Ferguson Ariva 120 Users Thread

My name is URL

LordSutch wrote: »

So what is the Network DDNS Setting in the tools menu used for, and what exactly is it?

A Dynamic DNS is just a third-party service that records and monitors your IP address in case it changes regularly so that configurations aren't messed up.

You shouldn't need to worry about changing that setting unless you already do so on other devices in your home. ISPs have their own DNS systems.

Johnboy1951

LordSutch wrote: »

So what is the Network DDNS Setting in the tools menu used for, and what exactly is it?

It is a URL which can be used in place of your IP address, if you have need for something to make contact with your IP address directly.

For instance I use DynDNS to track my dynamic IP address so that some friends can make VOIP calls to me directly (without having to use a VOIP service provider).
Normally the IP address would be used, but if that changes my friends would be trying to call the incorrect IP address.
The DynDNS (and other similar) service overcomes that problem.

Same thing would apply if you wished to remote access your home from elsewhere ... you could use the DDNS service instead of having to know the IP address.

LordSutch

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

What extra functionality does it bring? ...... or is it just bug-fixes?

Good question there Johnny, will be nice to find out the answer.

Personally I hope the latest firmware is more receptive to a wider range/brands of PVR hard drives, as the 120 can be very picky as to which HDDs work well and which dont! My mains powered Buffalo records and plays back very well in SD, but it doesn't do HD at all. message says (speed too slow) some other posters/owners have this problem too.

polaris68

Yup, if anyone upgrades to 2.18B6 let us know if you see any changes.

b318isp

Yes, I'd also like to hear of any feedback on this latest update...

My name is URL

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.satkurier.pl%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D29612%26p%3D705188&act=url

Some reviews of the firmware update there (translated from Polish)

The main points seem to be improved functionality of internet radio and weather, and speedier menus and EPG.

Johnboy1951

My name is URL wrote: »

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.satkurier.pl%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ft%3D29612%26p%3D705188&act=url

Some reviews of the firmware update there (translated from Polish)

The main points seem to be improved functionality of internet radio and weather, and speedier menus and EPG.

Thanks ...... your link gave me a page covered with ads or some flashing stuff ..... but was able to get the correct URL and drop it into Chromium and have that translate it.

http://forum.satkurier.pl/viewtopic.php?t=29612&p=705188

Just adding this in case it happens to anyone else

NewsMeQuick

Hi I backed up my current firmware and channel list. I have now upgraded to the January 2013 version 218. I just watched the guys' Youtube video on this and they say don't mix a channel list from an older firmware with a newer firmware. Where do we get the updated channel list? I've tried my old channel list anyway and some channels come up but the list is messed up.

Older Channel list file: http://www.tvtrade.ie/ferguson-ariva-120-hd-combo.html

Video on loading channel list: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMl8ywz1zdc

My name is URL

In what way is the list messed up?

I upgraded my firmware earlier and added the old channel list back afterwards with no problems whatsoever.

NewsMeQuick

Hmm that's strange. Well when I check the pre-loaded channel lists, what comes up is: just two lists instead of the usual 5/6/etc. The lists now are All Channels and Astra 2A, that's it.

I just re-did the process and it's the same. I was sure that I backed up the channels correctly...just 'dump' isn't it? Hmm

My name is URL

NewsMeQuick wrote: »

Hmm that's strange. Well when I check the pre-loaded channel lists, what comes up is: just two lists instead of the usual 5/6/etc. The lists now are All Channels and Astra 2A, that's it.

I just re-did the process and it's the same. I was sure that I backed up the channels correctly...just 'dump' isn't it? Hmm

Yeah, it should work. Could be that I hadn't updated the firmware version at all before today.

You could try adding the channel list directly from download source instead of your backed up version, but I don't know if it'll make any difference.

NewsMeQuick

I have no idea what was happening before but I seem to have fixed it. Thanks for the help!

LordSutch

STB wrote: »

The Wifi option isnt available to these as far as I know (120 range is M3602 chip). Only the 150/250 range (M3606 chip).

Upgrade to latest firmware A120Combo_2.18B6.zip.

Extract the ABS file to a USB stick. Then insert in box, do a Upgrade by USB, Allcode and bootloader option, then click to start. Let it finish. Reboot box. You will have to rescan for channels as the base firmware does not contain channel lists.

Connect a Cat5 cable from your router to your box. Go to box menu turn DHCP on and press the back key. Now your weather app should work. You can change your location by pressing the red key and entering it with the remote.

A lot of hassle, but if you like messing with things.....

A lot of hassle is right: OK, so I have got as far as clicking on the V.218B6 link above which takes me to the website, then I click on the red download icon, then I tried to extract the file but it asks for a Password, so now I can't seem to open the file at all, and I can't seem to download it onto my USB stick either! totally lost at the 1st hurdle I'm afraid, and do I open it, save it or what?

Very basic step by step help needed to download the new firmware onto a USB stick PLEASE . . . .

