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Walmart US Digital STB Questions

303K views 2K replies 310 participants last post by  speedlaw 
#1 ·
For anyone who has this OTA STB:


1. Does it output HD via component cables?

2. Does it output SD at the same time thru either S-video or composite?


What indoor antenna works well with it?


Thanks.
 
#979 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpeedRazor /forum/post/13219932


Since my new TV has no coax, could I use this box to plugin the coax to the box, and then to my TV with Component, and get all my regular Cable TV channels?

No. This box (DB-2010) handles only digital OTA broadcasts (ATSC). You have to use it with an antenna. It does not handle digital cable (QAM) or analog OTA or cable (NTSC).


For digital OTA and cable, check out the Samsung DTB-H260F which has a long thread in this forum. It can receive non-encrypted digital cable channels ("clear QAM" channels). You can usually receive the major HD local networks (ABC, CBS, etc.) this way via your cable company's lowest tier (analog "limited basic" or "lifeline basic" or whatever they call it). But there are exceptions. Check the thread for your area in the local reception info forum here, to make sure. You're not likely to get information about clear QAM from the cableco's service reps.
 
#980 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jtbell /forum/post/13220268


No. This box (DB-2010) handles only digital OTA broadcasts (ATSC). You have to use it with an antenna. It does not handle digital cable (QAM) or analog OTA or cable (NTSC).


For digital OTA and cable, check out the Samsung DTB-H260F which has a long thread in this forum. It can receive non-encrypted digital cable channels ("clear QAM" channels). You can usually receive the major HD local networks (ABC, CBS, etc.) this way via your cable company's lowest tier (analog "limited basic" or "lifeline basic" or whatever they call it). But there are exceptions. Check the thread for your area in the local reception info forum here, to make sure. You're not likely to get information about clear QAM from the cableco's service reps.

Thanks for the speedy response!
 
#981 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by CharredPC /forum/post/12364223


Remember back when US Digital went out of business? How long ago was that? It seems like ages, well over a year anyway. I had their service near the end, and it was a real confusing mess. When they still had a viable phone number and the channels started dropping, I called them. I was told that they'd gone into bankruptcy, and according to their computer I was all paid up... it was just over. They said they didn't even care what I did with the box. I've kept the USDtv unit around (got it originally at a thrift store for $15), flashed with the latest OTA firmware. I mean, the new house has a roof antenna- so why not use it?


Today I get the mail and find a notice from a collection agency telling me I owe USDtv $103 and change- "pay immediately or it's going on your credit report." WTFH?! I call up the collection place and this is pretty much how it went:

Me: I don't owe this amount. I verified with USD when they were still around that I was paid up. Who do I speak with?

Them: We bought the billing from them, they are gone. There's no one to speak with. You owe us the $103 now.

Me: But I don't owe. I pay my bills. I specifically called about it. Do you know how many unpaid months of $20 service I'd have to use to add up to $103?

Them: All we have to go by is their billing information. It indicates you owe $103. So now you owe us $103.

Me: So what if I dispute this? I really don't owe anything.


Them: (and this is a direct quote) "I don't know. I can mark your account as being disputed, but I don't think it matters. They're out of business now, there's no one to resolve it. It's up to you to prove you paid; otherwise it goes on your credit report."

Seriously, WTH?


Does anyone else remember the last days of USDtv subscription service? It was chaos. No one I know got a bill (I just kept paying anyway). There was at least one 'reorganization' period prior, and now their shoddy bookkeeping practices are being valued as gospel so former dedicated customers can be screwed a little more. And $103? They're saying I got away with five friggin months of not paying service?! I doubt that! USDtv would unauthorize your box after two months of missed payments, IIRC from my support calls when I first got it set up. So because they're gone, I can't dispute it. Because they didn't give final bills or keep record of payments, it shows I have a balance I can't prove I paid. And now because a collection agency has ownership of their billing, I'm either paying over a hundred bucks or dinging my credit.


This is seriously unfair, so I had to vent, sorry. I hope they don't all come after other people here.

What ever happened with the collection agency? Did you get this resolved? I got one as well.
 
#982 ·
still have problem with day-light-savings time. I have to set time zone to eastern (live in central). in two weeks i can set it back to central again when the normal time change would have taken place.


have tried to set clock on several channels all with the same results.


