View Full Version : Having real difficulties with the menus
Starting a separate thread as suggested by twol.
I have just bought an Octogan 4008 from the sponsors, flashed by them with Open ATV. Their service was impeccable. Very impressed.
I'm probably being very stupid but what I can't find is any sort of "channel edit" facility. To be honest I'd really like to delete all the channels that don't work, in fact if I could delete whole bouquets (like Canalsat/Canal+) that would be a start.
I've got Disecq set up, 1 = Astra 1, 2 = Astra 2 (appararently no preloaded channels) and 3 = 5 deg W.
During set up I did a scan on 5 deg W, not knowing any better. That produced the multistreams (which is what I bought the box for mainly), but maybe they were there already.
I've no idea what image it is, it's come with the box. The information doesn't seem to be under "system". The menus seems to be full of facilities which to me are of no importance whatsoever (mediascanner, mymetrixlite, openwebif, I don't even know what these are) and totally lacking in really important functions such as "channel delete", which would seem to me to be a fundamental. Maybe I'm missing something. If someone can tell me how to find out what image I have I'll be happy to report back.
You say the software is simple, I have yet to be convinced, but if you could show me a simple way of deleting channels/bouquets (providers) that would help to prune things down a bit and make it a bit more manageable.
Thanks for any help, and sorry to be so stupid, but a Technomate 5402 (3) seems a completel doddle in comparison, simple lists, shows the channel parameters, easy delete/reorder etc.
If the only way to edit channels is via Dreambox edit then could someone also please explain what version I need for Windows 7 - some of the explanations are in German which I don't understand.
I'd be more than happy to work through a tutorial, but is there one yet?
I've located the image - it's
24 March 2017
21.24.52
sf4008
buuild type 0
version 6.0
open atv
target = 9
load 0.00 0.00 0.00 1/105 21427
So:
1) as much as I (sometimes) like OpenATV, they tend to repeat everything like Menu options in at least 2 or 3 places...... can be confusing (actually better in German which I think its aimed at) ... I live in Germany so have to accept that but OpenVix is much easier to understand!!!
2) flash ViX by USB (download from this site)
3) start again
4) menu/setup/service searching/autobouquetsMaker
5) configure setup mode expert
6) providers what do you want? Choose!!!!
This is where you load all the services (channels) - you don't need a satellite scan or dreamedit to do this!
7) Providers order .... perhaps change later
8) Start scan
9) have a look at the generated Bouquets and Services(Channels) are they what you want?
........ now you have a starting point!
Really very simple ... then we can look at 5W... think you started at the wrong end and with wrong image!
Thanks - understand now that I chose the wrong option for the seller to flash pre-despatch.
To be honest given the horror stories I'm reading about stuck flash attempts I think I'm going to accept that this receiver is never actually going to be any more than an emergency back up for me, and it's basically £200 wasted. I had a feeling it was going to be far too complicated for me, and it seems - sadly - that I was right. Don't want to make matters worse by mucking up a flashing session.
Grateful for your help twol - it's appreciated.
@ machare
Not yet, because I don't know which version I need for Windows 7. Could you advise please - the site I looked at was in German....
I can I think see how to save an image to USB, but is the channel list contained within the image or is there a different way of doing it.
Elsewhere twol has suggested abandoning Open ATV in favour of Vix but given the horror story from someone else I would like to persevere with what I've got, so if - and I'm sorry I know I'm trying your patience - you could advise on which Dreamboxedit I need to download I'll tackle it tomorrow; it's probably my best way forward, given that complicated computer thingies aren't really my area of expertise!
Thanks machare.
I've downloaded v 3.0.0.0 onto my laptop. I don't even know whether I connect the laptop to the STB with a cable, or save onto a USB or what.
Is there a tutorial somewhere?
Well, if you want to persist I can tell you how to flash from OpenATV to OpenVix "online" not usb!!! .. but tomorrow (we are 1 hour ahead) ... not difficult and very fast and safe
Its actually a great receiver .... and once started it's really very straight forward
you really are diving in at the deep end, I don't (personally ) think DBE is the best bouquet editor, Echannelizer is easier to use (my opinion).
Take my suggestion in the other post and go to OpenVix, if you do I will post tomorrow how to do it.:) from OpenATV
Well that's more than kind of you twol, and I suppose that if it goes wrong (which wouldn't be your fault, it would be mine!!) then I could go back to the seller.
OK, I'll give it a go tomorrow if you really don't mind but could I just check that it will still allow me to watch the 5 deg W multistream French channels (which I do at least know Open ATV does allow)...?
And please bear in mind that whilst I'm quite proud of doing all sorts of things on a Technomate 5402 mk3 I seem to be being remarkably stupid with the Octagon, so you might need to be both kind and patient.
(And I must say that looking at the Dreamboxedit tutorial my heart sank so you may well have the best solution....)
See you tomorrow.
Well that's more than kind of you twol, and I suppose that if it goes wrong (which wouldn't be your fault, it would be mine!!) then I could go back to the seller.
