Looking for owner of Promax HD Ranger+, HD Ranger 50 SE, HD Ranger Lite

[Llew]

Reviewing the "bottom.bin" file, it seems that there are indeed further options that need to be activated. However, this requires messing with the XML-file where other relevant data is stored and I don't have means to backup this file nor to know the current contents.

I would need a sample upgrade file (which is for sure a PRO file for Netupdate4) for the GPS option to be sure how this has to look like.

If anyone happens to have any PRO file, from any upgrade, that would help me a lot.

Regards,
Vitor

There's this .pro file Vitor from my recent update, if it's of use -

 

[vma]

Thanks Llew.

The ones from the FW Update I already looked at and extracted all useful commands.

What I am looking for is the file(s) that come with a new option. this can be the GPS or OPTIC option.

I assume that such option is delivered with a file or they unlock it at their server and Netupdate4 downloads the relevant file. This is the file I want to get hold of, as I figure that it would allow me to unlock these options for my device (after editing the files).

I don't mean to make any of this public nor do I mean to cause any harm to Promax sales. This is just for my own enjoyment - I don't even use the devices for quite some time.

Being in lockdown during this pandemic has made me revisit all my devices and I entertain myself "hacking" them...

 

[Llew]

What I am looking for is the file(s) that come with a new option. this can be the GPS or OPTIC option.

I assume that such option is delivered with a file or they unlock it at their server and Netupdate4 downloads the relevant file. This is the file I want to get hold of, as I figure that it would allow me to unlock these options for my device (after editing the files).

Understood. I don't think I can help; I don't have the GPS attachment so I haven't needed those files, sorry.

 

[vma]

Thats ok!

First I thought that a meter with the "COVERAGE" option would have the Signal Monitoring menu item available and this would automatically use a compatible GPS receiver connected.

I went to lengths (and it was not cheap) to get me such GPS receiver (100% identical to what pictures show with the HD Ranger), but it is not recognized.

My analyzing bits of the FW I now understand that GPS is indeed an option that needs to be activated on the meter. It is not enough to just attach the GPS receiver.

 

[vma]

Hi,

Here some feedback:

In my many attempts, I stumbled upon the hidden Service Mode. if you care/dare to test it: Press and hold the FOLDER button to open the settings menu.
Now press and hold the F3 key until a message pops up saying you activated the service mode.
Press and hold F3 again to deactivate the service mode.

What the service mode does is to provide a new item in TOOLS: Service Mode. Here you can see all kinds of info on your device. Take care to not change anything. Interesting that there is a full log of everything that happend so far!

Regards,
Vitor

 

[John]

Promax owners - with service mode selected i found also by pressing the 'Advanced' option that a 'Video Filter' setting becomes available.

 

[vma]

Cool!

As an update of my findings:

1) I have so far not been able to activate Echoes, MEROGRAM and MERVSCARRIER. I have patched the binary and these menu items show, however they are greyed out and the tool tip says that the signal is not compatible, despite having turned on these measurements in the DVB-T.xml configuration file. There must be something else going on, as I doubt that my tuner and demodulators are simply not capable of providing these measurements.

2) I have patched the binary and now I have an extra menu item under Tools with the name "GPS Status". It will open and shows a list for received satellites, the round diagram and fields for LAT, LONG, TIME, etc. Unfortunately, the Promax will not recognize my Haicom HI 204-III USB receiver. I am desperatly waiting for a second hand Haicom HI 204-III PS/2 receiver, which has a PS/2-USB converter as an accessory. I wonder if this will work. But postal services are slow these days...

3) The way options are activated seems quite complex. During the FW upgrade, XML files with configuration and options for the many Promax HD Ranger models are uploaded. These get processed during the upgrade and apparently a magic EQUIP.XML file is updated, which contains the serial number and all active options. I have so far not found a way to access and edit this file. Messing with it is a huge risk, as I imagine that corrupting it will make the device fail to work normally.

I have been studying the binary in a decompiler, but I am simulateously learning how to use it and how to read ARM assembly and pseud-code generated by the decompiler. All of this is very interesting.

Conclusion:

a) I do have successfully activated the SPECTROGRAM measurement
b) I am waiting to see if the new incoming GPS receiver is recognized or not

Regards,
Vitor

 

[vma]

Promax owners - with service mode selected i found also by pressing the 'Advanced' option that a 'Video Filter' setting becomes available.

Just checked it myself now - I did not notice it before!
This setting is actually quite interesting, as it corresponds to the Video Bandwidth setting of spectrum analysers.
A short explanation here: What is Video Bandwidth? - everything RF
This makes the spectrum analyser mode of the HD Ranger series quite powerful, as it includes RBW and VBW like any regular spectrum analyser.

Among my collection of field meter, I have to say that the Promax HD Ranger series is quite impressive, both function- and performance-wise.

It is the only device in my collection that will for instance show the HbbTV URL (Hybrid broadcast broadband TV - HbbTV) of any channel supporting it. I think that newer Promax field meter equipped with Ethernet allow to actually show HbbTV on the device itself.

 

[John]

Just checked it myself now - I did not notice it before!
This setting is actually quite interesting, as it corresponds to the Video Bandwidth setting of spectrum analysers.
A short explanation here: What is Video Bandwidth? - everything RF
This makes the spectrum analyser mode of the HD Ranger series quite powerful, as it includes RBW and VBW like any regular spectrum analyser.

Among my collection of field meter, I have to say that the Promax HD Ranger series is quite impressive, both function- and performance-wise.

It is the only device in my collection that will for instance show the HbbTV URL (Hybrid broadcast broadband TV - HbbTV) of any channel supporting it. I think that newer Promax field meter equipped with Ethernet allow to actually show HbbTV on the device itself.

.. Agreed Vitor, i would hate to be without my machine now

 

[vma]

Update:

I finally figured out how to activate the options through patching the binary.

Unfortunately, Echoes, Merogram and MerVSCarrier do not work. I now believe this is due to lack of capabilities of the built-in tuner and demodulator.

Regarding the GPS, a day has passed and the GPS receiver has not arrived, yet. So I need to wait.

But I was successful in activating a new option: Cable Measurement! This enables TILT/SCAN measurements. I don't know if the HD Ranger+ has this option as standard - my HD Ranger 50 SE did not.

Now I need to tidy everything up, deactivating the non-working options again.

Cheers,
Vitor

 

[vma]

Update: Today the other GPS receiver finally arrived. This is a second hand unit I got for little money. It is a Haicom HI-204S with PS/2 connector and optional PS/2-USB converter. I was hoping that this one would be recognized by the Promax HD Ranger 50 SE, but again the message was "UNSUPPORTED USB". Checking the VID and PID, this one has the same as all other Prolific RS232 to USB converters, despite being a different chip version (HXA).
My suspicion is that Promax uses a custom VID/PID for the GPS receiver.