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Zgemma H7s Guide

basemann

After taking the decision to get rid of cable I took the plunge and bought a Sat box. I was going to buy a Tiviar Alpha Plus due to its support on here but they were sold out at world of satellite and they suggested the Zgemma as it had similar specs.

Here is my guide to anyone new to the Sat world after getting this box . I hope it will help get through the initial frustration and hurdles you have to overcome. The H7S is relatively new so it's not discussed as much as the alpha plus but with the same software installed most guides can be used for both. I think the alpha would be equally challenging to set up. It takes time and patience and reading so be prepared for a bit of work but it's very satisfying in the end.
Some of this will be obvious to Sat heads but it's meant as a guide for beginners like I was who have some knowledge of the basics. This is from memory so excuse any vagueness of detail.

Here are the main things I learned..

1. To get Saoirview and Uk channels on the same epg listing you need to scan Saoirview 1st then do a second scan of the UK channels ensuring that the option to delete any previous scans is switched off. By doing that you mesh the two together so they can be gathered in the auto bouquets. (This took me ages to figure out!)

2. To install a skin easily you can put the downloaded skin found on the net on a usb and put it in the usb slot while live TV is playing (without any menu open). That will get a prompt to install the skin. If that does not work a plugin like Dreambox found in the plugin section will show all the folders in the sat box and the USB drive can be found and opened to try the install. If that does not work you need to connet a PC and use software like Filezilla to access files on the box from a PC. It's quite easily done if you follow the online guides.

3. A lot of people want the SkyNEW skin for the sky feel (without the sky channels of course!) and it does work but be warned it will prob make your epg crash every time you try and use it. To fix that you need to download a patch file to repair it. Dont install that skin unless you are prepared for that. You will need prob to connect a PC to do that and put it in the correct folder as per the instructions from where it easily found in a google search in places such as techkings etc. You might have to register an email to download these but there's no fee. It looks good when fixed but to be honest other skins are better that the sky menu which is comforting at first but you might feel it unnecessary and lacking functionality after a bit, but that's a personal preference.

Once you get it set up to your requirements its a great machine and very fast with a super picture so it's highly recommended. I hope this helps someone!:)

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Gerry Wicklow

Davexirl wrote: »

Managed to get it all set up this evening, I am delighted with it.

Remember to make a backup of your settings now that you are happy. Look under 'software management'

swoofer

If you go with openvix its a lot easier and that box has mutiboot so you can try openatv later. Openvix comes pre configured and its dedicated to 28 east.

Davexirl

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Remember to make a backup of your settings now that you are happy. Look under 'software management'

Thanks for that tip, I'll do that now.

danIrl

Hi,

Does anyone know how to get EPG working for Channel 4 HD? I am just using standard OpenVix install that came with the box and ABM. All the other channels are fine. I have read that Channel 4 HD is not part of FreeSat and that is the issue, so do I need to setup some other EPG plugin?

andy1249

danIrl wrote: »

Hi,

Does anyone know how to get EPG working for Channel 4 HD? I am just using standard OpenVix install that came with the box and ABM. All the other channels are fine. I have read that Channel 4 HD is not part of FreeSat and that is the issue, so do I need to setup some other EPG plugin?

Running openvix myself
You need to install crossepg , I know epgrefresh is the new default install but its really slow and unreliable for me

Install crossepg , after install reboot or it will crash , and then set provider and provider start order to sky uk opentv , make sure they have a green check mark beside them , then set crossepg to run approx 30 mins after abm every day , then run it , should populate channel 4 hd.

swoofer

What you can try is go to ABM and select SKY UK and put it at Free To Air only. I have region as london HD and then do a download. If that does not work come back. I set mine up ages ago and I use epgimporter and epgrefresh as well but I wanted al jazeera and cnn hd as well.

For CH4HD I am sure I made some other changes but at the time there was some bug with vix and crossepg.

Give the above a go and it should work.

crisco10

Strange one. Been using the box no problem and I got I from WoS with 1Tb HDD built in and openvix.
Working great, but went to watch a recording and nothing seems to be there? When I navigate to /media/hdd/movie I just get a message saying the directory doesn't exist??

Not sure if it's relates but when I go to devices it claims the device is full also?

And ideas other than re-initialising the hard drive and losing recordings?

greasepalm

Can you check your storage device is showing as ext4 and remount your drive.
I think your path has changed and files are still there.
I did have an issue as a power reboot found my missing hdd.

danIrl

Thanks andy1249. Tried CrossEPG and it seems to have worked.

crisco10

greasepalm wrote: »

Can you check your storage device is showing as ext4 and remount your drive.
I think your path has changed and files are still there.
I did have an issue as a power reboot found my missing hdd.

Sorry, going to ask the stupid question....how do I do that? (Remount I mean, I have tried rebooting)

Tks

greasepalm

As i use openvix i use my blue button to enter vix where it shows my hdd as ext4

Menu-setup-vix-mount manager-that shows what your mount is setup as and coloured buttons below for adjusting and to save changes before exiting.

blindside88

I’ve just come across this thread. I have a zgemma box in the attic for the past few years. Had used it with no problems until the signal had been scrambled. I’ve been using an android box since. Can anyone recommend someone to put a program that works on the zgemma

FlexMcMurphy

You can also do all that from a command line prompt to the ZGemma OS.

