Coolsat IKS Dongle

[ind224]

Dang it

When when I first saw it I had hoped it allowed keyboard channel loading too Stogie.
Adding all the freqs polarity LNB settings etc is such a PITA with the remote or the USB /Null cable.
Oh well, maybe someday.

 

[asmodee]

It's software / firmware that uses the Connection to connect to an "IKS" server. With the proper software and available server, I would think many True FTA features would be possible. I do remember that the LyngBox was going to be able to connect to Lyngsat.com for automatic TP / Channel updates.

As long as it's possible to force updating of the channel/sat/tp lists from the ethernet->serial converter (without modifying the receiver's firmware) then I suspect this would be very possible and actually not very difficult.

I'm aware you can reprogram your FTA box using channel master via RS-232, but does that require that you need to restart the receiver or can it be running when you initiate the transfer? My receiver has usb for that, so I don't know what the norm is.

 

[WestCoastFTA]

The Truth about the "IKS Dongle"

I'm a new member to this site. I was doing a search on the dongles because I am interested in all of its possible uses. Thats when I stumbled upon the site which I am familiar with BTW. Anyway, no offense, but I can't believe how ignorant and naive some of the posts are regarding this device. This RS232 to Ethernet dongle is a potentially amazing device that can be uses in many positive legal ways. Instant weather updates, live sports updates, ez factory firmware updates, channel list updates. The list goes on and on. Mark my word! These dongles are the future of FTA. All FTA receiver manufacturers who want to stay in the game will go this way. The people that bitch and moan about the illegal uses of this device are the same people who think guns should be outlawed because a criminal can kill with it. Focus on the positive. Anyway, opinions are like a-holes. Everybody has one.

Yours Truly,
A die hard Viewsat Lover

 

[Mr Tony]

Instant weather updates, live sports updates,

please tell me how the FTA box gets those???

ez factory firmware updates,

other than the Visionsat, I havent seen a FTA box with LEGAL firmware updates more than once a year (if that)

The list goes on and on. Mark my word! These dongles are the future of FTA. All FTA receiver manufacturers who want to stay in the game will go this way.

highly unlikely but OK.

The people that bitch and moan about the illegal uses of this device are the same people who think guns should be outlawed because a criminal can kill with it.

ok right there you are wrong. First off, I own a gun
secondly, every single thing I have read/seen about this dingle dongle is for illegal use. Other sites you type in dongle and its "how do I make it load my illegal stuff so I get the newest mumbo jumbo channels from Dish" so that line doesn't fly with me.

A die hard Viewsat Lover

hmmm......last I checked Viewsat barely comes out with a legal FTA update ever. So that must be why you love them
hmmm...funny how I went to your little website (which by the way sent me to ANOTHER website)...all you sell is Viewsat.....huh, imagine that.

 

[USDownlink]

These dongles are the future of FTA. All FTA receiver manufacturers who want to stay in the game will go this way.

This makes me feel like I'm stuck in a tripolar technological worm hole. According to you, the future is supposed to be made of serial ports from 1978 and converter dongles from 1989. If FTA-internet connectivity is indeed in the cards, I would hope, at a minimum, ethernet ports could be built into the boxes directly so we could at least find our way into, say, roughly 1999.

Not my point, however, that was just an observation I found mildly amusing. Instead, my intent is to back up Iceberg as being correct in pointing out the limited usefulness of such items to FTA, and Khandurian in pointing out the very real uses of such devices. I've frequently used them to integrate legacy devices in engineering laboratories with more modern software. (Generally valid for the reverse, too - keeping legacy code working with modern equipment.)

 

[Fizbi]

This is a real eye opener...

Here's what I found in another forum:

"For members determined to go ahead with an IKS purchase, let me provide some commonsense advice. I strongly recommend that you consider making your purchase only from a local dealer (i.e., in person), use an alias instead of your real identity (if the dealer requires a name and address for the sales receipt), and pay for your purchase in cash."

So, if some clever programmers launch a worm that fails to access your box and fry its innards, SAT providers may eventually launch a legal attack forcing you to shell out big bucks for lawer's fees.

How do these folks sleep at night? :!:

 

[Khandurian]

They sleep quite easily because they use excuses like, "I paid for this programming that included certain channels. Half way through my contract, they change my programming and no longer offer certain channels in the new package they put me in"

I have seen that excuse more often than I care to know. It's still irrelevant. The current use for dongles is simply to be able to bad things with legit FTA devices. Until someone in the community takes a dongle and uses for legit reasons, they will not have a leg to stand on in court.

Even if they make legitimate uses for this product, it's still very easy for them to show that the original primary use of these dongles is for illegal purposes. The jury is the one you will have to prove it to, and by the time you get to that point, you'll be flat broke.