AZBOX /Elite / HD / Premium

Apogee

RapidResults wrote: »

4: The .ts files don't play in VLC...although they will play in 'Media Player Classic'.

That sounds like a problem which is due to the way VLC handles mpeg4 files and not the fault of the receiver. Have you tried the newest version of VLC?

johndoc

RapidResults wrote: »

......
4: Possibly future proof.
......

Persisting with the newbie questions....... but just in case we end up with MPEG-2 as the standard in Eire, this box will decode as well...?

RapidResults

Apogee wrote: »

That sounds like a problem which is due to the way VLC handles mpeg4 files and not the fault of the receiver. Have you tried the newest version of VLC?

Same problem with SD (MPEG) ts files.

The Topfield records the TS into a '.rec' file and VLC plays them happily.

Using .99 VLC, last stable. Will try the beta versions later.

Is there some kind of 'copy once' flag in BBC HD? Some mention of it in relation to the new Panasonic FreeView PVR.

The BBC HD recording that would not play back was a much smaller file than the duration would indicate, so I think the timed recording failed. Possibly because the dish movement was not done in time before the roecording started.

I've had to reboot lots of times, just now, because the HDMI output was corrupting on screen.

gtg60

RapidResults wrote: »

I've had to reboot lots of times, just now, because the HDMI output was corrupting on screen.

Which Firmware are you using? The last 'unofficial' one caused problems with the HDMI out, the current one (0.9.2371) I personally find rock solid.

RapidResults

gtg60 wrote: »

Which Firmware are you using? The last 'unofficial' one caused problems with the HDMI out, the current one (0.9.2371) I personally find rock solid.

0.9.2371.

This is the first time I've seen the HDMI corruption.

Apogee

RapidResults wrote: »

Same problem with SD (MPEG) ts files.

SD mpeg4 or SD mpeg2?

RapidResults wrote: »

Is there some kind of 'copy once' flag in BBC HD? Some mention of it in relation to the new Panasonic FreeView PVR.

Currently, with the Humax PVRs, you are blocked from transferring HD content onto USB sticks. However, you can get round this by putting the receiver into non-Freesat mode, tuning in BBCHD and then recording. This method means no copy protection is applied.

The BBC had said you will be able to make a limited number of copies onto Blu-ray discs with the new Panasonic. Whether the Panasonic will also have a non-freesat mode is unclear yet. None of this copy protection has any implications for non-Freesat branded receivers or PVRs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2009/04/welcome_to_some_new_initials_d.html

gtg60

RapidResults wrote: »

0.9.2371.

This is the first time I've seen the HDMI corruption.

Strange but I have to say HDMI and it's handshaking protocol are a pile of poo anyway!

Also, you said you had to 'reboot lots of times', you should have only had to reboot it once. You know there is a difference between rebooting and turning it off and on again (by the remote or switch on the front)?

RapidResults

gtg60 wrote: »

Also, you said you had to 'reboot lots of times', you should have only had to reboot it once. You know there is a difference between rebooting and turning it off and on again (by the remote or switch on the front)?

What I should have said is 'reboot it on many occasions'.

Biggest occasion was a after an intensive session of scanniing about 10 satellites, I think the channel data file got corrupted (Failed to find channel list...) and I ran the factory reset.

Other occasions have been where it would get stuck in the 'wake up' phase of start up.

slegs

johndoc wrote: »

Persisting with the newbie questions....... but just in case we end up with MPEG-2 as the standard in Eire, this box will decode as well...?

AZBox decodes broadcast MPEG4 SD/HD, MPEG2 SD/HD, 4.2.2 SD/HD.

RapidResults

One reason I got the AZBox was for 4:2:2...Now watching a Norwegian feed from the Tour de France...very much 'fly on the wall' at present.

gtg60

RapidResults wrote: »

One reason I got the AZBox was for 4:2:2...

Have you seen the new plugin that allows you to see the feed listings from:
http://www.satelliweb.com/index.php?section=livef&langue=en

Very handy, means you don't have to go to your PC to check for feeds

RapidResults

gtg60 wrote: »

Have you seen the new plugin that allows you to see the feed listings from:
http://www.satelliweb.com/index.php?section=livef&langue=en

Very handy, means you don't have to go to your PC to check for feeds

Yep, I use that site. Where's the plugin?

gtg60

RapidResults wrote: »

Yep, I use that site. Where's the plugin?

