Starbox help...

[jself1982]

If this needs to be moved, please do.


I just purchased a brand new Dell laptop, w/ all the bells and whistles...and I also purchased the Starbox USB receiver as well. However, I can't get it to work on my new laptop. I have tried TSReader, ProgDVB, Mytheatre (which was the hardest to try to setup), and the Twinhan CD program. TSReader and ProgDVB doesn't have my unit on the list, therefore it won't get past the first screen, keeps saying it doesn't recognize my receiver, Mytheatre was very confusing and I couldn't get the LNB/Disecq settings correct, and the Twinhan program provided on the CD that came with the unit gave me trouble when scanning and setting up the LNB settings, just when I thought I had that program working correctly, it started hanging up when I would start a scan, Vista would give me a program error and shut the Twinhan program down.

Can someone tell me if this receiver is worth all this trouble or should I send it back?

Can someone tell me what additional downloads or drivers I need to make this thing work?

Can I loop this out of my Coolsat?

Any other tips is appreciated, if there is a better USB receiver, capable of 4:2:2/HD out there, please let me know, I will purchase that one instead, thanks!

 

[Anole]

If this needs to be moved, please do.

maybe to the DVB section?

...and I also purchased the Starbox USB receiver as well.
However, I can't get it to work on my new laptop.
I have tried TSReader, ProgDVB, Mytheatre (which was the hardest to try to setup), and the Twinhan CD program.

TSReader and ProgDVB doesn't have my unit on the list, therefore it won't get past the first screen, keeps saying it doesn't recognize my receiver,

I know ProgDVB has supported StarBox in the past.
Proper driver needs to be loaded.
I don't see it currently listed as being supported now.
The last post I find about the two, is in 2005.
Personally, I never got it to run anything (but since others have, blame me for that)
See their web site.

I'm not in bed with TSReader, but I have read that it can run the StarBox.
See their web site.

Mytheatre was very confusing and I couldn't get the LNB/Disecq settings correct, and the Twinhan program provided on the CD that came with the unit gave me trouble when scanning and setting up the LNB settings, just when I thought I had that program working correctly, it started hanging up when I would start a scan, Vista would give me a program error and shut the Twinhan program down.

You may have hit the nail on the head: VISTA !

I've used MyTheatre. It works under XP. It's just a nightmare to set up.
If you aren't using the officially paid-for version, don't even talk to me.
The demo and other unofficial copies are unstable and worthless.

Can someone tell me if this receiver is worth all this trouble or should I send it back?

Receiver cards and especially USB devices seem to have waves of popularity.
That one was at the crest of the wave a year or so ago.
It's not perfect, but neither were the ones before it, and certainly the ones since it are not better!

Can someone tell me what additional downloads or drivers I need to make this thing work?

Read some support threads on the unit.
I think MyTheatre comes with the latest driver for the Twinhan StarBox (don't quote me).
I have read where earlier TwinHan drivers were better for the product than later drivers. (unconfirmed)
I've used what I've found and gotten it to run.

Can I loop this out of my Coolsat?

of course

Any other tips is appreciated,

Other tip? Yes, stick with one program, and do not be experimenting with all of them at one time.
That's a sure recipe for disaster and no success.

Find and follow an install manual for the program of choice.
I know for sure that the provided program as well as MyTheatre will run the unit.

...if there is a better USB receiver, capable of 4:2:2/HD out there, please let me know, I will purchase that one instead, thanks!

Oh, you don't want much!
Have you gotten it to run in SD, 4:2:0, yet??

You might describe your LNB and switch configuration, if you want specific help.

IMO, no there isn't a better one.
They're all a pain in the @$$

______________________
Invacom SNH-031, Fortec 36", Satpros DSR500s, Twinhan 102g & USB StarBox I.
Thanks to Sadoun & SatelliteAV for good deals, & SatelliteGuys for good reviews.
quote=brentb636: My wife glares at me when the UPS truck shows up.

 

[caddata]

Mine works fine under XP Pro on a Dell laptop.

Harold

 

[dfergie]

Moved...

 

[Tron]

My Starbox works fine under XP and MyTheatre....

For about 20 minutes until it starts overheating

The more I hear about Vista, the more I want to stick with XP... Doesn't Mr. Gates have enough money already???

 

[Anole]

StarBox & overheating

I have the original Starbox I (7021)
There is a later Starbox II (7021A)

Some people have reported heating problems; some have claimed their unit worked fine.
From what I've read, that applied to the Starbox I's, and nobody had any trouble with the Starbox II's.
So, -some- Starbox I's had problems, not all
I had problems with mine, and so did a buddy.
We sent them back, and had them replaced with two more that overheated.

The simple solution was to remount the PC board into a new case where it had adequate ventilation.
There is really no room in the Starbox case for a heatsink or fan.
Once out of the restrictive Starbox case, neither a heatsink nor a fan seemed to be needed.

Remove the label on the underside of the unit.
You'll find some screws there - remove them, and the case will come apart.
The PC board is attached to one case-half with more screws
I used those four screws with some plastic standoffs to mount the board into a new metal case, that was well perforated with holes.
Pictures available upon request.

Problem solved.
Twelve hours of unattended recording worked fine.
Scanning which caused shut-down before, no longer does.
If it had, a fan would have been installed, or a heatsink.
The hot chip is easy to locate - use your finger as a heat probe.


Tron - we had this discussion.
You didn't follow up on it!


My best guess is that the Starbox II simply has new firmware to support additional drivers.
I doubt there is any other electrical or mechanical change.
It seriously annoys me that this change leaves us Starbox I owners with poorer support, and if I find any way to change my firmware, I'll give it a shot.

.

 

[Tron]

Tron - we had this discussion.
You didn't follow up on it!

I know, I'm lazy I've been building a couple of new PCs, one will have the new Twinhan 1025 card. Once that's operational, I'll turn my attention to the Starbox

 

[Anole]

too much is never enough

No problem.
I'm here whenever you are ready.

I specifically went out and got a Twinhan 102g PCI card late last year.
Mostly 'cause all the major software supports it, and I was tired of having my hands tied, wondering whether it was hardware or software biting me in the butt.

My Starbox sit on the shelf, now.
Re-boxed, as it were.
I overcame the standard def problems, and got it to where it worked fine, using a more recent MyTheatre.
(software has improved tremendously since I first got the Starbox a year ago)

But of course, now that standard def works, that's no longer good enough.
I've since set my sights on hi-def, and that was where I ran into problems.

 

[Tron]

I'm at the point where I've installed the 1025 and will install drivers tonight or tomorrow. From there, DVBDream install, then, hopefully, some success

 

[iammike]

I purchased a starbox several months ago and it's worked well for me. I'm using it with MyTheatre on a SageTV setup. The way the Sage MT plugin works, MT is basically running all the time. My Starbox has been on and tuned to various G10R channels for several months without issue. It's warm, but not unusually so. I do have the later model though. It replaced a USBWorld box, which I had a lot of problems with.

If I remember correctly, MT ships with a driver for the Starbox. The trick is to use this driver rather than anything from the Twinhan site. I'm pretty sure it's not compatible with TSReader and I'm not a Progdvb user so I can't speak to that one.

 

[Anole]

clarification

If I remember correctly, MT ships with a driver for the Starbox.
The trick is to use this driver rather than anything from the Twinhan site.

This says is more clearly than I did, above.
kudos :

 

[jself1982]

I have given up and sent it back to Sadoun.