Update CHESTER firmware over Bluetooth
The app downloads a firmware image from a link and flashes it to the connected CHESTER over Bluetooth.
Open CHESTER → Tools → Firmware update.
The update screen takes its image from a QR code carrying the firmware link. There is no catalog to browse, no address to type, and no file picker. You get that QR with your custom build, or from the pre-built binaries for catalog applications.
Run the update
- Choose Scan firmware QR and point the camera at the code.
- The app downloads the image: Downloading firmware…
- Check the summary: the file name, its size, and its SHA-256 digest. Use Scan a different firmware if it is not what you expected.
- Choose Start update.
The update then runs through its stages, with a progress bar:
| Stage | What is happening |
|---|---|
| Preparing… | Getting the device ready |
| Uploading… n% | Transferring the image |
| Testing the new image… | The device checks the image it received |
| Rebooting the device… | The device restarts into the new firmware |
| Confirming the new image… | The new firmware is marked as good |
| Done |
When it finishes, the app confirms the device is restarting with the new firmware and may take a moment to come back.
You cannot navigate away while an update is running. Keep the phone near the device and both powered until it finishes.
If it fails
A failed update is safe. The image is only confirmed after the device has restarted and tested it, so a device that fails midway reboots into its previous firmware.
The app says which phase failed, because that determines what to do next:
| When it failed | What it means |
|---|---|
| Before or during validation | The update never started. Try again. |
| During the upload | The transfer stopped before finishing. The device keeps its current firmware. Safe to retry. |
| After the upload | The device reverts to its previous firmware on the next reboot. Reconnect and check its version before retrying. |
If the update stops responding (no progress for 90 seconds), the app aborts and tells you. Usually the device lost power or went out of range.
Other messages you may see:
- The device refused the firmware image: the image is not valid for this hardware. Check the QR points at firmware for this CHESTER variant.
- The device has no room for the image: reboot it and try again.
- The downloaded firmware file is empty: the QR does not point at a valid image.
See Troubleshooting for connection problems.