ABS-CBN 8600IR Receiver - True FTA?

[ussexplroer]

So I purchased what I thought was a good deal for a DVB receiver. $18.00 including shipping from ebay with no remote. While waiting for the receiver to show up. I did several searchs and came up with some slightly disapointing resaults.

ABS-CBN is The Filipino CHannel (Went over to Dish)
website: asb-cbn.com (Could not find a e-mail address)

Receiver MFG by A DTH Atlanta DTH, Inc.
(I found there website but the 8600 showed a picture of a 6800 with different specs) - Also no e-mail address

Found a few other companies using this style of receiver for in home educational training and what not.

Found a company called AMG that mfgs the AMG 1288. (AKA this receiver) So I e-mailed them and got no response back.
I found another company (Cannot remeber) to e-mail but just bounced back.

I also found that a MRX-1000 receiver is basicly the same style board. But they talk about JTAG a receiver and I have never done that before. I know it envolves a cable, and sometimes removing a rom chip or connecting to a rom chip. This can be used if I can find any of the factory roms from there recievers. One group soembody posted the rom but file was no long available. Plus nobody could confirm if the remote to the unit still worked.

There is apparently 4 styles of this receiver that include different card readers and such. One style is TRUE FTA receiver. The other is FTA with + stuff like service with a card. Would like bin file for the FTA one. Also a remote.

The receiver does have some changing settings but won't allow me to change much of anything to add stuff. Just the normal setting of 22khz, Disqc, Freq of lnbf etc. But when I try to add other sats to the list. (goes to 32). I cannot. Might need the remote.

I also got the ABS CBN smart card in it.

So I put my dish to Telestar 5 and hooked up this receiver. Got about 18 channels total. 4 was scrambled and 1 said scramled or no long available. (No I did not pay exact attn to what was what.) All foreign channels. So at least I know the receiver works.

Yes, I did search all around this thread. Other threads and what not. From what I can tell stay away from the ABS-CBN DVB receivers there firmware is not 100% or allows you to make better used of it. At least with my Viacast Quatum MSR without a remote I can program in all 10 transponders with no problem.

Plz add any information and if by chance you have a website for firmware and jtag that is um. Not lagitimate but would make this back to the FTA version of this receiver. MSG me and DO NOT post on this board. It is not allowed.

Later,

Josh

 

[Mr Tony]

I think the box would work fine as a FTA box but without a remote is there a way to input the information?

Since you scanned T5 and got some channels obviously the box is working fine.

JTAG is only when a box is completely kaput (usually after a hacker screws with it) and you need to bring it back to life. Since the box does work I would see if its possible to input information from the unit itself.

 

[ussexplroer]

Let me explain a little more

I tried to be specific. I don't have a remote and think that could be a problem. If I could just find a manual. I'm sure that would tell all. The channels it found did not seem to be all the telestar 5 channels. I was going to double check and have not. I does look like I can enter a different transponder in. It looks like I can even add more. But the problem is using the front buttons. Takes me back out of the menu. Another person in another forum said about the same thing I did. Picked up some channels. But didn't say anything about trying to add them or it they could.

thanks,

Josh

 

[gabshere]

i think homesat home learning channels used this type of receiver bjupress.com - Home
they might have a remote

 

[gabshere]

yeah i think thats it
they list a manual

and in that manual they list a remote for $30 1-800-739-8199 part# 326900

 

[Anole]

time to cut your losses ?

So, is your $18 receiver worth a $30 (+ shipping) remote?

I was going to say earlier that maybe you'd had your $18 worth of fun, and maybe it was time to move on.

If it's not a very good receiver, then at some point you're going to want a better one, and you'll already have sunk 18+30+? into this one...

I had the same quandary a couple of years ago over televisions.
I could either spend $300-350 to get my big screen fixed, or put that toward an LCD hi def model.
I dragged my feet and put off the expenditure 'till I could get the 42" LCD for $800, and that $300+ I saved makes the LCD "cost" only $500.

 

[gabshere]

well the whole system is selling on ebay, for dish, receiver and all .....and you wouldn't believe the price but this is a receiver that i'm sure has limited FTA use but it also has special home learning use through that company..... so if it was advertised correctly it would probably sell for more than what was paid for it.
this is just me but for fixes on some software that corrects bugs or problems, sticking with mainstream receivers might be the way to go.

the site did list three software updates for that receiver but didn't list what the updates did or what it fixed.

