₦airaland Forum

Toxnaija,

Really sorry, about last night, i had clicked on the reply button when i had to go out and attend to a client, when i got back, my network providers had switched off their router so i couldn't mail you or reply and i didn't have your no. so i couldn't call you. but no problem, just a little lost time that's all, we'll get right on with the CCW keys business as soon as possible.
On the issue of the patch, the patch for mine and that for yours are slightly different, so i don't think it will work for yours (not unless u want to experiment), but the original patch Adewest made mention of, the 1.71p patch for the 4651-4x series of strong should do the job just fine, i think. i got mine from this site hxxp://wizkid.persiangig.com/, and that is where i have been downloading all my strong patches from ever since Bodejohen pointed out that site for us a while back. i have not experienced any problem with their patches, just make sure you download it completely without any break in the download process, and extract it from the zip file cleanly also. i think the biggest problem to loading patches in this environment is with the use of substandard flash drives, that was what messed up the patch for my ALI clone, those flash drives do not handle multiple write on very well, and also do badly with large files (files > 1mb), so if you are going to use a flash drive, make sure it is a good one, format it to make sure there is no other file inside, load the flash onto it, and load another file e,g a softcam which u can always open up to confirm if it was properly written onto the flash drive (remove the flash and reinsert it first before checking the softcam), if all is well, you can then load the flash, (for your own sake, make sure you are using a generator or your receiver is connected to a UPS before you begin the software upgrade). all the best.

PS: My internet connxion is pretty slow so it's going to take me forever to upload it to a message as an attachment for you. sorry about that.

All,

One good thing about these new patches for strong receivers is that after loading the patch or a softcam for instance, and you press 6969 twice, it brings out a message bubble saying PATCH ON, after that, you do not need to press 6969 again everytime you switch on your receiver, the patch just goes to work immediately (note, if you do press 6969 twice again, it switches off the patch so that feature is now disabled.)
Another thing to note is that when you manually enter keys and you break the 32 key string to 16 each, the key ident digits, eg 02,06 08, that one would usually change by making it 12 or 52, 16 or 56, and 18 or 58, well, the decoder only seems to recognise the 5 digit and will not accept any other digit, for instance the current active keys for disney would have to have the key idents 02 and 52, so if you load a softcam and it doesn't open up the required channel, press 8282 and check the key ident and make the necessary changes and see.

F_Marshall,

Too bad about that satellite, why is it that we can't ever do something right in this country, even though insurance will cover it, why should it even go bad in the first place, without even doing any work.
This info brings into sharp focus and issue that i and some of my friends have been arguing about recently, and that is the fact that products designed and manufactured in the NEO-Industrialized countries i.e China, India, Taiwan, e.t.c, are generally unreliable and have dodgy quality than those which were designed by western companies and manufactured in the east. those guys might be very good at cloning, but if you buy something they designed from scratch you are just giving yourself a lot of headaches. They pay less attention to details and generally find ways to cut corners, though their products may be much more affordable, but the truth is, if you want something that would require longevity, you might as well pay the extra cost for a western design.
But then again, that is my own opinion.

Ecowas4All:
@Figment232
Na Wah for these Canal Horizon People. I picked their phone number from the internet and called them in France. You won't believe what i was told.
We don't sell to these parts the lady at the other end intimated. I thought i was dreaming. They must be very wealthy to not want our money. This was for Ghana though, maybe Naija would be different.

Actually, i am pretty sure they would kill for our money, just imagine if they could break into the nigerian market, the no. of people they would get would probably double whatever it is they are getting at they moment because of the sheer population of the country, however their official position would have to be that THEY DO NOT SELL OUTSIDE OF THEIR TARGET/PERMITTED AREAS (for want of a better word).
These countries usually pay for programs with the intention of broadcasting it to specified areas, take the prem league for instance, if canal horizon shoudl acquire the rights to broadcast the matches, they would have done so because they told the prem league people that they want to broadcast it to the francophone w/african countries, so even though their beam covers Nigeria and Ghana, we are not their intended market and therefore they dare not sell their services in this country if not HITV can sue them from here to heaven and back. but that does not preclude them from making it available in these countries unofficially, just ask around and you will definitely find someone who has access to them. (I am not saying they broadcast the prem league though, just giving an example).

