AZBOX Problem downloading new channel list - Azbox Premium HD

[Flinthill]

I'm having an unusual problem that I haven't experienced before. I have owned the Premium HD (firmware ver. 0.9.5020) unit for about 1 1/2 years and after the first teething problems it has worked fine. I should say here that the AzBox User Guide was a tremendous help in getting started. I still refer to the Guide when I have problems...thanks to all for your efforts.

Now I'm in the process of changing to the new transponder settings for AMC 21 (World, Create, etc). I removed all the transponders for AMC 21 with the intent of reloading the satellite and new transponders with AzBox Control Center.

Now the problem...I cannot seem to replace (download) to the Azbox the revised channel list I created in AZEdit. The revised channel list includes the satellite AMC21 and the new transponders. The computer is connecting fine with the AzBox unit, as evidenced by first downloading the then current channel list into the computer before starting this project. However, now I can't seem to upload my modified new channel list, or even an older, archived version for that matter. I suspect the problem has to do with the disk2 backup file but it has been over 18 months since I last worked with it and don't really remember what it does or how to change it.

If anyone has suggestions about how to address this problem I would really appreciate the help.

Ron

 

[Cham]

Hi Ron,
I have never been able to edit a satellite list on Azbox Edit as supplied in the Azbox Toolbox software suite. Never had an issue with just deleting the unwanted TP using MAZ and re-loading the list using ACC, and entering the TP information via the remote and doing a TP scan to add the channels. Then you can edit the channel names.
You can also add the channels by blind scanning the whole satellite and upload to your computer. I usually use MAZ to edit the channel info (and to download the list from the Azbox), and use ACC to upload the modified file back to the receiver.
It is often just easier to delete the TP on the Azbox via the remote and adding the new TP that way too. Then do a TP scan on the new TP and edit from the azbox menu in the channel list screen... After that save the whole channel list using ACC or MAZ so you have a backup.
-C.

 

[Flinthill]

Cham, Thanks for the reply.
Before making any changes in the channel list I downloaded the existing channel list from the AzBox to my PC, using Maz. Then I used the AzBox remote to delete all the transponders on AMC 21, which of course also deleted the satellite from the active list. I then edited the recently downloaded channel list (with AzEdit) by modifing AMC 21 to include only the active tps and saved it in a unique location. After that I used ACC to upload the modded list to the Azbox. Once the upload was completed and rebooted I bring up the satellite list on the TV screen but 125W/AMC21 is not included in the list even though it is in the list just uploaded. That is the condition of things right now. Maybe this helps...

Thanks,

Ron

 

[stargaze]

did you save a copy of the sat/channel list before you edited it? If so then resend that to the az box using ACC.
Now this time do not delete all the channels from AMC-21. Leave at least one on there.
or another way is to scan in one new TP you know works then delete the others off of it leaving at least 1 TP on the satellite.
If you do not have a good copy of a sat channel list I have one on my web site. I have one loaded with many channels already but it may need some updated channel info.

that link is in the AZ Users Guide.
Otherwise you may have to start all over again from what I remember when this occurred to me one time.
I was not happy to have to redo the entire sat/channel list over from scratch again.
This has been an issue with the azbox since the beginning. The original sat list was corrupt due to one of the Eastern sats not having any TP's in it and then if you deleted all of them the sat just disappeared. To get it back in the list in the proper slot you have to redo the list from that sat and then recreate all the others to the east of it.
Easier to just throw in another sat list you like and start over scanning again unless you have a version you used prior that had all the sat's in there to resend to the az with the ACC.

 

[Flinthill]

Stargaze,
I keep all the old workable sat/channel lists and so i just kept going back into the library until I found one that the Azbox would accept. Once I had AMC21 reestablished in the Sat list then the blind scan did the rest. These Azbox's sure are nice when they are working but are a real pain at other times. I'm still using the old firmware 0.9.5020. Has there been a reliable up date since that version?

Many thanks for your guidance.

Ron

 

[migold]

I'm using firmware 0.9.5309. I use Maz 3.2.0.0 to download, edit, and upload back to the AZBox Premium Plus HD. I have a copy of ACC, but have never figured out how to use it to do an upload. Since the Maz uploads works for me, I have not pursued the use of ACC.

 

[Keith Brannen]

I use 0.9.5306 to keep open the option of streaming from/to the AZBox. In versions above 5306, streaming is "broken"!

