Walmart US Digital STB Questions - Page 39

Have you tried to rollback to a previous version of the software? Sometimes if you start back from scratch it works.....search for rollback sequence in this thread if I can remember which of the post in this thread I'll post it here or dogleg69 will help you....I think it's called magic key sequences you should be able to run the rollback sequence

I found it!

try the following sequence to try and get your db2010 back to the previous firmware version

on the remote press the following buttons in this sequence be patient it will take a small amount of time for it to reboot

Guide (the one in between the mute and pre-ch buttons)

Program Info

Aspect

Program Info

1


Good luck......

dogleg69 do you think jtbs would be able to reinstall the original 2.7.15 firmware and start all over again?

Yes, you can reinstall older software. This is what I found to try:

Go through the channel scan and before it gets to the channel number that locks up, pull the antenna cable. When it passes the locked channel, plug the antenna back in.

If you give it enough time to bypass the locked channel, you can scan the rest of the channels and get most of your channels. As long as you pull it early enough and wait long enough (give a channel or two buffer), everything will work fine.

I don't know what causes this. You can try after the scan is complete to add the channel manually. This may/not work.

Thank you everyone for the helpful suggestions.

I pulled the antenna just before channel 27 and the unit was able to complete the channel scan and let me continue. I then manually added all the other channels.

However, my problem now is that I cannot get the unit to add or recognize channel 27, which is my local channel 5 (WAGA Fox Atlanta). When I go to add channel and put in 27, the signal meter reads 97% and holds steady. But the unit does not recognize it as the local Fox channel though. I was on version 2.9.3 with this problem. So I upgraded to version 2.9.4, but no luck also. Have not tried going back to an older version yet.

Does anyone have an idea on why the unit will not recognize a channel, though the signal is very strong?

I just remembered one thing. Not sure if it makes any difference.

Station WAGA (Fox Atlanta channel 5) broadcasts in both standard and HD format on channel 27. So there is a channel 5.1 and 5.2, both showing the exact same programs.

jtbs

dogleg69,

OK. After spending 3 hrs figuring out how to get knoppix to work and create the older firmware images on to a usb drive, I finally figured out how to make the script work. I don't have a linux pc and came across knoppix and thought I'd give it a try. It's linux that runs from a cd. Knoppix calls usb drives as uba devices, instead of sda devices for normal hard disks. So I had to modify the makekey script to mount uba devices instead of sda devices.

So I was able to install the older versions, but nothing worked to fix my problem with channel 27 (WAGA Fox 5 in Atlanta). I tried versions 2.7.11, 2.7.15 and 2.9.1.

By the way, what is the difference between the version that says 'fromservice' and one that says 'reinstall'? I only used the 'reinstall' versions.

I just noticed that you have a version 2.5.59 in the archive folder. I am going to try this also. But if this does not work, I am out of ideas.

Do you have any thoughts on why a channel cannot be decoded even though the signal is very strong? The only thing I can think of that is different with this station is that it is being broadcast as 5.1 and 5.2 and they both have the same programming. So I am guessing one is a true hi-def broadcast and the other is just an analog to digital broadcast signal.

dogleg69, if you or anyone has any ideas on how to fix this problem, I would greatly indebted to you. The Fox channel is one I watch often. It has one my favorite shows, Prison Break. :-)

Thanks,

jtbs

Holy Cows!!! Reverting back to version 2.5.59 worked. The usdtv device now picks up and decodes channel 27 correctly. I am so glad this worked.

I would like to know what is the difference between this older version and the newer versions though. Nobody seems to experience the same issue I did. Oh well. Guess I'll have to experiment some more because I would really like to get the features of the newer version.

jtbs

reinstall is what you want. The fromService are boxes that are still subscription or ones that still are looking for the USDTV service. After you go to an FTA box, you never use fromService again.

I'm pretty surprised by this. Since you do have access to linux now, please try to go directly from the 2.5.59 to 2.9.4 using the userUpgrade in the linux folder (do not use the windows .bin file. It will not work back on 2.5.59). The userUpgrade will not make you rescan the channels. This means that channel 27 should be there. Then, please report back what works.

This may be a lead on the infamous channel 41 problem too. Hmmm. I'm a bit puzzled by this. The 2.5.59 software is not as robust. Please report back. This certainly points to the software, not the tuner.

dogleg69,

Would the 2.5.59 software work with one of the units I have(all my other units came from ebay with the 2.7.15 software versions installed and later the all were converted to ota versions)?

I could hook it up and let it stay on digital 41 for days to see if it loses the channel (it would make sense that the software would cause the problem since my wally world unit has the same identical tuner in it as the other units I have and doesn't stop working at channel 41 we had discussed this earlier I think) ..... and then upgrade back to the 2.9.4 and see what happens.

