So you’ve decided to upgrade your JBL 5.1 Soundbar….
Probably because of some annoying bug you’re looking to squash (good luck), The official documentation here outlines the overall process (it doesn’t work)
After some frantic searching after bricking my soundbar I found a post from Francisco Pinto on this youtube video which points out that highlights the actual process to upgrade these soundbars.
What you need:
- USB memory stick FAT/vFAT formatted
- Firmware upgrade files available here
- A 3.5mm stereo audio patch cable
The working upgrade process:
- Extract the firmware .zip file
- Insert the USB into your computer
- Create a new folder in the root of the USB drive called UPG
- Copy the unity.bin file (extracted in Step 1) to the UPG folder on your USB drive
- Insert the USB drive into the USB port on the back of the soundbar
- Attach the 3.5mm stereo audio patch cable to the subwoofer and the other end to the AUX input port of the soundbar
- Attach the wireless speakers to the soundbar
- Press and hold the (POWER) and (VOL -) buttons on the soundbar for at least 10 seconds
This will start the upgrade procedure, it should quickly cycle through UPG00 – UPG99 or so on the display, after that if it worked correctly the soundbar will say ‘DONE’ and then enter standby mode.
Recovering a bricked soundbar
- Unplug all cables and the USB drive (if it’s plugged in) from the soundbar
- Allow the unit to fully power down (may take a few seconds or more)
- Format a new USB stick (yes really), create the UPG folder, copy the unify.bin firmware into the UPG directory
- Start again at Step 5 above.
This should start the upgrade process again and hopefully this time things go better.
It’s absolutely critical that you plugin the subwoofer to the soundbar via the 3.5mm stereo patch cable. Failure to do so will result in an incomplete firmware upgrade and you’ll be back to brickland with your soundbar
Hey Colin,
Thanks for taking the time to pen out this step-by-step instructional.
I’m looking for solutions to my subwoofer popping and the wireless speakers going out during use for my own unit. (not sure if you faced these issues, but they are really bad)
1. Did the firmware update fix these issues?
2. Did the sound quality get affected like some mentioned?
Hi,
The signal dropout issue isn’t resolved, however some of the ARC issues are. The sound quality didn’t change other than the bass isn’t as boomy, which I like, its a lot more flat and I think it sounds better.
I implemented a simple hack on my HTPC which is to run an audio generator (speaker-test) which sends a 1% volume scale 1Hz signal into the speaker at all times, this has totally eliminated the drop out / thumping noise.
Hi Simon
The sound quality I think is better, it’s not overly heavy with the bass, the popping issue is “better” but not resolved, the only solution to the popping issue is to drive a single into the speaker all the time. This seems to get it to stay online and not drop into standby like it does when no signal is detected. The fix really needs to come from JBL which disables this stupid power saving feature.
Hey Colin,
Simon here, I previously left a comment on your JBL firmware post:
https://www.unixgr.com/jbl-5-1-soundbar-firmware-upgrade
In your reply to my comment you mentioned:
“I implemented a simple hack on my HTPC which is to run an audio generator (speaker-test) which sends a 1% volume scale 1Hz signal into the speaker at all times, this has totally eliminated the drop out / thumping noise.”
I am intending to hook up a desktop to my TV via HDMI and wanted to know exactly how you ran the audio generator to fix the dropout and thumping noises.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could share with me the exact steps you took to implement this your fix.
Really looking forward to your reply!
In my case, on my Linux system I utilize the program “speaker-test” with this script that is setup to start automatically when the window manager (KDE in my case) has completed loading:
#!/bin/shspeaker-test -f 1 -S 1 -X
This tells speaker-test to generate a 1HZ signal at 1% volume (-X allows speaker-test to generate non-audible frequencies)
The same technique could be utilized on windows and mac systems, though I’m not sure windows has a port of speaker-test (probably available through WSL or Cygwin
Cheers!
Hey Simon,
I followed the instructions above and it bricked my speaker. I tried following the recovery steps with no success.
Speaker is flashing between ‘NOUSB’ and ‘ERROR’. Do you know if anything else can be done to fix this?
Hi Gary,
This error usually indicates that you didn’t have the sub physically connected to the sound bar. Try connecting the two together with the ‘AUX’ output on the soundbar to the sub’s ‘SW UPGRADE’ port.
Use a standard 1/8″ stereo headphone jack to connect the two and attempt the upgrade process again.
