Need North America Satellite .bin file for Satlink WS-6906

[Doorguru]

Does anyone have a dump .bin file from their Satlink WS-6906 that they could send me? I accidently deleted my North America satellite list. All the .bin files I found online are for European satellites.

​

 

[Doorguru]

That went over like a pregnant woman with a busted pole vault.

 

[arlo]

It's old. Doesnt receive DVB-S2?? Manual entry?? Use the tvrosat charts for info??

 

[Mr Tony]

That went over like a pregnant woman with a busted pole vault.

Why would a pregnant woman be pole vaulting?
I mean if your 6 weeks pregnant maybe………

 

[primestar31]

Why would a pregnant woman be pole vaulting?
I mean if your 6 weeks pregnant maybe………

Seems like he's expecting 1 hour service, with an older Chinese built sat finder, on a holiday weekend.

OP, somebody here possibly has one and can help you, however, you MUST be patient and wait for that person to find your thread.

lawdog71
Doorguru

 

[Doorguru]

Seems like he's expecting 1 hour service, with an older Chinese built sat finder, on a holiday weekend.

OP, somebody here possibly has one and can help you, however, you MUST be patient and wait for that person to find your thread.

lawdog71
Doorguru

But you don't understand.. I'm going to miss The Gong Show!

 

[pacificrim]

These are pretty limited these days. They don't support DVB-S2, so your signal options on each sat are pretty limited or non-existent.

As suggested previously, use Lyngsat or Tvrosat to find a sat/transponder that it can receive and plug it into your meter. It's pretty easy on these things. They are just a cheap STB with a screen.

 

[Doorguru]

These are pretty limited these days. They don't support DVB-S2, so your signal options on each sat are pretty limited or non-existent.

As suggested previously, use Lyngsat or Tvrosat to find a sat/transponder that it can receive and plug it into your meter. It's pretty easy on these things. They are just a cheap STB with a screen.

I hear what you're saying. I can add a sat manually but my (relocated) dish is at another place with no internet, plus poor cell reception, and limited horizon/sat selection due to trees, so it would be nice just to have the sats loaded , easy peasy, 1 .bin file.

I use it from time to time and it has served me well through out the years .. I'm sure it's because I don't know any better, but It's good enough for me and all I will ever need. I want to get it back to factory with the correct splash screen even! I guess it's the hobbyist in me.

 

[pacificrim]

I totally get what you're saying as well, but since DVB-S signals make up less than 10% of the signals up there it would not be hard to just look up the few DVB-S signals that still exist, write them down and add them to the meter.

The other problem with tuning a DVB-S channel on that meter is that it is easier to receive than a DVB-S2 channel and therefor you might nail the DVB-S channel on say Vertical and still not get the DVB-S2 channel that you actually wanted to get on that satellite on say, Horizontal.

Having said that, that meter also works as a mini tv, so you could plug your V7 into it and just tune and peak with the V7 and forget about using it as a meter.

 

[Doorguru]

I totally get what you're saying as well, but since DVB-S signals make up less than 10% of the signals up there it would not be hard to just look up the few DVB-S signals that still exist, write them down and add them to the meter.

The other problem with tuning a DVB-S channel on that meter is that it is easier to receive than a DVB-S2 channel and therefor you might nail the DVB-S channel on say Vertical and still not get the DVB-S2 channel that you actually wanted to get on that satellite on say, Horizontal.

Having said that, that meter also works as a mini tv, so you could plug your V7 into it and just tune and peak with the V7 and forget about using it as a meter.

I've considered the limited signals and other points you made.

Maybe get something else?

If so, definitely a similar unit.

The V8 Satfinder 2 seems too cheap, but maybe?

It's not like I have to get a new digital tuner, it's just a luxury. Less leg work.
In the past I was satisfied using my trusty analog sat finder.

I previously thought it would be easy, but the new location of the 1.2 CM dish has G19 (and quite a few other satellites) pretty much obscured, so If I were to get a new meter, the addition of DVB-S2/S2X signals could be a must. I will be lucky to get any decent channels on the tube. A challenge. The sat locater app won't work in my Samsung A12 phone. I will be moving it around with a few post holes being dug. Maybe just hold the top rim, with it on the ground and tilt it towards the horizon listening for a tone before I start digging.

btw I found another 6906 bin file and although with foreign satellites (that I deleted), it is now basically back to factory less satellite list.

 

[arlo]

Allrightey now. Relentless as you are I think I found something for you.
An OLD USA sats. list and the editor for your 6906.
Probably install the editor as Administrator. I got an error but was able to open the .ssu file in it and it showed a list of US sats. Have fun.

 

[arlo]

Allrightey now. Relentless as you are I think I found something for you.
An OLD USA sats. list and the editor for your 6906.
Probably install the editor as Administrator. I got an error but was able to open the .ssu file in it and it showed a list of US sats. Have fun.

My bad. I left the editor out. Try this:

 

[Doorguru]

My bad. I left the editor out. Try this:

This is all Greek to me.