Oh yeah did you do something different in the 2.9.4 software as far as the channel guide is concerned other than changing when it updated, here in the last week or so It has been lightning fast on epg downloads where it used to take thumbing through each channel to update when I first upgraded to the 2.9.4. software Is there an active link to the older version software still available?

Yes, the 2.5.59 will work with any of the hardware you have (as long as it has the Xilleon chip -- which I think all yours do). You can then flip or reinstall the later versions. It might be a good test.


Yes. Made it so it downloaded only the enabled channels. I also set the timeout to be much shorter when grabbing data for each channel. After you first upgrade (like to 2.9.4), you have to let it settle in a bit. If you upgrade and then immediately turn it on and press guide, it will not have gathered any data. One of my boxes is act great and keeping the guide alive. One is not. I'm still thinking on that one.

All versions are avail on the mediafire site.

I noticed that now my box was able to sit over night the guide is lightning fast. I guessed it had to do with the box updating over night like you mentioned. It's working great! Thanks for your dedication!

There may be something to this 2.5.59 version working for some channels. I believe the 2.7.15 thru 2.9.4 are the same as far as the tuner scanning code. However, the 2.5.59 is different from the 2.7.15 regarding scanning. I still feel it has something to do with the PSIP information not agreeing with the newer versions of the software.

I'm making this guess based on the info provided by ax135, jtbs and smintn. It is extremely hard for me to work on this becuase it does not happen in my area.

The 2.5.59 vs 2.7.15 changed alot of code with regards to the PSIP processing. I will continue to look as I have time.

dogleg69,

Your recommendation was right on. I upgraded to 2.9.4 using the userupgrade version and it worked perfect. There was no rescan and my channel 5.1 and 5.2 were still there. Everything is great now. Thanks!!!

You mentioned in the previous post about the PSIP info not agreeing with the newer software. If that is the case, then wouldn't my problem come back after I installed 2.9.4? Just wondering.

jtbs

Hmmm. So, you went back to 2.5.59 and your FOX (ch 5) was enabled and you could use it. Then you used the 2.9.4 "userupgrade" (which does NOT reinstall everything, it just updates the software but keeps the previous configuration), and you can now receive FOX (ch5) properly?

Indeed, if that is the case, it is probably not the PSIP. It still could be the PSIP info when adding a station, but not when using/tuning. To add the station, the VCT (virtual channel table) is parsed. Again, hmmm. All very good information. In any case, if it worked, then that is great and we have found a strange, but usable workaround. Thanks for sharing the information.

dogleg69,

Since I had good luck with upgrading my first box, I decided to try it on another one I got from ebay. However, I cannot even flash the firmware on this new one. When I first power up the device, it wants to go thru diagnostics. It says something about testing the DS2505, then it tests the led's, and then it asks to put a flash drive to test the usb port. After all this, it says to connect the antenna. After a few seconds, it says the picture and audio should be showing and to use the + and - buttons to change channels. But there is no picture. Except for + and - buttons, no other buttons on the remote works, not even power. It does not look like the unit even went thru a channel scan.

I have tried all the firmware versions on your site and a couple from another site and I cannot get the darn thing to apply a different firmware. I compared the circuit boards inside the new and my old one and they are different.

Are there versions of this unit out there that you cannot change the firmware at all? If so, how do you identify it?

In the initial diagnostic of the unit, it does show that there are two NAND chips. Is there a magic code via the remote that I could try to have it revert to the firmware on the second NAND chip?

Thanks.

jtbs

From what you are describing, you have the "test" firmware that was put on directly at the manufacturing plant by Hisense for USDTV. That firmware is just for diagnostic and has no DTV code in it.

Where did you get it (which ebay seller)? PM me if you don't want to say on the forum. And which other sites did you get firmware?

None of the software posted will fix that box. There is no revert sequence. That is the original flash from the factory.

Hey all -

I hope this has not already been covered ad nauseum (I tried to search but there are A LOT of posts on here).

Anyhow, I have the USD/Hisense 2010 HD receiver - I bought it about 3 years (maybe a little less) ago. Stil has the factory firmware on it I suppose - I requested an update USB, but what do you know? I never got one!

Anyhow, I did not need it and it has been put up in storage for about 1.5 years now. Before this time it was working great (for the most part - I was having issues with it reading a signal from some stations - namely PBS stations) and not actually showing them. Anyhow, I got it back out today and plugged it in and set it all back up the way it was and now as soon as I turn it on, both the signal and power lights are flashing about 1 time a second. I cannot get it to respond to anything.

