AZBox Premiun HD will not boot "vfd ready"

[ndennis]

I've been trying for months to get YouTube working again (it will show a few videos then lock up the entire box). So I updated some of the firmware and now all I get is "VFD Ready."

I researched this and the fix looks over my head.

I un-hooked my additional hard-drive and tried booting with the + volumn key pressed.

I'm ready to send it off somewhere to be fixed.

Can someone please tell where in the US I can send this to be fixed?

Thanks,

Dennis

 

[AcWxRadar]

I've been trying for months to get YouTube working again (it will show a few videos then lock up the entire box). So I updated some of the firmware and now all I get is "VFD Ready."

I researched this and the fix looks over my head.

I un-hooked my additional hard-drive and tried booting with the + volumn key pressed.

I'm ready to send it off somewhere to be fixed.

Can someone please tell where in the US I can send this to be fixed?

Thanks,

Dennis

Dennis,

Is the box still under warranty? It is a two year warranty period. If so, you need to send it back to the retailer who sold it to you for warranty work, they will handle it for you from there. If it is out of warranty, you may be in a bad situation. If the seller doesn't have any means to repair it (which they normally don't) or the compassion to assist you with a non-warranty case, you will have to attempt to repair it yourself or find an individual that will do it for you.

You certainly cannot send it back to Portugal for a repair. I did that once because the seller was unscrupulous and did not honor their commitment as an AZBox authorized dealer. They (OpenSat) booted his business. I sent the box back to Opensat in Portugal, but it cost more to ship it than to buy a new one and it took about eight months or so (long story).

I know this is a very negative reply, but I want you to be prepared for the worse case scenario.

However, the good news is, I do believe that it can be fixed by you. As long as it is a firmware or software problem, it can be corrected. Hardware failures are much more troublesome and probably out of the question.

RADAR

 

[AcWxRadar]

Dennis,

What I need to ask is what you meant by your statement that you "updated some of the firmware". What, precisely, did you do?
Be as detailed as you can, please. It is important.

RADAR

 

[ndennis]

Dennis,

What I need to ask is what you meant by your statement that you "updated some of the firmware". What, precisely, did you do?
Be as detailed as you can, please. It is important.

RADAR

I updated the firmware with the latest version several times and that did not fix the YouTube problem.

My son went to the AZBox site and found a few other updates. I 'think' the one that did the box in was something about download helper? But I could be totally wrong.

I have one other option I'm going to try. I'm not going to use the HDMI and use the S-Video out and see if I can see anything. But that has to wait until tomorrow afternoon.

This box had one other problem. I am using another receiver to control the satellite dish. I use to be able to tell it to scan just the horizontal and then the vertical skew. But that was no longer possible. Don't know if that's related to the YouTube problem.

 

[ndennis]

I can buy a new AZBOX PREMIUM HD + Plus on EBay for $385.00 w/free shipping.

My current is not a Plus - What's better about the Plus?

Is there another model I may like better?

Thanks

 

[AcWxRadar]

Dennis,

Ok. Just wanted to make sure that you hadn't attempted to load any of the new enigma firmware. That may require special steps to remove and reset the original factory firmware.

For future reference, I wouldn't try loading any files except the OFFICIAL FACTORY FIRMWARE versions to the AZbox. That is, unless one or more of us here have found, tested and approved it first. Many of the files that are available are not applicable to us here in the US or in North America for that matter. There are plug-ins that are ok to play around with (like chess and sudoku and what not). But, there are many application programs available, mostly from Europe, which may not be wise to load. Some may even be illegal or at least unethical.

Please understand that the operating software for the AZBox is "open source" Linux based. This means that anyone with the guts, determination and where-with-all can write their own programs for the box. These programs and applications may not all be on the level or fully tested by the factory programmers. You have to be cautious about what you load into the AZBox.

Judging from your description, I think your box can be reset with a little effort. I wouldn't spend much thought at this moment on the subject of sending it in. I believe we can correct it.

You also may have altered your "resolution" or the video output settings if you are not seeing any video on your TV set. That is easy to recover from if all else is setup properly. Is this part of your troubles? Beyond the YouTube problem?

I'll do my best to help you with this if you like, but it may take a bit of time.

RADAR

 

[ndennis]

Thanks Radar.

I use to spend a lot of time watching YouTube on this box. I have an XBox and it has YouTube but the software is not nearly as good as the AZBox.

If I cannot get the YouTube up and running on my current AZBox I may just buy a new AZBox Me. Same price as a new Plus on Amazon, $325.00 + $20.00 shipping.

I have a feeling I will be able to get something done using the S-Video. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Thank you.

 

[AcWxRadar]

I can buy a new AZBOX PREMIUM HD + Plus on EBay for $385.00 w/free shipping.

My current is not a Plus - What's better about the Plus?

Is there another model I may like better?

Thanks

Dennis,

I would not buy an AZBox on Ebay (especially for that price) unless it is through one of the two authorized retailers in North America (their E-Bay Store). This would be Rick's Go Fast Motorsports for the U.S. or Dr.Sat from Canada.

The advantages of the Premium Plus are:

It has a "hardware-based" blind scan function (not simulated by software). It works better.
The docking bay for the internal HDD is much more user friendly (you just open a hatch and there it is).
The PLUS can legitimately accept dual DVB-S2 tuners. The original premium could handle dual tuners, but both could not be sat tuners.
...one tuner had to be a terrestrial OTA tuner or a cable TV tuner. But, neither of these tuners are available for U.S. operation.

There may be a few other minor differences, but nothing that is more important than the above. Otherwise, the two are basically the same animal (they look identical). I have both models and can compare them. The PLUS is better.

RADAR

 

[ndennis]

I bought my current box from Azboxusa in Miami, FL. They have the AZBox Me on Amazon.