Gary…Any luck solving the NOUSB ERROR problem?
Hi,
Make sure you’re using a stereo 3.5mm audio cable connected between the aux output of the bar and the input on the sub. Restart the firmware update process again
Hi Colin, I have the same problem. Everything conected as it should be, but doesn´t work. Also can not restart update proces. NO FW – DONE – UPG flashing. Don´t you know what could help?
Hi David,
One thing you could try is a different USB stick. I found great success with verbatim usb flash drives. I’m wondering if these bars have trouble with some memory sticks..
Hallo, ich habe auch dasselbe Problem, das mir NOUSB ERROR NO FW angezeigt wird. Was kann helfen?
Alles nach Beschreibung gemacht.
Hallo,
Schon mal einen anderen USB-Stick probiert? Ich vermute, dass einige der billigeren mit diesen Soundbars nicht richtig funktionieren
Thank you! I thought i would need to throw my system to the trash. Your unbrick steps helped me out. I upgraded because i was having problems with BT not connecting and the subwoofer disconnecting mid play. Issues resolved so far.
Thanks again!
Mine 5.1 jbl with none detachable speakers has not had the issues of disconnecting sound on and off.what are your advice kindly?
I meant it has this issues of sound on off every time.
Hi, do you mean the “thumping” noise / temporary loss (half a second or less) of audio?
HOLA, UPDATE SUCCESSFULLY BUT MY SUBWOOFER WON’T TURN ON, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I CAN DO ?
Hi Juan,
Have you tried completely power cycling it? Also, when you updated was the sub connected to the bar via 3.5mm stereo jack?
I have tried all of the above steps, multiple USB drives and I still get NO SW. the unit will recognise if the USB isn’t in so I am hoping this isn’t totally stuffed.
Hi Frank,
It sounds like you may have multiple problematic USB sticks. As a last effort, it’s worth a try to pull the latest firmware again, reformat a brand new (non-china special) USB stick, place the files on it as described and try again. Remember as always, be sure to have a 3.5mm stereo headphone jumper between your sub and bar.
Oh and again, make sure the formatting is correct. If it’s not, it won’t find the files.
Hello,
Thanks for all the various options. For me I tried all option and most of time it goes upto UPG99 and after that it show ERROR DONE.
Any help would be highly appreciated.
Can you explain the process you used? Again, if you don’t have a working stereo 3.5mm jumper cable between the soundbar and the sub, it’s going to fail to update.
Hey, I’ve owned the JBL 5.1 Soundbar with detachable speakers since 2018 and I’ve been facing an error where the sub woofer even after being connected (white light is stable at the back of the SW) to the soundbar is not working. Essentially, it used to make a rumble sound and eventually work when I’d raise the volume 30+ but now it’s just not working. I faced this issue a year back too where it just wouldn’t work even after being connected, so called up JBL customer care but they’d charge 2k INR just to come diagnose it and then mentioned it’s a main board issue and needs to be replaced. Eventually after a few months it worked one day and now it’s down again. I’ve followed the Firmware update steps mentioned above but no luck 🙁
This make me really sad about my investment but would you happen to have any tips?
This sounds like the internal AMP on the sub may have failed. This is usually the result of mosfets overheating. Over on Fleabay there’s various electronics repair outfits which can diagnose and repair these discrete amplifiers. Good luck!
Hello
About the same jbl bar 5.1. I trier yo update with latest firmware 17.07…
It’s started but ended with error… the bar is blocked on message : upgrp
What can I do?
Hi Steven,
Make sure you’re using a good USB stick for these upgrades. Try and perform the upgrade process again. If this doesn’t work, Try and upgrade to an older firmware build.
Hi，Im trying to upgrade my 3.1,but Im having problems. The display always says “no firmware” after I pressed volume down and power, but I actually put the file (JBLBAR3_1.HUI) in the usb drive. The usb is FAT32 and usb 3.0, I wonder whats the problem? Could please share your experience with me ? The cable is fine.
Hi，Im trying to upgrade my 3.1,but Im having problems. The display always says “no firmware” after I pressed volume down and power, but I actually put the file (JBLBAR3_1.HUI) in the usb drive. The usb is FAT32 and usb 3.0, I wonder whats the problem? Could please share your experience with me ?
Hi Stan,
After formatting the USB stick to FAT32, you’ll need to create a directory in the root of the stick called ‘UPG’ and place the firmware files there. That’s where the sound bar looks for the firmware files.