AZBox Elite HD - What to do with a Shiny New Toy

[linuxman]

I got my AZBox yesterday, and played with it well past my usual bedtime.

I was working with the AZBox editor and trying to figure out an easy way to get the satellites and transponders into a list, and kept seeing the "import satellites.xml" button in the organize Sat & TP tab in the editor.

I spent a few hours trying to take my favorite list out of Channel Master and save it as a Cmproj file which in fact is xml data. It simply wouldn't import the file. I even tried running that file through an xml parser, but still no joy.

Very early this morning I got to thinking about that import button. I knew the programmers had to be thinking of a certain kind of file, but what?

I started a google search on satellites.xml and eventually found a connection with Dream Box. Being somewhat of a Linux guy, I then began searching for that criteria, and eventually found an XML satellite generator.

You can find the generator at Satellites_XML Generator.

Pick out the satellites you want, be sure to pick out the type of channels you want, and if you have C-Band, place a check mark in the bottom to split the satellites into different bands.

It's not perfect, and not all the S2 frequencies are there, but for those of us in NA, it will save us all a ton of data entry with the editor.

It does work with my AZBox, so feel free to give it a try.

There are a lot of steps involved to make the Editor and this work. Our friend Lak7 will be along shortly with a step by step instruction to get the "New List" to work in your AZBox using the editor.

Lak7 and I spent a good bit of time together this morning making sure this all works. I had a heck of a time with the Editor, but finally got it ironed out.

Hope this helps everyone!

 

[LordKaT]

it's a great satellite receiver ... but will it blend?

 

[Lak7]

This may seem like a lot of steps, it's is, but well worth it. At least I do.

A little "What-To" for the AZBox and Editor.

AZBox:
1. Power up and press the remote's Resolution button until you get a Pic. PAL freqs are first, then NTSC. So don't be surprised if you don't see anything at the first 720 you get to, keep going.

2. First thing with the AZBox is update the Firm. The Orig Firm is not compatible with the Editor. Internet or USB, any Firm 1759 or higher, the latest is recommended.

3. The "HOME" button is the "Menu" button

4. Find / Set the AZBox IP address. I would set to manual vs. dhcp, use your PC for proper IP format.

5. Do not "drive" the shiny new toy just yet. In other words, don't scan any channels.

6. Need to set the AZBox FTP password. From a PC, telnet to the AZBox, login as "root", at the prompt type: "passwd" (without the quotes), confirm password and exit. I used the Command Prompt in XP: telnet 192.168.1.xxx or whatever IP format you are using.


Editor:
1. Go to satellites-xml.eu, select the Sat you want, and Download. (must be named "satellites.xml")
2. Download the Editor: azboxworld.com/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=6063
3. Temp. disable anti-crapware, in any.
4. Install, seems best to change default install location, and use "c:\AZBox"
5. Run Editor
6. Select the "Options" tab and test connection and login
7. Select the "Organize Sat / TP" tab
8. Click the "Import from satellites.xml" button in lower left
9. Click the "Save antenna_list & DVBS" button and place in an easy to get to folder. You should have 2 files: antenna_list.dat, DVBS.dat
10. FTP (not the Editor) those 2 files back to the AZBox and reboot (holding the remotes power button for 10 secs will reboot the AZ from the comfort of the couch)
11. After reboot, scan 1 channel
12. Open Editor, select the "Organize List" tab
13. Click the "Receive Files from AZBox" button. You should see the 1 channel you scanned and have no runtime errors.

Any editing done with the Editor must be followed with the proper "Update" Sat / TP button. Otherwise your changes will be lost. Keep a backup on the PC, the list can corrupt easy.

You should now be able to use the Editor to Receive and Upload the Sat Files with out any errors. When using the Editor to send files back, it will auto reboot.

If for any reason the editor can no send files back to the AZ, Firm Update for instance, reset the password using the "passwd" command.

