baxterdown
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- January 26, 2011
- Messages
- 345
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- City, State
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2011 Limited
MFT 2.8 dare I say? ... Rocks! **UPDATE!!!**
So, I got MFT 2.8 installed today. Boy, what a difference! Here are some initial observations:
- The systems comes online almost immediately. No more waiting for the system to "boot up." You start the engine and within a few seconds (2 or 3) everything comes online including iPod (I have mine permanently connected). Nav takes 4 or 5 seconds to launch, phone takes about 7 seconds to connect.
- No more endless iPod synching and no more building media commands!
- VC is available almost immediately. I have tried it as soon as 20 seconds after starting the engine and it comes right on. Response is delayed by a few seconds (maybe 3 or 4) during the initial system launch, but once all systems are online, VC is there the second you press the voice button. No delay. Also, commands are recognized and executed immediately.
- I wouldn't dare to call MFT fast, but now it is definitely responsive. I press a button and aside from the silly animation, stuff happens. No more sitting around 4 and 5 seconds for results.
- Transitions seem a lot faster and smoother.
- Some of the buttons in the climate control screen seem slightly different. But, I can't tell for sure. What is for sure is how much more responsive the climate control screen is! I used to have to press "My Temp" two and three times for it to take. It would zoom out and zoom back in on its own. Everything in the climate control screen now reacts immediately and as expected when touched.
The guy that did install was very kind and invited me to observe the update! Here's what I learned:
- The update is fully controlled through live data transfer directly from Ford. In order to to the update, the tech's computer must be connected to the car's OBD system, to the internet via an unrestricted broadband connection, and to the car's MFT system via a mini USB port available behind the right side panel of the center console.
- The sequence goes like this:
- Wipe the existing MFT install
- Download the update file from the Ford Server into the diagnostic laptop
- Transfer the downloaded file onto a USB drive
- Connect the USB drive to MFT and perform the update
- Connect the USB drive back to the laptop for install confirmation transfer back to Ford
- Ford connects back to diagnostic laptop and OBD system to validate and activate the install
- Everything comes back to life!
Total update time was 35 minutes.
The tech said that wiping the existing MFT install and a clean broadband connection are critical to a successful update. Otherwise "you're asking for trouble" (his words).
Here are some pics I took:
The mini USB connector on the side panel. This, by the way, is normally connected to another cable that is coming from the back (dunno what is for). He disconnected it to access from there.
USB is connected and doing the update install
Diagnostic laptop on the driver's seat. See the Ethernet cord which is how the tech connects to the new Ford servers.
VMC box that connects the diagnostic laptop to the car's OBD system. See the cable connected.
Screen shot of the tech's computer after update was completed with zoom-in of the new version 2.8.
And there you have it. I can't predict the future so I don't know if all this is gonna crap out in a couple of weeks and MFT is gonna go back to its old shenanigans.
But, so far the difference is night and day!
Jose
So, I got MFT 2.8 installed today. Boy, what a difference! Here are some initial observations:
- The systems comes online almost immediately. No more waiting for the system to "boot up." You start the engine and within a few seconds (2 or 3) everything comes online including iPod (I have mine permanently connected). Nav takes 4 or 5 seconds to launch, phone takes about 7 seconds to connect.
- No more endless iPod synching and no more building media commands!
- VC is available almost immediately. I have tried it as soon as 20 seconds after starting the engine and it comes right on. Response is delayed by a few seconds (maybe 3 or 4) during the initial system launch, but once all systems are online, VC is there the second you press the voice button. No delay. Also, commands are recognized and executed immediately.
- I wouldn't dare to call MFT fast, but now it is definitely responsive. I press a button and aside from the silly animation, stuff happens. No more sitting around 4 and 5 seconds for results.
- Transitions seem a lot faster and smoother.
- Some of the buttons in the climate control screen seem slightly different. But, I can't tell for sure. What is for sure is how much more responsive the climate control screen is! I used to have to press "My Temp" two and three times for it to take. It would zoom out and zoom back in on its own. Everything in the climate control screen now reacts immediately and as expected when touched.
The guy that did install was very kind and invited me to observe the update! Here's what I learned:
- The update is fully controlled through live data transfer directly from Ford. In order to to the update, the tech's computer must be connected to the car's OBD system, to the internet via an unrestricted broadband connection, and to the car's MFT system via a mini USB port available behind the right side panel of the center console.
- The sequence goes like this:
- Wipe the existing MFT install
- Download the update file from the Ford Server into the diagnostic laptop
- Transfer the downloaded file onto a USB drive
- Connect the USB drive to MFT and perform the update
- Connect the USB drive back to the laptop for install confirmation transfer back to Ford
- Ford connects back to diagnostic laptop and OBD system to validate and activate the install
- Everything comes back to life!
Total update time was 35 minutes.
The tech said that wiping the existing MFT install and a clean broadband connection are critical to a successful update. Otherwise "you're asking for trouble" (his words).
Here are some pics I took:
The mini USB connector on the side panel. This, by the way, is normally connected to another cable that is coming from the back (dunno what is for). He disconnected it to access from there.
USB is connected and doing the update install
Diagnostic laptop on the driver's seat. See the Ethernet cord which is how the tech connects to the new Ford servers.
VMC box that connects the diagnostic laptop to the car's OBD system. See the cable connected.
Screen shot of the tech's computer after update was completed with zoom-in of the new version 2.8.
And there you have it. I can't predict the future so I don't know if all this is gonna crap out in a couple of weeks and MFT is gonna go back to its old shenanigans.
But, so far the difference is night and day!
Jose