Just in case, is the Me better than the Plus? I read it has a faster processor.

Thanks again.

 

[AcWxRadar]

I bought my current box from Azboxusa in Miami, FL. They have the AZBox Me on Amazon.

Just in case, is the Me better than the Plus? I read it has a faster processor.

Thanks again.

That I cannot answer. Never tested the AZBox Me so I don't have any reference other than what others state.

RADAR

 

[Keith Brannen]

ndennis,

If you son downloaded firmware from the AZBox site, then the firmware is AZtrino (unfortunately!). You might want to ask at: Neutrino HD Forum or at: Login for help.

 

[AcWxRadar]

ndennis,

If you son downloaded firmware from the AZBox site, then the firmware is AZtrino (unfortunately!). You might want to ask at: Neutrino HD Forum or at: Login for help.

Keith,

Fortunately, the AZBox Premium (or the Premium Plus) will not accept the AZtrino firmware. It does not recognize it to be a valid image file. Even if you rename it and regardless of how you rename it. The AZtrino firmware is a *.img file type and not a *.bin file so it will never be recognized. So, no worries there mates.

RADAR

 

[AcWxRadar]

What should you do in the event that your firmware fouls up the operation of your AZBox?

The following is the list of the first stage procedures that should be attempted to recover the AZBox operation. Print this out and use it as a check-off sheet as you go along. If any one specific step blocks you, mark that as your stopping point as that can provide a clue as to what other avenues may be necessary.

1] Power the system down normally, if possible, and remove the HDD (internal or external).

2] Disconnect the LNB IN cable. Leave the other video and audio cables connected.

3] Obtain a USB flash memory stick drive and ensure that it is formatted in FAT32 style.

4] Download a known stable (official factory) firmware image file such as 0.9.5020.

5] Copy this image file to the USB flash drive and rename it simply "patch" or "patch.bin".

NOTE: You may copy the image file to the flash drive and rename it "patch" and then copy it again and rename it "patch.bin". One file will be accepted and the other will simply be ignored.

6] With the AZBox powered down, insert the USB flash drive in one of the two USB ports.

NOTE: If the USB flash drive is not detected upon bootup, try the other port.

7] Power the AZBox back up and hope that the UPGRADE menu appears. The menu should have the following options:

1. USB
2. NETWORK
3. OTA
4. FORMAT APPLICATION AREA
5. BOOT WITHOUT UPDATE

8] Select USB, press OK and follow the prompts to load the upgrade.

9] UPGRADE menu screen should reappear when complete. Then select FORMAT APP AREA, press OK.

10] UPGRADE menu screen should reappear when complete. Now select BOOT W/O UPDATE, press OK.

11] If the AZBox reboots fully, but you cannot see a video on your TV:

Press the RESOLUTION button on the remote and watch the front panel display on the AZBox. It should show COMPOSITE first. Press the ?, ?buttons to select the proper video output format from the list of (COMPOSITE / COMPONENT / SCART / HDMI). Click OK and then select from the next set of options (PAL / NTSC). Click OK when the appropriate option is displayed. Now select from the resolution options (480i / 480p / 720p / 1080i / 1080p) and press OK.


12] If and when the AZBox fully reboots and you have your video back, go to the:

SETTINGS MENU ? DATA RESET ? FACTORY SETTING

NOTE: You may need to enter password 0000 for access permission.

13] Execute the FACTORY SETTING by highlighting that option and pressing OK.

14] You may need to repeat the performance of step 11 when this has finished.

15] Your AZBox should now be restored to factory conditions with the default factory satellite and channel list installed.

16] Power down and reconnect your LNB IN cable (leave the HDD out for now).

17] If you had backed up your personal satellite and channel list previously (before the fault occurred) you may download it back to the AZBox using the ACC 1.1 program utility. If you didn't save a backup file of your lists, you will have to reprogram the sats and scan for channels.

18] If all goes well, you may reinstall the HDD (you should not be required to do any setup for that). Simply start from the fuly powered down state, install the HDD and power on and let it reboot.

RADAR

 

[Keith Brannen]

Fortunately, the AZBox Premium (or the Premium Plus) will not accept the AZtrino firmware. It does not recognize it to be a valid image file. Even if you rename it and regardless of how you rename it. The AZtrino firmware is a *.img file type and not a *.bin file so it will never be recognized.

I'm talking about Aztrino 1.1 (formerly called Neutrino) for first generation AZBoxes which is a .bin file, and is available at the AZBox site. ndennis also mentioned that he thought what did the box in was "something about download helper?" which suggests the AZtrino loader.

 

[ndennis]

I emailed AZBox yesterday and they asked me to try this:

http://www.azbox.com/downloads/file51_gb.pdf

I'll try what Radar said and if that does not work I try what they said sometime today.

I was surprised they got back to me so fast.

 

[Keith Brannen]

ndennis, try what AZBox sent you first, since if you did load AZtrino onto your box, then that is the way to recover back to the original software.

 

[ndennis]

Trying AZBox instructions first:

I hooked it up to the S-Video out and there is nothing on the TV screen.

All I see is VFD Ready on the AZBox.

Any ideas?

 

[Keith Brannen]

There won't be any video to see at this point. Just follow the instructions in the pdf.

 

[ndennis]

Okay, I can see the IP address but how do I "Start AZtrino Loader?"

 

[AcWxRadar]

I'm talking about Aztrino 1.1 (formerly called Neutrino) for first generation AZBoxes which is a .bin file, and is available at the AZBox site. ndennis also mentioned that he thought what did the box in was "something about download helper?" which suggests the AZtrino loader.

Keith,

I see that now, thanks. When I first looked, I didn't go to the "first generation page". I see they even have a recovery procedure listed to revert back to official firmware. That's really great!

RADAR