I think Enigma made a similar point recently with Showtime and ART packages, who will never admit that their beam does reach this area because of issues that have to do with sponsorship and broadcasting rights. But i know several individuals who are currently using their cards here in Nigeria, (Even though They are encroaching on DSTV's territory, but you can never fault them cos they cards are not sold in Nigeria officially).

Enitan,

Since you can't demolish you neighbours building, your best bet will be to rise above it (literally). Is it a motorised 1.8m dish you want to install? Technically, u could mount a stout pole on the ground, (you would have to make it very firm), such a pole should tall enough to give you enough clearance from the obstructions around you, that is the sort of dish mount we have in Makurdi (ours is only about 3 - 4 feet high though) but the truth is to mount a pole that will successfully clear a storey building is not a small feat, and after doing that, you will need a scaffold which is equally as tall so you can stand on it and adjust your LNB. if your dish were stationary, it just might be feasible, but for a motorized, well, cos no matter what you do, some areas will still be blocked off. another thing is your pictures do not really give me a good idea of the distance between the 2 surrounding buildings, so i don't know how to go about advicing you on how to beat their obstructive effect. wish we could get sort of like an aerial view (like in google maps ha ha ha).
Anyways, in this our world, we are constantly redefining the boundaries of impossible so i do wish you all the best.
I'll do a blind scan later today on Nss7 and see if anything new turns up.

All, does anyone have keys which are currently working for jsc sports?

Adewest,

Thanks for the head's up, it does seem like the more recent patches for strong receivers might just be able to allow one open jsc sports after all. searched out the latest patch for the 4663X (1.07p, dated 22/10/08) and (with both fingers and all my toes crossed and my heart in my mouth) loaded it via USB onto the receiver, and after it rebooted, i pressed the 8282 key and got to the key edit menu, and behold, there really was space for constant control word (CCW) keys. Too bad i didn't have the latest keys for jsc sports, i would have tried it out right away, but it's nice to know the strong receiver can handle it. now i guess all that's missing in the strong receivers is card sharing facilities and provision for HD support (though i do remember that in zaria, those commercial viewing centre guys found a way to achieve card sharing between units but i never really found out the details about that).

Strong 466+x series Users,

Another tip about the receiver, It is common knowledge that the PVR function allows you to record programs to watch on the receiver at a later time, you can also transfer such programs to laptop/desktop and watch it using VLC player at your own convenience. But i guess the really cool part of that PVR function is that it also makes it possible for you to watch your movies, gotten from say the internet, directly on you TV via the receiver. all you have to do is convert the movie from whatever its original format is to the .ts format, and the audio to mp2 format which the receiver recognises.
Technically, it isn't so so simple, but it is not too difficult either,  I am currently using Total Video Converter v3.12 to convert my avi movies to .ts format, and i have achieved some success. the video and audio play as clearly as the original but there are still some glitches in the conversion process which manifests as repeated pauses in the playback. this is because i have hit the right conversion settings yet, but i am still working on it (actually started last night and was able to convert movies from .mov, .avi and .wmv formats to .ts and get them to play). if i make any headway i'll let you guys know.

PS: Anyone who has already achieved 'perfect' playback should let me know.

Badaru,

If that is really how you look in real life (talking about your picture on your profile page) then you are without a doubt the most handsome person on this thread (if not on the entire nilesat), no wonder u sabi this satellite business well well. one thing i can say for sure, you obviously don't need to worry about chics liking you (ha ha ha).
Actually, i was looking for your mail address, could you mail it to me? Thanks.

Pitodenz,

Actually, that would be like 22grand for the entire year, that comes to slightly less than 2 grand for a month. meaning its about half of HITV's subscription for a single channel.

Osef,

A 1.8m dish costs between N7500 to N10,000, depending on the type, in kaduna. haven't bought one in a while, but that i've asked in 2 different places and was told 8 and 9 respectively. but the type which is suitable for use with a motor costs at least 10grand.

Ojofree,

well, whether w3a is interesting or not depends on you, and what other options you have. if you have a chance of only one bird, i'm not sure i would go for w3a, cos even though msnbc is probably the best american bias news station available to us, the other channels are neither here nor there. go africa show some music videos and italian serie a matches, mbc 1and 2, and tvmalagasy show some champions league matches, occasionally u get some indian movies if you are into them, but generally, they are just channels to scan through when u have nothing doing.
but i would advice you go still give it a go, so you'll know you have also caught it by yourself.