OK, I'll give it a go tomorrow if you really don't mind but could I just check that it will still allow me to watch the 5 deg W multistream French channels (which I do at least know Open ATV does allow)...?
And please bear in mind that whilst I'm quite proud of doing all sorts of things on a Technomate 5402 mk3 I seem to be being remarkably stupid with the Octagon, so you might need to be both kind and patient.
(And I must say that looking at the Dreamboxedit tutorial my heart sank so you may well have the best solution....)
See you tomorrow.
All the OE-A and in particular OpenATV started with ViX code.
If we can get you to Vix then ABM is a super tool to get most of the bouquets setup, then 5W can be sorted.
I will post tomorrow on the other thread, once breakfast is out of the way.
abu baniaz
24-03-17, 22:48
ABM is not exclusive to OpenVix. We pe-install it, other images have to install it. It is in System plugins.
As an aside, people usually look for the solution to their problems in the receiver category on the forum. You are better off asking in the Image Support section. The way to setup the receivers is more or less the same, whichever one you have. You will be surprised how many posts/questions are the the same, even though receiver is different.
abu baniaz
24-03-17, 22:50
Most people here use OpenVix. Do you want to persevere with OpenATV or use OpenVix?
ABM is not exclusive to OpenVix. We pe-insatll it, other images have to install it. It is System plugins.
As an aside, people usually look for the solution to their problems in the receiver category on the forum. You are better off asking in the Image Support section. The way to setup the receivers is more or less the same, whichever one you have. You will be surprised how many posts/questions are the the same, even though receiver is different.
Absolutely true ...... but if you don,t know what you are looking for, openATV can be really confusing .... even though it's all there and offers a lot as an image
I used HPUSBdisk. Still the same.
Are you still stuck msjm1313? I wish I could help, but I'm afraid I'm asking as if you still haven't got it to work it makes me a lot less keen to try and flash my 4008 but instead to try and get the channel edit system to work via Dreamboxedit.
I'm just off to look for an ethernet cable to plug the 4008 into my router; hopefully then the unallocated IP address will tell me something useful which AIUI I then enter into Dreamboxedit.
I suppose Dreamboxedit can't "harvest" my Technomate 5402 channel list and then squirt it into the 4008? If I could only do that then I'd be there, as I could then simply do manual scans of the French Multistreams and I'd have what I wanted, pretty much in the right order. I do know how to get the channel list off the Technomate but I don't know whether Dreamboxedit would throw up its hands in horror.
I'll see what the ethernet cable does and report back.
OK, connected to router. The 4008 can definitely see the router, the wizard says so. It has a MAC address, but under network setup LAN connection it ways IP address n/a.
This really is like drawing teeth, I never thought I'd see software that was so non-intuitive. You have to bear in mind that you people all appear to have some inbuilt knowledge for this, to someone like me coming from the nice well-thought out world of Technomates this software is truly ..... well I hesitate to say what I really think.
Anyway, to be fair my Windows laptop can clearly see the 4008 on the network so that's a start; could one of you bear to tell me what I should do next to get Dreamboxedit working - ie what info I need to tell the software to allow me access to the 4008 channel list...?
Thanks - your help is appreciated and I'm sorry I'm such a useless pupil!
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 08:25
I have moved your recent posts into this thread. Please continue here
Progressing slowly on, I think for Dreamboxedit I need the IP address for the 4008 (although it says it hasn't got one I'm sure I saw 192 168 0 9 go past, and the DBedit has 192 168 0 6 set up - do I change it to the 0 9 setting?
I have no idea what the username or password on the 4008 are - I was asked for neither.
Sorry - I was probably supposed to be doing this on a different thread - mods please feel free to move this. Renewed apologies.
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 08:28
1. Simplest thing for your network, try rebooting your receiver using the menus
2. Have you configured your tuners?
On Openvix it is Menu > Setup > Service Searching > Tuner configuration.
Thanks abu b.
Yes - tuners set up. The box works fine, I just find selecting the few channels I want to watch out of the thousands already pre-loaded a nightmare. All I'm after is clearing out vast swathes of channels and leaving Astra 1 FTA, adding Astra 2 FTA (I have at least worked out how to add frequencies manually, I haven't added Astra 2 yet as I'd like to do the clear out first) and finally retaining French TV multistream on 5 deg W, which as I say is what I really bought the box for and which works perfectly.
I'll reboot and report back.
Thank you again.
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 08:42
Setting up your tuners so that your receiver knows what dishes/LNBS are connected to it is a fundamental basic.
A guide to to dreambox edit is here
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?23187-How-to-send-save-Enigma-Settings-to-the-VUDuo-using-DBEdit
You may also wish to use/try E-Channeliser or Dreamset.
Right progress - thank you again. Pulled the plug out and switched back on:
The IP address (with the value I half expected) now shows up properly as 192 168 0 9.
Network 255 255 255 0
Gateway 192 168 0 1
Primary DNS 192 168 0 1
Secondary DNS 0 0 0 0
Sp presumably I can tell Dreamboxedit the IP address, but I still need a username and password.....?
