AW3423DW, please let us update firmware

No, that information was not divulged to us or Technical Support.

Thank you for your reply.

Some users are now receiving brand new monitors (not exchanges/replacements) with M0B102 installed, so presumably there was a reason to revise the existing firmware. 

Are you please able to advise what exactly was changed?

100% agree. There's no compelling reason that we can't update the firmware on this expensive, enthusiast grade monitor. LG, Samsung, and pretty much every other monitor manufacturer on the planet allows for firmware to be upgraded. Even Dell has other monitors which have upgradable firmware. It's really irritating that it's just "too difficult" to let people upgrade their firmware on something this pricey and high end. All you need is a basic loader, or even let the users do it manually. If I had known in advance that this product wouldn't be able to receive quality updates ever, I probably would have reconsidered my purchase. There are lots of issues that can be fixed (and have been) through firmware updates, and it's simply ridiculous that this isn't an option.

I'd really like to know what these “complexities” are. Because I doubt I'll be purchasing any more Alienware products if this is the stance Alienware has for something as seemingly simple as a firmware update.

Please just make the updated firmware available.

The issue could be that besides a firmware update, it also requires a hardware component update to be able to properly function.

I am not saying that is the case, I am simply stating it is a possibility. Should that be the case, than a firmware update would not be possible.

Hey Dell Admins, I have an AW3423DW and when connected to a DP1.4 KVM, I get serious signal-to-noise (SnR) issues. I get loads of colored noise on the screen and periodic signal loss when trying to use anything other than 8-bit SDR 120hz or 60hz. The KVM I have supports the full DP 1.4 spec and has worked with several G-Sync Ultimate ultrawide displays with high refresh rates (up to 144hz) and with higher resolutions (3840x1600) and I did not have any of these SnR issues with those displays. Please allow us to update the firmware on this monitor. These issues are frustrating at best.

Did you try it without a KVM switch and with the original supplied cables?

Noise is typically due to cables.

This defeats the purpose, I need the KVM for my use case. I switch between multiple computers for work and personal use, and swapping the DP cable manually is untenable.

I have used short copper cables, the cables that came with, etc. I currently use active plenum fiber optic DP 1.4 cables, which have worked fine with other DP 1.4 displays that have had similar specs (though were IPS LCD; LG 38GN950 - 3860x1600, 144hz, 8-bit color depth, HDR600). The fact that this display has signal-to-noise issues with KVMs says to me that it needs to have a firmware update to support display stream compression, which would allow the monitor to support the KVM use case with the same signal levels.

This is why Dell should not have omitted the ability for users to update the display firmware. It would allow them to troubleshoot these use cases and offer a solution that doesn't require me to ask for a replacement display, which will, hopefully, have a new FW revision that MIGHT fix my issue. The fact that the only solution is a warranty replacement is ridiculous and is actively anti-user.

I am not badgering you, simply pointing out that there was an official response from Dell on the matter of firmware updates.

You also have to take into consideration that a firmware update to support DSC for example might require an additional hardware update. 

It is unfortunate, but that is what the reality is.

There was a Dell reply on the subject matter of firmware updates for this monitor model on page 1 of this thread.

I already know it works fine without the KVM. Unless you know definitively that the hardware does not support DSC, I will continue to lean on Dell to offer a way to update the firmware, either by a warranty repair or otherwise. Worse comes to worst, I sell the monitor (as I am outside the 30-day return policy).

It is severely disappointing that Dell has been so anti-consumer for such a flagship display, with the inability to update the firmware and not supporting DSC out of the gate.

So as you found out by now, this display does not support DSC and I doubt a firmware update is going to add that functionality, as it likely requires additional hardware to support DSC

If it works properly without a KVM switch, which is should, then the issue is with the KVM switch. Otherwise it would not work properly without it either. 

I would suggest trying without the KVM switch, to see if it works properly or not.

Also, firmware updates are not supported on this monitor.

I've heard from some users online that the M0B102 firmware ensures that the monitor returns to standby mode after a pixel refresh. 

Currently I have to press the power button virtually every time I use the monitor, since it always switches itself off after the refresh. 

If this has been fixed and we can't update it, that is honestly absurd.