Adewest,

I am currently using th new strong receiver, 4663x, the software you are talking about is for the 4651/53x series, but thanks anyway. i am a little wary of patches right now, but i just might give the 1.07 patch of the 4663x a try when i am feeling lucky.

Sammilo,

Lucky you, your location gives you better access to those european and mid-eastern satellites. yes the showtime packages would be scrambled, no public keys available at this time, but about being weak, i don't know, your 1.8m dish should be enough to get your hotbird and nilesat signals for you (i think). but maybe you need to tweak up your dish a little again.

about the best lnb, i myself have been search for one which is really good, but for practical purposes, look for one that has a low noise ratio, for example, the supermax i use has a 0.5db noise ratio, but there are those with 0.3 and 0.2 respectively. i once saw an advert for a 0.1db lnb but have not seen one in the market. the favourite lnb for enthusiasts here in nigeria is the fuji lnb, i don't have one so i don't know much about it, but most people sing its praise. a good lnb may be the difference between whether you receive a signal or not.

About receivers, the strong decoders are the most popular here in nigeria, but not necessarily the best. it is easy to use, and is very good for tracking satellites, and has a lot of support. but it also has it's down sides, such as the fact that you have to press 6969 twice after inputting keys to open up locked channels, it does not do well with dcw keys (keys for jsc sports), and it does not have card sharing facilities. there are other good decoder out there, technomate and humax are pretty good but high end (that is why the strong is popular here, it is made in china and hence cost a lot less than the original UK made strong decoders). your eurostar should have an ALI processor inside it, if you have time, you could open it up and check the type just to confirm. the Ali decoders are also very good and have good support.

but about not being able to get good signals from hotbird, i don't have experience about hotbird yet, maybe Enigma (who has good european and North African experience) or Badaru could be of help to you, but for all sats, there is a freq that has the highest signal strenght which is used to track the bird before you can then fine tune it, you could search online, maybe you'll be able to find out what that freq is and then move on from there. all the best.

Thocs,

I don't live in Akure but i can tell you, without a doubt u need a dish bigger than your current 1.8m dish to receive Nilesat without any signal hassles. your 1.8m dish might get u a few channels sometimes, but the truth is southern nigeria will require a dish of at least 2.4m to pull in some of the really premium channels because their signal level reduces as you go further down.
Please note: A couple of installers on this thread believe it is possible to receive nilesat with a 1.8m dish in Lagos, and these are people with proven abilities when it comes to installation, but it is still something they are yet to demonstrate to the house (and this is not because they can't but because they haven't yet given it a try). so if you want hassle-free nilesat, 2.4m is your best bet.

Sammilo,

there is something really important you forgot to tell us, what is your dish size.
Oh and also where exactly are you located at the moment. Hotbird is a european bird and hence you need a pretty big dish (at least 2.4m) to receive some of it's TPs, so again i ask, what is the size of your dish?

Hi all,

Had to buy the new strong decoder and because of the US elections, also, i hadn't been able to get w3a after an initial failed trial, but i figured last night would be a good time to do it, so that i would be able to follow MSNBC along with bbc, cnn and aljazeera, well surprisingly, it took me less than 10mins, i guess i really did miss the ease of tracking the strong decoder provides (or was it that i was just used to it). sha, now i have the standard three LNB setup of Nilesat, NSS7 and eutelsat w3a on a 1.8m dish once again.
About the new strong, i guess it's okay, the PVR function increases it's value, and the patch present on it is fairly recent cos i entered the keys for disney and it opened (still requires that annoying 6969 though), which means no need to apply a patch any time soon.
but it saves it's recording in .ts format which is not a common file format, i intend to search for a media player which might be able to decoder/convert that file format so one can record from d receiver and playback on a PC. also the blind scan function is still a bit dodgy, cos it didn't bring out TV Miramar after a blind scan of w3a.
by the way, does anyone receive ariane tv?

All,

I had some problems with my network connection, so i went off the air for a while. thanks for your various inputs though, the US elections were just around the corner and i couldn't keep on waiting again, so i went and got one of the new strong 4663X, and i have been using it since then.

