Booting My Clone 800HD - Error Message in LCD Panel

[dibbers]

Good morning,

Got me dream 800 HD clone yesterday and shot off home to flash "black hole" to it via null modem cable and dream up, how ever when i had the null modem cable plugged in and then switched on the dream i noticed that the LCD display panel showed "error" (see picture) so i panicked and thought "ah bollix I'm going to have to send this thing back to china"

Any way i then managed to flash the "black hole" image using the button on the front of the machine so switched it on and held the power button on the front until i seen the word *stop* and then got the IP address and in I.E put the IP address in and got the "upgrade firmware" page, all went well.

How ever this morning i have been having a play with it, last night i told it to power down which it has and then this morning when i restarted it, i just see the word "error" so after many attempts to get it to boot it would not do any thing other than show me the error message.

After un-plugging everything DVI and Ethernet etc and trying in vain it's booted back up and running fine, it hangs on sat find, which is the least of my worries at the minute, what you guys think?

is this a common problem with the clones and booting? any one else got any ideas, send back to China, all though i am very reluctant to do so, maybe just learn to live with it?

What you think?

Thanks

 

[gsmtech]

Which Black Hole image did you flash ? post the image name and version. It's possible you've flashed an old image which doesnt have the correct drivers for your particular tuner.
If you want to use Blackhole DreamElite BH Phoenix Edition 2 is the most up to date version of a BH image and includes newer drivers.

The recommneded flash method is via the web browser by initiating ***STOP*** mode , DreamUP is really only required for disaster recovery if you flash the wrong bootloader.

 

[dibbers]

Thanks for that bud, this is the image that i downloaded

"sim201-SS82-dreamelite-133dv3-dm800-13052011-PHOENIX edition 2"

Although many dreamelite and blackhole variants appear after this image,but no one superior to this old image
dreamelite-phoenix edition 2 now with latest drivers, sim201 ssl82 and TSpanel
based on dreamelite 1.33d phoenix edition 1 by prz italy team-Thanks to them for this excellent image"

I didn't know about that web GUI flash until after the failed attempts of booting with the null modem, but that was the same error so some thing's telling me that it may either be the box, maybe i could try it with the new HDD removed from it see if that's causing any errors or maybe flash another image?

Thanks

 

[gsmtech]

Intresting, yeah maybe first try with hard disc disconnected. Dont think this will cause an issue though, I have moved between Gemini, DreamElite, OpenPLI images and never had to disconenct or reformat hard disc etc..all images have reconginsed the hard disc and the saved films on there.
Failing that maybe flash a different image, if you still get the problem, then make sure the SIM card is properly seated in it's holder, sometimes they lift a bit and dont make full contact with the reading pins. Could also resat the tuner, or try booting without the tuner, also check the modem card back left hand sire of the box, check it is seated correctly I accidentally knocked the modem card once while installing a intenal hard disc and box wouldnt boot, because modem wasnt seated properly.
If you happen to have a spare PSU around, thats worth a go as well, just in case thats causing the issue. Most clones come with Gemini pre-installed did you test the original image ? i.e: was the box booting correctly and scanning channels etc withe the Gemini image ? If it was then the problem has been introduced by flashing a different image, and or adding a hard disc. If it the Gemini image wasnt working either you could well have a hardware issue.

 

[dibbers]

Intresting, yeah maybe first try with hard disc disconnected. Dont think this will cause an issue though, I have moved between Gemini, DreamElite, OpenPLI images and never had to disconenct or reformat hard disc etc..all images have reconginsed the hard disc and the saved films on there.

I'll try removing the hard drive from it and see what happens when booting - it was a brand new 320 gig HDD drive - it's foudn OK and intialised etc recording working.


Failing that maybe flash a different image.

Can you post a link at all or recomend one please? (i'm a bit weiry of the clone safe ones)

if you still get the problem, then make sure the SIM card is properly seated in it's holder sometimes they lift a bit and dont make full contact with the reading pins.

Oh a Simm card, i didn't know they had one fitted? will check where it is when i get home.

Could also resat the tuner, or try booting without the tuner, also check the modem card back left hand sire of the box, check it is seated correctly I accidentally knocked the modem card once while installing a intenal hard disc and box wouldnt boot, because modem wasnt seated properly.

I'll also try this when i get home today.

If you happen to have a spare PSU around, thats worth a go as well, just in case thats causing the issue.

Will get the voltage meter out and make sure it's giving correct voltage/amps etc.

Most clones come with Gemini pre-installed did you test the original image ? i.e: was the box booting correctly and scanning channels etc withe the Gemini image ?


The 1st time i booted it up the Gemini image booted up but didn't have a sat feed into it and then that's when i decided that i'd just go ahead and flash with the new image as didn't want to go through all the settings etc to then re-flash and re-scan etc.


If it was then the problem has been introduced by flashing a different image, and or adding a hard disc. If it the Gemini image wasnt working either you could well have a hardware issue.


Wish i had of tested it now rather than piled in with flashing the new image.......dang it

 

[dibbers]

Ok guys the results are in....it's the Hard Drive.

When ever the HDD is plugged into the Dream the i get the "boot error message" that you see above.

I've removed the HDD (well un-plugged it) and it boots all the time, much quicker as well than what it does with that hard drive in it.

Checked Simm and that has a blob of glue on it so that can't budge and also the tuner is well sitted, any way note to everyone that's getting a dream don't get that type of hard drive.

Any one want to buy a 320 GIG sata drive dang it.

I'm wondering if there's a limit to the size of HDD that you can put in these machines and of course me being me went for the biggest that i could get my hands on!

Looks like

A) i'll have to try another HDD drive.
B) maybe use a usb one for recordings? it'll also keep the temps down as this thing is boiling (ordered a notebook cooler)

I'm wondering if excess heat from the HDD and the Dream is causing failure, might leave the lid of it with a fan blowing on the HDD and see what heppens then?

 

[gsmtech]

It's not the make and size of the hard disc thats causing the issue. I have 2 DM800HD PRO clones both with 500 GB Samsung Spinoint drives, they work fine. The cooling is a good idea with the laptop cooler, as the internal fan in clones is too small, doubt it moves much air. But I dont think heat is your problem either.
If you have a spare hard disc handy might be worth, a try... I still think a test with a different power supply is worth a go as well.

 

[dibbers]

Thanks bud your spot on, was just about to write "*scratch above*" all this and it must have been some sort of kink in the sata lead as once I've reseated it then it's worked fine, i have removed the internal sata connector that connects the back sata port to the mb as this is now not needed and allows a little more free space for the cable now to sit in, yeah the little fan is a little noisy i must admit so think I'll be seeing how well the notebook cooler makes it and might disable the little on board fan all together, how ever i am happy! we (me) have a working dream 800 as you can image like all of us when we get a new toy and it gives un-expected errors we all start to panick!

Right off to sort the ccam out, love the image and the box though, haven't been in the scene in like 6 months and god how a lot has changed!

 

[gsmtech]

Good stuff, glad your sorted and it's not a hardware issue ! CCCam you can auto download and install from the built in downlaod serve in the image.

 

[dibbers]

thanks man, of course you new it was never going to be easy with me around, all i get is "sorry connection error" reading on the net it looks as though the dream servers have been gone for ages, so therfore can't download Cams, if i'm reading it correctly, dang it! looks like i'm going to need a new image !?


Got any ideas mate, the image that's on is black hole dreamelite 1.33d V3 sim 2.01

 

[dibbers]

just seen your post matey "OpenPLi-2.0-beta-dm800-20110620-sim201-ssl82 build from source" so grabbing that now and going to start again!