 

[stargaze]

Stargaze,
I keep all the old workable sat/channel lists and so i just kept going back into the library until I found one that the Azbox would accept. Once I had AMC21 reestablished in the Sat list then the blind scan did the rest. These Azbox's sure are nice when they are working but are a real pain at other times. I'm still using the old firmware 0.9.5020. Has there been a reliable up date since that version?

Many thanks for your guidance.

Ron

5020 was a good firmware no real need to update it if you put in your own sat list....
If you use the one that came with it then you have a bad satellite in it and that can corrupt your list.
I created a sat/channel list that is on my site with H & V polarity separate satellites and have used it now for close to a year with no problems whatsoever.

5309 was the latest firmware that had a decent sat list in it but not good enough for what I wanted.

if you use the ACC to send to the azbox you are fine any other program sending to the azbox only places it in the main directory not the back up directory and one risks running into problems that way as the receiver will revert to the one in the backup directory and that messes people up.

 

[stargaze]

I'm using firmware 0.9.5309. I use Maz 3.2.0.0 to download, edit, and upload back to the AZBox Premium Plus HD. I have a copy of ACC, but have never figured out how to use it to do an upload. Since the Maz uploads works for me, I have not pursued the use of ACC.

Here is some info I have on the ACC program: Maybe it will help you out. it also includes info on creating your own sat list. I am putting the entire thing up here so there is help for you in it to use the ACC program.
***********************************************************************************
For those who are either new or do not understand how to use their AzBox with the editor programs here is a link to a pdf file that will explain things in very simple terms, with photo's included to help even the newest person who has never touched this receiver before.
This should help those who have recently been frustrated with their receivers due to a corrupt list in their box.

It can be downloaded here:

https://sites.google.com/site/azboxtools...s-programs

The file is named: AzBox Control Center.pdf
The ACC program is the only program I know of that will send a sat/channel list to your azbox and place it in both the main and backup directories at the same time with the click of a button.

The ACC program (earlier versions) are also at the same location in both a zip file and a rar file.
Download the zip file to your computer and then unzip the folder.
once you unzip the folder click on the setup.exe file. It will self load onto your computer.

If you have a corrupt satellite/channel list or people told you it was a great possibility the problems you are having with losing sats/channels or not being able to see them properly and your equipment was ruled out as the cause you could be having a problem with the list being corrupt. Especially with anyone using a firmware earlier then the 0.9.5308 firmware.
This was due to a corrupt satellite in the list.
The only way to get around it was to either update to firmware 0.9.5308 or 0.9.5309 or to use the ACC program to install a new uncorrupted sat/channel list.
I have also uploaded to the site above in a different directory 2-3 satellite/channel list in a zipped folder which you can also download to your computer and after unzipping it use the ACC program to send the file to your azbox.
So one does not need to update to the newer firmware if they did not want to.
Those channel lists I have placed up there are North Americanized satellite/channel lists which do not contain any Eastern satellites and will work with any firmware on the Azbox.
These lists have been used by several others and have been working fine for them.
I use them in 4 Azbox’s here on a daily basis.

You can….
Use a channel editor such as MaZ or telesat to download your working Sat and Channel file from your older firmware such as 4520 or earlier. Edit the file as needed deleting Sats etc.

Save the file to your PC using Maz.
Open Maz
Now on the left side you will see "Configuration" click on it and then enter your IP address for your azbox. example 192.168.1.38
The FTP Port is 21
Telnet Port is 23
Login = root
Password = azbox
Remember the login and password are all Lowercase letters.
Now click on Channel List
Once this is done then press the connect button near the top in the Maz Manager.

IF IT CONNECTS PROPERLY...
you will now see the green down arrow directly above on the left side where it says NAME.

If it is not connected properly that down arrow will not be green.

** once you save the files using maz to your computer you will have 3 files so create a directory to store them in.**

Using the ACC Program.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a one stop program and think you can do everything with the ACC program! Use it to send the channel list to your Azbox as it was intended and you should not have a problem! Using it for other purposes are not supported here nor will those questions be supported if you go out on a limb and do things not mentioned here.

Open ACC (AZBox Control Center) version 1.1 to 2.1

Open connection tab and setup ip

Open Tools 2 tab

With Tools 2 tab open look for (send to AZBox) and tic it.