F_Marshall,
i don't think it is from the COM port, cos i have tried 3 different desktops, and 2 laptops, one of the laptops didn't have a dedicated com port, so i used a USB to serial converter and from there, to a laptop, still didn't get any response from the receiver.

Fasone,

I thot that might help, problem is that I cannot find anyone out there who has the same or even a similar receiver, just for the heck of it, i tried connecting my strong to it, just to see if a data transfer would be possible, even if it would end up worsening my prob, but nothing doing. i will leave it aside for a while and see, while trying out other alternatives. thanks for all your input though.

Sylvie,

1. Congrats, at least you made some headway, at least now you know it is not impossible.
2. Please, if you no mind, try edit your post, remove the vulgarity, it is not necessary to communicate your frustration, we can still understand.
3. Mbc persia? I dey jealous!!!
4.When you say you made a hole, where exactly? if you can take a picture of it so we can see. there is no need to spoil the surface of your dish to allow rain water flow off, but maybe if you post a picture, we can be able to help out. but you could also put a tape or something over the hole and seee if that is what is reducing your signals, or maybe you still need to do some tinkering with the position of the dish.
5. I still feel you can get much better signal levels than what you are getting at the moment. after you got the 10758 TP, did you move over to BBC and readjust the dish as i suggested? you might still need to move it a bit up or down, left or right, just to see which position you can get the most out of nilesat101. remember, it is not exactly the same for AB4.

captainus:
@ Gangsta101, Enigma

I got the key to KBS World(Intel 7/10@ 68.5 c band). However  when I input the keys manually, it would not open the channel;though when I input the keys to AflamTV(W6) it worked.Could it be that my receiver(4653X) was not fully patched?

Since you have a set of keys that are working properly on the same decoder, then it is no longer a question of whether your decoder is fully patched, but whether the keys are still working. is there anyone else you know for whom the keys are currently working? if they are then it wouldn't be a bad idea to try patching it again with a newer file.

Captainus,

Let me fill in for Enigma if I may, the strong decoder uses Hexadecimal keys so you do not have to try and enter the dec keys, just the hex ones. the dec keys are usually arranged in clusters of three, up to eight in a row and consist entirely of numbers, while the hex keys are clustered in twos, up to eight in a row and consist of both alphabets and numbers (alphanumerics). but essentially, they are both the same, just the same numbers in different bases. so since your decoder uses only hex, those are the keys you have to enter (BISS and otherwise).
But if you only got the dec keys then you can convert them to hex using a scientific calculator or hex-dec converters, you can google them and see.

Enigma,

Thanks for your input, its about time i got another decoder anyway, though i'll still keep trying out different things sha. Yesterday, i tried using a 'Serial-to-SCART' connection by taking a cable from pin 2 of the serial to pin 12 of the SCART, and from pin 3 to 10, and finally Pin 5 to the 'ground' of the SCART, but it still wouldn't connect, that receiver is just being unnecessarily stubborn, but i'll keep hammering at it, and gaining some knowlege along the way.

Enigma:
@fasone
This can only mean that the receiver was patched at some point. Original software that will come with the receiver on manufacture will not allow keys to be put in or things like 8282. Having said that, I notice that most Strong receivers in Naija are patched and I have been wondering what kind of arrangement exists between the manufacturer and distributors to achieve this.

About Strong decoders being pre-patched before getting to the customer, it is indeed strange, because, it doesn't seem to be a "Full Patch" (for want of a better explanation). Because if you buy a brand new straight-out-of-the-box strong 4651X, you would be able to type in 8282 and 8280 to bring out the different key menus, and (i think), you can press 6969 on ETV (intelsat 7/10) and get it to open. but however, if you input the showtime/ART keys manually (or even via a softcam), it wouldn't open them. you would have to then patch it properly to open showtime/ART. Maybe like you said, the initial software loaded onto it (probably patched for this region), would have been too old by that time.

Ceejay,

Is it the blind scanning you need help with? its been a while since i used the strong decoder but if i remember correctly, to access it , u press the menu button on the remote, go to installation, and scroll down, u will see it among the options, press on it, it will show you the satellite list, select the one you want to blindscan and go on from there. like i said, i can't remember exactly how it is, but it is pretty easy.
i didn't really appreciate the blindscan option on the strong x series decoders, they didn't always bring in New TPs, sometimes you have to enter them manually. i remember it wouldn't bring in RDV, and the STV channels on Nss7 and Go Africa on w3a, but it is still useful though.