LordSutch

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Thanks ...... your link gave me a page covered with ads or some flashing stuff ..... but was able to get the correct URL and drop it into Chromium and have that translate it.

http://forum.satkurier.pl/viewtopic.php?t=29612&p=705188

Just adding this in case it happens to anyone else

Sadly when I click on your link above its still in Polish, so I'm still non the wiser as to what it says

iba

LordSutch wrote: »

A lot of hassle is right: OK, so I have got as far as clicking on the V.218B6 link above which takes me to the website, then I click on the red download icon, then I tried to extract the file but it asks for a Password, so now I can't seem to open the file at all, and I can't seem to download it onto my USB stick either! totally lost at the 1st hurdle I'm afraid, and do I open it, save it or what?

Very basic step by step help needed to download the new firmware onto a USB stick PLEASE . . . .

I just clicked on the link and it opened Ferguson page and started downloading the software. Ok if that does not happen to you, click on the word download on the Ferguson site. What I would do then, but there are many ways to do this, is create a folder on my desk top and paste the dowloaded file in there. Then right click on the downloaded file and click the option that says extract here.

Then just do what STB posted earlier:

'Extract the ABS file to a USB stick. Then insert in box, do a Upgrade by USB, Allcode and bootloader option, then click to start. Let it finish. Reboot box. You will have to rescan for channels as the base firmware does not contain channel lists'

zg3409

iba wrote: »

I just clicked on the link and it opened Ferguson page and started downloading the software. Ok if that does not happen to you, click on the word download on the Ferguson site. What I would do then, but there are many ways to do this, is create a folder on my desk top and paste the dowloaded file in there. Then right click on the downloaded file and click the option that says extract here.

Be sure you have unzipping software installed. The most reliable is 7zip. I have seen it open files that gave errors, such as asking for a password, with other unzippers.
http://www.7-zip.org/download.html

LordSutch

Loaded the new firmware last night and this is what I think . . . . .

New AriVa logo as the box turns on!

1/ Internet Radio now working - very interesting*
2/ Weather Forecasts now working.
3/ Channel changes much faster.
4/ Giant Channel number bottom left of screen,
blue & green signal strength & quality bars gone.
5/ Menu changes (several which I don't like).
7/ *Internet Radio 'glitch' Press SORT button = box turns off!

To save hours and hours of channel editing I used the Ariva editor to embed my old channel list into the
new firmware which has worked a treat, apart from the headings on my 'FAVE' channels which vanished.

All in all a mixed review - I love the internet radio stations, and the weather forecast option is a quirky option to have,
I also like the much faster channel changes, however, on the minus side I really dont like what they have done to the
menus and the fact that the Password bar just hovers there all the time - the old V.15B5 menu was much cleaner and
more user friendly IMO. As time goes by I will probably become aware of more changes, but that's my 1st impression.

iba

LordSutch wrote: »

Loaded the new firmware last night and this is what I think . . . . .

New AriVa logo as the box turns on!

1/ Internet Radio now working - very interesting*
2/ Weather Forecasts now working.
3/ Channel changes much faster.
4/ Giant Channel number bottom left of screen,
blue & green signal strength & quality bars gone.
5/ Menu changes (several which I don't like).
7/ *Internet Radio 'glitch' Press SORT button = box turns off!

To save hours and hours of channel editing I used the Ariva editor to embed my old channel list into the
new firmware which has worked a treat, apart from the headings on my 'FAVE' channels which vanished.

All in all a mixed review - I love the internet radio stations, and the weather forecast option is a quirky option to have,
I also like the much faster channel changes, however, on the minus side I really dont like what they have done to the
menus and the fact that the Password bar just hovers there all the time - the old V.15B5 menu was much cleaner and
more user friendly IMO. As time goes by I will probably become aware of more changes, but that's my 1st impression.

Glad you were able to download, unzip and upload the software in the end and thanks 4 ur review.

Ninjakettle

Would anyone be able to upload a Channel list dump after V2.18B6 update.

I'd like to Talk my folks through updating their box, and will be a heck of a lot easier if i've a channel list ready for them too.


Also, is the channel list dump, abs file, simply the firmware with channel list included. In other words, will running "Allcode & Bootlader" update from the editor produced abs file install both the new firmware and channel list at the same time?

Tony

Ninjakettle wrote: »

In other words, will running "Allcode & Bootlader" update from the editor produced abs file install both the new firmware and channel list at the same time?

Yep sure will

saorviewseeker

LordSutch wrote: »

Loaded the new firmware last night and this is what I think . . . . .

New AriVa logo as the box turns on!

1/ Internet Radio now working - very interesting*
2/ Weather Forecasts now working.
3/ Channel changes much faster.
4/ Giant Channel number bottom left of screen,
blue & green signal strength & quality bars gone.
5/ Menu changes (several which I don't like).
7/ *Internet Radio 'glitch' Press SORT button = box turns off!

