New to Dreambox - initial questions

[bloggs]

Hi,

Extreme Newbie here. Only been reading up on the Dreambox for a few days, and will need to continue reading for the duration of the life of my Dreambox. I have ordered a DM500S from Sattronics.net - just shipped, so it should be here soon. I am fairly "fluent" in Linux, and I am looking forward to tinkering with this box - probably more than watching TV!

I want to be ready to dive right into it as soon as it arrives. I have a F##tel subscription and blue card, and I am hoping to simply emulate the operation of the Pace box initially, and then to see where I can go from there.

Has anyone else got the DM500S from Sattronics? If so, what image was loaded, and what CAM emulator was loaded?

What would I need to get to make my F##tel card work?

Thanks,

bloggs

[toor]

a starting point depending on what image they come with from sattronics

[bloggs]

Thanks toor,

I have already saved that video link in my last 2 days of research. It seems very easy, and I hope it's a similar procedure with whatever image I end up getting from Sattronics.

bloggs

[jonc]

Hi,
Has anyone else got the DM500S from Sattronics? If so, what image was loaded,

I have not got one from them and do not know them (unless they are the same Sattronics that sold radios 30 years ago) but let me make a stab in the dark about the image - Gemini

Welcome to the owners club, may you have many happy hours with these incredible boxes.

[nfnovice]

yeah - g'day and welcome bloggs
your comments on messing with the box rather than watchin tv are eerily close to the mark ..however your unix skills will put you in front of many heading down this path ..
cheers

[allstarnz]

i'd say it'd probably loaded with a Gemmini image.

Also, it's probable that the box will already be loaded so you should just need to put your card in and away you go. If not, download something like CCCam from your dreambox

[bloggs]

Thanks guys,

I'll let you know how I go once I get the box.

I will most likely have more questions.

bloggs

[bloggs]

I just remembered another question which I forgot to ask in my initial post.

I have a laptop with no serial port, so I will have to use ethernet to do any data transfers or potential image updates. I have read that this is not reliable and may stuff things up.

Any suggestions/ideas for reliable transfer software? Will Dreamup do, or is there some other option?

Thanks,

bloggs

[fandtm666]

dreamup is for null modem setup for a network transfer you will need flash wizard.

now carfull if the image has gemini DO NOT TRY and load PLI iolite with flash wizard as gemini uses Maxvar and PLI iolite does not and it will get to about 70% and freeze then needeg to be flashed via null modem

get a pcmcia com port card

[RHCP]

the author's preferred method, involves uploading the image to the /tmp directory on your Dreambox via FTP, then rename it to root.cramfs, then go to the setup menu of your Dreambox, select Software Update, then manual update.

Works pretty well.

Cheers, RHCP.

[bloggs]

diavolo, thanks for the warning relating to Maxvar. I will keep that in mind if I change my image to PLI iolite.

RHCP, thanks for your suggestion. It looks OK - one less cable and/or adaptor to buy Does diavolo's warning still apply when doing it this way?

bloggs

[Plantagenet]

Maxvar scared the pants off me with my first box...thought I killed it straight away....

From memory it happened when I tried to flash a new image from the menu system (not null cable) from gemini to pli iolite.

Null fixed it though....

[Plantagenet]

what diavalo13666 said, dont use the root.cramfs method when going from Gemini to PLi as your box wont boot up again.

You will then need a null modem.

I think Null Modems are the better way to go, more flexibility, use dreamup to communicate to your dm.

Disconnect all wires before flashing (especially coaxial from LNB). Connect the null modem and then open dreamup.

It'll prompt you to then and only then provide power to the DM500.

10 minutes later you'll be doing back flips.

[bloggs]

OK, thanks again for all your advice guys. It's a null modem cable then. As I have a laptop without a serial port, I will need a PCMCIA to RS-232 adaptor (as advised by diavolo), or can I use a USB to RS-232 adaptor instead?

A lot of people here use the PLi image. I might just get comfortable with the Gemini one first, before flashing to PLi - or is there a compelling reason to use PLi straight away?.

bloggs

[fandtm666]

if you get a usb to rs232 make sure you try and get the aten as its the better one around

[jonc]

if you get a usb to rs232 make sure you try and get the aten as its the better one around

agree 100% it is totally seamless to all com apps on wintel and unix as well.

[jonc]

dreamup is for null modem setup

And works in conjunction with a network too. It has it own onboard proxy to do it all, and with the lan enabled it takes a minute and a few seconds to upgrade as opposed to 9-11 minutes by serial only (even with a flash over a max-var image - let the urban legends now start exploding on the thread).

[bloggs]

jonc,

So are you saying that you connect both the serial cable and the ethernet when you use dreamup - speeding it up and also avoiding maxvar issues?

bloggs

[Decapper]

if you get a usb to rs232 make sure you try and get the aten as its the better one around

I agree. just bought one and no matter what I throw at it works like a charm!!!


Dont forget to earth your LNB!!!

[jonc]

jonc,

So are you saying that you connect both the serial cable and the ethernet when you use dreamup - speeding it up and also avoiding maxvar issues?

bloggs

in a nut shell - yes