How To North Americanize Your AZBOX

[beavs2112]

I used MazEdit to read and save the lists, then I used AzboxEdit to edit the list and save the modifications, then I used the ACC to upload the files. I tried to manually open a Telnet and FTP connection using the ACC prior to sending the modified lists to the Azbox (which is something that someone suggested) but I still get a "connection closed" dialog box even though the ACC shows that the FTP or Telnet session is still active. But the modified lists never get uploaded and the Azbox never reboots.

i highlighted in red what i found interersting. try using the ftp and telnet in maz. that is what i use and it worked for me very well.

read previous post and found johhny got ACC to work. cool. no need to use maz like i suggested. sorry to clutter things up.

 

[beavs2112]

I used MazEdit to read and save the lists, then I used AzboxEdit to edit the list and save the modifications, then I used the ACC to upload the files. I tried to manually open a Telnet and FTP connection using the ACC prior to sending the modified lists to the Azbox (which is something that someone suggested) but I still get a "connection closed" dialog box even though the ACC shows that the FTP or Telnet session is still active. But the modified lists never get uploaded and the Azbox never reboots.

do your files get copied correctly if you reboot manually after?

 

[stargaze]

i highlighted in red what i found interersting. try using the ftp and telnet in maz. that is what i use and it worked for me very well.

Maz does not write to both the main directory and the backup directory at the same time. This is the reason for the ACC program.
It writes to both so those Eastern sats will not appear if the receiver ever gets quirky. The starting point is what you designed not what came from the factory.

 

[beavs2112]

Well, I just tried having both a telnet and ftp session open using the ACC and then was able to upload the list. After searching the A-Z guide, I didn't see this procedure of having both a telnet AND FTP session open in the A-Z pdf manual. Anyway, even though I uploaded (or thought I uploaded) a channel list of 10 channels and 2 satellites, when I went into the Azbox setup menu, I got a box stating that there are 0 (zero) satellites. So, I tried a second time and had success. 2 satellites and 10 channels show up now. What a hassle but I'm glad that I got it figured out now. Now to add in all the other stuff I want. I suppose I can use the Azbox to add sats and then blind scan them and then retrieve the new list with MazEdit and then send them back with ACC all will be well?

i am glad you got it to work arriverderci european sat list !

 

[beavs2112]

Maz does not write to both the main directory and the backup directory at the same time. This is the reason for the ACC program.
It writes to both so those Eastern sats will not appear if the receiver ever gets quirky. The starting point is what you designed not what came from the factory.

absolutely correct. so what i do is during the same telnet/ftp session i copy my files to the "disk1/disk 2 backup" AND "disk 2". sorry forgot to add that step in my process post.

also wanted to say thanks for all your hard work

 

[stargaze]

absolutely correct. so what i do is during the same telnet/ftp session i copy my files to the "disk1/disk 2 backup" AND "disk 2". sorry forgot to add that step in my process post.

also wanted to say thanks for all your hard work

I did not see your post at the end of the previous page before I sent my last post. Sorry, I know what you were doing and yes that will work, it is the long way around but since you had the bad version of the program that may explain things.
If I had a web site I'd upload my version of the ACC to it for others but since it is too large to e-mail and not having a web site it makes it a bit tough.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

That is exactly what i am saying. when you press the "send to AZBOX" button in the "tools 2" area in ACC it does some commands. i am doing manually via telnet and ftp what ACC is doing automatically. but since ACC wasn't working for me I had to find another procedure to copy the files that did work. i just transfer the 3 files manually via ftp. it was too difficult to figure out why ACC didn't work for me. I think it happened when i downloaded the toolbox and got a hacker version. i removed it and ever since then ACC hasn't done the job.

ACC didn't work for me because it didn't automatically open BOTH the FTP and Telnet sessions. When I left MazEdit connected to the Azbox (which had both Telnet and FTP sessions open) I was able to upload the modified lists by using the ACC. I suppose that manually opening the Telnet and FTP could be done with the ACC also.

IAlso, I noted that if I add sats with the Azbox remote in the Setup menu, it screws up any channels that were previously programmed (freqs and symbol rates became 0) which required another blind scan.

 

[stargaze]

I noted that if I add sats with the Azbox remote in the Setup menu, it screws up any channels that were previously programmed (freqs and symbol rates became 0) which required another blind scan.

Good reason to use the AzEdit program.
I was told early on that the azbox was not to be trusted to do editing with.
It took me a month to learn the different editing programs by playing around with them. I really did not want to use them but found it necessary if I wanted to accomplish what I wanted with the receiver.

Once you complete your list the way you want them make sure you save a backup copy someplace safe! You should never have to do it a second time from scratch.

What I do is to keep a folder by date with the backup copies.
If you ever corrupt your lists you can always go to the previous channel list.
The lists can get corrupted by operator error.... ie... forgetting to add a transponder to a new satellite, or by not following the procedure correctly.
Sometimes people try to rush into this and in their hurry create human errors.
This is basically a computer your playing with and your now becoming a computer programmer.. (sort of)....

