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New software clobbers CA in modified 55xx units - Page 2  

post #31 of 655
8/17/04 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally posted by adone36
I thought a software update ALWAYS returned a modded 55XX back to its original state.
Not true. A factory reset always returned it to its original state, but not a software update.

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post #32 of 655
8/17/04 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Jeff D
Have you even looked into WiRNS?
If DNNA has decided to disable CA and IVS on the 55XX series, WiRNS in its current incarnation will not re-enable them.
post #33 of 655
8/17/04 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally posted by DarkScreen
Pardon my ignorance of WiRNS (see my post #10), but from what little I could tell from the readme file, it seems to me that this tool requires DVArchive to be running to get CA to work. The PC I use to run DVArchive is often not on when I want to watch one of the RTVs on a local TV.

A little education (or a pointer to more info) would be appreciated.
You don't need DVArchive at all. You only need a very minimal Wirns install and you only need to run Wirns once to enable things, then you don't need Wirns anymore. Of course, this is all assuming the new software hasn't changed the way it deals with registry settings. I'm not going to bother trying until I get the new software.
post #34 of 655
8/17/04 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Bigjohns
Errm, wrong.

If you're running win2k or XP you can add a second IP address to your NIC. Then assign that second NIC to DVArchive via the DVarchive properties page.

John
Technicalities now, eh?!! Yeah, you're right there. OK, they cannot occupy the same port (80) on the same ip address. ;)
post #35 of 655
8/17/04 at 3:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
You don't need DVArchive at all. You only need a very minimal Wirns install and you only need to run Wirns once to enable things, then you don't need Wirns anymore. Of course, this is all assuming the new software hasn't changed the way it deals with registry settings. I'm not going to bother trying until I get the new software.
Sorry, my dumb pills haven't worn off yet. When you say "enable things" do you mean that the 55xx units (at least with the previous Replay software) will think they're 50xx units and show the CA related options on-screen?
post #36 of 655
8/17/04 at 3:47pm
Quote:
Originally posted by DarkScreen
Sorry, my dumb pills haven't worn off yet. When you say "enable things" do you mean that the 55xx units (at least with the previous Replay software) will think they're 50xx units and show the CA related options on-screen?
I wouldn't phrase it quite that way but yes, they will show CA & IVS options. I used both very extensively with my 5504 over the last 2-3 months as have many others. Previously a 243-Zones factory reset was known to reset (kill) the features, but you could just run the Wirns plugin again to re-enable, and now looks like software updates can/do reset things too.
post #37 of 655
8/17/04 at 3:59pm
So someone who has been 'boned' by this new software definately needs to try the WIRNS config! ASAP.

We might need to get some reverse engineering done again if WIRNS don't work.... and 50xx images don't keep.... OY!

John
post #38 of 655
8/17/04 at 5:06pm
I think this post is somewhat funny actually. It ends up scaring a lot of people for no reason. Choosing to reimage the drive over the WiRNS method is just downright silly (unless for some reason it's your only option). At first, people thought this was the only option 2 enable CA & IVS. As it turns out, it's not. It's A LOT more work to do it this way, plus you lose your shows. Why bother?

We already pretty much knew that a factory reset or software update would reset the hacked features. It'll just take a couple minutes again to reinitiate the features again using WiRNS.

Now if for some reason the new software update prohibited WiRNS from working, that would suck. But I really doubt that is the case here. It's really not worth worrying over yet. And if I do lose it, oh well. Yeah, I would be bummed. But I bought a 5504, not a 5040.
post #39 of 655
8/17/04 at 6:14pm
I tried both my 5.5k boxes and neither has a update pushed... so, anyone else with a clue got a 5.5k box with a newer version?

If I suspect correctly wirns may be the only option now, but that's impossible to say without looking at what's going on.

updates should not reset the box, shouldn't not... but I'm sure they can do whatever they want. =)
post #40 of 655
8/17/04 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally posted by clambert11
We already pretty much knew that a factory reset or software update would reset the hacked features. It'll just take a couple minutes again to reinitiate the features again using WiRNS.
Actually, we did not think that a software update would disable these features. Pre-WiRNS, people loaded older version of the 5xxx software onto their 55xxs, re-connected to the mother ship, downloaded newer software, and yet they preserverd CA and IVS.

The hysteria around this all goes back to the fact that the WiRNS method of re-enabling CA / IVS was not, at first, openly and fully disclosed by those in the know. So many users do not use that method still.