 

[Anole]

I'm with George !

$280 to buy, plus $40/month to subscribe.
Plus $10+ per class to register, plus books.
They get you going and coming. -

If you have the access card for it, you might just want to sell off the whole thing and get a good/modern/useful receiver as suggested above. :up
One with support, blind scanning, and possibly a hard drive port...

 

[gabshere]

i beleive these are the first few channels that everyonce in a while are clear on 97W
i have watched them before and did like a few classes

 

[Tron]

The receiver is probably limited to a certain symbol rate, for a particular service, since there are far more than 18 channels on 97w...

 

[ussexplroer]

Thanks

Once again thanks for the advice. Yes, I saw that manual and as you can see. THere is no info on how to add transponders or change sats. You guys are right $30.00 for a remote that I don't even know will let me continue to add anything. I did plug the receiver in last night and tried to change the transponder numbers. But the receiver unlike my Vicast won't let me change the numbers with the front panel. Plus it seems to keep dafaulting back to T5, and the same amount of channels. I don't know if this is because after selecting the satellite I did not scan anything new into the system. So I'll continue my look. As for the smart card. This is for the ABN channel that from my understanding went to dishnetwork and thus, these receivers are no good anymore. I hope to track a remote down for it and I'm pretty sure that will answer all my questions. If not a better manual.

P.S. Yes I'm going to get a nice receiver but for now. I do like to play and figured 18.00 was worth it. Guess I was wrong. Getting more milage out of my viacast msr-1500 with no remote aka limited to 10 transponders. THan I"m with this thing. Heck remeber when TV's wouldn't let you do sh*t with them without a remote. Geez. Stupid if you ask me.

Later,

Josh

 

[Mr Tony]

or it could be like Globecast receiver and only have those TP's logged in. You can add more but would need the remote (or access if the front panel allows it)

 

[gabshere]

you know i think the Microyal 1000 remote fits this box also , so they might be made by the same company

 

[ussexplroer]

Yes that is what I heard

I heard the microroyal firmware when jtagged works with this receiver. But nobody confirmed the remote. However, when I looked at the outside of the two boxes. They are different. But on another board. From my understanding. Somebody compaired the 2 and circuit wise they was pretty much the same.

I wonder how many receivers from the past that was limited had some other version that was the same for FTA. I'm sure there is alot since only a few mfgs actually make them.

P.S. the card is not for the home learning. Once again it is for the ABN-CBN channel/service.

later,

Josh

 

[gabshere]

yes i know this is the box that does abn-cbn , but most likely with filmware and order the card it could be used for the homesat stuff but i know you would like to get it just to be a FTA receiver. i looked at the remote on the review here at this site for a microyal 1000 and that manual for homesat and the remotes are the same except for the name printed on it. lowest i could find either remote was $30 haven't read how the fimware gets uploaded but for now without a remote its a mute point.
but there are remotes out there the microyal 900 1000 & 1200 remotes look like the one that goes to the 8600ir

 

[gabshere]

you know if i read correctly pepper here at sat guys has a broken microyal 1000 maybe he will part with the remore ( at least to test it out?)

 

[sksatellite]

Those receiver can be use as FTA, but without the remote, you can not change or add information for new TPs.

 

[walker198028]

hey i just wanted to add what the manufacturer of the homesat 8600IR had sent me. they said its the manual to add fta. maybee it will help


How to Download Channel Data

Press MENU key
Scroll down to INSTALLATION, Press OK to confirm
Input PIN Code: 0 0 0 0
Go to SERVICE SEARCHING, Press OK to confirm
Scroll down to MANUAL SEARCHING, Press OK to confirm
Input transponder data. Make sure that three highlighted fields are correct.

Txn No.
01
Txn Name
BJL Educat
D/L Freq
xxxxx
Symbol Rate
xxxxx
Polarization
x
PID Search
OFF
SAT No.
01
LNB Freq
10750
22 KHz
OFF
​

7. Pressed OK to confirm. Append "Yes" to save.
You should see "SAVING DATA...PLEASE WAIT".
8. Press the MENU key 3x to exit to main screen.
Now you should be able to see your programs.

 

[schlever]

Is there a serial port? Maybe you can use a computer and a loader (if you can find one) to edit the channel lists?

 

[Lak7]

There is a Serial Port, but I guess you have to JTag it to a MicroRoyal 1000? first.