Possible Killer News For Voom Tos Use!!!

[ronniejay]

POSTED AT WINNFREENET:


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The engineer at WFYI in Indianapolis also performed the same test with me, by unhooking the Goldstar multiplexor and then rehooking it up. My tuner also worked when the multiplexor was unhooked. The engineer said he would try to contact the manufacturer and then get back with me.

the PBS channel enginner replied after checking with the Multiplexor manufacturer and they don't have a fix.

This is the quote sent from the manufacturers, "Our findings were that the Voom Motorola DSR550 either hangs or reboots when it comes across a data casting signal. This occurs with our deployment merging data from a Triveni inserter through an LI mux or any datacast found through other stations. Unfortunately the only solution is to have the Voom user remove or lock out the station from their presets."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[gross67]

POSTED AT WINNFREENET:


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The engineer at WFYI in Indianapolis also performed the same test with me, by unhooking the Goldstar multiplexor and then rehooking it up. My tuner also worked when the multiplexor was unhooked. The engineer said he would try to contact the manufacturer and then get back with me.

the PBS channel enginner replied after checking with the Multiplexor manufacturer and they don't have a fix.

This is the quote sent from the manufacturers, "Our findings were that the Voom Motorola DSR550 either hangs or reboots when it comes across a data casting signal. This occurs with our deployment merging data from a Triveni inserter through an LI mux or any datacast found through other stations. Unfortunately the only solution is to have the Voom user remove or lock out the station from their presets."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What does this mean?

 

[chadzx11]

What does this mean?

AFAIK, when it hangs or reboots it becomes useless for OTA, but I could be wrong. We run accross them from time to time where they have just locked out, because the satellite reciever part is "not authorized" or needs a download that isn't possible to get with voom being out of business.

 

[ronniejay]

If this is as bad as it may seem, all ota HD stations will eventually "datacast" on their signals like some PBS ones. We voom users will have to "hide" each as they begin to cause lockup or reboot - never to be able to view that channel again. I am not a doctor, but it looks like the boxes will need software upgrades which is not possible.

 

[kb7oeb]

What might they datacast? AFAIK the only analog ota data casts is the same guide data that is going digital. I guess they might have moviebeam but I thought that usualy was also on a pBS station

 

[mdovell]

I'm not understanding this. What data would they be sending out that would be on PBS but yet not on other channels as of yet?

I know the multicast channels do show up as well as the network affliates. There's no guide but technically I think I could under theory hook up a pvr to this to make it get one....

I think it might be a good idea to try to get in touch with the actual developers of voom (unoffically while off clock of course ) the more that can be understood the better. If we've already found out how to get into more internal menus who knows what else ?



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Wait a minute I know EXACTLY what they are sending for data....it's a TV guide data that's on Guide Plus and other ones. It's part of the VBTI data that you can kinda see on old analog sets if you adjust the vhold. Take a look at between the pictures in the black area you might see things jumping around (random color lines mostly). The data is also used for closed captioning which is odd because you can turn that on and off with no problems.

I've got a generic RCA PVR that I had a long battle with in terms of getting guide data (I blame that mostly due to the installation questions being worded wrong) but it's definatly JUST PBS that send out this data. It isn't a cable or satellite co and isn't the other major networks....so no we won't lose all the channels...

 

[vurbano]

If this is as bad as it may seem, all ota HD stations will eventually "datacast" on their signals like some PBS ones. We voom users will have to "hide" each as they begin to cause lockup or reboot - never to be able to view that channel again. I am not a doctor, but it looks like the boxes will need software upgrades which is not possible.

Sounds like the broadcasters are going to knowingly and intentionally "damage" my equipment and render it useless. I want compensation.

 

[kb7oeb]

I think ATSC was designed with datacasting in mind so I bet the voom box in at fault

 

[mdovell]

I think ATSC was designed with datacasting in mind so I bet the voom box in at fault

Hmmm while I keep this in mind I'm also thinking of the other Direct tv receivers that als ocan pick up HDTV OTA....if worse comes to worse I guess I'll try to find one of those.

 

[lilyarbie]

Remember that the Voom Receivers were an on-going process. The software was still relatively new in comparison to the software being used by Dish and Direc which had probably several revisions by the time Voom was about to announce it's own demise. PSIP data guide which was never enabled would have become a possibility if Voom had stayed up and running. Before anyone ever thought of shutting down Voom, the programmers for these receivers were hard at work to diagnose and fix current glitches and make these fixes available for future releases. Who knows what more possibilities these receivers could have had. A thought comes to mind though. Does anyone know if the programmers were working with the code prior to announcements in hopes of implementing fixes for the version that is now known as the last released version by Voom? Maybe we could pay off someone who holds the secrets to this architecture in their hands. I know Motorola no longer recognizes these, so what harm could it do?

