Considering ViX4E2PROJECT build for latest Zgemma range

[Lavaman]

We've been in talks again recently with the manufacturers of Zgemma about me producing a ViX4E2PROJECT build for the current latest range (7362 based receivers - sorry no support for older chipset models)... I have an H.2S receiver here to do some of my own tests on but I though if I am going to consdier this then it's probably a good idea to ask those of you that already own them if there are any specific issues I should be looking at from existing groups firmware, especially those from OE-Alliance based backgrounds?

I have seen quite a bit of mention of some issue with CrossEPG and latest OE-Alliance based images, is that something worth looking at perhaps, what is the issue here exactly? Anything else especially that I might want to look at?

Be interested in hearing from exissting owners on this one if possible so I can decide how to best move forward with this and see if anyone would actually be intersted in an official ViX4E2PROJECT release with continued support, perhaps OpenATV and the un-offical OpenViX builds are already enough so ViX4E2PROJECT is not really needed, thoughts please and thanks for your time

 

[Ferret]

Tested and tweaked Crossepg by ketmp

https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/index.php?resources/4261/

If you use it please give credits.

 

[Lavaman]

That's what I'd seen reference to on here but that's for the older Star range of receivers right because it mentions slower receivers? So there's no issue with CrossEPG and the later 7362 based range right?

I've already built my own test build of ViX4E2PROJECT on the H.2S and did have a small issue with CrossEPG hanging when using OpenTV providers but I've changed some things in the bitbake recipe (as needed with one or two other makes/models - it's not just Zgemma) along with a few other more cosmetic things and then re-built and all tests fine, it's built from the OE-Alliance CrossEPG source the same as all my other releases so I presume that might have been the the issue being mentioned before, I don't need to look for anything else with CrossEPG and issues right?

 

[Ferret]

That's what I'd seen reference to on here but that's for the older Star range of receivers right because it mentions slower receivers? So there's no issue with CrossEPG and the later 7362 based range right?

I've already built my own test build of ViX4E2PROJECT on the H.2S and did have a small issue with CrossEPG hanging when using OpenTV providers but I've changed some things in the bitbake recipe (as needed with one or two other makes/models - it's not just Zgemma) along with a few other more cosmetic things and then re-built and all tests fine, it's built from the OE-Alliance CrossEPG source the same as all my other releases so I presume that might have been the the issue being mentioned before, I don't need to look for anything else with CrossEPG and issues right?

Wait for others replies mate. Im in the dark i dont have a dual processor Zgemma.

Im sure youll get some help your previous images seemed well received. Youll have a few fans for sure.

 

[dsayers]

the crossepg issue is on later vix images for some reasone it gets stuck on loading on my h2h (eaven though it was fine on vix3.2) so i use croosepg 0.6.2 ill try the one uploaded on this post

 

[dsayers]

The one in post 2 works. With regards to vix4e2 illd give it a shot I did try it on my 2s last year but wasn't that keen on it

 

[Lavaman]

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I've found a few things which either don't work or are wrong on other releases now such as:

CrossEPG 0.8.1 (All(?) OE-Alliance based releases)
Found the issue here in sources and corrected this (tested OK)

SD Card Detection in Information Devices menu (OpenATV 5.3)
Had the same issue in my test ViX4 builds so corrected this (tested OK)

SD Card Mount Manager and Initialisation don't work full stop! (OpenViX un-offical)
Had the same here, no big surprise a lot of my source is based on OpenViX and this simply doesn't have support for SD cards right now. Have added this in so now Initialise (format) and mount all fully work (tested OK)

Extra A/V output options that don't exist in model (OpenPLi 4)
Gives an option of YPbPr on Setup Wizard and in A/V menu which doesn't exist on this range, should be HDMI and RCA only. Correct this (tested OK)

I've tested most everything I normally would now, have all the above fully working on my ViX4 test builds and the usual other things that are built in. Will do some further tested over the next week or so and all being well will look to go with release on this one some time soon.

Again thanks for feedback so far, if there is anything else anyone thinks on not already covered then please feel free to let me know.

 

[dsayers]

with vix4e2 would it support ota updates if not would the ota option be removed?

 

[Lavaman]

This is something that was purposely removed by me right from the start because it's prone to give issues with one thing or another, it works a little better in images that are updated nightly but really doesn't suit ones which are not so it was removed from the start which means no annoying flashing icon on screen to keep reminding you of an update, no getting caught in a loop with a notice of an update that just doesn't exist and worst of all no causing the receiver to not boot at all because of a major update (more common after a kernel update for example) - So that's all removed and nothing to worry about - Note: THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN NOT DOWNLOAD/FLASH FIRMWARE ONLINE - You can and without leaving your seat and indeed doing things this way should be perfectly safe (or as safe as it gets) without causing your receiver to no longer boot! I have also already tested this with SD card as well, so the armchair flash works well and even from SD card, something else I found wasn't working in OpenATV right now, at least not when I tried last night.

 

[dsayers]

Good i dont like ota updates i always do a manual flash if i think anything needs updating. Ill be definitely trying it if you want any beta testers give me a shout im always happy to try new things on my box thats what makes it more fun. I take it you will be using abm i do my personal hacks to abm so would like to test it on other images.

There is a bug with the openvix custom epg plugin on images above vix4.1.010 that causes crashes when going to trashcan from what ive read its due to vix changing the UsageConfig.py would this be something you could look into if not i understand

 

[Lavaman]

There is a bug with the openvix custom epg plugin on images above vix4.1.010 that causes crashes when going to trashcan from what ive read its due to vix changing the UsageConfig.py would this be something you could look into if not i understand

I would guess the same problem won't be there on ViX4E2PROJECT if that's a fairly recent change because the original source was based off OpenViX but I've largely gone my own way since then... If you can explain exactly though what I need to do to replicate this problem then I'll sure have a look over the weekend, this is on OpenViX on the un-offical release for Zgemma H.2S right?

 

[dsayers]

For the h2h but can be used on any box using vix with this plugin https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/eur...4-download-openvix-custom-epg.html?highlight= after vix4.1.010 going to trashcan or timeshift settings I had reboot errors

 

[Lavaman]

Ahhhh OK it's related to the Custom EPG, yes with you. I've had that built into ViX4E2PROJECT as standard now for quite some time, it's part of my ViX4 source rather than added afterwards and as I say been in there for quite some time now and defiantly no reports of issues with trashcan or timeshift so for ViX4 this won't be a problem I'm sure.

 

[gsmtech]

My own opinion on this is that end users are safer and better off sticking with one of the officially supported images such as openATV.

The Vix4e2 project images were good stable images I used one for a while in the past, but the danger with images tied to commercial entities or interests are that it only takes something like a fallout between the manufacturer and commercial entity to mean image support is dropped, development discontinued, feeds taken offline so package updates/plugin installs gone... This is the scenario of what happened with the previous vix4e2 Zgemma images...the end users left high and dry...sure the image still continued working but there was no support or updates available.

Where's the guarantee that this wont happen again ? Thats why using officially open source supported images is the safer route.

 

[Lavaman]

No one is forced to use any image, if you'd rather not then no problem to me.

Anyway I have finished testing with the Zgemma H.2S ViX4E2PROJECT release and will be posting here in a few mins, for those that want to give it a try then please do, for those that don't then no problem.

 

[Lavaman]

It's now available to download from this forum HERE.