Mr. Gem.

yes, Pitodenz is right, the most likely thing is that, sometime during the movement from one dish to another, you didn't properly secure the F-connectors to either the lnb or the receivers input, and there were wires touching somewhere, that must have caused the signal IC to burn, which is probably causing all sorts of power issues for you now. you do have to take it to a repairer (I think).

Fasone,

An unpatched decoder would still do all of the above (maybe except for the MYTV logo, i don't know if MYTV supplied any 4652's to this region). the best way to find out is to patch it again, look for someone that has an already patched decoder and do a firmware transfer from that one. (you could also transfer using serial cable but it is more prone to errors that STB-to-STB transfer, I should know).
Please note, don't try to upgrade using NEPA power oh!!! (Not unless you are guaranteed steady light).

Fasone,

Did u patch those 4652 at any time in the past? keys don't work on strong decoders with official software. (don't know about the new models though.) but if you have patched them before and they still don't work, try loading a patch from the web via rs232 cable or from another decoder that currently opens disney (4652 that is).

Sylvie11,

How did your installation go yesterday, any luck?

salamander:
@gangsta

Do you get Eurobird2 @25.5 in Lagos? If yes, with what dish size?

sorry Salamander, i think the query should have been directed to Badaru, he is the one that posted something wrt eurobird. also i live in Kaduna state, in the north. but i am also interested in the answer though.

Enigma,

this is getting a lot more difficult, i've changed cables, changed computers, and just about everything i can, i've reconfigured the com ports, tried different loaders and ever hyperterminal, the system just won't recognise the receiver (this has been the same even before i loaded that patch that was damaged).
I even opened it up and checked the terminals of the serial port just to make sure it was properly soldered on, cos i read somewhere that could also be a reason why windows might not "see" the receiver, but still no luck. i am fast running out of ideas, and the US presidential elections are just around the corner. Any ideas?

Sylvie,

I'm glad it is the 4652 strong you are using, it shows the signal strenght and levels exactly as they are and therefore gives you a much better response to their changes than the x series decoder which have a persistently high signal level and only the strenght varies (or is it the other way round, i can't remember). Tracking with the x series decoders can be disheartening, and requires a lot more patience.

About the Lnb skew, if you stand facing the dish (assuming it is facing you directly), Imagine two lines, one vertical and the other horizontal cutting across the plane of the LNB, if we take 0 degree to be the line extending downwards from the lnb, then the part of the Lnb from which the f-connector attaches, should be located around 22.5 to 45 degrees to your right from the 0 degree line, but it could also work if you take it to exactly opposite those points )i.e 112.5 to 135 degrees leftwards from the zero point i described above. (the left and right i refer to are your own left and right, not that of the dish) you can confirm this by trying it out with NSS7 first. my lnb skew for both nilesat and nss 7 are similar. (they may be different for your area, that is why i gave a range.)

Please note that if and when you do receive the first TP, you still and you adjust your dish in a way you that you are able to receive some other TPs, the skew end up being somewhat different from that of the first TP, i think this is because they are from different birds. what i do when tracking nilesat is after getting the first TP, i try adjusting the lnb until the signal for the first tp is above 75%, by which time that of BBCworld 11766H27500 should have appeared, i would then continue adjusting the dish and LNB positions using this freq until it gets to its maximum, then i would then go over to the CNN tp 12073H27500 and see if i can also get a better signal level from that one, but one thing at a time, first look for the first tp 10758v27500

Chidi,

apart from your location, we also need the size of dish you are currently using. because c-band signals require very large dishes, at least 1.8m for you to receive them. there are several satellites that have both ku and c-band broadcast, Nss7 at 22 degree west, and intelsat 7/10 at 68degree east. i think badr sat also but i am not so sure. so if your dish is going to be stationary, i would suggest intelsat 7/10. but if you have not bought a dish already, and you have money to spare, why not make your setup a motorized 1.8m or even 2.4m dish, you will enjoy FTA even more.