Now, I read in a thread here that someone said this happened and that it was a power supply issue. However, I am not convinced that is the case in my situation. Reason being, how likely is it that it works perfectly fine when I put it up - it never had any power going to it in the mean time, and then all of a sudden the power supply is bad? Not to mention I took the cover off to look and everything looks pristine - not even any dust. Now, I am not going to say I know without a doubt it is not the power supply, but my logic dictates that it is quite possible it may be something else. (maybe I am wishful thinking, I dunno). Is there anything else I can try - also, I have a multimeter - can I possibly test the power supply before getting a new one? I mean, I know that they are pretty cheap, but I really do not feel like fooling with all that if that is necessesary. Thanks!

Mike

What color are the lights (red or green)?

Ah yes, I left that part out - they are both green (and actually, not that it really matters, I am sure - they are blinking quite rapidly - not once a second but once every .5 seconds.) I opened it up again to really inspect it and I took it out, reseated the cables and turned it back on and am still getting the same thing.

The only thing I can find on the blinking lights is that if the power is blinking that it is updating. But I am not sure that is the case here. I am not getting anything on screen except blue and a "noise" at every blink of the lights.

Mike

So here is an update. Apparently when i was testing it before I was impatient and didn't even have the tv set to be on the input source for the box long enough.

So I turned it back on and it was blue for about 20 seconds, then the screen flashed and it was black (similar to what I remember when it first came on before) and stays black for about 4 seconds and then goes back blue again. The lights never stop flashing; however, it repeats this about every 20-30 seconds. UNLESS I hold the power button in. If I hold the power button in for 5 seconds, the lights do not stop flashing, but the black screen appears about 5 seconds after I let off the power button each time I do it. So, I got to thinking, it seems as though it is trying to boot up but is stuck on something. So, could I create a bootable USB stick (I have seen it in passing, but have not actually dove into making one yet) and put that in there? I suppose I can answer my own question by saying that it cannot hurt at this point, right?

Mike

Well, that was a no go. So possibly it is a power supply issue . It is just weird that it was working fine the last time I had it plugged in but now it is not - I mean how does a PS go bad without being plugged in?? I will not be 100% convinced until I test it though. Like I said, I have a multimeter, but I have never used (or tested) it with a board before, so I am not quite sure that I am doing this right, but common sense tells me that I am -

I tested the each of the pins that the cable connecting the PS to the mainboard and this is what I am getting:

12v - about 3.90v
5v - about 1v
3.5v - about .5-.9

So I am guessing that if I am doing it right that it is fried. Dangint. So weird that that happened. Please let me know if I am testing it wrong though! This is a shot in the dark, but it wouldn't happen to be the actual cord could it? Is it safe to test with the multimeter? If so, how?

Also, I am guessing that there is not really anywhere I can get this replacement PS from besides a used receiver, is there? Meaning, they do not happen to make some sort of universal type of set up that I could get at like radio shack or something?

Mike

Two blinking green lights is the power supply (from my experience). However, great job on the diagnostics. Since you have a it open, just make sure that all the connections from the PSU to the motherboard and the tuner are seated properly.

Blinking lights can also mean a subscription box is trying to download an upgrade. If you have updated to FTA software and you are still getting green blinking lights, the PSU is toast. This is becuase the newer FTA releases do not try to download upgrades since USDTV is out of business.

My money is on a bad PSU, but I hope not.

dogleg69,

So is there any way you know of to install a working firmware?

The item came from ebay seller susansadventure. I think the firmware issue was a mistake somehow because other buyers reported units that work fine from this seller. I plan on contacting the seller to see what they can do. As for the other site where I got firmware, it was http://elinux.org/Wiki/HiSense.

jtbs

Yeah, I decided to play around with it while it was open and unseated and reseated all connections - still a no go. The weird thing is though, I tested underneath the board right where the molex connects to the board. I am not sure how to read the meter, but I had it set on 1000v AC and there are three spaces of numbers on there (not sure how that works out). I was getting the fluctuating with the highest reading being a 035 or something to that effect. However, due to my limited knowledge beyond the principles of what a circuit, this really tells me nothing, although it seems like it is not even getting enough power TO the board to start with (that is, unless the reading was normal). Again with my strange ideas, but it is not possible that the power cord itself is bad is there? The way that it is set up tells me that is probably nearly impossible (and yes I did try different outlets on the off chance that one just so happened to be going bad).

That being said, it is puzzling as there are NO visible signs that there is anything wrong with it at all - no burning, melting, discoloration or otherwise. This might actually be an interesting project for me to learn more about how it works and how to repair them. I mean, at this point, what is it going to hurt?

This power supply board does not look all that complicated - there are not too many capacitors and resistors, one of which, I am assuming is the culprit. From what I have read, it sounds like it is more likely that it is a capacitor (but I may be wrong). That being said, there are a couple of the larger cylinder capacitors that are not flat on the top - I have read about bulging, but the state at which they are in does not lend itself to me saying that they are bulging, more like just a little rounded.