At this point, until someone with the new 55xx software uses that method to re-enable CA /IVS, we just don't know the status.
post #41 of 655
8/17/04 at 6:24pm
BTW... if you have the new software for the 55xx and are willing to do a little work (without losing any shows or cracking open your Replay case), let us know and we'll walk you through it.
post #42 of 655
8/17/04 at 6:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
BTW... if you have the new software for the 55xx and are willing to do a little work (without losing any shows or cracking open your Replay case), let us know and we'll walk you through it.
As an early bonee and completely oblivious of wirns until today (although I have had some exposure to worms), I tried seeing if I could get wirns set up on my Windows 2000 PC to try it out on one of my 5504's. Trying to follow the installation procedure, I had some success in getting wirns to download Guides, but not to connect to the RTV (I don't think). It's likely that my guesses at one or more of the ip or dns numbers are wrong.

Peter, I'd like to take you up on your offer to walk me through the process. Or, if there's a foolproof-for-dummies procedure you can post for this, it should prove useful to others once the software rollout spreads to the rest of the world.

If you want to do it over the phone, send me a private message with your phone number and a good time for me to call. I'm in the PDT timezone.

Thanks, Barry
post #43 of 655
8/17/04 at 7:08pm
Barry, you don't even need to do the guide stuff, it's actually much quicker than the guide download versions. All that is required is to get the replay to correctly connect to to the replay servers via you wirns PC.

Make sure you don't have DVArchive on the PC that's running the proxy. The trick is making sure wirns configured to your DNS server (most of the times it's your router IP when the router resolves to the DNS provided by your IP) Otherwise you need to set it to the value provided by your IP.

What town you in?
post #44 of 655
8/17/04 at 7:31pm
Quote:
Originally posted by DarkScreen
Or, if there's a foolproof-for-dummies procedure you can post for this, it should prove useful to others once the software rollout spreads to the rest of the world.

Thanks, Barry
I found the following thread incredibly useful (I was helping a friend--I own 50XX machines so didn't need to run it myself). http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...0&pagenumber=2
post #45 of 655
8/17/04 at 7:46pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
All that is required is to get the replay to correctly connect to to the replay servers via you wirns PC
Jeff, sounds encouraging, but I still have some questions:

I have DVArchive installed on the PC I'm using with wirns, but it's not running at the same time as the wirns server. Is this OK?

Quote:
The trick is making sure wirns configured to your DNS server (most of the times it's your router IP when the router resolves to the DNS provided by your IP)
On the http://127.0.0.1:8923/manage/ConfigureWirns site, I have the wirns IP set to the IP address of my PC and the DNS server set to the IP address of my router box (not my ISP's IP address). Is this correct?

I have a fixed IP address on my RTV, but I'm unclear as to what the DNS1 and 2 settings should be on the RTV. Right now they (and the gateway) are set to the address of the router.

Additionally, I have the IIS Admin Service turned off so that DVArchive can run its server when launched. Is this a problem?

If and when I'm able to get things configured correctly, is it obvious as to how I get to the controls that turn the CA feature back on? I didn't see anything on the web site above that looked like it would do this.

BTW, I'm in west San Jose.
post #46 of 655
8/17/04 at 8:00pm
DarkScreen,
I think part of your confusion stems from the fact that most everyone is leaving out a major piece of the puzzle for the WiRNS solution--my GetShellCommands.dll plugin. See the site in my sig, get the plugin, and follow its included instructions instead of those for WiRNS (GSC only requires a subset of the normal WiRNS install). You will need to supply your own shell commands as appropriate, but those can be found in many threads here (including the one linked by richierich above).
post #47 of 655
8/17/04 at 8:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I think part of your confusion stems from the fact that most everyone is leaving out a major piece of the puzzle for the WiRNS solution--my GetShellCommands.dll plugin.
Yes! A very large missing piece to this puzzle. And with richierich's link, I'm ready to take another stab at it. Thanks!
post #48 of 655
8/17/04 at 8:18pm
Sounds like you are on your way... The IP addresses you are using all look square to me. I would call tonight , but it's past my bed time in the East (I'm a bond trader, and we get up before the farmers out here).

If you can't get it tonight, we can try again tomorrow... but I think you're 75% there.
post #49 of 655
8/17/04 at 9:07pm
i have three 5000 michines and two new ones on the way. when i pull the hds out of the the new ones to put new larger drives in. Will it help out if i copy the drive image after the software update for you 5500 guys?
post #50 of 655
8/17/04 at 9:55pm
DarkScreen (I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong) but... IIRC the replay needs to be static and you need to set the DNS 1 value to the IP of the wirns machine. You only need one, but you do need wirns running when you attempt to change the replay's DNS value.
post #51 of 655
8/17/04 at 10:34pm
There was something on the old tiwiki site that caught my eye a long time ago, but, it just ened up slipping by the wayside and being forgotten about - until now. Kinna need a clue card from someone who has a more advanced insight into the ReplayTV OS on this one and since this seems like an ideal thread to stuff it into...


If one were to take an RTV-55xx that is fully functional running a 5040 OS image, say v530510190, (eg: CA & IVS currently "ON") would toggling the registry flag "Software/Apps/Setup/AllowSysUpdate" prevent the loading of this new OS build (and therefore preserving the CA & IVS)?

