Have I killed my DM500?

B

britdan

Member
My Satellite Setup
Dreambox DM500
Intel Core 2 Quad
nVidia GeForce 9500GS
My Location
Bahrain
First of all, I think it's a clone. I bought it a week ago on sale from a supermarket for about £30.

I've been watching fta stuff for a few days now, and I decided to look on the interweb to find out how I can get the most out of my dreambox.

I started following Doom9's 'Dreambox: How to...' -http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/DigiTV/dbox-howto.htm,

which seemed to be a well-respected, often-referwenced guide.

I followed the link in the guide to the manufacturers website and downloaded the latest image rel109-20060803.img (they called it firmware, is it the same thing?).

After trying a bunch of unsuccessful ways, I decided the best way to get the image onto the box was by copy-pasting into the /tmp folder through ftp access in Windows Explorer.

I did that. All seemed tickety-boo, when the box seemed to freeze, although I think it had finished what it was doing. I didn't get an error message or an 'Adios Amigo'.

What I'm looking at now is a black screen and a still green light, neither of which respond to frantic remote abuse or in any way.

And for fans of IT Crowd, I have tried "turning it off and on again".

I don't have an rs232 cable and I don't fancy making a JTAG (wouldn't know where to start).

I'll take it to the satellite blokes round the corner and see if they can fix it.

So do you think I've killed it or just rendered it unconscious?
 
Seeing as the 500's havent been made by DM for around 2 years its DEFINITELY a clone :D

Read the DB section of this forum thoroughly several times and then try flashing your box properly.
 
I assume DB means DreamBox. That'd take ages. There's thousands.

I thought I was flashing it properly following Doom9's guide, but I did it through LAN. Was that the problem?
 
Probably - you dont just copy the files over - there are procedures that do it all for you.

Im afraid you have hours of reading in front of you - theres no easy way to master a DB.

All DB owners have gone through the same pain. :D
 
But until it died, everything seemed to be going swimmingly.

So do you reckon It's salvageable?
 
britdan said:
But until it died, everything seemed to be going swimmingly.

So do you reckon It's salvageable?
Click to expand...

Hi
It is not recommeded to update via network, what you need to do is use dreamup version 1.33 to upload a new version via RS232 and null modem cable.

I would recoomend you try the 500 image from here
PLi

All you need to do is disconnect all cables from DM connect null modem between a PC and DM after program sets com port on PC switch on DM and set flash option (re-image firmaware)

Hope this helps

Cynderyn
 
Hi Cynderyn.

Thanks for your post. I've downloaded the .img you recommended, and I'll give that a go if I have any luck connecting to the bloody thing.

I did what you suggested. I connected the box to the PC through a rs232 female to female, but the same thing happened like when I was trying to connect before using DreamUp and LAN.

> I connect the DreamBox to the computer using an rs232 female to female (as far as I know, that IS a null-modem cable, but I might be wrong)
> I also connect the DB to a TV to monitor any changes that happen on screen. (None)
> Open DreamUp with the DreamBox off.
> Uncheck the 'Use Network' box.
> Click 'connect', which results in the message "Connection prepared, now switch on the dreambox!"
> I do that (by plugging in the power cable), and NOTHING happens. It still displays the above message.

I should mention that ...
(a) I'm using a DM500-S (which I'm pretty sure is cloned)
(b) I've tried both COM1 and COM3 and I've waited more than 10 minutes for each COM to do something. They never have.
(c) When the DB is plugged in, the display is showing a green light (still, not flashing) and the light does NOT respond to remote signals (i.e. flicker when a button is pressed) or the 'Standby' button on the front.

Thoughts?
 
britdan said:
Hi Cynderyn.

Thanks for your post. I've downloaded the .img you recommended, and I'll give that a go if I have any luck connecting to the bloody thing.

I did what you suggested. I connected the box to the PC through a rs232 female to female, but the same thing happened like when I was trying to connect before using DreamUp and LAN.

