the NVR "app", not the OS. So I guess I'll do the thumb-drive method. I check the status, and the firmware date was Dec'2017.

So I went to their download page, and found the updater. Which was from Mar'2018, which begs the questions of (a) why wasn't the firmware current when they set up the system, and (b) why the app would be prompting me now. Actually there's a 3rd question, because the current-status shows a firmware version of 3.215.0, and the download is 3.210.

But I try to move ahead. So I download (to my iMac I don't have a Windows machine), copy to USB, plug the USB into the NVR, it prompts me so I pick Upgrade, it gives me a file browser, I pick the .bin, hit the Start button, and it says Upgrade failed. Sigh.

Nov08 they call me

• generally don't use manufacturer's firmware site
• we repeat process, same outcome
• try zipping .bin file on Mac, copy/use → same outcome
• conclusion
  • this isn't a crucial update, they were overly aggressive in "broadcasting" the alert
  • but I can try tonight with (my kid's) Windows machine, and reformat the thumb-drive via windows as well. Again, if that fails, too, no biggie.