 

[1captain]

Very Nice work Tim :up on that satellite list (xml) Tim.

only have 1 grip.
wish you would of made it about 6 weeks ago.
that list is going to help new AZ owners big time.
:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up:up

 

[Babadem]

Excellent tips guys!!!!:up

 

[key2way]

WOW that worked GREAT!!!!
Thanks for the link!!!

I had my AZBox for almost a week and I love it. (not for the first time FTA'er)
The XML missing some TP's but that's not a problem.

With editing the AZBox manually there is no way to sort the satellites.
Does a good job with the TP's.

John

 

[linuxman]

I had asked a question about Diseqc 1.1 in Stogie's review thread of the AZBox, and based on what I saw and answers I got elsewhere, I purchased and received my AZBox last Wednesday.

It has been quite a journey for me since then.

As I said, I wanted to hook it up to my LNBFs on fixed dishes and use it in my Diseqc 1.1 setup. I got the box, plugged it in, looked at the channel list, and thought to myself, "I've got to do something about the channel list". As I wrote above about the site I found at satellites-xml.eu, so I downloaded myself a list and began working on it, editing names, putting positions in for the satellites on the motorized dish, etc.

Moved the list into the receiver, and started trying to setup satellites for my "system". I tried different combinations of the committed/uncommitted commands, and could get the satellites on port 1 of my 8 way uncommitted switch to work with committed/uncommitted, but the satellites on ports 2-4 wouldn' work with that sequence. The satellites on ports 2-4 would work with the uncommitted/committed sequence, but then the satellites on port 1 wouldn't work.

I struggled for two days resetting the receiver, trying different setups, getting discouraged etc. Then I started looking at the equipment. I replaced one 8 way switch hoping that would make a difference. I replaced several coax connectors thinking that might be the problem.

I hooked up a spare Coolsat 5000 to the setup and it worked fine, which was in hind sight a detriment, so I was beginning to doubt the AZBox. I started thinking about the setup, and decided that since ports 2-4 were working with what I thought was the proper command sequence, I moved the coax off of port 1 on the 8 way to port 5. I even installed a dummy diseqc 4 way on port 1 of the 8 way. Still didn't work.

I then went out to the dish where the 4 way diseqc switch was, and lo and behold, found the problem. When I installed this setup over the course of the last few months, I used whatever 4 way diseqc switches I had on hand. This particular one was an old Pansat. I replaced it with a new DMSI 4 way, and everything started working. The Coolsat didn't mind the Pansat switch, but the AZBox certainly did.

So I finally got it working today, and have scanned in about 2/3s of my LNBFs, and the AZBox is working fine.

I can definitely say that it is a true Diseqc 1.1 receiver. These are a very rare breed. Only 3 - 5 DVB-S and DVB-S2 receivers on the market will work with my diseqc 1.1 setup, and the AZBox is now one of them.

The Editor does not like the channel list that this setup pulls in. It won't pull it from the receiver, nor will it open the files if pulled over by ftp. My hope is that the Editor will catch up to the receiver, but if not, I can still get backups of the list by ftp.

 

[B.J.]

.......
I can definitely say that it is a true Diseqc 1.1 receiver. These are a very rare breed. Only 3 - 5 DVB-S and DVB-S2 receivers on the market will work with my diseqc 1.1 setup, and the AZBox is now one of them.

The Editor does not like the channel list that this setup pulls in. It won't pull it from the receiver, nor will it open the files if pulled over by ftp. My hope is that the Editor will catch up to the receiver, but if not, I can still get backups of the list by ftp.

I don't use DiseqC 1.1 so I don't know what affect that might have on the editor, however the editor will pull files from my Azbox fine, and it will also open files that I've pulled from the Azbox via FTP.

MY problem with the Editor, is that the satellite delete button doesn't work. I'd like to eliminate a bunch of satellites that I can't even see, but I get a run time error 6 every time I try deleting a satellite.

I too hope that the editor will catch up, as I'd like it to be able to sort things better. I expect that the editor WILL get better since the arcitecture seems pretty open, so if this one doesn't, another one will appear.