To save hours and hours of channel editing I used the Ariva editor to embed my old channel list into the
new firmware which has worked a treat, apart from the headings on my 'FAVE' channels which vanished.

All in all a mixed review - I love the internet radio stations, and the weather forecast option is a quirky option to have,
I also like the much faster channel changes, however, on the minus side I really dont like what they have done to the
menus and the fact that the Password bar just hovers there all the time - the old V.15B5 menu was much cleaner and
more user friendly IMO. As time goes by I will probably become aware of more changes, but that's my 1st impression.

Yes, the editor doesn't retain the favourite group names. Do these in the ariva. Menu>Favourites. Please note that the Red and the blue buttons are reversed...........the blue is now OK and the Red is delete. Having named your favourites, do a dump onto your USB and these will the be saved. Then when you upload these in the future or indeed another box they will appear.

With regard to embedding the firmware upgrade with the channel list, I preffered to do the firmware upgrade and factory reset first and then upload the channel list after. I do this because from time to time I add channels then dump onto the usb, overwriting the old list, then rearrange these new channels on the ariva editor and upload this edited channel list again. No need to name your favourites again, they will still be there.

LordSutch

Anyone else lost the 'channel find' feature (blue button)?

I use/did use it a lot, but now it seems to have stopped working with V2.18B6. Curiously the blue button
now brings up downloaded radio stations instead of TV stations! > Dunno what to think at this stage :cool:

PS: Exactly what does a a factory reset do?

iba

LordSutch wrote: »

Anyone else lost the 'channel find' feature (blue button)?

I use/did use it a lot, but now it seems to have stopped working with V2.18B6. Curiously the blue button
now brings up downloaded radio stations instead of TV stations! > Dunno what to think at this stage :cool:

PS: Exactly what does a a factory reset do?

I think factory reset will delete all the stations that u have tuned in and u will have to tune them in again

LordSutch

iba wrote: »

I think factory reset will delete all the stations that u have tuned in and u will have to tune them in again

Or dump them back in from my stick I guess [userdb] . . .

Might a factory reset fix the BLUE botton?

Is yours working with the new software?

iba

LordSutch wrote: »

Or dump them back in from my stick I guess [userdb] . . .

Might a factory reset fix the BLUE botton?

Is yours working with the new software?

1 - I dont know - but personally I would not do it that way because every so often I just rescan all my sats (Astra 28, Badr 26, Astra 19 & Hotbird 13) 4 housekeeping in order to pick up new stations and get rid of ones that have moved

2 - I dont know

3 - I have not updated to that firmware yet

LordSutch

iba wrote: »

1 - I dont know - but personally I would not do it that way because every so often I just rescan all my sats (Astra 28, Badr 26, Astra 19 & Hotbird 13) 4 housekeeping in order to pick up new stations and get rid of ones that have moved

2 - I dont know

3 - I have not updated to that firmware yet

Thanks for all the valued help iba, and have a good weekend.

The loss of the blue search button is annoying alright, unless its my own fault
(because I didn't do a factory reset)? Time will tell I guess, as others report back.

iba

LordSutch wrote: »

Thanks for all the valued help iba, and have a good weekend.

The loss of the blue search button is annoying alright, unless its my own fault
(because I didn't do a factory reset)? Time will tell I guess, as others report back.

NP

Saorviewseeker has posted above that the blue and red buttons have switched, so its not u.

LordSutch

iba wrote: »

NP

Saorviewseeker has posted above that the blue and red buttons have switched, so its not u.

Thing is, they haven't switched places on my box!

The Red button is still the TEXT button (not that there is any Teletext) and the BLUE button which used to be the FIND button now pulls up Web stations instead of finding TV stations! I really need another Ariva 120 owner with the new firmware to clarify this glitch.

saorviewseeker

LordSutch wrote: »

Thing is, they haven't switched places on my box!

The Red button is still the TEXT button (not that there is any Teletext) and the BLUE button which used to be the FIND button now pulls up Web stations instead of finding TV stations! I really need another Ariva 120 owner with the new firmware to clarify this glitch.

No, you missunderstood me. These buttons are reversed in the Menu>Favourites renaming page. Also note that a similar thing happens in the Menu>Satalites List>Add screen. In this instance, the green and the red are reversed.
Now with regard to your channell find problem. Having upgraded to the new firmware, you now have to press the blue followed by OK to reveal the channell list. I seldom used this feature, but if my memory serves me correct, both the index snd channell screens appeared together after pressing blue on the previous firmware. Pressing blue now only brings up the index screen. You now have to press the ok button after to bring up the channel list.

That's how my box is performing after the upgrade.

LordSutch

saorviewseeker wrote: »

These buttons are reversed in the Menu>Favourites renaming page. Also note that a similar thing happens in the Menu>Satalites List>Add screen. In this instance, the green and the red are reversed.

Gordon bennett, ferguson do make it complicated

Many thank's for that . . .