AZBox Elite hangs up on loading

[macksat]

Just got my new ?? AZBox elite a couple days ago. Carefully hooked everything up, including the ethernet cable for updating the firmware.
When the unit booted and settings screen came up it was in Dutch, rather than English, which according to the PDF manual, English being the default language.

When inputting a static i.p. address for the AZBox to my Linksys router, found there was already data, including a users IP addresse already on this unit, leading me to believe this unit may have already been in use or was a return or something. Purchased it NEW from one of the larger ebay sellers.
Should a NEW unit have a users I.P. number in it already?


I did manage to get MY I.P.information into the AZBox...which DID connect to the internet and updated it's firmware following the prompts. Following that I was able to change the language to English, making the next steps much easier.

While adjusting other settings i.e. resolution, letterbox, etc. the unit went into wierd patterns on the TV, occasionally resetting itself, then only wavy vertical lines.

Forced a reboot by holding down the off button on the remote and now all the unit will do is go thru BOOTING/CHECKING/STARTING/LOADING and hangs indefinitely on LOADING. Have turned off the power switch, unpluged power cord.
Disconnected all other connections and no difference. Unit never gets past LOADING and nothing at all on the TV.

Unit dead? Or have I missed something obvious?
Have gone thru the manual and can find nothing

Appreciate any help or comments.
...had such high hopes for this box ....:rant:

 

[Mr Tony]

undo the screws and take off the top case. Make sure all connections are properly inserted. That has kinda been the rule of thumb with a new azbox is to open the case and check all connections

 

[macksat]

Thanks Iceberg...lightning fast !!!!!
I'll give that a try.....but won't that zap my warranty?

 

[Mr Tony]

nah. I did it with mine right away to make sure there were no issues. A few folks had issues with connections not being 100% seated so there were issues

 

[macksat]

Well, opened it up and checked all connectors and made sure everything was firmly seated, but no change....sigh. Still hangs up on "LOADING..."

Guess I'll contact the seller for a RMA.

Thanks Iceberg, was worth a try.

 

[Lak7]

Should a NEW unit have a users I.P. number in it already?

Yes, I believe it come pre-programmed as 192.168.1.103

Can you download a newer Firmware to a USB Stick, Power Down(unplug) the AZ, connect the US Stick to the AZ and Power Up, that will load the Firmware from the USB Stick.

Firm can be downloaded from:
azupd.com/0.9.3501/patch.bin

 

[B.J.]

.........
While adjusting other settings i.e. resolution, letterbox, etc. the unit went into wierd patterns on the TV, occasionally resetting itself, then only wavy vertical lines.

Forced a reboot by holding down the off button on the remote and now all the unit will do is go thru BOOTING/CHECKING/STARTING/LOADING and hangs indefinitely on LOADING. Have turned off the power switch, unpluged power cord.
Disconnected all other connections and no difference. Unit never gets past LOADING and nothing at all on the TV.

Unit dead? Or have I missed something obvious?
Have gone thru the manual and can find nothing

Appreciate any help or comments.
...had such high hopes for this box ....:rant:

Mine got into a mode like this, and I think it was because I was connected via HDMI, and it was outputting via another video output. The receiver was apparently waiting for me to respond to some prompt that I couldn't see.

If you are using HDMI, you might try switching to the RCA yellow composite video output to see if there is anything coming out of that output. It's probably waiting for you to choose a video mode or something like that.

 

[macksat]

Yes, I believe it come pre-programmed as 192.168.1.103

Can you download a newer Firmware to a USB Stick, Power Down(unplug) the AZ, connect the US Stick to the AZ and Power Up, that will load the Firmware from the USB Stick.

Firm can be downloaded from:
azupd.com/0.9.3501/patch.bin

The IP number preloaded on this unit started with 222....somthing...looked like a European IP, given the fact that it had been set up in Dutch, whereas the PDF manual states that English is the default language. Also the unit did not have the thin transparent protector covering the menu window common to most NEW devices. This leads me to believe the unit may have been a return, even tho I purchased it NEW from a prominent Ebay seller. Hard to say.

Downloaded the bin file to a freshly FAT formatted thumb drive, sadly same results....let the "LOADING" phase continue for over 15 minutes; no go.
Tried this with both USB slots....grrrrrrr!!!!!

Thanks to all for helping me sort this out.

 

[macksat]

Mine got into a mode like this, and I think it was because I was connected via HDMI, and it was outputting via another video output. The receiver was apparently waiting for me to respond to some prompt that I couldn't see.

If you are using HDMI, you might try switching to the RCA yellow composite video output to see if there is anything coming out of that output. It's probably waiting for you to choose a video mode or something like that.

I was using the Component video connectors & Optical audio at the time. Picture looked fine until all went haywire when adjusting the settings i.e. language, resolution, etc.

Thanks for all the input on this.

