GEOSATpro Any hope for my microHD ?

So I got my PL2303 USB cable yesterday and I have been trying to download or upload STB to PC, PC to STB without success. The driver I found at the Prolific site was installed with no problem on XP. I check the port it was assigned and its properties (rate, stop bit, etc) and I have made them match what I see in the port properties on the AliEditor. The only property that has not a match is the last one,"Format". Anyway, all my attempts end with "Fail to test port". This is same error you get when you try to transfer a file with an unconnected port. I wonder if there is something wrong with the cable. The only thing I was able to check is the chip version with the program provided with the driver. This is very frustrating. I have tried switching the RX and TX cable. I can see the green led light in front of the microHD when I connect the +5v and ground cable, but that's it.
 
Try doing it with external power also hooked to the microHD.
 
This might be an improvement: I removed the +5V and ground wire. With only the TX and RX wires plugged into the microHD, the step "Test Serial port status" gets completed. But then I get the popup : "Fail to get version". I get this message with the external power either connected or not. That's not a good sign.
 
Do you get the message, cannot locate LZMA.exe ? I remember something about that from 2 years ago when I had to fix my boot loop issue. I think I had to add that to the file folder. I found my computer was having difficulty locating the files. I ended up running the program from a USB flash drive where I originally downloaded them.

I had everything I needed in one microHD folder.

My early cable had the TX and RX ports mislabeled that didn't help.
 
This might be an improvement: I removed the +5V and ground wire. With only the TX and RX wires plugged into the microHD, the step "Test Serial port status" gets completed. But then I get the popup : "Fail to get version". I get this message with the external power either connected or not. That's not a good sign.
My guess is that the cable is OK and there is a hardware problem on the circuit board of your MicroHD. Especially since your MicroHD didn't seem to exhibit the classic symptoms of the 'boot loop'.

Is it possible to send it back to SatelliteAV?
 
Contact your reseller or satelliteav and get it taken care since you have only had it 2 months.

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Dear Nezdapain,

I've read the thread and so far you have taken correct steps. You purchased the right cable. Mostly we assume that this is failed channel list, but it could be a different issue. So we will find out.

Please go to http://geosatpro.com/download to get recommended Satellite and Transponder list 1W-139W - User Database File (UDF) This is the UDF file you will need to restore microHD.

From experience, the Serial TTL cable chooses higher Serial Com port number. So please use the identified port 3, but also try 4.

Please follow three basic steps:

1. Open UDF channel list in Ali Editor
2. Select appropriate port (in your case it’s Com3 or Com4)
3. Process > Download (PC - STB)

Let me know how it went,

Thank you,
Eugene
 
Hi Eugene,

I attempted to download the file, following the 3 basic steps. It did not work, I got basically the same results. I'll post images of the results I saved as soon as I've figured how to insert an image. I suppose I have to create an album?
 
Nez have you tried hooking it up with composite cable to make sure it didn't get put in the wrong display mode by accident?
 
. I check the port it was assigned and its properties (rate, stop bit, etc) and I have made them match what I see in the port properties on the AliEditor. The only property that has not a match is the last one,"Format".

I may be interpreting this wrong, but don't make changes under device manager. Make the changes on the Ali editor to match the port # on your computer.
 
Hi Eugene,

I attempted to download the file, following the 3 basic steps. It did not work, I got basically the same results. I'll post images of the results I saved as soon as I've figured how to insert an image. I suppose I have to create an album?

I think, not one hundred percent sure, that once you've made ten posts, then you can upload images.
 
Well, I loaded the image in the "Show Your Setups" media

This is from the device manager showing that the PLL2303 adapter is assigned COM3.

full


Trying to use any other port than COM1 (the serial port; useless) or COM3 gives that message right away:

full


Next is what I receive after about 10 seconds when I try to send or receive a file with all the wires of the PL2303 connected to the serial port ("Fail to test port"). It does not matter if I open the udf file first or if I do it from the prompt after asking to transfer. I made sure that the TX and RX wires are connected to the right place. I even inverted them to test.

full


Finally with only the TX and RX wires connected to the MicroHD (the power supply is also connected). I left the +5v and ground disconnected. Whether this makes sense I don't know. It's like it the "test port" is successful but it fails to communicate with the STB. The fact that I am getting different messages from the editor shows that it's using the right port.

full


Of course I have tried many configurations with the driver itself including the default configuration. In the Ali editor the port properties are read only.
 
Of course I have tried many configurations with the driver itself including the default configuration. In the Ali editor the port properties are read only.
I've never had to use a USB-to-Serial adapter (built my new system w/ MB that had a COM port on board) so don't know if this would help or not, but is there an option in your BIOS to manually assign the Prolific to a specific port?
 
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I've never had to use a USB-to-Serial adapter (built my new system w/ MB that had a COM port on board) so don't know if this would help or not, but is there an option in your BIOS to manually assign the Prolific to a specific port?
In the advance settings of the PL2303 driver you can select another port (COMx). I disabled the other port (COM1) just in case. I don't think there is a problem with the Editor not picking the port the adapter is on. There's a communication problem somewhere. Unfortunately the error messages are vague.
 
Will it work for him if he right-clicks the update program and runs it in compatibility mode for Windows 7?
Does not work, because there is no compatibility mode option for the driver itself, only the installer, which does nothing except place the files in C:\Windows\System32\drivers... Also tried with the Windows Technical Preview, aka Windows 10
 
I was just pondering the same thing, seems I tried that but it has been awhile. Doesn't hurt to try.
Definitely will not work with Windows 8 or Windows 10 (Technical Preview), because there is no compatibility mode option for the driver itself, only the installer, which does nothing except place the files in C:\Windows\System32\drivers...
 
One thing I haven't tried is maybe using a virtual machine in VMware Player or Hyper?V (which is part of Windows 8) with Windows XP or other older version of Windows. I use Channel Master for my old Fortec Star Lifetime Ultra in Windows 8.1 with no problems, so one would think a newer receiver and software would have worked, oh well... Also does anyone know if there is a way to convert the SatelliteGuys downloadable list to be compatible with the MicroHD? Will have to experiment...
 
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One thing I haven't tried is maybe using a virtual machine in VMware Player or Hyper?V (which is part of Windows 8) with Windows XP or other older version of Windows. I use Channel Master for my old Fortec Star Lifetime Ultra in Windows 8.1 with no problems, so one would think a newer receiver and software would have worked, oh well... Also does anyone know if there is a way to convert the SatelliteGuys downloadable list to be compatible with the MicroHD? Will have to experiment...
OK, I sort of got a way to convert, but not 100% perfect. In Channel Master, I chose File>Export>Wizard. Selected SatcoDX, named the file (I used satguys.sdx), chose Next>, then Next>Finish. Opened the file in AliEditor by changing Files of type: to SatCodex File(*.sdx) and choosing my file I created in Channel Master. A box pops up "Set Default Value", in my case I chose Stereo, clicked OK. Clicked the + sign on All Services, then the + sign on Satellite Information, and amazingly I had data! But it does not have any satellites that was listed in Channel Master without transponders or any transponders without channels, does not preserve LNB settings, and also combines the Ku & C-band under the same satellite location, so that's not good. Also will not upload properly to the MicroHD, so this needs a little more work. to make this completely useful... And please DO NOT try to upload to your MicroHD, it will cause the boot loop problem if you do... I'm just posting my findings in hopes someone has a solution...
 
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