I can also confirm that it can take a firmware update.
I am happy to say I am back operational, but quite embarrassed about why. After testing and seeing no voltage across any contact points, I decided to open up the wall plug connector. Apparently, I tightened the wiring a bit too hard and had pulled one of the AC leads out of its terminal point connector. Upon fixing that rather fundamental problem, all is good (except I guess I need a new LCD, as that didn't come back to life).
Tim Weaver