 

[Lak7]

Picture looked fine until all went haywire when adjusting the settings i.e. language, resolution, etc.

You probably have the Video in PAL vs. NTSC

 

[macksat]

You probably have the Video in PAL vs. NTSC

Very likely so Lak7.
The problems started while setting video/resolution.

Now all I get is a solid green tinted screen when the unit gets to the "LOADING"
sequence and just seems to hang there indefinitely. Important to note I only get this screen using the Composite (RCA) type connector for video.
No video whatsoever when using the Component cables I was using when the video went wild, then to a blank screen.

The unit DOES go to it's time checking site as I can see the AZBox's static address in the Linksys router each time the unit boots or reboots.

Beyond that it seems to be dead in the water unless I can find a PAL TV someplace and could perhaps see a menu instead of this green tinted screen.....?? maybe ??

Have even thought of putting linux one of my PC's and perhaps access the AZBox that way if such a thing is possible???

Meanwhile, I'm awaiting return instructions from the seller.

Appreciate all the help I've been getting here.

 

[Lak7]

Did you press the resolution button on the Remote?
It goes thru PAL options first, then NTSC

 

[macksat]

Did you press the resolution button on the Remote?
It goes thru PAL options first, then NTSC

Yes, did that repeatedly with no change. Unit does not get past the "LOADING" mode in the boot process.

Trying now to pass the video into a Hauppauge PC TV card which has some facility for PAL signals...so far no success in that effort either grrrrrrrr!!!!

Hate to give up, but it looks hopeless......

 

[B.J.]

Yes, did that repeatedly with no change. Unit does not get past the "LOADING" mode in the boot process.

Trying now to pass the video into a Hauppauge PC TV card which has some facility for PAL signals...so far no success in that effort either grrrrrrrr!!!!

Hate to give up, but it looks hopeless......

May not make any difference, but I'm confused relative to whether you think you have sucessfully loaded new firmware, and are now just trying to boot, having removed the thumb drive with the firmware, or if you still have the thumbdrive in there? (I could probably re-read all the above posts, but it's easier to ask)
I just seem to remember getting stuck in some window where it was waiting for some response, and the resolution button had no effect. But I can't remember what I was doing when that happened. If you've already loaded the new firmware, you might insure that you've removed the thumbdrive. And if nothing else works, it might not hurt to try to load in the firmware again, although I really can't remember the steps involved when you can't see the screen. I went through that, and it was troublesome, but I got through it.

Relative to a PAL TV, at least with analog TVs, you should still see something, ie not just a green screen. With very old TVs, you can adjust the vertical or horizontal roll knobs and get the picture to hold steady, but with newer analog TVs, it will roll, and you can't stop it. I don't know what PAL does on a digital TV, but I'd think that you'd probably get the rolling screen thing, not just a green screen. So the green screen thing looks bad to me, unless it is outputting to the scart (or whatever they call it).

Perhaps you can hook up the ethernet cable and connect via hyperterm, just to see if the OS is running. You can do that with any computer. You don't need a Linux computer to connect. I'm not sure if you can do anything once connected, but at least you could see if it's running.

 

[macksat]

May not make any difference, but I'm confused relative to whether you think you have sucessfully loaded new firmware, and are now just trying to boot, having removed the thumb drive with the firmware, or if you still have the thumbdrive in there?

.

Updated new firmware via the internet connection. Gave the AZBox a static address and it automatically connected. I got a message (in Dutch) that the
firmware update was successful. Proceeded to input settings, language, resolution, etc. when the problems started.

Perhaps you can hook up the ethernet cable and connect via hyperterm, just to see if the OS is running. You can do that with any computer. You don't need a Linux computer to connect. I'm not sure if you can do anything once connected, but at least you could see if it's running.

It does seem to be running. Each time it reboots I can see it contact "time.bora.net" which is it's time checking site. This appears in the router log each time the unit boots or I disconnect/reconnect the ethernet cable.

Gonna try connecting via hyperterm as you suggested.

 

[macksat]

SUCCESS !!!!
After almost non-stop searching, came across a tread that saved the day!
By waiting for the CHECKING sequence in the boot process and pressing the
OK key several times....a MENU screen showed up on the TV.
I almost passed-out
This gave me a choice of update methods. Used USB and the file suggested by Lak7 earlier in this thread. About 25 minutes later the box is back up and working like new. WOW...
Gonna take small steps with the rest of the setup process so it doesn't get messed up again.

Special thanks Iceberg, Lak7, & B.J. couldn't have done it without ya.

 

[Lak7]

Good to hear.
Just make sure you update to at least 0.9.2880 and get the compatible Channel Editor - also has "2880" in name.

 

[macksat]

Thanks Lak7, will do.
That patch.bin saved the day!

Happy AZBoxing !

 

[brentb636]

What great news and good information.

 

[Mr Tony]

great to hear!