AZBOX 2017 Best Firmware / Alternate Firmware for Premium HD+

[vc2]

What is the best stock firmware version to be using in the AZBox Premium HD+ receiver for North American satellite reception?

Is the firmware from AZBox Canada any good? Recommendations?

How does alternate firmware (enigma2, Open PLi, Open RSi) compare for picture quality and ease of use (transponder maintenance). Is anybody using any of these alternates?

 

[Keith Brannen]

I am using 5402 from AZBox Canada, best of the bunch, in my opinion. 5400/5402 fixed several issues that had been a problem in the previous firmwares (channel naming from the channel list, streaming, etc.) and also included the Priority Manager plugin for improved performance. Several threads on the release of 5400 and 5402 on the forum.

Haven't tried any of the alternative firmware (nor will I), they were/are developed in Europe where blindscanning was never a top priority, not sure whether any of them developed a blindscan plugin or not later on.

 

[vc2]

I am using 5402 from AZBox Canada, best of the bunch, in my opinion. 5400/5402 fixed several issues that had been a problem in the previous firmwares (channel naming from the channel list, streaming, etc.) and also included the Priority Manager plugin for improved performance. Several threads on the release of 5400 and 5402 on the forum.

Haven't tried any of the alternative firmware (nor will I), they were/are developed in Europe where blindscanning was never a top priority, not sure whether any of them developed a blindscan plugin or not later on.

I don't believe that blindscan is working now - at least with the firmware version that I am using. Perhaps the Canadian firmware is better.

My primary interest is with transponder list maintenance. I believe that the Engima2 Firmware uses a single satellites.xml file that is very easy to generate. Transponder editing is a very painful process with factory stock firmware.

 

[Keith Brannen]

I don't believe that blindscan is working now - at least with the firmware version that I am using. Perhaps the Canadian firmware is better.

My primary interest is with transponder list maintenance. I believe that the Engima2 Firmware uses a single satellites.xml file that is very easy to generate. Transponder editing is a very painful process with factory stock firmware.

MAZ is the way to do transponder list maintenance if you don't want to do the editing through the AZBox. Believe there are several threads on the forum about it. I just spend the time doing it through the AZBox. Of course, nowadays it is a lot easier as there are fewer satellites, fewer wildfeeds, etc., than several years ago (on Ku)!

 

[vc2]

MAZ is the way to do transponder list maintenance if you don't want to do the editing through the AZBox. Believe there are several threads on the forum about it. I just spend the time doing it through the AZBox. Of course, nowadays it is a lot easier as there are fewer satellites, fewer wildfeeds, etc., than several years ago (on Ku)!

MAZ was very painful. I was able to download the transponder list, but I couldn't do anything else. I couldn't find any instructions for MAZ and ended up using the AZBox for transponder editing.

In the process of updating the transponder list for SES1 Cband, I found that the Lyngsat listings are not 100% accurate, and their transponder list conflicts with other listings. I had fewer channels when I finished than when I started. The satellite charts at tvrosat.com seemed to be more accurate, but there were still discrepancies with transponder frequencies and fec values.

 

[Keith Brannen]

MAZ was very painful. I was able to download the transponder list, but I couldn't do anything else. I couldn't find any instructions for MAZ and ended up using the AZBox for transponder editing.

In the process of updating the transponder list for SES1 Cband, I found that the Lyngsat listings are not 100% accurate, and their transponder list conflicts with other listings. I had fewer channels when I finished than when I started. The satellite charts at tvrosat.com seemed to be more accurate, but there were still discrepancies with transponder frequencies and fec values.

sathint.com is another good one to try.

I know there are some threads here and on other sites about MAZ, but it probably is basically "you are on your own"! LOL!