Sooooo, if I could figure out which one is bad then I can just replace it and see if that works, but the problem is troubleshooting - I mean I have the tool, but do not really know where to start. I have found numerous fault-finding diagrams, but none for the layperson like me. If anyone knows how I can go about figuring out what the failed part is, that would be great. OR, if I really wanted practice, I suppose I could just replace them all! Not sure I am that gung-ho about it right now.

Mike

I contacted that seller. It was a mistake. Did you buy a new or used box? You got a new one direct from the factory. If you have the ability to run the makekey script in linux, then I can help you. If not, then contact the seller and they will take care of you.

I would buy another one on ebay first. Then switch the PSU and see if that does it -- before trying to repair it. I think it would be cheaper anyway. Or, if there is anyone who has a broken unit on the AVS, maybe they would sell it to you for the price of postage. I wish I had some extra units to part out for the members here. smintn also had a problem. I looked for one unit that I had that was bad, but I must have thrown it out like an idiot.

dogleg69

I don't know if I posted it or not but one of my ebay units was erratic on updates a while back it had done almost the same thing with the blinking lights etc like one of the flash chips had gone out.....on power up I kept using the rollback sequence repeatly (you had to be patience to see it clear while watching the screen) It finally settled down and I was able to flash the firmware....but you know come to think of it that may be the unit that has the now defunct power supply.

(as I remember)I did find out the supply on these units will only read correctly if it is plugged in with at least the motherboard as a load

Is there a source for getting a replacement ps for these units? Proserv never got back in touch with me on that subject

thanks

my walmart unit still keeps working fine as compared to the ebay units (ch41 haven't experimented with that yet don't have ant sig split yet to feed unit to leave on for a few days for the last update to check this)...I went back and looked at the system info on my 4 units I have 2 2010 units and 2 2020 units. Anyone ever figure out the reason for the 2 different hardware numbers? Also I can't remember which one's but the motherboard of one or more of my units has a mod on what looks like a regulator with an added component.....

Obviously, the second situation would be ideal since I would even be willing to pay a bit more than just postage to someone from the forum - at least this way I would be paying ACTUAL postage charges and not some inflated shipping charges that seem to always be present on Ebay.


What do you mean here? That the mb at least has to be plugged in for you to get an accurate reading or that the mb can be the ONLY thing plugged in to get an accurate reading? I tested it with everything plugged in, so I am guessing it works. I am just baffled that it does not even seem to be getting enought power to the input where the molex connector attaches. Weird. Too bad it is not easy enough to switch it with some sort of other board that can supply the power!

In a way, I am thinking I do not need it really (have satellite) but really like watching some of the races and TV shows in HD. That being said, I may just get a new one - just to be sure that it is the power supply.

Regardless of what I do, I will post back here as an update. Reason being, I see a couple of other posts here that state the same problem, but then those people just disappear with no update as to if that was it or what.

Mike

If you checked with all things plugged in I believe dogleg69 was right the power supply sounds bad.......

These are the voltages you should read on the 2010/2020 they are approximate

These are dc voltages, make sure your meter is on the dc setting where it can read at least 35volts dc (settings vary with make and model of meter)

3.3v = 3.3v

5v = 4.9v

12v = 12.2v

30v = 31.2v have seen as high as 33v

these readings can be taken on the power connector (wire side) on the motherboard (3.3v,5v,12v) one lead(black -) on gnd the other lead (red +) on the voltage line you are trying to read

The 30v readings can be taken on power connector (wire side) on tuner assembly one lead(black -) on gnd the other lead (red +) on the voltage line you are trying to read

The readings for ac input can be taken across the black and white wires coming in from the plug, slightly lift the ac in connector tp power supply just enough to take a reading be careful ac will arc and scare the hell out of you plus it can weld meter leads and trip a main breaker.

Also set the meter to read ohms (resistance) (with power cord unplugged) take a reading across the fuse it should read zero ohms (resistance)

-dogleg69

after all this time (someone else probably already noticed) I think I found the real difference between the 2010 and 2020 units-

On my 2010 units on the motherboard there is a mod that has been made in the N102 (AZ1084S 5amp low dropout linear regulator) area resistor r510 has been added (discrete component) and tied to an unlabeled resistor going to a cut leg on the N201 and then tied back

Now on the 2020 units in this same area there are surface mounted parts and that multi pin connector pad area is orientated differently (a respun board) this would be a reason to distinguish between the motherboards by having different hardware numbers in the system info.

dogleg69

I do not know if it is a new box or not. But it looks fairly new.

I do have the ability to run the makekey script in linux. What do you need me to do? Thanks.

jtbs