Go to Plugins, then press the Red button to add a plugin, when it lists the servers to install from, highlight one of them (they should all be the same) and change it to:
http://www.descargas.azboxhd.es
Then keep it highlighted and press Red again to add a plugin, it will list a few, select 'livefeeds' then press 'OK' the plugin will now install.

To use it, just select Plugins from the main menu then select livefeeds, it will be a list from the above feeds website, just take note of the feed you are interested in and then follow the normal procedure of adding the channel to watch it.

I believe the guy who wrote this is trying to implement direct access to the feed from the Plugin, it would be fantastic if he can!

RapidResults

gtg60 wrote: »

Go to Plugins, then press the Red button to add a plugin, when it lists the servers to install from, highlight one of them (they should all be the same) and change it to:
http://www.descarges.azboxhd.es

That's neat, pity we cannot click through but it's a very clear listing

I figured out that the URL should be:

http://www.descargas.azboxhd.es

BTW have you noticed that the box is online (i.e. connected to the net) even when in standby?

gtg60

Ah well, silly me! Have corrected it though in my above post.

Yes, I had noticed about them being online but generally switch mine off at the back when I'm not using them.

Yes, clicking through the livefeeds thing will be great, lets hope he can implement it.

Stelph

slegs wrote: »

Yes, Opensat will include the code to READ the freesat EPG in the main firmware. You know as well as I that it will not be advertised as freesat EPG or supported as such. But yes it will happen sooner rather than later.

There are many products out there reading the freesat EPG stream. These are not THE actual freesat EPG. It may be dubious legally but I can't see how freesat can do anything about it.

AZBox has a plugin module so it can be coded as a third party plugin without difficulty if there are any legal questions.

Has there been any more news on the implementation of the freesat/sky epg? Obviously it's not yet in the firmware but Now that there's a "develop o plugin" competition I was wondering if a plugin might appear! either way, I hope a plugin is coming soon, the lack of any epg is really driving me nuts at the moment! :-)

Psygnosis

I just ordered one of these from Soartv really looking forward to getting my hands on this and getting it setup.

What is the current EPG like just now and next?

slegs

Stelph wrote: »

Has there been any more news on the implementation of the freesat/sky epg? Obviously it's not yet in the firmware but Now that there's a "develop o plugin" competition I was wondering if a plugin might appear! either way, I hope a plugin is coming soon, the lack of any epg is really driving me nuts at the moment! :-)

Code is with Opensat. There is lots going on with this box at the moment in terms of software developments but they have committed to including code to read the freesat EPG. No dates as of yet for it though.

Stelph

Psygnosis wrote: »

I just ordered one of these from Soartv really looking forward to getting my hands on this and getting it setup.

What is the current EPG like just now and next?

Well I may be doing something wrong but ATM for me the epg is a bit off and on, tho at the moment it's not working So nothing comes up at all( I'm watching freesat in the uk). When it does work then yes, for me it shows now and next

Stelph

slegs wrote: »

Code is with Opensat. There is lots going on with this box at the moment in terms of software developments but they have committed to including code to read the freesat EPG. No dates as of yet for it though.

Thanks for the update, shame that there's no set date but at least they're committed to providing it eventually! Am also keen to see what peoples experiences are with the dvb-t tuner as I would be excellent if the box were able to have both the freesat and freeview epgs/channel listings available at the same time

Stelph

Another question, how are people ripping ISO's/Folders of DVD'd for playback on the hard drive? I have done some experimenting and found that ripping to folders rather than ripping to ISO's is better as with an ISO I do not seem to be able to access the DVD menu (I used DVD43 and ISO-Rip) plus the english subtitles are showing and cannot be switched off.

To rip to folders I used DVD43 and mymovies 2 (as I am used to using this system with my HTPC), and when playing back the DVD men worked fine however the english subtitles were still a problem and cannot be switched off.