I'd experiment on one of my RTV's, but I don't have a 55xx anymore. I did however, enable the flag on one of my 5040's running v530510190, but, the new *cough* virus, er, OS build doesn't seem to have made it out the left coast yet...


If you need more details, let me know - I am knowingly & completely intentionally, omitting certian details (if you know the answer, then you know what I'm omitting - if you don't, then, most likely
_you_don't_...) because I don't exactly know what the above will produce for results and I don't want a herd of 55xx lemmings following me if the above has some adverse side effects - which I believe that it might...
post #52 of 655
8/18/04 at 12:06am
Quote:
Originally posted by Jeff D
DarkScreen (I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong) but... IIRC the replay needs to be static and you need to set the DNS 1 value to the IP of the wirns machine. You only need one, but you do need wirns running when you attempt to change the replay's DNS value.
An alternative to the above which worked for me - I leave the RTV settings alone (DHCP) and temporarily adjust the DNS of the router setup itself to point to Wirns server. I find this a little easier then messing with the RTV setup. Once the net connect completes and I verify the features are enabled reverting the router back to it's correct DNS settings is a breeze.
post #53 of 655
8/18/04 at 12:35am
It's been a long time since i last used the wirns method, so it's possible that i'm doing it wrong. But, my 5504 connected thru wirns (i saw the proxy window handling the requests), so it looks like it connected successfully.

Unfortunately, after a wirns connection, and even after a reboot, CA and IVS is still gone on my 5504.

:(
post #54 of 655
8/18/04 at 1:29am
If that's correct, I was kinna wondering when DNNA was going close the liability loophole and pull the plug on this s**t...
post #55 of 655
8/18/04 at 1:54am
The fact that it was open shouldn't have been a liability if the users do stuff after the sale it's not really the fault of the developer. But... that's open to argument I guess. I would think it's up to DNNA and folks running around in suits.

as for the suggested method above about updates, I can't report any success. I've tried a few things and can seem to get the registry to take my changes. I'm asking for help from the higher powers... =)
post #56 of 655
8/18/04 at 2:09am
Thread Starter 
Thanks to those who've provided the missing puzzle pieces, I think I've got the wirns thing properly connecting to my 5504 with the new RTV software.

Unfortunately, it doesn't end up enabling CA or IVS. Doing a "Connect to ReplayTV Service Now" goes through all the normal on-screen status information that it does when connecting to the mothership. Looking at the wirnserv console screen during this process, the RTV does seem to be communicating with my PC and the GetShellCommand seems to be trying to do its thing.

If I'm doing things right, then it looks like the updated software on 55xx units may be another new challenge for the software gurus.

BTW, although I've been distracted with wirns and worms, I've not noticed any functional differences with the new RTV software. I'm curious to see if the CA and IVS features go away on 50xx units when they are infiltrated with the new software. This could make things really difficult.

Here's what the console looks like from program launch to completion of the RTV "connection":



Like the Olympics venue, much of it is Greek to me. I'm sure it tells a story to some of you. Hopefully it will be helpful in either pointing out errors of mine or a helping to come up with a new solution for dealing with the lost CA and IVS features.
post #57 of 655
8/18/04 at 3:32am
Quote:
Originally posted by DarkScreen
I'm curious to see if the CA and IVS features go away on 50xx units when they are infiltrated with the new software.
I can understand why they would remove features from a series never intended to have them (55XX). On the other hand, I see no reason why they would disable those features on a series that was sold with them included.
post #58 of 655
8/18/04 at 5:34am
Quote:
Originally posted by l8er
I can understand why they would remove features from a series never intended to have them (55XX). On the other hand, I see no reason why they would disable those features on a series that was sold with them included.
It's very unlikely they would do so, if only because I fairly certain they are still sitting on a pile of refurb'd 50xx's that they are probably anxious to get rid of (and to sell subscriptions for).
post #59 of 655
8/18/04 at 8:39am
Quote:
Originally posted by rm -rf *.*
If one were to take an RTV-55xx that is fully functional running a 5040 OS image, say v530510190, (eg: CA & IVS currently "ON") would toggling the registry flag "Software/Apps/Setup/AllowSysUpdate" prevent the loading of this new OS build (and therefore preserving the CA & IVS)?
FWIW, I do not believe that regedit value controls software upgrades. I'm not sure it controls anything. In the event it does, it is easy enough to toggle this value by entering 989-zones at the "Dial Method" setup screen (the one that says "Choose the dialing method that works for your area").

Again though, I don't think it will have the desired effect. However, try setting "SysConfig/Tweak/DisableSoftwareDownload" to "TRUE" as it ostensibly should work.
post #60 of 655
8/18/04 at 9:20am
Maybe it's time to take this talk underground? I think the next development should be kept quite.

I'm all for sharing, but in this case it had a negative result. Next time no one talks. ;)

We need a secret handshake.
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