IMPORTANT NOTICE for customers who have more than one Solo system
Each Solo system has its own unique software “fingerprint” that must be accessed during system updates. When updating more than one system, do not use the software from one system to update another as this could cause permanent damage. To prevent this, make sure you delete all files with the extension *.bos on the USB drive before updating an additional system.
Applies to:
You will need a USB portable thumb drive with a minimum of 10 MB space available. The drive must be FAT or FAT32 formatted.
For Windows PC users:
- 300 MHz processor (1 GHz for Vista or Windows 7) 32 or 64 bit
- 128 MB RAM (Windows XP); 512 MB (Vista Home Basic); 1 GB (other Vista editions and Windows 7 32 bit); 2 GB (Windows 7 64 bit)
- Internet connection
- 30 MB available hard disk space
- USB 1.1, 2.0 or 3.0 port
For Mac users:
- OS v10.5 (Leopard), v10.6 (Snow Leopard) or OS v10.7 (Lion)
- Intel-based processor
- 512 MB RAM (Leopard); 1 GB (Snow Leopard)
- Internet connection
- 40 MB available hard disk space
- USB 1.1, 2.0 or 3.0 port
You will need to use your computer to download the update information.
To retrieve this information, first power off and unplug your Bose Solo 5 TV sound system
Connect your USB thumb drive to your computer. Remove all files from the USB
Download the software update file below (Solo5.mdu)
For Windows PC users:
In the File Download window, select the file destination folder and click Save. You can save the file directly to the USB drive. If you're downloading the file to your desktop, you will need to drag the file to the USB drive before removing it from your computer
For Mac users:
Wait for your computer to download the file
Open your Downloads folder and drag the updater file to the USB drive
Once the update is on your USB drive, then remove the drive from your computer
On the back of your system, insert the USB drive into the connector labeled “Service”
Plug in your Bose Solo 5 TV sound system. The update will start automatically and the light will briefly blink amber every few seconds
The update may take a few minutes to complete. The light on the Bose Solo 5 TV sound system will continue to blink. When the update is finished, the light will blink green
Once the light is blinking green, remove your USB drive from your Bose Solo 5 TV sound system. The system will return to normal operation once the USB drive is removed and the system is powered on
Try the following before starting the updater application again:
While downloading the update from the Internet:
- Make sure your Internet connection is working properly
- The application needs to know specific details about your Bose Solo 5 TV sound system. To retrieve this information, first insert the selected thumb drive into the connector labeled “Service” on the rear of your system. The green light should turn amber and blink for several seconds, then extinguish. When the light goes out, remove the thumb drive and reconnect to your computer
- Wait until your computer instructs you to remove the USB drive
While updating your Bose Solo 5 TV sound system:
- Be sure your system is plugged in and powered on, and the green LED is solidly lit on the system before inserting the USB drive
- If you see a red LED on your Bose Solo 5 TV sound system during the update, remove the thumb drive from the system, unplug it from the wall outlet for 1 minute and then plug it back in. Make sure the system is powered on (showing a solid green LED) and reinsert the thumb drive
Tip: Connect the USB drive directly to an unused USB jack on your computer.
Connecting to a USB hub can make it more difficult for the update process to locate the USB drive.
Connecting directly to an unused USB jack on your computer will make it easier to locate the drive.
Help menu
The Help menu is available throughout the update process. From the Help menu, you can access:
- License agreement: Review the license agreement
- System information: View information about the current version of Bose Solo 5 TV sound system software, as well as system information for your computer and operating system
If the problems persist, contact Bose Customer Support.
Why might I need to upgrade my Bose Solo 5 TV sound system software?
Updating the software will ensure the system is functioning optimally.
Can this update be accomplished on both PCs and Macs?
Yes, with minimum operating system requirements: PC's must run Windows XP or higher. Macs must run OS 10 or higher.
What type of flash drive should I use?
You can use nearly any USB thumb drive with at least 10MB of available space. A drive that appears as either a hard disk or a "composite device" will not work. The drive must be FAT or FAT32 formatted.
Does the flash drive need to be empty?
It is not required but is recommended. If you previously ran a Bose update with this thumb drive, make sure all files with the extension *.bos are removed.