Nigel,
It would seem it was working, since they now have downloaded the basic contents at Honeywell's.
But otherwise you're right. Once you're dealing with an FDR that has been through a water impact and picked up from 40m under water, it's somewhat rare to be able to just plug it in and read it out....
The BEA is highly competent.... but they're not feckin' magicians.
CJ