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Good reason to use the AzEdit program.
I was told early on that the azbox was not to be trusted to do editing with.
It took me a month to learn the different editing programs by playing around with them. I really did not want to use them but found it necessary if I wanted to accomplish what I wanted with the receiver.

Once you complete your list the way you want them make sure you save a backup copy someplace safe! You should never have to do it a second time from scratch.

What I do is to keep a folder by date with the backup copies.
If you ever corrupt your lists you can always go to the previous channel list.
The lists can get corrupted by operator error.... ie... forgetting to add a transponder to a new satellite, or by not following the procedure correctly.
Sometimes people try to rush into this and in their hurry create human errors.
This is basically a computer your playing with and your now becoming a computer programmer.. (sort of)....

It's poorly designed software. It shouldn't be this difficult to edit the sat and channel lists.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Good reason to use the AzEdit program.
I was told early on that the azbox was not to be trusted to do editing with.
It took me a month to learn the different editing programs by playing around with them. I really did not want to use them but found it necessary if I wanted to accomplish what I wanted with the receiver.

Once you complete your list the way you want them make sure you save a backup copy someplace safe! You should never have to do it a second time from scratch.

What I do is to keep a folder by date with the backup copies.If you ever corrupt your lists you can always go to the previous channel list.
The lists can get corrupted by operator error.... ie... forgetting to add a transponder to a new satellite, or by not following the procedure correctly.
Sometimes people try to rush into this and in their hurry create human errors.

This is basically a computer your playing with and your now becoming a computer programmer.. (sort of)....

This message is so accurate. Stargaze, you have summed up the whole idea quite well.


RADAR

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

It's also interesting to note that the edited lists for my Ultra wouldn't load into the Elite (same firmware). Not to mention the lockups of the ACC and MazEdit software.

 

[stargaze]

It's poorly designed software. It shouldn't be this difficult to edit the sat and channel lists.

Remember one thing, The North American market was an afterthought for this company that makes these receivers. They included their own flimsy editor within the receiver but when they added the North American market to their list, they fouled up the receiver in doing so. They dumped a listing they took off an internet site into the receiver without knowing or caring what they were doing, they just wanted to get the receiver out the door.
(I took notice of all the DCII transponders that came from the factory in the receiver the very first day, what a waste!)
Every editor that works for the receiver has come from users who had created their own editor and made it to work with the receiver. I have not seen anyone on this side of the pond create an editor program to work with the azbox. It make me wonder if we have gone downhill so much that we have no more Yankee Ingenuity left to create our own programs and are left to rely on others.
It has been said many times that this receiver was not good for a beginner. If one does not have the stamina to go that extra mile or willingness to learn then those saying this are absolutely correct.
I do not see any company in N/A designing a new satellite receiver for FTA reception, it's like it is a big taboo here.
When I was first thinking about this receiver I did my homework, I searched and searched and saw that the real info was far and few bits in-between.
Radar was one of the few who had documented many things on the receiver, I took the time to bring as much of it into one place to make it easier for others and to add my two cents to it.
I could have complained but I decided it was better to try figuring out the quirks and offer them up so others would not fall into the same pitfalls.
One would think that with all the people over here who own these receivers as long as they have someone would have come up with something long before now. The sad truth is they haven't!

IMO: I feel sometimes that the ones on this side of the pond are just like sad sheep waiting to be slaughtered while the intelligent ones have gone to the other side of the world. Or have I got it wrong and we are only taking from everyone else and giving nothing back in return?

(sorry about the rant! it was just something in your post that struck the wrong cord and I had to get it off my chest. It is not meant nor implied as anything personal)

 

[AcWxRadar]

Stargaze,

You sound like I feel (referring to your comments about us on this side of the pond getting things done with FTA receivers and programming issues). I entirely agree.

I wish I had done more with programming in my past. The last really official computer programming training I had was in Fortran IV. That was a long time ago.

What I need (or what we all need to support the AZBox) is to learn Visual Basic, C+++ and Linux programming, with some other supporting peripheral programming styles. If we (anyone of us) were proficient at all of these, we could write our own book on this receiver.

I might try to learn this, but I sincerely doubt that I would ever get proficient enough to become a guru or expert and a miracle worker. Personally, I am simnply not the PC Geek type. I can build you a computer or a TV or radio from the electronics scratch components, but the programming is for someone else.

I know that there is someone out there that already has the background and the mindset for this programming endeavor. We just need them to be interested in our AZBox FTA receiver!

RADAR

 

[stargaze]

I know that there is someone out there that already has the background and the mindset for this programming endeavor. We just need them to be interested in our AZBox FTA receiver!

If someone does make it you can be assured I'll break it...