 

[Lak7]

MY problem with the Editor, is that the satellite delete button doesn't work. I'd like to eliminate a bunch of satellites that I can't even see, but I get a run time error 6 every time I try deleting a satellite.

Did you try deleting Sat using the AZBox?
Do the Sats you want to delete have channels scanned?
The Channel / Sat list setup is very "sensitive" to changes.

EDIT: Another thing is, to me at least, is the AZBox does not like 2 Sats with the same Orbit Location. I have set my C Band Sat to XXX.1 and kept the Ku at the proper setting. When I did that, that brought up anther issue, the TPs are linked to the Sats Orbit Local. So when I changed Galaxy 14 to 125.1, the TPs still showed 125.0 in the Editor.

 

[B.J.]

Did you try deleting Sat using the AZBox?
Do the Sats you want to delete have channels scanned?
The Channel / Sat list setup is very "sensitive" to changes.

EDIT: Another thing is, to me at least, is the AZBox does not like 2 Sats with the same Orbit Location. I have set my C Band Sat to XXX.1 and kept the Ku at the proper setting. When I did that, that brought up anther issue, the TPs are linked to the Sats Orbit Local. So when I changed Galaxy 14 to 125.1, the TPs still showed 125.0 in the Editor.

Re deleting using Azbox.... I assume that this would work. I was just thinking that if it worked it would be a lot easier via the editor.

Re channels scanned.... no, the sats I was trying to delete were sats I can't even see from here, like over Europe. I did think that perhaps if I deleted all the default transponders, that it might let me delete the sat, so I tried that, but even with all the transponders gone, it gave the error.

Re sensitive to change, yeah, perhaps the sat list got slightly corrupted. I think I saved the sat list from shortly after I started using the box. I might try that with the editor.

Re "2 Sats with the same Orbit Location." Yeah, I'm pretty sure that this is the reason that I was unable to SORT the sats on the Azbox. All the sats I manually entered, I entered with the same longitude as another sat at the same location. The Azbox placed all these sats down at ~ 0.00 deg longitude when sorting. I'm guessing that if I had done the .1 deg off trick that it would have sorted them properly. I thought that perhaps this might have also caused the problem with the delete button, so I changed all those sats via the editor, then tried the delete button. Still got the error, but perhaps the file was already damaged?


BTW, this morning, I've been watching a marginal channel (viewing through wet pine trees), that the Azbox is having problems with, but my TT3200 is playing fine, connected identically via a splitter. This is first time I've noticed the Azbox being less sensitive than the 3200.

 

[zamar23]

In many receivers' Editors, when you hit "Delete Sat" option, it deletes all previously scanned channels of that sat, but doesn't delete the sat from the List, though it can rename it. Are there any Receiver Editors, where a Sat can be deleted from the list without using a PC soft?

 

[B.J.]

Did you try deleting Sat using the AZBox?
.....

Re deleting using Azbox.... I assume that this would work. I was just thinking that if it worked it would be a lot easier via the editor.
...

Well, I wasn't able to delete on the Azbox either, at least with respect to the one sat I was trying to delete.
With the channel editor, I couldn't delete ANY sat, however when deleting from the Azbox, I can delete any satellite EXCEPT for the satellite at 1.0W, which is named something like " INTELSAT 10-2, THOR 2,3,5 - North Europe " . If I try to delete that sat, the Azbox completely freezes up, and I have to reboot by turning the switch off in the back.

I'd really be interested in whether anyone else is able to delete this satellite.


I thought that perhaps the fact that I had added some sats with duplicate longitudes might be causing this, so I reverted to an old channel data set, before I had added any satellites, and I still couldn't delete that one satellite.
Also, I tried once again to ADD a satellite, ie AMC21, and I listed it at 125.1 this time, but when I tried to SORT the satellites, it still puts it next to that INTELSAT 10-2, THOR 2,3,5 - North Europe satellite at 01.0W. There doesn't seem to be any way to SORT the sats, and there doesn't seem to be any way to delete that sat at 01.0W.