Just looking at the tutorial you linked to now. Still need what I assume is a default user name and password for the 4008. Then I can probably progress - at least until the next hurdle.
As I say, tuners must be set up as I can watch Astra 1 and 5 deg W perfectly.
re the tutorial - understand about using existing channel lists, but presumably there's a facility for *importing* the lists already in the receiver and then editing them and squirting them back....?
In any case I ought to do a back up of what's on the receiver already - just in case of disaster....?
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 08:50
The receiver keeps a list of services. It also has a list of bouquets/favourites. The two are different entities. enigma2 receivers also scan in the background when you are on a transponder, so you will always get changes. Unless you have services for satellites you don't have, I would not waste my time deleting the services you don't want. You would be better off making your bouquets.
OpenATV forces an install of bouquets. I would post a link to a command you can use to delete all services and bouquets. However, it may be confusing at this stage. You don't even have an IP address yet!
It is a steep learning curve with Enigma2 receivers. Do one thing at a time.
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 08:54
Read = Read what is on receiver. You can then save/backup on PC.
Write = Write to receiver
Default log ons for most images
User = root
Password = Blank, nothing, N/A. However, some applications don't play ball. So just type in root as password too.
You can also backup the whole image. That would be advisable before new "adventures".
Thanks. Actually deleting and starting again would be an excellent option; for my Technomates over the years I've always simply scanned specific transponders of interest to build up a channel list of what I want. But it might as you say be better to get the Dreamboxedit working first so that we know that's secure before doing a complete delete!
I do now have the IP address (at least I think I do, see above) - it's user name and password that now eludes me.
Laters: our posts crossed, I'll try those passwords.
OK, thank you again abu b. Thanks to you the laptop can now see the 4008 via Dreamboxedit and it says the passwords etc are fine. Blimey, all this before 8 o'clock in the morning.
Now then...
I created a new folder in Windows to store the current list.
I pressed Receive Files from Dreambox.
I got the following:
Log in successful
Retrieving file list of var/tuxbox/config/enigma
starting FTP transfer
Transfer complete
retrieving file lis of var/tuxbox/config/enigma
Starting FTP transfer
Neither a "services" nor a "lamedb" file was found in directory "%" on the Dreambox. var/tuxox/config/enigma/
Check the dream path settings on the option panel to point to the correct Dreambox directories and try again
Disconnecting
Disconnected.
Still, it's progress beyond my wildest dreams.
Starting with a blank channel list is seeming the most useful option - if it's possible.
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 09:14
Did you set your profile as Enigma2 in DBedit? You have setup an Enigma1 profile.
With regards to starting form blank boquets on current image, have a look at this:
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?40948-How-to-use-Putty-for-Unix-Linux-commands
If it something you are confident to try, the command to paste in Putty is this
init 4 && sleep 10 && rm -rf /etc/defaultsat.tar.gz && rm -rf /etc/enigma2/lamedb* && rm -rf /etc/enigma2/*.tv && rm -rf /etc/enigma2/*.radio && rm -rf /etc/enigma2/*.del && init 3
While you were writing I wondered if it was something like that, so I changed - in options - the file paths from "satellite receiver" to "version 3 setting (enigma 2)" and lo and behold I now have a screen full of channels on the laptop, with only one error which it says it's cleared up!
I salute you sir!
Could I just check - I chose version 3 setting but there was another option for "New Enigma2 settings". Should I have chosen that or doesn't it really matter?
That general delete command gives me a worrying feeling, what I'll do (if I may) is to see what I can do with the list now I've actually - again thank you - got access to it. Presumably if I save a copy (it may already have done that) I can then do a bit of pruning, squirt it back, and see whether it's actually made any difference. I could do that with a few obvious test channels....
Then get a bit braver and prune some more.....
I'll report back later, but many many thanks again abu b. Real progress and it's down to you.
Well done! I will leave you in Abu's capable hands!! ... and not interfere:)
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 09:56
I was waiting for you to show him how to "flash online" an OpenVix image using OpenATV.
Don't worry, moulin. You can use your bouquets on different images.
Hello twol
Thank you; I am very much NOT spurning your advice, the option to try ViX is still very much on the cards, however it has scared me a bit that the other chap has had such a disaster using USB (and I know your method was different) so for the moment - whilst I get more familiar with the Octagon - I'd rather stick with what I know at least works. To be honest I wasn't expecting to get quite so far quite so quickly, so I'll have a go doing the pruning with Dreamboxedit, but come back to you if the channel list is still clumsy. I am very grateful for ANY help I assure you!
Talking of dreamboxedit, I checked what had been saved on the laptop and was surprised to see a whole load of files in the folder I'd set aside, there's an *.xml file which is the biggy, but there must be twenty or so little text type files as well. My question: if it all goes wrong when I try and send the channel list back to the Octagon and I have to retrieve my original list, would I simply open up dreamboxedit and then open the *.xml file, or is there more to it than that? I suppose I was just expecting to find one big file saved, rather than this plethora of odds and ends.
Maybe I'm worrying unnecessarily.....
