Service manual

Guide to ASTRO™ Digital Radios
Many hobbyists may not be aware the same host ROS and DSP firmware code is shared among
the ASTRO™ portable radio-family. Host ROS and DSP firmware may be cloned from an XTS 3000™ and
written to a ASTRO Digital Saber™, or vise-versa.
The ASTRO Digital Spectra™ host ROS firmware is not cross-platform-compatible with the ASTRO
Digital Saber™ or XTS 3000™.
Figure 11.2 A Motorola Inc. ASTRO Digital Spectra™ vocon is shown with the host and DSP flash ROMs removed. This vocon was fortunate
enough to receive a free firmware update. It was transformed from VSELP to IMBE™ through donor firmware cloned from another ASTRO
Digital Spectra™ which had recently been flashed with the latest firmware builds.
DSP firmware is the same among the ASTRO Digital Saber™, ASTRO Digital Spectra™ and XTS
3000™. For example: The DSP flash ROM from an ASTRO Digital Spectra™ is read with appropriate
hardware and saved to a file. The firmware can then be written to a DSP flash ROM and installed to an
XTS 3000™.
Figure 11.3 A flash ROM from an ASTRO Digital Spectra™ is shown seated in a TSOP-48 adapter in preparation for a firmware upgrade. The
firmware write-time to the chip is typically less than one minute.