 

[lilyarbie]

Of course any software development that would go on with these devices would be within the legal realm. By that I mean that I would like to see these device receive (In The Clear) Digicypher-2 channels and map them into the receivers since we do not that the receivers can decode signals that are encoded (Not Encrypted or Scrambled) with Digicypher-2.

 

[mdovell]

Here's a bit of a list if it is able to get DC 2 for ku and c

KU:

OETA - looks like a pbs out of oklahoma
a PBS of Georgia
Florida lottery
florida educational
florida knowledge
pbs out of lousiana
some national pbs
a number of russian channels on IA6
merrle lynch tv ?
hits music
fordstar dealer network

C:
BET channels
some local NYC channels
NBA TV
Ovation
Oxygen
The Men's Channel
comecast sports southeast
Mav Tv
Black Family Channel
MTV Desi
Gospel Music Channel
a number of international channels from international channel
a number of phoenix channels
a number of nebraska public broadcasting
Albuquerque local channels
fox sports new england, ohio, florida, nyc,chicago, bay area
mlb extra innings hd
kentucky educational
hgtv east
food network east

Needless to say if you search there's quite a bit more on Cband vs. Ku band but it still would be interesting to decode it for a ku...

 

[Shawn95GT]

I would say that you list above is optimitsic, but there is indeed some DC stuff in the clear.

There is enough that many subscribe to something trivial such as the weather channel for a year at a time to keep their 4DTV recievers active for guide and clear channels.

 

[lilyarbie]

It sure is possible to get those channels and more with these receivers since they do have the potential to get FTA DC-2 signals. It was said in a forum way back that any receiver that is activated and decodes DC-2 signals can also decode those that are in the clear since they have a special digital key in them that enables this feature in only activated receivers. Those receivers that are unactivated do not have that special key to decode *Clear* Digicypher-2 signals. The one obstacle would be how you would go about mapping in these *clear* channels to the receivers. I would also like some way of permanently mapping in scanned locals into these receivers since those that were mapped in originally for OTA are the only ones that remain if there is a power outage of an hour and more which drops all of those channels from memory in both of my receivers.

 

[ronniejay]

I copied the comments about datacasting to David Johnson, KUHT PBS engineering, Houston. His mplexor is still off since our test. Here are his comments:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Our multiplexer used to provide a secondary program guide is made by Logic Innovations, see attached link:

http://www.logici.com/docs/TSM-2800.pdf

The program guide mentioned above is inserted by Gemstar, see attached link:

http://www.tvgos.com/overview/digitaltv/

As to Gemstar response concerning VOOM receivers:

“As for the Voom box, we mentioned this receiver in the FAQ document. Our findings were that the Voom Motorola DSR550 either hangs or reboots when it comes across a data casting signal. This occurs with our deployment merging data from a Triveni inserter through an LI Mux or any data cast found through other stations. Unfortunately the only solution is to have the Voom user remove or lock out the station from their presets.

The VOOM box and the service are no longer supported. These boxes are now being used as SD/HD OTA receivers only.

Rest assured that our data is following the ATSC spec. It seems that these VOOM receivers were designed without private data in mind”

>>>>>>>>

 

[jgantert]

Well there you go... bug in the Voom receiver. Not likely to be fixed. Heck, even if it was, how would you update the receiver?

-John

 

[Shawn95GT]

Doesn't Starchoice use these boxes (or at least VERY similar hardware)?

Do they have the same problem, or do they not use the off-air tuner part?

 

[cablewithaview]

Doesn't Starchoice use these boxes (or at least VERY similar hardware)?

Do they have the same problem, or do they not use the off-air tuner part?

The DSR 550's where remade for StarChoice after Voom demise.
The off air tuner is not used and plugged off on back of the box as well.

 

[Ilya]

If I am not mistaken DSR-550 was exclusive to VOOM. StarChoice uses DSR-500, DSR-505 and DSR-530.
All made by Motorola, similar boxes, different hardware inside (no OTA) and totally different firmware.

 

[lilyarbie]

That's correct Ilya. The hardware in the Starchoice receivers should however be very similar if not exactly like the Voom receivers. (Of course there is no ATSC cartridge with the Starchoice receivers).