I have a question for anyone who actually uses the channel data file of the 8000/8100 for recovery ( I haven't even bothered trying, because I was convinced that it wouldn't work).
Prior to the newest firmware versions, there was no transponder data for satellites stored in the channel data file, so that if you've created new satellites, edited the transponders in an existing satellite, or changed the LO freqs, etc, etc, then that data would be lost if you reset to factory and try to recover your channels. The actual channel parameters would be saved, but they usually wouldn't be associated with a satellite, since usually I had either created a new channel or used one which wasn't on the list of 31, and after a channel recovery, the list of 31 reverts to it's default.
With the new firmware, there is no list of 31, and there have been posts from people who have stated that they could now recover channels via the channel data file, so I was hoping that Coolsat had changed the format of the channel data file significantly. Yesterday, however, I took a look at the format, and it doesn't look to me like the format has changed much. This makes me very doubtful that the channel data file is really capable of functioning with a channel editor program in a way that most of us expect a channel editor to function.
Basically, I have MANY questions, but I'm going to ask just a couple here now. Question is, IF you have edited the transponders of any satellite, when you reset to factory conditions and restore via the channel data file, does it go back to the default transponders again, or are your edited changes recovered? Also, if you have inserted DiseQc or 22KHz switch parameters for a satellite, are those parameters recovered when you restore via the channel data file?? Also, if you have edited satellite parameters, but not scanned any channels in from that satellite, are the sat parameters recovered?
Basically, it just doesn't seem like the channel data file has enough info in it to possibly recover all the important satellite info. Prior to the new firmware, the 8100 had a very strange way of using satellite data, such as switches, etc. What it would do, was when you'd scan in channels, all the switch info, and such was stored in the channel info, so that if say you scan in all the channels on a satellite, then change the position of your LNB on the DiseqC switch (such as if the switch stops working on position 2 and you have to move that lnb to position 3), then even after you change the satellite parameters to match the change you've made, NONE of your channels would work. You'd have to scan in ALL the channels again, and you would now have duplicate channels, half of which do not work. Most receivers I've used save LO freqs, switch settings and the like in the satellite data, and the channel data only refers to the satellite, whereas the 8100 seems to require saving all of these parameters for each channel, not just for the satellite.... this WAS really strange, and if it's still the case with the new firmware, it is more than strange, it could become a real annoyance, since with this new firmware, you risk wiping out everything if you ever delete channels. Anyway, I could do this myself with a bit of work, but I just thought I'd ask first to see what other people have experienced with the new firmware. I was about to try to make a concerted effort to figure out where various parameters are stored in the channel data file, but if the file is completely worthless, which I think is a real possibility, then I won't bother even trying.
When I looked at the file yesterday, it seems like there are 5 sections to the very small channel data files, The first section, I don't have a clue yet, relative to what's in it. The second section seems to list the various satellites you have actually saved channels from(including DTV for OTA). About the only thing in this section is the satellite name, and the sat's longitude. Following this section is another section that I haven't figured out yet. I'm guessing that it has some satellite parameters, but I"m not sure. Following this, is a section containing data on the channels you've saved, and it's not obvious how or if this data is related to the satellite list. Following the channel data, is a list of FAVORITES.
Nowhere in the channel data file is ANY information on satellites that you have not used, and I don't see any indication that there are any transponder lists even for satellites that you have used, ie so if anyone is hoping to use a channel editor to create some of the sats that are missing, and in the wrong orbital slot, then this isn't going to happen. So I am very dubious that the channel data file can EVER function with a channel editor program, at least in the way that we would want it to function.
Just curious what other user's experiences with saved channel data.
