AZBox HD Premium HDD

[AcWxRadar]

In learning mode on this box. I removed the 500GB HDD from my AB IP Box 9000HD receiver and installed it in the AZBox. The HDD is a Samsung HD502HI.

I had to modify the cables to suit the board connectors provided within the AZBox as they are not identical to the AB IP Box. I had to splice the power plug from the AZBox onto the original cable from the AB IP Box and cut the data cable connector in two pieces (the AZ IP Box cable had the power cable and the data cable in one molded piece and this would not plug into the conector on the board in the AZBox). I simply snipped it in two with a pair of dikes and it plugged in easily.

When I tried to select RECORD MODE, I received the message that no storage device was present. So I went into the SETTINGS > STORAGE MENU and deleted the partition and then formatted the HDD. It then recognized that the HDD drive was connected and would enter the record mode. It also recognizes the drive size and used space/free space available.

I was going to ask for assistance on how to get it to playback, but I found it just by a few more steps. You have to go to MENU > RECORDED PROGRAM. I was trying to locate it through the RECORDED MOVIES area.

If anyone has any input or further information on this subject, it would be most appreciated. But, I can state that it works and it works nice. A very clean picture and sound and they are synced properly. I recorded a few minutes of news from ONN and I cannot tell the difference between what was live and what is now recorded on the HDD. I am still using this box with the original firmware. I have some questions about updating the firmware, but I will save that for later.


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[Tron]

Have you tried the AZBox on high-bitrate feeds? I have read that there are/were problems with recording anything higher than 20 megabit feeds, and am wondering if that's been solved yet...

 

[B.J.]

Have you tried the AZBox on high-bitrate feeds? I have read that there are/were problems with recording anything higher than 20 megabit feeds, and am wondering if that's been solved yet...

I know this is about the premium and not the elete , which I have, but I don't think that there has been any change with respect to the elete at least. Will be interesting to see if it works on the premium thing.
I haven't even bothered to try recording much with the elete, since much of what I watch is high bit rate, so I'm just used other receivers to record. But back when I was experimenting with the elete, I was curious with respect to whether the issue was with recording or playback or both. Anyway, it was interesting what I observed with respect to playing back high bitrate programs recorded from other sources. For some unknown reason, the recordings would play on the Azbox, but they played at half speed, and I think that they had no sound, although it's been a long time, and I forget. The other interesting thing was that the total playback time was equal to the total record time. This REALLY confused me, until I realized that it was only playing back HALF of what I had recorded. So anyway, the high bitrate playback didn't work, but the behavior it showed was bizzarre.
Anyway, it will be nice if they get the high bitrate recording stuff working.

 

[Tron]

Thanks for the info, B.J. Recording of high bitrate feeds is very important to me... Hopefully, they will resolve this soon. I really want to get an AZBox ...

 

[AcWxRadar]

Update:

Satellite 125.0'W (AMC 21) was not listed in my receiver, so I had to add it manually along with the TPs.

Once I had added it, I was able to view the HD PBS channels (East/West on TP 12140 V). The symbol rate for these HD channels is 30,000 MS/s and I was able to record the programs.

However, I have heard mention that because the HDD is formatted in FAT32, as opposed to NTFS, that it will not record more than "X" number of hours of HD content because of the default file size of FAT32. Supposedly, it will record the entire program (any length), but will divide it into sections. In order to playback the program in its entirety, you have to play it in two parts, like a multidisc DVD set.

I haven't yet attempted to record a program of this length, so I cannot inform anyone as to how this works on this AZBox, but at least it will record the HD and high bit rate (symbol rate) transmissions.

I am currently attempting to connect and format an external USB HD to the AZBox Premium. I have a Maxtor 750GB "OneTouch" HD (p/n 9NT2A6-500). It is currently in the process of re-formatting. I hope to find that it works as well as the internal HDD. If it does, I hope to be able to transfer any recorded programs to the Maxtor drive and then to my PC, where I can edit them. I will let you know how this works out.

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edit P.S. It does seem to require a long time to format these drives. About 15-25 minutes. Just FYI

 

[funkypc]

Maximum file size in FAT32 is 1GB

 

[AcWxRadar]

Maximum file size in FAT32 is 1GB

That restriction on file size is what will be limiting the HD / high symbol rate recording of programs. This is something that will either have to be lived with or overcome in some other approach.