Has anyone had any more luck with this? Hopefully this will also be improved over time with firmware updates as I am hoping that eventually I will be able to rip ISO's (as I prefer the neater "single image" look) and that the DVD menu's will work fine, and that the subtitles will go away! :-)

gtg60

There's actually been a vast improvement in folder and ISO playing in the last firmware update, I'm sure it will improve again (hopefully soon), I'd say 50% of my ISO's work fine (including Menu's) at this point in time.

You can switch the Subtitles off, when watching the movie, press the Menu key then highlight Subtitle followed by View and then Hide and press 'OK'.

Stelph

gtg60 wrote: »

There's actually been a vast improvement in folder and ISO playing in the last firmware update, I'm sure it will improve again (hopefully soon), I'd say 50% of my ISO's work fine (including Menu's) at this point in time.

You can switch the Subtitles off, when watching the movie, press the Menu key then highlight Subtitle followed by View and then Hide and press 'OK'.

Thats good news, im running 0.9.2371 firmware at the moment which is where I got the results I mentioned above, so hopefully the playback will continue to improve till all your ISO's are covered! Currently
I have several DVD's of TV series (Red Dwarf, Backadder ect) that I would like to rip to ISO so having the DVD menu's when you are wanting to select the episode is quite important! :-) How are you ripping your ISO's? AnyDVD?

Thanks for the advice, ill try it when I get home, I had managed to get rid of the subtitles by pressing menu and selecting subtitle, but then they would spontaneously re-appear whih was a pain!

gtg60

I've a stack of ISO's on my PC that date back years, I couldn't even guess how many different types of programs I would have used, currently I (think) I use AnyDVD but I don't think I've made a DVD ISO in ages, so when I say about 50% work it'd be a pretty good broad spectrum of the types of ISO's that work, I also find they can be quite buggy in the Menu's, as in the DVD menu you would see if you put it in a DVD player.

As I said earlier though, it is a lot better since the last firmware release, great thing is we get new firmware every ~2 weeks and there are always improvements, some significant, some subtle. Of course how good you think it is always depends on the way you use your AZBox, at the moment it's as a media player but I can't wait for the new tuners (my DVB-T one will be here this week) , DVB-S2 later in the summer, loads to look forward to

Stelph

Oh I agree, I can see great potential with this box as well! Eventually I am hoping to be able to have a DVB-S and DVB-T tuner installed so that I can watch an record all the FTA channels in the UK (Freesat and Freeview), be able to browse and record on a sky/freesat 7 day EPG, watch DVD's or HD-DVD/BLU-ray ISO's that I have ripped onto the Hard Drive and do all this from one box....

The AzboxHD seems to be able to do all this, just have to learn some patience I guess and play with the other functions that it has until then I guess :-)

taung

From looking through other AZBOX fora it would appear that there are huge problems with the AZBOX WiFi connectivity.

Has anyone here got the AZBOX to connect over secure WiFi?

Or, is it the case that AZBOX WiFi connectivity is another area which has 'huge potential' for the AZBOX? :rolleyes:

Stelph

taung wrote: »

From looking through other AZBOX fora it would appear that there are huge problems with the AZBOX WiFi connectivity.

Has anyone here got the AZBOX to connect over secure WiFi?

Or, is it the case that AZBOX WiFi connectivity is another area which has 'huge potential' for the AZBOX? :rolleyes:

Personally I use my AZBox hooked up to my homeplug network, and that works no problems.

I did use it once connected to the Wifi however and it connected fine for me!

gtg60

Current release of firmware works perfectly for me and is connected securely, I have streamed a few movies over it and it has been perfect.

In a previous firmware I did have some issues, you have to be careful reading stuff on forums about the AZBox, as there is new firmware every ~2 weeks if you're not up to date you may be worrying about problems it had last month

Stelph

gtg60 wrote: »

In a previous firmware I did have some issues, you have to be careful reading stuff on forums about the AZBox, as there is new firmware every ~2 weeks if you're not up to date you may be worrying about problems it had last month

Its like playing the bi-weekly lottery to see what new features are added to the box, 'comeon 7 day epg! Daddy wants to series link the simpsons'

taung

gtg60, for the current AZBOX Firmware version (2173) which settings (both AZBOX & WiFi Router) worked for you and how many digits/letters did you have in the WEP/WPA password?