yep firmware is always worth a try.

One thing o bear in mind - and this is a general thing for ALL electronic devices.
A gadget/computer/motherboard etc will mainly 'die' when it is switched on.
That is because that is when the initial power surge tests the viability of the electronic components.

So it is perfectly normal for something to be working properly, get turned off and then die the next time it's switched on.
In fact it's the most likely scenario.