AMIKO Upgrading suggestions for the Amiko mini 4K UHD receiver

Ron_MNdish

Member
Original poster
Dec 28, 2022
9
2
SE Minnesota
I have a few suggestions for the Amiko mini 4K UHD receiver, they are:

An updated list for all North American satellites, I haved noticed a few satellites are missing such as all of the Eutelsat C/Ku series, and so on. This includes adding the so-called 'mood music' channels on SES3 Ku.
Improved time setting on the Amiko receiver such as time syncing with the internet and updating time in the SW, plus the channel list also when loading back to the receiver.
I see that the satellite list has not been updated since 2011. I wonder why all these items mentioned above has not been issued by the manufacturer or the firmware developer? There is a some 'bugs' in the software to be addressed as well. Does anyone noticed any other SW 'bugs' needs to be addressed?
 
I have a few suggestions for the Amiko mini 4K UHD receiver, they are:

An updated list for all North American satellites, I haved noticed a few satellites are missing such as all of the Eutelsat C/Ku series, and so on.
Which satellite position are you referring too? Also, this receivers are very easy to 'add' any satellite (or 'remove' for that matter) of your choosing, re-arrange, rename, etc. Easier in the windows software, but unlike some all of this can be done right from the remote. :) Save it to a name you want and you have your own personal list.
This includes adding the so-called 'mood music' channels on SES3 Ku.
This can be done with the software, remote, or just ask Hyper Casey or myself for a list that includes this.
Improved time setting on the Amiko receiver such as time syncing with the internet and updating time in the SW, plus the channel list also when loading back to the receiver.
Yeah, I see there seems to be a bug, that is does not sync at a certain interval like it used to, not sure what is up with that. I have just learned of it from your report and have not had time to test.
Not sure what you mean by:
and updating time in the SW, plus the channel list also when loading back to the receiver.
I see that the satellite list has not been updated since 2011.
That is funny as I update it on a monthly basis....well okay sometimes it is two months, but when needed and see reply above about adding or modifying the list as YOU see fit. This is again is a great thing about this receiver, I mean all from the remote.
.......oh wait I think I see where you might be getting 2011. Don't always trust a time and date stamp. ;) The Ali chip-set in these receivers default to 2011 when they are new or reset. So, when I modify a satellite list and then make a new copy....yep you guessed it 2011 or whatever.
I wonder why all these items mentioned above has not been issued by the manufacturer or the firmware developer?
See above and as far as the time sync, I don't know unless someone tells me. I will get with Amiko on that issue and see what they say. I really need to test this myself also. I tested this when it was first added and it worked great. It was only off like an annoying 24 seconds after a few months for some weird reason, but not enough to worry about.
There is a some 'bugs' in the software to be addressed as well. Does anyone noticed any other SW 'bugs' needs to be addressed?
Well what are these bugs, you will have to be more specific.

I will say one more thing, and I have said it a thousand times, but I will say it again. I have stacks of receivers samples that places have sent me, wanting me to carry their receiver. 90% are just laughable. Most are the same junk in a different plastic case. When asked about a ton of bugs and things in them, and that they need to be addressed. I either hear, oh we don't write firmware here, or I never hear from them again. I am not going to sell some crap I would not use myself. Amiko actually cares and have paid for the licenses and all fees to have firmware access and pay a programmer that knows how to mod it.

So far they have been good about this and that is why I have been carrying their receivers since 2013. Some things however just can't be done because of a hardware limitation or it takes them awhile to get to us. By us I mean the North American market. It is very slim compared to thousands of units that are sold weekly in Europe. So, sometimes we get pushed back, but most of the time they are still impressively quick.
 
KE4EST, the Eutelsat satellite positions are at 113, 114.9 and at 117 west longitude. I noticed that some Ku Band names are missing. I have tried that with the PC software to update the new satellites but it simply won't update,I'll keep trying but the PC program have, for some weird reason, written in Chinese when I point the mouse pointer 'say save to disk' in Chinese!

As for the 'moon music' channels is concerned, I have tried that with the remote but it only finds about 6 channels of that, instead of dozens of channels, bummer.That's on SES3, 12145 with the SR20000.
 
KE4EST, the Eutelsat satellite positions are at 113, 114.9 and at 117 west longitude. I noticed that some Ku Band names are missing.
Just use the remote, if you have trouble using a PC. But sounds like you have the wrong software.
As for the 'moon music' channels is concerned, I have tried that with the remote but it only finds about 6 channels of that, instead of dozens of channels, bummer.That's on SES3, 12145 with the SR20000.
I assume you are just doing a blind scan, this is not what I meant, I meant, enter a the pids by hand. Let me know and I can get you a version with them added.
 

Attachments

  • MINI 4K UHD V1.0.52 Muzak.zip
    4.7 MB · Views: 124
The Muzak channels on SES 3 103.0W Ku have to be entered manually. No FTA Receiver on the market to my knowledge will scan these in. You have to manually enter them one by one using manual PID entry with the remote control (which takes forever), or use an editor tool for your pc (which also takes a long time. The editor tool for the pc for the Amiko has some flaws for sure, but it will work under the right conditions. I have taken the time to do this and we have this available for folks for every firmware version. Just ask and we can provide it for you.

As far as updated satellite list, this is also hard to keep up with and a lot of work the way they are replacing satellites right now. KE4EST does a great job keeping up with this. Much better than i have. You can use your remote to edit satellite names as they change. Thats what i do. Maybe soon i will share a new satellite name list for the Amiko once i get mine fixed up.


:)
 
... You can use your remote to edit satellite names as they change. Thats what i do. Maybe soon i will share a new satellite name list for the Amiko once i get mine fixed up.

:)
I name my Sats by their position only. For instance- 97. 103. etc.

Also. I add an "R' if it is coming from the wife's dish. For instance- 55R.

Makes life simpler. What's in a name anyway?

 
KE4EST, does the time bug effect the Mini HD265 WiFi as well? It seems like I have to frequently adjust the time. Even with manual for some reason.
 
KE4EST, does the time bug effect the Mini HD265 WiFi as well? It seems like I have to frequently adjust the time. Even with manual for some reason.
Well I am not sure, when I first tested this it worked fine. I think it was always off like 40 seconds or something like that for some reason even with a fresh sync. Must have been something with the time server it is using. But that was it.
I have not tested this in a long time as I never record myself. The few times I do it is just hit record manually for some of the cartoons on PBS kids, just to have some for the kids.
 
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Well I am not sure, when I first tested this it worked fine. I think it was always off like 40 seconds or something like that for some reason even with a fresh sync. Must have been something with the time server it is using. But that was it.
I have not tested this in a long time as I never record myself. The few times I do it is just hit record manually for some of the cartoons on PBS kids, just to have some for the kids.
I have noticed that the time on the receiver is around 5 minutes too slow today. Has to be either the SW or the wifi server, whatever.
 
My Amiko Mini HD265 also has to be re-set every few days as it also begins to lose time. I think the problem is that it never re-connects to the time server after it is initialized, so begins to lose time until you re-set it. My AZBox Ultra connects to the time server when it is first turned on, that should be when the Amiko should check the time server, but obviously doesn't or it wouldn't consistently lose time over a few days.
 
I will let you know what the programmer at Amiko says, as soon as he gets to the ticket, I submitted on this.
It is no big deal for me to re-initialize the time when needed, as I don't do recordings with a timer. Plus, you and I also know what happened the last time I did an upgrade of software, and I'm not going through that again! LOL!