Updating Strong SRT4375

inabsentia

Hi,


Excuse me if this is a bit long and drawn out!

I'm trying to help a mate out who has just bought a second hand motorised system. The receiver in question is the Strong SRT4375.

He arranged for a very good installer to put the system up for him (A guy I've known and used for over a decade) then he got me in to set up the receiver because the installer had no knowledge at all of the Strong receivers, and I had set up this system when it was new (about 6 or 7 years ago).

The box has had at least one oftware upgrade-the current one is from 2001 and it gives the option of an OTA upgrade. However, when we tried to do this upgrade via Hotbird, we just got a message that it couldn't be done. So we did a full factory re-set-All went well - setting the satellites manually, updating the transponder lists as we went. However, when we went back to the positions we set for each satellite, they weren't there.

Immediate thought was that the actuator was at fault, so we got the installer back to put a new arm on the dish. This helped to a degree, but the settings were still out, though by far less.

We contacted Strong for the up to date software to do a null modem cable upgrade. They quickly sent us back a rather odd looking zip file with the latest software and a batch file in it with the instructions to press and hold two buttons on the front panel, wait for '000' on the display, and hit the batch file and the software would upload. We tried this several times, and in the DOS window that opens, we see 'Uploading software' but nothing happens. I was expecting it to be some kind of loader program rather than this.

We've checked the com port is enabled (it is) on the PC so we are running out of ideas.

So-question time

1-Have Strong moved their OTA transponder, or do they not have this facility active any more?
2-for PC upgrade, is it just a 'standard' null modem cabel that is required? (Neither of us have the necessary skills to be checking the wiring configuation. The null modem cable he bought was from Maplins)

Anyone with any experience on this, your help would be gratefully recieved!

Many thanks

tamazgha2003

try this oficial site of strong
http://www.strongsat.com/index.php?id=85&L=&C=

inabsentia

Thnks for the reply. We have checked that site, and that gives two options for this reciver depending on serial number-the problem is, there is no serial number anywhere on this receiver-we've checked front, back, sides, underneath even inside the cover. (We know the receivers history so we know it isn't stolen or anything like that!!).

This is why we contacted Strong-we gave them the current software model and the bootstrap version number and they've sent us the stuff I mentioned above, but aren't getting anywhere with the serial port/null modem cable upgrade. Whether this is because we have had to disconnect the receiver from everything except the mains to get it close enough to the PC, I don't really know, as I've no experience of Strong upgrades

I just thought this might all be unnecessary as the rx is capable of OTA upgrades, but when we've tried that, we just get a message about not being able to connect, so I wondered if the wrong transponder number was being used by the receiver (Orhave Strong stopped thier OTA support?)

tamazgha2003

check this out
http://www.satellites.co.uk/php-bin/...ead.php?t=1107

inabsentia

Thanks-an interesting thred indeed, though I know for a fact we are using a fully wired Null Modem Cable, as I tried the cable I use to update my Nokia and Manhattan boxes.

Does nobody know whether Strong are still offering OTA updates?