If while attempting to update the MIDI firmware on your VCI-400SE you get an error when pressing “Get Version” and find your unit to be unresponsive (what some refer to as “bricked”) with the LEDs not illuminating when turning the unit on, please follow the steps below to fix.
Note: Your unit is not broken and this method has worked to fix all controllers to date so please take a deep breath and relax.
STEPS TO FIX
- Download the attached zip file containing all necessary items to perform the recovery process. If you don't have your VCI-400SE Audio drivers installed they can be downloaded in that zip file too.
- Ensure that the VCI-400SE does NOT have the standalone mixer firmware. This can be confirmed (assuming you are using a Windows PC) by opening the driver control panel, and selecting the Device 0 menu. Check the RevisionID number, 0x2000 means standalone mixer firmware, 0x0600 means normal firmware. If the standalone mixer is present it, downgrade to the normal firmware by clicking on Firmware Upgrade and using the attached file "vci400_d006.bin", then check the control panel again and ensure it reads 0x0600.
- Power up the VCI-400SE in bootloader mode, by holding down the EFFECT1 and EFFECT3 BUTTONS on the left side of the unit, while switching on the power.
- Open FirmUp.exe. Select the VCI-400 as the MIDI In / Out device. Do NOT click the "Get Ver" button.
- Browse to the VCI-400SE MIDI FW v2 folder (zip attached) from FirmUp.exe, and select the "VCI400Eup000.bin" file. Click Start to start the upgrade. You can also select the v1 FW file for this process if you'd like.
- After the upgrade has completed, power cycle the unit normally (without holding the EFFECT1 and EFFECT3 buttons) and use the Get Ver button to check the MIDI firmware version. It should read 00 07 01 02 (if using FW v1 it should be 00 07 00 04).
- At this point, if you wish to also use the standalone mixer firmware, you can update to it by using the attached file "vci400_v20.bin" and using the driver control panel to do the update. If not leave the unit at the 0x0600 version.