 

[Lak7]

Is this a unit from Rick's?
If so, did he scan a Channel in on the Sat you are now trying to delete?

Position Sorting does not work, period.
I renamed all my Sat starting with location: "125 AMC 21", now I can sort Alphabetically and they fall in position.

Since you have a Back Up, you can Factory reset, and copy the now empty channel_list and mix with you existing antenna_list and DVBS see if that allows you to delete the unwanted Sat.

I know my "128 step" program seem like a lot, but if order is important, may be worth considering.

EDIT: another thing to consider: I am almost positive that there is a hidden Sat File somewhere, 'cause the AZBox still reports the wrong Sat for my first channel I scanned.

 

[ghia]

"I am almost positive that there is a hidden Sat File somewhere, 'cause the AZBox still reports the wrong Sat for my first channel I scanned."

I've noticed that there is another DVBS.dat in /DISK1/DISK2_backup ......

 

[B.J.]

"I am almost positive that there is a hidden Sat File somewhere, 'cause the AZBox still reports the wrong Sat for my first channel I scanned."

I've noticed that there is another DVBS.dat in /DISK1/DISK2_backup ......

Yeah, I just found that one today. When I first started programming this thing, I FTP'd the other 2 .dat files, but didn't save that one. So I was wanting to revert back to old conditions, and found that DVBS.dat file, and that allowed me to get back to pretty near to where I started.

Re the LAK7 question, no, I got my Azbox off ebay, so it hasn't been pre programmed at all.

I guess I'll just forget about not being able to sort the sat list. I was hoping that this receiver could do everything, ie C band and Ku, but the more I think about it, I think I'm going to end up just having the Azbox on C-band, and occasionally switch coaxes or slave it when I need it for Ku. That way I won't need ot create any manual satellites.

 

[Lak7]

A Factory Reset should give you a clean slate.
If you use "Satellite.xml" system, the Sats will be in proper order from the start, something to think about.

The "Dish1" area is not writable, I thinks it's the Factory Reset files.

 

[jayelem]

Is this a unit from Rick's?
Position Sorting does not work, period.
I renamed all my Sat starting with location: "125 AMC 21", now I can sort Alphabetically and they fall in position.

Smart !!!

I love to have my orbital positions in order.
I also rather move from Satellite to Satellite
rather than having my channels sorted in one group like all channels.

 

[B.J.]

A Factory Reset should give you a clean slate.
....

The "Dish1" area is not writable, I thinks it's the Factory Reset files.

I didn't try to write to Disk1, I copied the file from there to put in the Dish2 area as an alternative to a complete factory reset. Only one of the 3 file needed files were there, but I had the other two.

I assume that Disk1 area would be writeable with a "mount -o remount rw" type command, or is it truely not writeable? Not that I have any reason to try that at this point. At least that's what I do with the non-writeable areas on my TIVO. The TIVO of course is a real hard drive, but you'd think that the non-writeable areas would have to be writeable via remount to switch firmware.

If you use "Satellite.xml" system, the Sats will be in proper order from the start, something to think about.

I just started looking at that. Started editing the file, deleting sats I can't see, and adding the C-band side of a sat that was only listed as Ku.

Then, I noticed that it combined things like G17-Ku and Nimiq1 into a single sat.
I assume that I'll need to separate those two, and a couple other similar examples I noticed?? Ie, I assume that the Azbox doesn't have the capability of using different LO freqs and switch positions dependent on the transponder tuned does it??

Anyway, I think I'll give that a try, just to get the thing set up from the start, but it looks like it's going to take a bit of editing. Hopefully this can remove that sat at 1.0W that won't go away.

 

[Lak7]

Then, I noticed that it combined things like G17-Ku and Nimiq1 into a single sat.

At the bottom of the page is a Check Box to keep C and Ku Separate.

 

[pro96]

just loaded latest on mine.. still upgrading all the applications..