To check the format of the file system on the drive type this at a command prompt:

blkid -o list

Type this command to show where the drive is currently mounted:

df -h

Let's say the drive was attached at /dev/sda1 then to mount it so it appears in the file system of the Zgemma at /media/hdd you would type this command:

mount /dev/sda1 /media/hdd

Flex

greasepalm

blindside88 wrote: »

I’ve just come across this thread. I have a zgemma box in the attic for the past few years. Had used it with no problems until the signal had been scrambled. I’ve been using an android box since. Can anyone recommend someone to put a program that works on the zgemma

Its not a matter of slapping on any image as you have not stated what box you have as everything is different and what image is on box?

blindside88

greasepalm wrote: »

Its not a matter of slapping on any image as you have not stated what box you have as everything is different and what image is on box?

To be honest I haven’t a clue. Hasn’t been plugged in in about 2-3 years. May not be worth doing a thing with but said I’d ask

greasepalm

There are plenty of different zgemma boxes out there,did you look at the front of the box and what does it say.

crisco10

greasepalm wrote: »

As i use openvix i use my blue button to enter vix where it shows my hdd as ext4

Menu-setup-vix-mount manager-that shows what your mount is setup as and coloured buttons below for adjusting and to save changes before exiting.

Thanks a million. Got to that screen and tried mounting, but just got "mount failed".

No idea what to do from here.

greasepalm

Is this a usb portable or usb powered externally device.
Your box might see it in the wrong format hence the issues,if i unmount my hdd externally powered i see the same thing as you see.

Do you see blue button saying mount does that work.I tried mine when unmounted and it said failed but is showing as ext4.

I have had a few where they dont work and had to get another one.

If you format hdd it will erase anything on it

Try and remove any recordings to pc to view there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSJ6z7CuL2Q

crisco10

greasepalm wrote: »

Is this a usb portable or usb powered externally device.
Your box might see it in the wrong format hence the issues,if i unmount my hdd externally powered i see the same thing as you see.

Do you see blue button saying mount does that work.I tried mine when unmounted and it said failed but is showing as ext4.

I have had a few where they dont work and had to get another one.

If you format hdd it will erase anything on it

Try and remove any recordings to pc to view there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSJ6z7CuL2Q

It’s a built in HdD got it shipped with the box from WoS.

I’ve tried unmounting and re mounting but nothing happens when I hit the colour button for unmonitored and when I hit the colour for mount it just fails. Oh well, might be a format required. I don’t like precedent that sets though. I don’t want to have this happen again...

Might toddle over to WoS forum actually.

greasepalm

If box is new format storage and initialize storage as that is what is needed to get box setup correctly for recording and recordings.Abu is good over there.

If over there download the pdf manual from images to assist in setting up boxes on openvix.

cork_south

My tiviar is dead and can't be recovered.
Anyone recommend the switch from tiviar to this box?

I keep my box in the attic and use HDMI CEC to control it from downstairs.
Does this box support HDMI CEC?

hs5424

what are the symptoms. Totally dead ???

cork_south

hs5424 wrote: »

what are the symptoms. Totally dead ???

It's the known PS issue.
Tried to fix it using the guide on here but I am too stupid.
Sent it in for repair too and they couldn't fix it either,so need to find a replacement.

FlexMcMurphy

I got a Zgemma H7S last April and had to return it after four months. I think it was also a power supply issue. The picture would suddenly get all snowy and it would shut itself off. Or I would put it into standby then could not bring it back out without unplugging the box. World of Satellite were good about sending me out a new one. It's worth buying from them for the two year warranty.

I wouldn't say the Zgemma will be any more reliable than your Tiviar... then again you might not have any problems at all. I never had any problems with my Amiko Alien 2 I used for eight years.

I read that the VU+ range of boxes are well built but you pay big money for them.

Flex

hs5424

Does your box have a dead PSU. If so its a 2 min fix
I owned a VU+ duo in the past and spent lots of time repairing it. I repair for a living. Thank god for that because if I had forked out almost 500 bucks I would be not a happy man.

cork_south

hs5424 wrote: »

Does your box have a dead PSU. If so its a 2 min fix

Yeah dead PSU after leaving it plugged out while on Holidays. Came back from holidays and there is no power going to it.

hs5424

just remove the faulty psu and fit any 12v 4 or 5 amp one in its place. As I said in the past, if you don't have a psu then get a 12 v battery that can deliver 4 amps and this will prove if a power supply will restore the unit or not

greasepalm

cork_south wrote: »

My tiviar is dead and can't be recovered.
Anyone recommend the switch from tiviar to this box?

I keep my box in the attic and use HDMI CEC to control it from downstairs.
Does this box support HDMI CEC?

Yes HDMI CEC is in vix menu.

Fingleberries

I see that OpenVix 5.4 is now available for the ZGemma H7 series.

I've been having random package upgrade issues recently, so was thinking of flashing the box with the new version of OpenVix but had a couple of niggling worries.

I presume that when I flash the box using USB, that will return to factory settings. How easy is it to backup/restore settings like channel list, etc.?

Any other gotchas for flashing from USB?

Gerry Wicklow

Just run backup first. After you flash the new image it will detect the backup and offer to restore your settings which includes bouquets, timers, autotimers etc etc. Rather than using USB I copied the new image directly to the HDD as its faster. Simply put the downloaded file (openvix-5.4.001.release-zgemmah7_usb.zip) in /hdd/imagebackups. No need to unzip it first.

The whole process should only take ~5mins