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 10:02
DBedit will select the files it needs automatically.
Just for information....
lamedb = list of services
bouquets.tv = master list of all TV bouquet groups
*.tv = individual TV bouquet files
bouquets.radio =master list of radio bouquet groups
*.radio = individual radio bouquet files
satellites.xml= list of satellites/transponders
Personalised file resides in /etc/enigma2
System file resides in /etc/tuxbox
Done a big prune - love it - whole bouquets and channels sent crashing into oblivion.
Saved it to a new folder.
Sent it back to the Octagon 4008 - quite a few error messages but with the suggestion to reboot, did so, and - GLORY!! - a wonderfully more manageable channel list that I can get my head round far more easily. Scrolling through or sorting by bouquet now makes much more sense.
VERY VERY GRATEFUL TO Abu B, and to twol (maybe for lesson 2 eh??!!, no doubt I'll be back) and machare yesterday. Very steep learning curve - and I still think software that doesn't have a channel edit/delete facility needs a rethink - but I've now got a receiver I can at least use without a degree in computer science, and I'd like again to say THANK YOU!
Mods - if this needs moving to a separate thread then please do tidy my mess up. Thank you.
(sorry - only just noticed that you've done precisely that - good move!)
abu baniaz
25-03-17, 10:54
You can edit the channels on the receiver, it is easier on PC. You can also do it using the Bouquet Editor in OpenWebif.
I was waiting for you to show him how to "flash online" an OpenVix image using OpenATV.
Don't worry, moulin. You can use your bouquets on different images.
Sorry Abu, you were doing such a great job!!!
The blessings just keep on coming. I've stuck in a USB stick, and made a couple of recordings off French TV multistream.
Apart from the fact I can't actually find how to get them to play on the 4008 itself (I end up in some Movie Center whcih doesn't list them) the files are definitely on the USB stick and can be read by VLC player on a computer, which is great.
Way-hay!
Sorry Abu and Moulin, realised eventually that we are talking about SF4008 and not HD51 (much easier) ..... spent too much time discussing and providing HD51 fix yesterday - ended up totally confused..
So SF4008 have to use OpenMultiboot
Here we go:
You need a usb stick mounted for Multiboot images.
On SF4008 receiver:
Menu/Plugins
Green button download plugins
Extensions ... move down until OpenMultiBoot
Hit enter to install
On PC:
This works best with Filezilla or a similar ftp program.
1st download the latest Openvix image for the SF4008.
Then login to filezilla ... you need the IP address of the receiver, and login with IP and root.
You have 2 panels (Left is PC, right is the receiver)
ON LHS, find where you have the Openvix image.
On RHS click on HDD ... it will probably jump to media/HDD, click on the red triangle and it will change to pointing down and show the HDD directories.
Move down and click on open-multiboot-upload directory
then move the Vix image with the mouse to this directory.
On receiver:
Blue button to show installed plugins.
Click on OpenMultiboot
Click on Green button (Install).
Should show Vix image.
Hit enter ... will load onto USB stick.
When finished, you get the menu back and you can the click on the Openvix image, Say Yes to reboot this image next.
Then restart the receiver.
Ensure OpenVix is outlined on restart and you should be away......... and you can still go back to OpenATV (in flash on multiboot).
Sorry for my confusion over the 2 receivers :)
No problem - I'm going to note what you wrote and save it up for when I'm feeling more confident. Just hesitant at the moment until we find out what's happened to the guy who got into difficulties yesterday.
Thanks - brilliant help from everyone!
I've been quiet - enjoying my multistreams on 5 deg W but today I have run into another query/problem.
I'm trying to get the DVB-S2X to work; I've moved a dish round onto 33 deg E and am trying to get TF1 Suisse/TMC/NT1, params are 12621 V 10057 25/36 S2X.
I choose Manual Scan, User Defined Transponder, but I can only then choose DVB-S or DVB-S2. So a FEC of 25/36 isn't one of the options, and I'm unclear what QPSK value I should be choosing - it doesn't seem to be an option on lyngsat for that use in DVB-S2X.
Double checked my order from the sponsors and it definitely says DVB-S2X, so I'm wondering what I'm missing.....?
Thanks for any help folks - you've been brilliant thus far and I'm grateful. Any guidance on all the values I should be inputting would be great!
Select DVB-S2, 8PSK and set FEC to Auto
Thanks maxben, but that's my problem, I am only allowed to choose a specific FEC (1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 3/5 through to 9/10). There is no auto option in DVB-S2.
Ah, but you've cracked it for me, because I've just tried it on DVB-S setting (which does allow an auto FEC choice) and hey presto it's found the three channels in question.
Counter-intuitive but you've got the problem solved for me, THANK YOU.
If you're using vix there certainly should be the option to select FEC Auto when DVB-S2 is selected.
DVB-S2X is just an extension of DVB-S2
Again, seems to be another defficiency in Open ATV then, although one that can be worked around.
When I'm feeling braver I will have a go at flashing it with ViX - wish I'd chosen that originally but hey you only find these things out by using them.