I can't be the only one with this problem?
 
#983 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by tim se iowa /forum/post/13363744


still have problem with day-light-savings time. I have to set time zone to eastern (live in central). in two weeks i can set it back to central again when the normal time change would have taken place.


have tried to set clock on several channels all with the same results.


I can't be the only one with this problem?

No you are not the only one I just did what I did last year and did the same as you. you'd think the psip stream would automatically correct it.


In a month or so I'll notice the time being too far ahead and then change back to central time.


Of course my newer tuners (Pansonic,Magnavox) changed correctly...
 
#987 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jimboy /forum/post/13371830


This box is hard coded for the old time change dates (among others) , it ignores any any DST information from PSIP.

This box uses the DST information from the STT block in the PSIP. The root of the problem is the linux kernel that is being used did not know about the US gov't change to daylight savings start date/times. Thus, it doesn't apply the start of the DST correctly because of the zoneinfo files.


This box uses TZif format for the /usr/share/zoneinfo files. I will pull the latest tzdata rules from the gov't website, rebuild the zoneinfo/timezones and put a new update together. That should fix the problem.


It will take me a few days, but I'll try to get it done before March Madness starts if anyone wants the fix. Does anyone want a DST fix for these boxes or just keep using the manual method?
 
#990 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by jafir /forum/post/13399054


I'm not going to turn down a free fix. Did I read correctly that with your latest update that the serial port inside is enabled?

I thought so. I will verify and put out an update to the DST, make sure stats are disabled from the start, turn off the debugging output and make sure the serial will allow the xyzzy password to get into the shell.


Worked on it late last night and got most of the above working. Will post later today.
 
#991 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by smintn /forum/post/13399107


Yes do the DST fix


Just let us know where to download it from


Thanks

Updated the mediafire to have a linux folder and windows folder. I have not tested so much on this as I put it in pretty quickly. It still has the toggle back feature. Please let me know if this fixes your DST problem. It did fix it on my boxes.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=5...12cc0853efd9eb




2.9.3

-----


- Update the /usr/share/zoneinfo files with the new DST rules. Fixes the daylight saving time issue.

- Add the password to the prompt for the serial comm -- now reads "Password (xyzzy):"

- Turn off debug statments to console (for performance consideration -- didn't see much improvement though)

- By default, turn off gathering statistics (for performance consideration). You can enable stats via the Diagnostics menus from the Setup.
 
#994 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by tim se iowa /forum/post/13412544


It worked! Thanks again.

Thanks for the feedback. I assume you are in CST6CDT timezone. Anyone in the Eastern timezone give it a try to see if it works?


Those in the Eastern timezone couldn't use the "manual" fix since there was was not a timezone to their east listed in the UI to spring forward to.


Glad it worked for you.
 
#995 ·
Tried downloading the update several times on a dialup and a dsl running system.


I get errors when I try the makekey for the tar file.


I finally got a good copy of the bin file downloaded. The bin file will only work on my original subscription to fta units. I can't get it to work on my wally world fta unit.


I appears to work on the sub to fta unit ok. the dst is correct


Thanks for the update
 
#996 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by smintn /forum/post/13414631


Tried downloading the update several times on a dialup and a dsl running system.


I get errors when I try the makekey for the tar file.


I finally got a good copy of the bin file downloaded. The bin file will only work on my original subscription to fta units. I can't get it to work on my wally world fta unit.


I appears to work on the sub to fta unit ok. the dst is correct


Thanks for the update

What version of software are the wally world running? If they are running the 2.9.2 (from the linux build), it should not make a difference.


I pulled the makekey from the vanillahd site (I did not test it). What type of errors are you getting? You can alway un-zip/tar the linux and then follow the steps in post #922 of this thread ( http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...3#post12976213 )


I think the linux files reinstall everything (kernel, boot, app). I don't know that the .bin file does all of that. I think not, but don't know for sure.


Are the download problems due to your connection or mediafire you think?
 
#997 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dogleg69 /forum/post/13415964


What version of software are the wally world running?