I found and had already downloaded these files days ago, but I did not understand what to do with the SSU file or how to use the editor.

A list of the files you uploaded:

S-SATlist-America.ssu (SSU File)
EU_satlink.bin, ws6906_satlinkmeters_germany.bin (6906 Binary Files)
Upgrade.exe (application to upload binary files to the 6906)
CTK DBTool Setup 1.2.5 build 1217 1016.exe (SSU Converter and CTK DB Tool)

Is this the editor?: CTK DB Tool

Also when I try to connect to the STB it does not find my PC's serial port 6, the software only goes up to serial port 4.

 

[arlo]

A few thoughts.
A few Google search queries would show one method to get your com port reassigned to another number.

Dig in the bin and find a 32 bit Windows XP/7 computer. Probably the best way to battle dinosaurs with dinosaurs.
Go in your BIOS/UEFI and turn off a USB controller and reboot and see what ports then show?
Yeah. That's the datbase tool. Use it to open the .ssu file and edit to your hearts content.
Probably the most bulletproof method is to grab your database from the box and edit it that way.
Or if using the .ssu file I attached first verify your ssu file....or whatever comes off the box....and make 100% positive all settings pertaining to your box are duplicated before writing. Hopefully if something isn't hunky-dory you'll just get a write error or fail to upload to the box.

Did. You have a learning curve to attain. You'll either figure it out and succeed or not.
It's a friggin' old, and even though it turns on and works, obsolete piece of equipment.
Probably proven by the fact that any USA .ssu files I searched for you. Are millennium's old.

Greek?
Yasoo re'malaka. Ti kaneis vlaka? Thelo mio Amstel kai souvlaki parakalo.
Greek. Probably a bit less ancient than your sat. meter.
I lived in Greece. Might as well learn the lingo. Right?

Or as us PA. stump-jumpers say with old stuff. Pull!....**BLAM**.

 

[Doorguru]

A few thoughts.
A few Google search queries would show one method to get your com port reassigned to another number.
View attachment 162498

Dig in the bin and find a 32 bit Windows XP/7 computer. Probably the best way to battle dinosaurs with dinosaurs.
Go in your BIOS/UEFI and turn off a USB controller and reboot and see what ports then show?
Yeah. That's the datbase tool. Use it to open the .ssu file and edit to your hearts content.
Probably the most bulletproof method is to grab your database from the box and edit it that way.
Or if using the .ssu file I attached first verify your ssu file....or whatever comes off the box....and make 100% positive all settings pertaining to your box are duplicated before writing. Hopefully if something isn't hunky-dory you'll just get a write error or fail to upload to the box.

Did. You have a learning curve to attain. You'll either figure it out and succeed or not.
It's a friggin' old, and even though it turns on and works, obsolete piece of equipment.
Probably proven by the fact that any USA .ssu files I searched for you. Are millennium's old.

Greek?
Yasoo re'malaka. Ti kaneis vlaka? Thelo mio Amstel kai souvlaki parakalo.
Greek. Probably a bit less ancient than your sat. meter.
I lived in Greece. Might as well learn the lingo. Right?

Or as us PA. stump-jumpers say with old stuff. Pull!....**BLAM**.

Thanks for your efforts. I went as far as I can go without a communicating serial port.

My USB to RS232 adapter cable, assigned to serial port 6, works fine with the upgrade.exe app for loading the .bin files to the WS-6906, but the Cheertek program wants com 1 through 4.

I cleaned house of most my old (working) PC's, got some dead laptops not worth the effort. . I had to buy the adapter cable for my modern PC to deal with lack of a com port a couple weeks back when I was experimenting with the bin files. By switching USB ports with that cable, the assigned com port #'s only get higher, 7,8,9 etc...

With all that said, I think I am going to abandon this "dinosaur" I didn't know it was a dinosaur (mainly due to lack of the newer formats) until some here pointed it out.

I can get an "open box" GTmedia V73HD locally for $35.00. It does DVB-S/S2/S2X signals and H.265 Hardware decoding. Do I need it ? No, I could get by, but it's a fun little toy to play around with.

Giatí échasa ton chróno mou me aftó to kommáti chália WS-6706?

 

[arlo]

Great effort. I was hoping you got back when you did.
So. Does your pc, laptop already have com ports not assigned to a USB port?
I'm using my FTDI cable on a laptop with no native com ports and assigning a number is the sky's limit.
So. Wondering if you have an option in the bos/uefi to disable them
Perhaps in Device Manager finding active com ports and disabling them. Give it a go.
Another working set of fixes is attached. Assuming you don't need nor use your communication ports for anything else.
Think you could attach your .ssu file in the interim?
Oh yeah. A question. As far as you know. If you got your finder file downloaded and were able to view it. Could you immediately write it back to the device?
Also. Are you only interested in satellites and transponders for signal finding or channels on them too?
I want to play around with the db editor. The header file interests me. It looks like the db editor works for many types of devices.