Again, seems to be another defficiency in Open ATV then, although one that can be worked around.
When I'm feeling braver I will have a go at flashing it with ViX - wish I'd chosen that originally but hey you only find these things out by using them.
I am amazed at how much you have achieved ... certainly a fast learner:)
Well when that fateful day comes I'm relying on you twol to show me the fool-proof way of doing it that I think you mentioned. But I'll stick with Open ATV for the moment as it's doing what I want, with the help of DreamboxEdit which is really very good.
Hello again. I've been quiet because in the main I and OpenATV have a truce and it's mostly doing the very basic things I need it to do now, mainly the multistrams on 5 deg W.
However....
I'm able to record programmes to a USB stick and watch them with VLC player on my computer. But here's the stupid bit: I haven't found a way to play them on the Octagon itself. When I put the USB stick into the Octagon with programmes that the latter has itself recorded on that very stick, it says "No displayable files on this media found".
Going to Movie Centre (which is probably the wrong thing anyway) gets me nowhere.
Please - what am I doing wrong??!!
Andy_Hazza
20-04-17, 09:40
If I had to take a wild guess looking at the remote, the recordings will be in Playlist. (Next to the record button)
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Andy_Hazza
20-04-17, 09:42
Also depends what format your usb device is? My guess is NTFS?
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Thank you. Tried and ended up in Enhanced Movie Centre (as before) with no files visible. However, then tried Menu and Reload Directory (I think it was) and magically the files have appeared.
I think it's a FAT USB as it was formatted in my Aston Simba Fransat box which does FAT not NTFS.
Thanks again.
Andy_Hazza
20-04-17, 10:21
Glad you sorted it. [emoji1360]
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After a good 16 months of calm with the Octagon 4008, I've run into problems big time trying to record.
It all started when I decided to clear out the 64 GB USB stick I use. I reformatted in my laptop. Put it back in the Octagon, recordings were made but were no longer visible via the PLAYLIST button on the remote, although they were visible to the laptop. Long story short, it seemed to be that the Octagon was no longer putting them in the "movie" subfolder that it used to use. Eventually I sorted that out, in the menus I set the three destination folders (in record setup) to media/hdd/movies, and thought I was OK, it certainly worked fine that evening.
A few days later I discover that I can no longer make recordings at all on any USB stick. I've tried fomatting them in the Octagon itself (using the set up storage initialisation red button), it doesn't create a movie folder. I've tried creating a movie folder with the laptop, I've tried doing without and telling the Octagon to record on the root of the hdd. I've tried everything I can think of and have become EXTREMELY CROSS!!!!!! I just keep getting the message "unable to record - disc full?". Well none of the discs are full, they've been reformatted, and in both cases I've tried the Octagon reformat AND a laptop reformat.
Why does this box have to be so damned complicated and the menus so user-unfriendly? I ask because I now have the Octagon SX88+ and all my irritation with the 4008 disappears because the SX88 is simple, intuitive, clean, and easy. What I can't get the little box to do is to record everything with a specified programme name, one of the things I like about the 4008 (probably called EPG series link or search-and-record) and if I could I'd put the 4008 in the bin. But now the 4008 is refusing to record anything at all it may well go in the bin anyway unless one of you clever people can see what I'm doing wrong.
I've considered a factory reset but as it took me so long to get the channel lists the way I want, and as I'm uncertain I could save and reload them, that's not really an option.
Anyway, if any of you can help I'd be very VERY grateful. But please keep it simple......
One basic question, should I be using FAT32 or NTFS? I'm sure the original working formatting was FAT32 but when I did get it working briefly a few days ago I have a feeling I'd used NTFS on the laptop.....
Andy_Hazza
18-07-18, 11:48
Reformatted your USB equals ‘the files will no longer be visible.
Also as you have reformatted your USB, you will need to initialise the USB within ViX to format it to Ext 3/4 etc.
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Should have been clearer - sorry. I regularly record on the 64 GB stick, then transfer the files elsewhere (well just the *.ts file, that's all that's needed for VLC player) for permanent storage. What I mean is that - whilst it was allowing me to record until recently - the files THAT HAD ONLY JUST BEEN RECORDED weren't visible on the Octagon via the PLAYLIST button. I could get at them though via the mediaplayer, but that was a faff....
OK, so you say I need to initialise it within VIX. Isn't that what I've done (as described above) by going SETUP -> SYSTEM -> STORAGE DEVICE -> Initialisation....? I've done all that on both USB sticks, and they still won't allow recordings.
But thank you for trying to help, it must be something simple that has gone wrong....
FWIW for a while a 32 GB stick that I normally use in another sat receiver was still working fine, but I've just tested that and get the same message about not being able to record.
My guess is that in trying to get the 64 GB to work I've upset something in the Record location/default movie location settings. Could someone please remind me what the default settings should read for default movie location, instant record location and timer record location and I'll set them again. I've got them all set to /media/hdd/movie at the moment....
Andy_Hazza
18-07-18, 13:16
Do you not have an internal HDD in your SF4008?