I'll have to get back with you on the errors


All my db-2010's are running 2.9.2 including the walmart one. The walmart one just ignores the .bin file on the usb Now there is a possibility the usb is not working I will check it out later using the diagnostics in 2.9.2 where it will output a file to the usb


The sub unit just took the file(bin) and loaded. didn't try the tar couldn't make key


I started having problems when I looked at it with winzip. You know most of the time winzip will let you preview tar files without a problem,

I kept saying trailing garbage in gzip,decompression ended but it will show almost 11 meg of data in file


I also tried a fresh copy of the file and ran my linux software to make the key I'll have to run it again and pass on the error results I saw I don't think it showed anything but errors did occured,


I will download another fresh copy and not look at it with winzip and see what happens got to verify the usb slot first..


I am using dyne bolic for my linux cd on the first update keys it worked very well maybe something is wrong with my linux cd

thanks for the help

Well got to get back to work
 
#998 ·
I have the walmart box and used the zipped .bin file from the windows dir (mediafire) and had no problems. I did revert to the fta update that was sent to me by US Digital so that it would install on top of the 2.9.2 version. I inserted the memory card reader that i copied the 2.9.3 bin file to and held the power button 4 seconds to reboot, then waited for the update to complete.

so you might try updating from something other than 2.9.2 ? just a thought.
 
#999 ·
All my units have the upgrade loaded. I downloaded the linux files again from mediafire and it successfully loaded on the usb stick.


I guess the other downloads were corrupted. I don't understand yet why the .bin file would only load on the subscription unit and not on the original fta unit.


Before I tried downloading any of the updates I had reverted back from the 2.9.2 to whatever was in the other flashes. That's why I couldn't understand about the .bin file


Oh well...


dogleg69 once again thanks for the files
 
#1,000 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by smintn /forum/post/13422224


dogleg69 once again thanks for the files

You guys are welcome. All my boxes upgraded and they had the 2.9.2 so I don't exactly know what the disconnect was. I would agree that maybe the downloads were corrupted.


Glad it worked. I learned alot about the zoneinfo compiler (zic) on linux and tzdata rules.
 
#1,001 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dogleg69 /forum/post/13422670


Glad it worked. I learned alot about the zoneinfo compiler (zic) on linux and tzdata rules.

It's working great on my units. It may be my imagination but with the diagnostics disabled it seems to change channels and shows video just a little bit faster......and the programming guide seems to load faster too
 
#1,002 ·
Well one of my boxes is acting a little weard, I updated all of my boxes with 2.7.15 then I went and upgraded all of them except my dad's with 2.9.2. When I went to try to update his with 2.9.2 and 2.9.3, his box shows the please wait message, goes blank and tries to access the mem stick. While this happens, the box shows a blinking power light and after a few minutes stops accessing the sitck but the power light is still blinking, apparently stuck in a infinite loop. I unplug the box and the mem stick and restart it, the box seems just fine. The updates seem to be installed but when I look at the sys info it says the version is still 2.7.15 and no extra menus are installed. The weard thing is that the box seems to accknowledge the time now.


I figured that my dad had a diffrent box than the others...than again what do you guys think?
 
#1,003 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by usduser4000 /forum/post/13441601


Well one of my boxes is acting a little weard, I updated all of my boxes with 2.7.15 then I went and upgraded all of them except my dad's with 2.9.2. When I went to try to update his with 2.9.2 and 2.9.3, his box shows the please wait message, goes blank and tries to access the mem stick. While this happens, the box shows a blinking power light and after a few minutes stops accessing the sitck but the power light is still blinking, apparently stuck in a infinite loop. I unplug the box and the mem stick and restart it, the box seems just fine. The updates seem to be installed but when I look at the sys info it says the version is still 2.7.15 and no extra menus are installed. The weard thing is that the box seems to accknowledge the time now.


I figured that my dad had a diffrent box than the others...than again what do you guys think?

Are you using the linux or FAT/.bin file on the USB stick?


That isn't adding up. What version is your Dad's box? If you are using the .bin file, I would make a key using Linux and try that. The .bin file is actually a "user upgrade". The linux is a reinstall.


The only way the time would be fixed is if the update replaced the files in the /usr/share/zoneinfo on the flash that is used to boot. This should not have happened unless the upgrade was successful. Remember there are two sets of NAND flash. The box boots off of only one at a time. It doesn't toogle unless the update is successful.


Provide some additional info and we (someone on the forum) will try to help.
 
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