Any hope for the bricked clone?

[northgeorgia]

Well, newbie lesson learned! I bought what I assumed was an Openbox s10 last year, but it turns out it was one of the notorious clones. I had checked the chipset and everything before doing the firmware update. I ran it a few months ago and it had been working great...until today. At that point, I got the screen of death "Clone chipset detected!" Now, when I power it on, it only shows "on" and doesn't boot up...no screen or anything. I've contacted the seller online and hope they'll be kind to refund my money, but I know that's very unlikely. Is there anything that can be done to reset these bricks to their original firmware?

By the way, I have a Traxis 3500 (which I'll use now instead of the OpenBox for signal testing) and a microHD (which I love and use for my main receiver). I just hate being duped out of 85 bucks.

 

[FaT Air]

found this in a google search. Hope you have the original FW that came with it.

1. STB off.2. Null modem cable attached to desktop computer and to STB.
3. Downloaded S9 loader program to computer.
4. Opened loader....set the correct port for STB.
5. Selected firmware to load.
6. CHECKED BOOTLOADER BOX
7. Clicked next and immediately turned on STB.
8. Loader loaded then boot and firmware.
9. STB reboot - ready to add channel list.

 

[northgeorgia]

Hmmm... I don't seem to have a null modem cable, nor a laptop or desktop computer old enough that has the right plug for it. I could try to order a USB converter cable, but I heard those aren't always effective. Well, hopefully I'll hear back from the seller soon and see what they say. Just another reason I'm loving the microHD ... quality product and great support

 

[turbosat]

Find somebody with an old computer, then go for it.

 

[carlospr43]

Look for ANONIMOUSX firmware release which has the clone kill feature

 

[FaT Air]

Search instead for ANONIMOUSX openbox
Think the clone kill is disabled in the their later releases.
('DEEP"[S10 FW which also runs on S9] fw in the downloads sections is from this AnonimouSX
my notes on my latest FW EDventures:

Dec. 20Loaded S10 FW modded to work on S9 -   http://www.mediafire.com/?7f92jfgnaaw52aq
file is DEEP_C2DS2_CMT_1112130641.abs
Info screen reads C2HS2-11-12-13-048:CMT
No lockups or stuttering
Timer works for multiple recordings is the clock is user defined (do not use GMT where it gets clock info from a TP stream)
Records 2 channels in a stream while watching a third (SD tested) Some earlier did also.
Main menu - 6666 - gets network settings.
This is by far the best FW so far.


April 2012
As discussed here http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/287429-new-openbox-firmware.html
version: C2HS2-12-06-18:05E3CMT
This FW is the same file as the "DEEP" FW. except 'branded' Openbox @ bootscreen.

 

[Martyn]

Steer clear of the USB to serial adapters.

I spent weeks messing around with trying to flash new firmware to a bricked Fortec Star. I tried every piece of firmware I could find and every boot loader and nothing seemed to return it to life.

Then I switched PCs and used one with a real Serial port. It worked first time.

 

[northgeorgia]

Thanks for all the advice! The seller is going to accept my return. I'm going to ask for a refund, but if they can only replace it, I'll buy one of those null cables for the next time I have a situation like this. I noticed on closer inspection my oldest laptop has a port for a monitor, but it would only accept a male plug instead of the female plug required for the STB. I know the question may be academic now, but do you think a male-female null cable would work in this case?

 

[Magic Static]

The video (VGA) port is 15pin and a serial port is 9 pin, not the same. Some later motherboards still have a (Com 1)serial port riser on them. My ASUS P5E3 deluxe has one and it was State of the Art when I got it a couple years ago.

 

[brentb636]

Even my new Gigabyte mobo has a serial header on the board, mixed in with the esata, usb2/3 , firewire, and everything else. I had to BUY separately though the ribbon connector to actual put the 9 pin port on the back panel .

 

[xtgold]

serial ports are always male,so no need for any gender changers.If it isn't male it isn't a serial port.The deep firmware wasn't from anonymousx and isn't clone safe.

 

[xtgold]

avoid the anonymousx beta firmware released aug 1st by a beta tester,it kills receivers.