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No, prefer to record on a stick and then keep the recordings safe on completely separate drives.
Andy_Hazza
18-07-18, 15:44
Instead of unplugging the usb every time you want to transfer to a pc, why not just ftp into the receiver and just move from the box to the pc?
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Because I'm not clever enough. Getting the box and my laptop to talk to each other via my router was a day's work, as you will see if you look back through this thread.
I had a simple solution, it worked for me. It no longer does. It's the solution I would prefer to continue with, anything else is just asking for even more grief. Surely the questions I'm asking have simple enough answers, that is if one is an expert like I know you are?
What I have noticed, and casting my mind back, is that when I first recorded on the 4008 I'm fairly certain that I used the 64 GB stick straight out of an Aston Simba, which had formatted it to FAT32. I seem to remember being impressed that the 4008 simply accepted the stick, which already have recordings from the Aston on it, and created a "movie" folder by itself, without demanding a reformat. It's this memory that is now puzzling me, because the 4008 isn't creating a "movie" folder whether I preformat the stick, or allow the 4008 to do it itself. And I'm also finding that the stick - when formatted in the 4008 - doesn't allow any folder creation when plugged into the laptop, the laptop sees it but won't allow me to create a "movie" folder. It's all most odd.
Andy_Hazza
18-07-18, 16:59
Any recordings above 4GB requires the usb stick to be NTFS. Probably installing those drivers from the plugin feeds will help.
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re your first sentence: isn't that what initialising in the 4008 does anyway (ie formatting to whatever is required)? In any case, I can try doing an NTFS format on the laptop and then letting the 400 initialise. I think I've already done it - but happy to try again.
re your second sentence: I'm afraid that's where I'm simply not clever enough. I don't have the faintest idea what a plugin is and - for your own sanity - I don't think there's any point in trying to explain. I'm resigned to using my Edision Primo and my Octagon SX88+ from now on and simply searching the EPG manually every few days.
Will report back on the NTFS format idea though....
And thank you - I can only apologise for being such a useless case!
Right: this is what I've done.
1) Formatted 8 GB stick in Windows computer to NTFS.
2) Put in 4008, try to record, error writing to disc, can't record
3) Go to set up and thence to storage, initialise stick. Recognised by its correct manufacturer name and capacity, so 4008 can definitely "see it". Initialising takes a couple of minutes, gets to 100/100 absolutely fine.
4) Still can't record.
5) Try it back in laptop, message "This disc needs formatting before it can be used".
Now this definitely didn't happen before, ie in the golden era when I wasn't having problems. I was able to read the USB sticks that I'd used for recording on the 4008 in the laptop both in Linux and in Windows, so clearly initialising in the 4008 is NOT the right way to go. I'm convinced that I didn't need to do this initialising in the 4008 a year ago.
Which brings me back to thinking that something is set wrong in the record location menus in the 4008. Which is why I ask again: could someone in the same situation please tell me the settings that I should have for this when using an external USB stick. Or simply confirm the default settings, because I've not ever altered them, that is until the onset of these infuriating problems.
Thanks, and sorry again.
Andy_Hazza
18-07-18, 17:40
While watching tv, press menu > plugin(s) > Green button to download. Either in extensions or system plugins will be the NFTS tool you require. You would then press ok on that to download.
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Sadly that avenue (plugins) of pleasure is closed off to me, as the 4008 is not connected to the internet, and won't be, for the reasons I outlined above (my incompetence).
As I say, what I need are the default settings for the existing menus......
I'm not being uncooperative, but it really is pointless trying to get me to go off into the realms of complexity to solve a problem that should be very very simple, and hasn't reared its head until now.
Because I'm not clever enough.
Sorry been away from this thread a long time, so
If your comment was true you wouldn't have got this far!!
What is really disappointing on this forum are the people that ask for advice and disappear, or those that say give me advice and then ignore it (especially on IPTV!!)
So you are doing really well!.
So my Q. ref the HDD issues are you still on OpenATV (apologies just cannot see if you changed)
Hello twol
Thanks, yes, I've touched absolutely nothing, still OpenATV. It's so silly, because it's all kicked off since I reformatted that 64 GB, but now I can't get ANY of my formerly usable USB sticks to record..... I honestly think it must be something I've done to a menu, but I've no idea what.
I'm sure the question that some might be asking is "why on earth did the silly duffer buy an Octagon 4008 if he's so incompetent". Well of course back then it was the only box-based receiver that could deal with Multistream transmissions, and now that we have three (Edision Primo, Golden Interstar, and Octagon SX88+) at a quarter of the price the Octagon 4008 is a bit superfluous, other than the DVB-S2X capability, and the series link thingie for the EPG.....
What I'm going to try is formatting a stick in my Meosat Fransat box, it's similar in menus to the Aston Simba, (which I don't have to hand), and it might just be that it'll get me back into the 4008 recording wise. Will probably have to wait until tomorrow morning. I can't see a method of formatting from scratch on either the Edision or the Golden Interstar or the Octagon SX88+......