Choose your saved file (all channels.dat)

ACC will write the file to the AZ and reboot.
Note: ACC uploads all 3 files in disk 2 and additionally rewrites in disk1 \ disk2 backup file dvbs.dat which the channel editors don't do. This is the file that causes all the problems with the Sat list changing back.

I have tested this method and it worked perfectly the first time. Previous to this I had spent hours with various editors with no or poor results.

I found using AzEdit worked much better for the editing procedure.

Question # 1) Should I get rid of those fta tp's also? No
Question # 2) Am I now ready to use AZBOX Control Center 1.1 and follow the direction posted here? Yes
Question # 3)According to the directions I'm only going to send the all_channel.dat file back to the Azbox? Correct
Question # 4) does the Azbox reboot on it's own after I upload the file? Yes
Question #5) So I don't have to worry about trying to load it to disk 1 or 2.? Correct

The only thing I have found so far that may be considered a minor set-back is if you have a large channel list already in your receiver, on completion of the process, you may have a grayed out channel list.

Once my Ultra did mess up on the channels that were in the receiver as in it did not seem to know where they belonged, they were grayed out on the screen when you hit the ok button.
So I just deleted all channels but it leaves the tp's intact and then rescanned the tp’s to put the channels back in.
Why would this happen?
It could be you changed one satellite in there that had a channel on your list now the list thinks it does not know where anything is.
It's ok, just delete all the channels from the receiver.
The transponder info is still under each satellite so you will need to go and re-scan in your transponders again.

Once that is done you should be ok.


****************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************

 

[sony1]

Stargaze

Link not working.

 

[stargaze]

sorry, it was copied and pasted ... I hate it when that happens...

Here is the main link.
https://sites.google.com/site/azboxtools/

 

[Cham]

Yep you need at least one channel in order for the satellite to show up on the channel list, but if there is at least one TP it should show up on the setup list... As mentioned before you must have at least one TP for each satellite or the AzBox goes into a meltdown. I usually enter 3500H1000(C) or 11000H1000(Ku) to each satellite I add that way it won't interfere with scans etc.
I should re-do my satellite/channel list one of these days but everything still works. And I'm too lazy.

Thank you Stargaze for the list, I believe my latest (stable) list is based on yours.

-C.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Question # 3)According to the directions I'm only going to send the all_channel.dat file back to the Azbox? Correct

A short note on this point: When you utilize the ACC program to download files to the AZBox, you only need to select the all_channel.dat file to send. However, the program actually locates and downloads all three *.dat files automatically for you. Sometimes you can detect this when you watch the load process window on your PC (if you are quick).

The ACC program also alters the attributes of the disk2 backup file from a read-only mode so that the backup and the working *.dat files are both written to and match.

RADAR

 

[Flinthill]

RADAR: Good to hear from you again. Don't know if you remember but back when I was first learning the AzBox you sent me a copy of your channel list. I uploaded it into my Box and it is still in use to this day...thanks so much for the jump start. During that learning period I found out the hard way about the disk2 backup file. I learned not to use MAZ as an upload utility because it does not update the backup file. Now I use only ACC and it takes care of both disk1 and disk2 files...and all is happy.

Ron

 

[AcWxRadar]

RADAR: Good to hear from you again. Don't know if you remember but back when I was first learning the AzBox you sent me a copy of your channel list. I uploaded it into my Box and it is still in use to this day...thanks so much for the jump start. During that learning period I found out the hard way about the disk2 backup file. I learned not to use MAZ as an upload utility because it does not update the backup file. Now I use only ACC and it takes care of both disk1 and disk2 files...and all is happy.

Ron

Hello Ron!

Good to hear from you, too. I have been extremely busy this spring and summer and don't get much of a chance to visit the forum and dabble with my hobby. It is a bit depressing, but some things take priority you know. Hope your Independence Day Holiday was fun! God Bless America!

NOTE: It's a little after midnight here and it is 87° Whew!

RADAR

 

[alucardoxx]

Radar:
Please, can you send me a channel list? I have an Azbox hd premium plus and I can´t get one. Sorry but I really need it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Radar:
Please, can you send me a channel list? I have an Azbox hd premium plus and I can´t get one. Sorry but I really need it. Thanks in advance.

If you install the 5402 firmware the satellite list will already be in it that you can modify to suite your needs. Regardless of what channel list you use, you'll likely have to modify it. What firmware are you running now?