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Remember one thing, The North American market was an afterthought for this company that makes these receivers. They included their own flimsy editor within the receiver but when they added the North American market to their list, they fouled up the receiver in doing so. They dumped a listing they took off an internet site into the receiver without knowing or caring what they were doing, they just wanted to get the receiver out the door.
(I took notice of all the DCII transponders that came from the factory in the receiver the very first day, what a waste!)
Every editor that works for the receiver has come from users who had created their own editor and made it to work with the receiver. I have not seen anyone on this side of the pond create an editor program to work with the azbox. It make me wonder if we have gone downhill so much that we have no more Yankee Ingenuity left to create our own programs and are left to rely on others.
It has been said many times that this receiver was not good for a beginner. If one does not have the stamina to go that extra mile or willingness to learn then those saying this are absolutely correct.
I do not see any company in N/A designing a new satellite receiver for FTA reception, it's like it is a big taboo here.
When I was first thinking about this receiver I did my homework, I searched and searched and saw that the real info was far and few bits in-between.
Radar was one of the few who had documented many things on the receiver, I took the time to bring as much of it into one place to make it easier for others and to add my two cents to it.
I could have complained but I decided it was better to try figuring out the quirks and offer them up so others would not fall into the same pitfalls.
One would think that with all the people over here who own these receivers as long as they have someone would have come up with something long before now. The sad truth is they haven't!

IMO: I feel sometimes that the ones on this side of the pond are just like sad sheep waiting to be slaughtered while the intelligent ones have gone to the other side of the world. Or have I got it wrong and we are only taking from everyone else and giving nothing back in return?

(sorry about the rant! it was just something in your post that struck the wrong cord and I had to get it off my chest. It is not meant nor implied as anything personal)

As long as American companies continue to outsource jobs no one will spend the time, effort and money to get into tech areas in this country.

Anyway, there must be some kind of utility that the developers use to create and edit the sat lists. If we could get access to that utility most of our problems will be solved. Having to use 3 different software programs to get the sat list trimmed is ridiculus.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Stargaze,

You sound like I feel (referring to your comments about us on this side of the pond getting things done with FTA receivers and programming issues). I entirely agree.

I wish I had done more with programming in my past. The last really official computer programming training I had was in Fortran IV. That was a long time ago.

What I need (or what we all need to support the AZBox) is to learn Visual Basic, C+++ and Linux programming, with some other supporting peripheral programming styles. If we (anyone of us) were proficient at all of these, we could write our own book on this receiver.

I might try to learn this, but I sincerely doubt that I would ever get proficient enough to become a guru or expert and a miracle worker. Personally, I am simnply not the PC Geek type. I can build you a computer or a TV or radio from the electronics scratch components, but the programming is for someone else.

I know that there is someone out there that already has the background and the mindset for this programming endeavor. We just need them to be interested in our AZBox FTA receiver!

RADAR

It'll take more than the ability to program. Without intimate knowledge of the design of the Azbox it'll be difficult to write decent programs for it. If I had the time I'd take a stab at writing a suitable program since I do have a computer science degree and have knowledge of C, C++, Assembly, BASIC and some knowledge of FORTRAN, FORTH, PASCAL and COBOL. I do have access to the various compilers, assemblers and interpreters. However, I'm not employed in a computer science job so I'm not a professional programmer. If I come up with something, I'll let ya know but don't hold your breath. I've got too many irons in the fire and, besides, I figured that someone with more experience would have come up with a solution to this problem already.

 

[stargaze]

Anyway, there must be some kind of utility that the developers use to create and edit the sat lists. If we could get access to that utility most of our problems will be solved. Having to use 3 different software programs to get the sat list trimmed is ridiculus.

I agree with you it is a bit much, but maybe figuring out what others did and build on that, may be the ticket.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

I finally got my Elite setup but I've found that this process doesn't retain the channel lists - actually, the channels are there but they end up with freq 0, sr 0, etc. I guess you need to trim the sat list and then upload the trimmed list before you scan the sats? I don't want to try my theory since I've spent enuff time messing with this.

 

[stargaze]

channel lists and satellite lists are 2 separate things.
North Americanizing the satellite list gets rid of the corrupt list that comes from the factory.
after that is done you do have to rescan your channels. I have heard of 1 or 2 saying they did not have to but in every instance I had I had to rescan my channel lists. For those who have a difficult time getting the proper programs to work on their pc's well I do not have an answer for them. The process does not take that long, but once done you end up having a receiver that really is made for the N/A market.
If there was a way to upload the files to someone elses azbox using the ftp program that would be a huge help for those who are having difficulties but I don't think that is a possibility. If it was heck, I could upload a complete set of N/A sats with many of the FTA channels already in them to your azbox. I've done it here on the Ultra and Premium plus, then the only thing that one would need to do is to setup their antenna settings for their system.
I have not heard of one dealer in the US who remotely cared to set up these boxes for N/A. Only one dealer in Canada will do it, how sad is that!

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

If there was a way to upload the files to someone elses azbox using the ftp program that would be a huge help for those who are having difficulties but I don't think that is a possibility. If it was heck, I could upload a complete set of N/A sats with many of the FTA channels already in them to your azbox. I've done it here on the Ultra and Premium plus, then the only thing that one would need to do is to setup their antenna settings for their system.
I have not heard of one dealer in the US who remotely cared to set up these boxes for N/A. Only one dealer in Canada will do it, how sad is that!

I wouldn't trust anyone to remotely access my Azbox or any of my PC's for that matter.