Can you go into your mounts setting and see if your usb or hdd say
Type ext4 R/W ?? correct usage for recordings.
Just to add your box is used to setup hdd and usb devices on it as things might go astray if one does not.
oops storage devices are what you enter to choose how to setup.
I'll have a look tomorrow, thanks for the idea cactikid.
As I've said, initialising the USB stick in the 4008 gets me nowhere, and renders it invisible on the laptops.
However, formatting it in NTFS on the laptop and putting a couple of previously recorded files on the stick, then returning it to the 4008, I discover that as far as the 4008 is concerned the files (which can't be seen via the PLAYLIST button but can be found via the mediaplayer) are in /media/sda/movie.
When I try to alter the place where it makes instant or timer recordings I can't get awayy from media/hdd or media/hdd/movie, both of which show 0 GB free space, which is nonsense as the USB stick has 62 GB of free space.
So it seems to me that the 4008 is trying to record in a location that has no free space, and that the USB is offering space at media/sda/movie.
So does that tell you experts what's gone wrong? Isn't sda some sort of disc label....?
Progress. I've finally managed to persuade this accursed box to record in media/sda/movie and it's agreed! I can't get at my recordings to watch them via the PLAYLIST button, but I can get to them via the green button and Media Player, but it's a faff. But at least I can now do EPG timer recordings again. And scrape them off onto a sensible co-operative computer for future viewing.
Incidentally, exFAT was no use, this is using FAT32.
I must say I continue to think that for the average person the software on this box is an absolute CATASTROPHE, it is counter-intuitive, it's not helpful, it seems to fight one all the way. Thank goodness the SX88+ and the other little boxes of the same ilk are using software written by a non-geek.
Andy_Hazza
19-07-18, 12:29
Learn to FTP and all the faffing you are doing now will be in the past.
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abu baniaz
19-07-18, 12:30
Initialise = Format
Receivers will use a Linux file system which Windows PCs do not recognise by default.
Your issue is the mountpoints.
Thanks abu baniaz. Well that's fine as far as it goes - but a decently softwared receiver would at least allow one to record on a USB stick that one had just formatted in the very same box. I'm sorry, it's p*ss poor-design by the programmers. I shouldn't have to be worrying about mountpoints just to record on a stick I've formatted in the very same box, although I take your point about it being invisible on Windows. Problem was it was invisible on my Linux Manjaro laptop as well. And if it's so Linux based why have I had no problems at all hitherto....?
But please don't worry any more, I've got a bodge working and that's doing what I need - as outlined above. But no wonder I've heard the Octagon 4008 called the Octotangle.....
Learn to FTP and all the faffing you are doing now will be in the past.
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Or just buy a box with decent software like the Octagon SX88+. Not meaning to sound ungrateful, but it shouldn't be this complicated, and with most boxes it simply ISN'T this complicated.
As I say, if it hadn't been for the multistream I'd have never bought the wretched thing, and now that we have three cheap boxes that do the job with no hassle the 4008 is on borrowed time as far as I'm concerned.
But thanks all for trying to help.
Andy_Hazza
19-07-18, 13:09
Initialise it to Ext4 and then the recordings will work as expected and then learn to FTP. And yes, FTP is very easy to use, even a kid could do it!!
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Initialise it to Ext4 and then the recordings will work as expected and then learn to FTP. And yes, FTP is very easy to use, even a kid could do it!!
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Oh how many times have I heard the proponents of Linux and the like say what you've just said. If it were the case Linux would be the dominant operating system by now.....
There are plenty of things I could say the same about, because I have mastered them and understand the learning process.
The best teachers I had at school were the ones who remembered the difficulties they themselves had had learning something.....
Andy_Hazza
19-07-18, 15:09
Good luck in trying to solve your issue then, its obvious you don’t like change and you are old skool....
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Well as I've said a couple of times now, the problem is solved to a large extent by getting the 4008 to see sda, and by owning an Octagon SX88+, an Edision Primo, and a Golden Interstar, all of which work intuitively. Several of them purchased from the sponsor incidentally.
Why should I give myself grief mastering something that isn't going to get me anywhere? Sometimes it's better to know and understand one's limitations.
I appreciate that you've tried to help, and I'm grateful, but in the end I've had to find the solution on my own. I'd only have been a nuisance to everyone on here pestering for help had I gone down your route.... The words hammer and nut come to mind in this context.
Anyway, thanks to everyone and happy viewing!
abu baniaz
20-07-18, 01:26
The only nuissance is not answering questions when asked. The image is the generally the same. no matter which receiver you use. Most people seem to get along OK with it.
If you want to learn, there are plenty of people happy to help and enjoy doing so. We mostly use Vix here, so you will get more help if you are on the same image as most of us.
Sorry abu baniaz - which question didn't I answer?
Not that anyone answered my question as to what the default record location settings should be, but never mind.....
I appreciate that there are a lot of clever folk on here, and if the 4008 was still my only option then I would risk wasting your time and sanity asking for help, but it's pointless for all sides now, given that I have simpler alternative receivers which do all that the 4008 can do, apart from Series Link recordings and DVB-S2X. There seems to be offence taken that I'm not asking for further help, but you should be relieved rather than annoyed - honestly!
