godox firmware - is it possible to update flash units/controller on mac or just windows?

Colbo

Colbo

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Hi, if anyone can help advise me please on godox firmware would be great. Im banging my head against the wall at the minute and the two flash units and controller ive just bought are as useful as a chocolate fireplace until i can update them.

So i can put the both units on and the flash controller can fire them both on the same channel but the controller only sees one of them and when i change the settings on the controller it doesnt change them on the flash display. Hoiwever it does change the flash power. Im presuming i need to update but the installer software but the software doesnt readi the controller when i plug it in
So i can get access to a windows machine if need be but come on, this cant be right?

Thanks if you can help. All i can find are outdated videos and help that doesn't help in 2023.
I have just bought an ad400 and ad200 plus the xpro-s controller.

Col.
 
My experience of Godox firmware updating is exclusively on Windows but updating older items was a proper Labour of Heracles job - I ended up in that case firing up a Windows 7 PC purely to get around the ancient/arcane requirements of the firmware updater. Once I'd taken a trip back to 2007 it was all good but I could see it defeating all but the most determined.

Edited to add : if your Godox device uses the G3 updater, there is a note "Compatible with macOS Catalina" (given the Windows experience that might mean "only Catalina, only up to Catalina, only Catalina and above" or honestly who knows?)
 
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i saw a forum where in the USA the took the flash units back the shop and they updated everything there in 10mins. ill see if lencarta will do this for me, if not, id happily pay someone with godox flashes and a windows machine to come and fix this nightmare of a situation.
 
Very swift look on Godox's .com variant

AD200 = G2
AD200Pro = G3
AD200Pro(A) = G3
AD400Pro = G3

So that looks plausible that it would be doable on a Mac apart from the original AD200

xPro = G2
xProII = G3

So if you have a xProII...
 
Virtualbox did such work for me while I still had the Mac's. I don't pay apple tax any more and get stuck with unrepearable hardware

Obviously won't be any good on new m CPUs. Another reason to ditch them imho
 
I think I’m more interested in the exact details of the problem.

I’ve never updated the firmware of any Godox product and never had any problems at all.

I’d guess I bought my first Godox products using 40d’s and I’m now shooting an r6 and they’ve never missed a beat.

So can you give details of what you’re trying to do, and what the problems are?
 
Colbo said:
Hi, if anyone can help advise me please on godox firmware would be great. Im banging my head against the wall at the minute and the two flash units and controller ive just bought are as useful as a chocolate fireplace until i can update them.

So i can put the both units on and the flash controller can fire them both on the same channel but the controller only sees one of them and when i change the settings on the controller it doesnt change them on the flash display. Hoiwever it does change the flash power. Im presuming i need to update but the installer software but the software doesnt readi the controller when i plug it in
So i can get access to a windows machine if need be but come on, this cant be right?

Thanks if you can help. All i can find are outdated videos and help that doesn't help in 2023.
I have just bought an ad400 and ad200 plus the xpro-s controller.

Col.
Click to expand...
Are you certain it’s a firmware issue?

Controller and flashes are all set up the same channel?

Flashes are assigned to a group?

You selected the settings you want for the group on the controller?

If so, what happens? Maybe share images of the flash units and controller so we can see how it’s setup?
 
Thanks for that. I've managed to update the xpro controller and the ad400 as they have usb to usbc which i have. The ad200 is usb to usb which ive just ordered a cable so hopefully all will work now.
If you are a godox user, am i right in saying if you change the value of the controller, lets say ttl to +1 then press set it should correspond on the flash? Its changing the flash as in power but the display isnt changing at all???

Thanks again, knowing which G number to use is lifesaving!
 
I am using all the correct group info and channel info. The display on the ad400 just isnt changing when i change the value on the controller???
 
as you can see channel/groups are correct. And llooking at the remote, theres no option for the ad400?
 

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So is this issue related to TCM mode (something I’ve never used) or does it happen in straight M or TTL modes?
 
on any setting, the remote isnt connecting with the flash. ive tried them all. i change the setting, nothing happens. the ad400 and the xpro-s have been updated but they are just not speaking to each other.
 
yes thats correct but... To clarify earlier today i was able from the remote to trigger the flash. Yes the displays did not correspond but i could trigger it whereas now, the remote cannot even trigger the flash. I think i need to return it to the place i bought it from and they can investigate why.
 
I guess you have tried resetting each device to factory settings ?
 
i wonder if i do that, will it remove the update i applied to get them to work in the first place? I think tomorrow i will try that though, then i'll have exhausted what i can do.
Thanks!
 
Firmware updates are permanent - they survive resets.
 
Not sure if the AD flashes are controllable by the Godox Flash app - certainly made setup of my X2T & 2x TT685II simpler than the constant button pressing/swearing cycle
 
No input on the issue but for a gui firmware update on G2 anyway is Windows only. I did it on my mac via the terminal- quite straight forward if you are familiar with it
 
Colbo said:
on any setting, the remote isnt connecting with the flash. ive tried them all. i change the setting, nothing happens. the ad400 and the xpro-s have been updated but they are just not speaking to each other.
Click to expand...
Just a couple of thoughts: if your controller and flash are next to each other, you might try turning transmit power down on the controller this is the "DIST" setting in the menu - set it to 0-30m and try triggering the flash heads. Also make sure you don't have any of that ID malarkey set on either the flashes or the controller. (There is no need for this - the system already supports 32 channels, and the chances of there being 32 other Godox flash users near you at any given time is I would suggest, slim to none).

NB: The Controller and the flashes do not "connect" or "sync" with the heads in any way, The controller can broadcast power setting changes, and instructions to fire a test, fire the flash etc. for one or more groups. It's all one-way though: the controller has no way of knowing if the instructions were received, or by how many flash units.

On the other question: I don't have an AD400 however I just tested TTL with my AD200's - they don't display the TTL comp value on the flash either (there's no reason for the flash to "know" this tbh - the compensation is done in the controller, and it's important to keep the data transmitted to a minimum for these TTL over radio solutions)
 
Thanks for the help everyone. Olk so i reset the controller and now the ad400 is working!!! On manual on the controller, when i change the value of the flash it changed the display on the flash but as you say @Scooter not on ttl. Thats fine with me.
waiting on the usb to usb cable to arrive today then hopefully applying the firmware on the ad200 will mean both flashes doing what they should. Yipeee!

Thanks again.
 
@hunnymonster
ok so unfortunately the usb to usb cable to my ad200pro didnt work with the G3 and yes tried even trying the G2. The app didnt recognise the unit unlike the ad400 did straight away when plugged in. I guess you could say it could be the usb cable but how many cables do i buy before i rule that one out?
 
Colbo said:
@hunnymonster
ok so unfortunately the usb to usb cable to my ad200pro didnt work with the G3 and yes tried even trying the G2. The app didnt recognise the unit unlike the ad400 did straight away when plugged in. I guess you could say it could be the usb cable but how many cables do i buy before i rule that one out?
Click to expand...
The AD200 has two USB ports. You need to use the one that is below the power switch (USB micro B)
 
...and as if by magic, the ad200 now works?!? bizarre. i couldn't connect the flash to the software but an hour or so later just fiddling around realised it was working.
Thank you gremlins, thank you talk photography (y)
 
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