Radio vs. Rom
 

Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference between a radio and a rom? I'm looking to use one of the custom roms for my touch pro but the mention of "radio" is confusing.

Thanks in advance...

Re: Radio vs. Rom
 

Yep, it is.

HTC devices have *2* firmwares (roms) that can be updated more or less separately

The Radio firmware (usually shortened to "radio" here) is the firmware just for the radio itself. Usually any number of radio firmware versions will work, and have slightly different tweaks. Generally but not always the most recent is the best.

The ROM is the other firmware - it's got the operating system, and any pre-installed apps "cooked in" (hence the talk of chefs, kitchens, etc around here as well) and is usually just shortened to 'ROM' around here.

Some roms will need or work best with specific radios, and if so they will specify which radio you need... that means you need to flash that radio firmware.

Sometimes but not always, you can flash a new radio firmware without 'hard resetting' - or wiping out all your data on the phone. You always hard reset after a ROM flash.

Make sense?

Edit: When you get an OEM 'rom update' - ie, from Sprint or Verizon - it will usually update BOTH the radio and the OS roms. Custom ROMs usually do NOT update the radio, so you have to do that in a separate step before flashing the custom rom.

Re: Radio vs. Rom
 

It makes sense so far. For clarity though, the Radio Firmware is for things like WiFi, Bluetooth, etc?

Re: Radio vs. Rom
 

You'd think, but it's actually only the cellular radio. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on separate chips.

Re: Radio vs. Rom
 

Ya radio is like firmware on a videocard rom is the drivers don't know if that helps but if you update radio that will help signal and battery usually their is one radio that was notorious for sucking i think the 1.03 other then that all the radios have been up to user preference.

Re: Radio vs. Rom
 

i just check the newest one is 1.11 that what i using and i love i if you need help flashing pm me and ill give you my num so i can walk you through the instruction are simple after you do it the first time but the first time can be a little nerve racking and scary with a 500$ phone and alot of people can be mean when you ask for help about searching when sometimes searching is overwhelming with how long these threads get