Sorry abu baniaz - which question didn't I answer?
Not that anyone answered my question as to what the default record location settings should be, but never mind.....Actually, I answered that question, but deleted the answer when I realised you are using OpenATV, not ViX.
I had no idea if it was correct, although I would have been surprised if it was wrong.
abu baniaz
20-07-18, 10:04
Someone asked you to check the mount points. Pretty sure it was ccs
Default recording location is /media/hdd/
If the device is mounted as anything else, any default reference to it will fail. This is what is happening to you. You either have to correct the mount point or change the setting paths in several places or also add a bookmark to the new location.
abu baniaz
20-07-18, 10:14
You said you were uncertaint if you could reuse your channel list. Yes you can. It is good practice to backup your bouquets regularly.
Someone asked you to check the mount points. Pretty sure it was ccs
Default recording location is /media/hdd/
If the device is mounted as anything else, any default reference to it will fail. This is what is happening to you. You either have to correct the mount point or change the setting paths in several places or also add a bookmark to the new location.
You're absolutely right, apologies. I think I overlooked it because I'd changed so many settings and reformatted so often that I had no idea where I was.
And you are also right in that now I've changed the setting paths to involve the magic word sda I can at least now record, first successful timer recording was this morning.
You said you were uncertaint if you could reuse your channel list. Yes you can. It is good practice to backup your bouquets regularly.
Right, that's my job for tomorrow. Although I'm fairly certain that I've got a copy of it on the laptop, because one of the things that you folk were able to help me with a year ago, in spite of my uselessness, was to use Dreambox channel edit (?, was it that, something like that anyway, symbol of a black horse came into it I think) to delete all the channels I didn't want. I almost became proficient.....
Can we clear something up here please, are you still using OpenATV or have you switched to OpenViX?
See my previous response in #68.
However, to confirm, yes, under system it says OpenATV image, and it's the same one that was put on by the supplier eighteen months ago.
I did elsewhere make a passing reference to ViX I see, but that was an error due to my confused state,
As I also keep saying, as far as being able to make recordings is concerned, the box is now doing the job, even if it's not in a way that most of you appear to approve of. So whilst I am grateful for any further help I should stress - again - that I can't guarantee to be up to the job either of understanding your suggestions or of risking implementing them.
Personally I'd USB re-flash the device and use OpenViX. See www.openvix.co.uk for an overview.
How to USB flash guide: http://www.openvix.co.uk/index.php/guides-and-tutorials/receiver-usb-flashing-guides/octagon-usb-flashing-guides/
OpenViX images: http://www.openvix.co.uk/index.php/downloads/octagon-images/sf4008/
If you don't like OpenViX you can simply flash it back to OpenATV.
Simple and easy process.
Thank you Sicilian. I'll certainly take a look at the overview. Just concerned that I could brick the box, particularly as we have here - on a regular basis - micro-cuts in the power supply, enough to cause computers to have to start up again, and I gather that that can be disastrous during a re-flash.
You guys have been very patient, even if your solutions have in the main been beyond my capabilities.
But here's what I hope is the end of this saga..... and maybe it's interesting...?
This afternoon - having unplugged the Octotangle overnight due to a thunderstorm - I tried to make an instant recording, and - oh no - back was the message saying "cannot record - disk full?".
Furious, I used Media Player to check that my previous recordings on the 64 GB stick were still there - NOTHING.
Put the stick in my computer, all still there in the "movie" folder.
So, back in the Octotangle, I use Media Player again to look for the recordings, 'cos you can see and explore the file structures. Up to last night I'd been having to go /media/sda1/movies - which is now apparently empty. However, with a bit of searching I now find that all these previous recordings are now in /hdd/movie, that by changing the record settings BACK to where they were a few weeks ago (ie to media/hdd/movie) I can once again record, and that the PLAYLIST button now shows "Latest recordings" (as it used to before the box started mucking about) and there they all are....
I should stress that - apart from unplugging - I had touched nothing. We're now back to EXACTLY where we were before the box started b*ggering me about a few weeks ago. All the nonsense of recording and playing back via sda1 has gone, although the location is still listed in <media player>. I'm delighted I can watch recordings again direct via the PLAYLIST button, which is much easier to use than Media Player.
Now I know you guys all think it's a wonderful box, I personally think the software is totally jinxed. How can the box just "move" recordings about at a whim, when in reality they are in exactly the same place on the USB stick. I just hope it doesn't do it again because it really will go in the bin if it mucks me about in the future!
As you can tell, and it's not aimed at you helpful people, I just feel angry that I've wasted hours and hours on the problem, only to find it now wants to play ball again in the old manner. I know I should just be grateful, but any confidence in the box and its software is long gone. It's a box for experts, not the ordinary person in the street!
Grrrrr!
abu baniaz
28-07-18, 18:26
Mount points!
I will close the thread now as you are "sorted".
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