How to Clean Up or Reset COM Port Numbers in Windows | Windows OS Hub

When you connect a new COM device or a USB device to your computer (USB modem, mobile phone, Bluetooth adapter, serial to USB converters, etc.), Windows detects it using Plug-n-Play…

woshub.com

 

[Doorguru]

Does your pc, laptop already have com ports not assigned to a USB port?
I'm using my FTDI cable on a laptop with no native com ports and assigning a number is the sky's limit.
So. Wondering if you have an option in the bos/uefi to disable them
Perhaps in Device Manager finding active com ports and disabling them. Give it a go.

I see no com ports in the device manager until I plug in my USB to DB9 com converter cable (same as FTDI cable?) When I unplug the converter cable, the device manager shows no com ports. (see pic. )

When I physically switch USB ports with the cable converter, within the PC, the number in the device manager changes from com6 to com7, com8 ect..

When I chose "show hidden devices" in the device manager, it shows as pictured below. I can account physically for all ports. except com3 and com4.

I studied your attached and Windows will let me let me assign different com port numbers but only from com16 through com20. Nothing below com16, so no com1 through com4.

I see no com port options in the bios.. but maybe I should look again..

Oh yeah. A question. As far as you know. If you got your finder file downloaded and were able to view it. Could you immediately write it back to the device?

View it in the edit program? Not sure what you meant. The files from my finder are .bin files, the edit program edits SSU files, Can one be converted to the other. I still am grasping how editing works. Running the program a few times will explain things.

I could do any operation as far as uploading and downloading .bin files to and from my finder, including doing a data dump to save an edited .bin file. I tried at least 8 different .bin files, more than one time each.. even wrong version 1 .bins that caused the "lock" LED to stay on. (My finder is version 2) It rejects any .bin file that doesn't meet a criteria with an error code. I doubt this finder could be bricked.

Also. Are you only interested in satellites and transponders for signal finding or channels on them too?
I want to play around with the db editor. The header file interests me. It looks like the db editor works for many types of devices.

Mainly for signal finding.

What started all of this is, I was looking for the N. American .bin file that had all the satellites and transponders already entered, as was my finder before I ignorantly overwrote that .bin file. Initially I was thinking of purchasing a WS-6906 and returning it just to download the dump file from it, but due to the finder's limitations, not to mention, getting pushed closer to hell, I determined it would be logically and morally wrong.


I have have added a satellite 97W with 12152 H 20000 as the transponder info to align the dish. When I get to my dish, I think I can do a blind scan to find all the transponders. Is that correct? Entering the hundreds of transponders Is difficult.. Entering a few satellites.. not so bad. 97W with 12152 H 20000 as the transponder info to align the dish.


I probably misunderstood some of the details here but I certainly have (re) learned a lot.

 

[arlo]

Yeah the Super SSU Convertor.exe within the CTK DB Tool folder. Try that. If you succeed send me both file versions please.
Try unplugging the FTDI cable. Then while showing hidden devices, delete every com port there is.
Shut down and cold boot your pc. Don't just restart it. Then turn it back on. Let it settle down and open Dev Mgr., show hidden devices. Any com ports?
Plug in your FTDI cable. What populates? Port number? Can it be manually changed to something usable?
How about in the meter itself. In the menu can you assign a port number (You may have already axed me that)?
.....axed. lol
The Com Name Arbitrator Tool is linked below also. Some other cool tools for a rainy day.
Sorry you're having issues but for the FTDI at the very least manually assigning ports should work.
Did you check under all USB related items with show hidden devices enabled for any instances that may have in the past taken over the ports you need?
Hint. If you get a persistent....com 3, com 4...device sucking up the slot you need. Why not try bumping them up to a higher port number.
There also is a method in dev. mgr. to show non-present devices such as USB flash sticks, cameras, CF cards, external HDD's that aren't plugged in....but were at some time. Google search for it. Requires that you open a command prompt as adminintrator, copy and paste or type in a line of code. It's non-destructive 100%. If you wipe USB stuff, the next time you plug them in. They will work ok just as before. We need to get you the com ports you need.
I'm of the belief from the manual in the database editor folder that you must 100% match the header file and other specifics to be able to write a foreign, someone else's file into the finder. Because of clones?? I dunno.
Were there even clones back in the '40's when it was made?
Having the original .bin file from yours would be a nice thing to have. Send it!

Tools for Windows

 

[primestar31]

I keep an ancient IBM 600x Thinkpad with a REAL Rs232 port on the back of it around. I have a copy of Tiny Windows 7 on it, for things like this, and it still works perfectly.

 

[arlo]

That's right Mike. But who even thinks of that? I do think once Door gets the garbage cleaned up he will have choice of ports. Something has taken over the ones he needs in the past. Who knows. A printer?
Maybe a phone that uses a virtual port for modem tethering?
I'm using an FTDI on my ASC-1 and the ports assigned to it are readily changed. Just checked on a newly formatted lappy and the same. First time I plugged it in com 3 was assigned. But switchable.
Hope he doesn't throw in the towel before figuring out what the deal is like others have.