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[AcWxRadar]

UPDATE:

The Maxtor 750GB USB HD does work! The AZBox Premium formatted it succesfully and I can now select which drive (internal or external) that I want to record the program to. It plays back excellently!

The next step is to determine how long of an HD program that I may record in one segment without it being split. Also, I am going to try to move recorded files from one drive to the other. That will be a plus if it works.

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[AcWxRadar]

UPDATE:

I have determined that I can transfer recorded programs (files) back and forth between the internal HDD and the external USB drive. This feature works very well!

HOTDOG!

This is proving to be a very, very exceptional receiver.

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[SatelliteAV]

Maximum file size in FAT32 is 1GB

I believe that this is incorrect. The maximum file size for FAT32 is 4GB

 

[AcWxRadar]

Maximum file size in FAT32 is 1GB

I believe that this is incorrect. The maximum file size for FAT32 is 4GB

Thank you (SatelliteAV) for the information on that issue. Was that you , Brian?

I believe that what FunkyPC was referring to in this sense was that that FAT32 format limited the recording length of an HD program to about 1 hour (not 1 GB). The 4GB file size limitation (if I understood what I have read correctly) limited the length of an HD program to roughly one hour.

Does this sound correct?

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[Lak7]

I believe the Receiver will create a Folder for each new recording. In that folder will be the files that compose the recording. When playing back, it should be seamless.

 

[AcWxRadar]

I believe the Receiver will create a Folder for each new recording. In that folder will be the files that compose the recording. When playing back, it should be seamless.

I am hoping that you are correct on this issue, Lak. So that, even though the total program or movie is divided into more than one file, it will know that it has to play the two (or more) recorded files in succession. Thus, being as you say, seamless. That would be excellent and what I am hoping for.

I would like to diverge the topic for just a moment and inform everyone about the channel that I am watching currently. Kuwait TV 2. There is a really great movie on this channel now, I don't know what it is, but it is in English and commercial free and very clear (great video and audio quality). This is on 97W, Galaxy 25.

Lak, I recommend this receiver to you, I believe that you would appreciate it (if you don't already have one).

I am quite impressed and the more I play with it, the more I like it!

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[Lak7]

Lak, I recommend this receiver to you, I believe that you would appreciate it (if you don't already have one).

I've had one for a while, check my Signature.
It's just been so long since I messed with the recording, I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Jim S.]

Why does it format the disc in FAT when it's a Linux box?

 

[AcWxRadar]

I've had one for a while, check my Signature.
It's just been so long since I messed with the recording, I'm not 100% sure.

Sorry Lak, I wasn't paying attention to your sig. How long have you had your Elite? Like I said, I am very impressed! There is so much to this box (I have the Premium) that I am sure it is going to take me a good long time to figure it all out. I downloaded a manual for Linux/UNIX programming. I will have to learn all of that eventually, but I have had C++ and visual BASIC programming experience previously, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get adjusted.

Besides that, I find that this box is very user freindly and I think a novice would have very few troubles with this box. It nearly does everything for you as is.

Do you have the same impression of your Elite? I assume it is nearly an identical box. Just a few options which are bells and whistles on the Premium model.

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[AcWxRadar]

Why does it format the disc in FAT when it's a Linux box?

Jim S.

That is a question that I cannot answer. There must be something regarding how the processor is "programmed" from the mfg and the OpenSat company just had to utilize that format to comply with the processor that they adopted for the unit's heart and soul.

Maybe there are some other features that the FAT32 format works better with and they feel that they don't wish to sacrifice those items simply to make one part function better. I simply do not know, but they must have had good reasoning.

So far, judging by what I can see what the unit is capable of, I am not about to complain.

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[Lak7]

I got mine in April or May.
Only thing I don't have is an SATA connection, but I don't really record anything.

As far as I know, the programming is not "Open". You can write Plug-Ins, but not change the actual "Firmware".

 

[Lak7]

Why does it format the disc in FAT when it's a Linux box?

Possible so you can easily connect the Drive to a PC or other non-Linux device?

 

[Jim S.]

Well, there's at least one free Linux filesystem driver for Windows. (There's also an NTFS driver for Linux. I'm not sure what legal issues there might be in using it in a commercial device, but somehow they get away with FAT.) About the only reason I can think of that you wouldn't want a Linux-formatted disc is if you were going to plug it into a standalone media player, but most of those have ethernet connectivity anyway.