> I connect the DreamBox to the computer using an rs232 female to female (as far as I know, that IS a null-modem cable, but I might be wrong)
> I also connect the DB to a TV to monitor any changes that happen on screen. (None)
> Open DreamUp with the DreamBox off.
> Uncheck the 'Use Network' box.
> Click 'connect', which results in the message "Connection prepared, now switch on the dreambox!"
> I do that (by plugging in the power cable), and NOTHING happens. It still displays the above message.

I should mention that ...
(a) I'm using a DM500-S (which I'm pretty sure is cloned)
(b) I've tried both COM1 and COM3 and I've waited more than 10 minutes for each COM to do something. They never have.
(c) When the DB is plugged in, the display is showing a green light (still, not flashing) and the light does NOT respond to remote signals (i.e. flicker when a button is pressed) or the 'Standby' button on the front.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Hi :-)

Thought 1
Not all RS232 cables are null modem make sure you have right cable

Thought 2
Use version 1.33 of dreamup later version will freeze when up-loading image

Thought 3
When the program finds the Com ports its only telling you what your PC has nothing to do with DM.

Thought 4
The fact the the progarm fails to detect com port and upload loader software tells me that either your com port on DM is faulty (not likly) or that you have wrong cable (most likly) you will get null modem cable for about £2 ebay or if you have access to Laplink type cables they will do.


Thought 5
No point in connecting the box to video

Thought 6
After program flashing is compleat (think postive) :-)

Connect box back up and you will see image re-build shown by splash screen displaying twice.


BTW I also have a DM 500s and have re-imaged several times OK

Although new to DM I have playing with computers for years once you realise that the DM is more of a computer than a black box and subject to OS bugs for instace Linux likes to close files down correctly using (shutdown) command othewise you get file corruption (constant rebooting etc) command

Treat it like computer and you will understand it more.

Regards
Cynderyn
 
Hi Britdan

I have the same DM500S (two in fact)
They were both working fine for about 2 weeks then went to to Green Light status and no signal to TV.
I have connected to both via null modem cable and flashed with Dreamup (not latest version which hangs) using various images and always get a message which says flashed successfully and then no signal to TV.
I dont know if there are bricked? because from what I read "bricked" dm500's do not have the power light indicator.
Do I need to do a JTAG and if so I would love someone to tell me where to buy a jtag cable for a dm500s
It seems to me there are millions of malfunctioning dm500s all over the world ??
 
britdan said:
I bought it a week ago on sale from a supermarket for about £30.
Click to expand...


Where was this?
 
To Cynderyn: Thanks for your thoughts and all the time spent on my post. It's appreciated ;-)

I took it back to the shop and pleaded ignorance and they changed it for a new one. It was only 8 days old.

I'm now thinking twice about bothering with images, cams, keys, emus...etc. I have no idea what they are or what they do.

What will I be missing out on if I don't bother with these things?

Thanks

To matthew_255: It happened when I tried flashing the latest firmware (image) to the dreambox from the 'manufacturers' website. Apparently, I did 1 of 2 things wrong.
(1) Assumed that it was the manufacturer, when actually my box was a clone, so the firmware I updated might have trashed the box.
(2) Uploaded via LAN Ethernet cables through a router, which is extremely unreliable and often results in hanging or crashing in the middle of transfer.
I think with my box, it was the latter that caused the problem.
I can't imagine why it would have just happened for no reason.

To fergyc: It was here in Bahrain (Between Saudi Arabia and Qatar). It cost 18 Bahraini Dinar, which is the equvalent of about £30.
 
Hi Britdan

If it is not broken no not need to fix it :-)

Unless you want to consider card sharing for paid services no need for CCam

Unless you have a motorised system to scan several sats which can be opened by software keys patching no need

Given your DM is a 500s clone (I have one also) is on old and tested hardware where existing images are not often updated and provided your OEM image is not the original DM gemini (unlikly) and it gives you all the channels you want sit back and enjoy :-)

Regards
Cynderyn
 
did this ever get solved as my dm500 has gone to green light tried reflash with dream up but get as far as press connect then put power on then initiating flash uploader then it stops there. had my box about a year and presume its dead. i was looking at getting a dm500hd but now iv heard the green light story on those can anybody enlighten me on this as 319 quid is a lot of money if am gonna get the green light dance cheers
 
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