Enitan,

Yes, i do agree with you that no matter the size of your dish, there are still some satellites one will not be able to catch. My emphasis has always been on Hotbird, i have studied their map on lyngsat, and i believe on should be able to get a good enough reception with a 4M dish, but then again that is just my opinion. about using the site dishpointer, i don't know how they caliberated their site, but it doesn't always give you reliable values for dish sizes, and in most cases just tells you that you are outside the footprint. but if i remember well, Enigma once posted a link about a guy in Brazil who was able to receive some freqs on i think Hotbird with a 6m dish (or was it 8m, i can't remember now). If he can do it in Brazil, i think i should be able to do it in Nigeria (yes, i know it doesn't always follow, i still remember that obnelly receives MBC persia in Ibadan  and i can't receive it here in Kaduna).

Sylvie11,

Man, I understand your predicament, once that Nilesat bird starts with you, you will wish you never ever heard of it, but to receiver Nilesat, what you need is patience (which i see you have a lot of) and some guidance. since you have tracked Nss7 before, it gives you a good idea of where Nilesat should be. what i usually do is that i define where my south pole should be and use it as my outermost margin, then i use use NSS7 as the western-most margin, i draw some lines on the floor to delineate those, then i try to mark out a 10 degree chord between those 2 points where i feel Nilesat should fall into, and then concentrate most of my time on that arc. please note, after you get Nss7 you must take it to the weakest freq (not GTV sha), and then tweak your LNB so you are getting the best possible signal before you start trying out Nilesat. you start from where you got Nss7, start moving the dish gradually southwards in minute degrees, for each small step you take southwards, change the elevation of the dish gradually from the horizontal level, up to face the skies and downwards again. you have to do this slowly while watching the TV (i believe you have knowledge of this before if not you wouldn't spend 5 hours under the sun) But there are certain key points you must note. first the tracking freq is 10758 v 27500, secondly, the lnb skew is very crucial, i wish i could describe it, it is similar to that of NSS7 though, but just in case, check up someone who is currently receiving Nilesat and see.

Chidi4u,

what is your dish size and location?

Ha ha, no probs. but i have tried doing everything within my limited knowledge but it just won't work. there is this fella that encountered a similar prob on this thread hxxp://www.sat-television.com/showthread.php?t=23947, so i know there is a precedent for fixing similar decoders, i also downloaded several loaders including one from iclass and another called 'upgrade 2.25', both of which should be able to load the software unto the decoder, but the problem is THE COMPUTER IS NOT 'SEEING' THE DECODER.. i have tried using all the com ports available, i even tried using a USB to serial cable out of the laptop and the using the rs232 cable between that output and the decoder but no luck. so either the fault is from the cable or there is something else i am not doing right. i am going to collect another cable today and try that one out, if that doesn't work, i'll try making a cable of my own and see. i'll definitely get back to you.

Enigma,

i have been trying something like that but with no luck. but there is something i need to clarify, you said 'Null modem' then RJ45, but i thought the RJ45 cable was the type used for computer networking, the type that looks like a phone wire?https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Rjxx.jpg/300px-Rjxx.jpg because i can't think of where that will be plugged into the receiver, the cable i have been trying to use is like i described above, something like this https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Null_modem_cable_1.jpg/180px-Null_modem_cable_1.jpg, but i'll still go back and check again. i think i have the required softwares sha. i'll get back to you.

Enigma,

6m, better believe it, a friend currently uses 3.5m dish and i can see what it does for him, but like i said, it would have to be next year.

Dark_side,

Glad i could be of help.

Coolguyz,

No probs, that's why were here, i can't speak for Enitan but u can contact me, i won't post my phone no. on this thread, but if u click on my username, u should see my gmail addy, u can send me a mail and i can then send u my no. please include details about where u stay, space constraint, e.t.c, but i would rather you just posted every question u might have on this thread or on the official FTA thread here https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-182209.224.html#msg2989026, cos who knows, your question might be of help to someone else.

Enigma,

As promised, i have feedback, but unfortunately it isn't good news at all, i did download some of those files, and when i got home, i proceeded to load them unto my receiver via a USB flash, well, the decoder did recognise them and proceeded to do the firmware upgrade, unfortunately after rebooting, it got hooked on the 'bootloader' screen giving me a message "failed to load firmware, damaged software" or something like that, (haven't looked at it in a couple of days cos i haven't been around.), but the remote control and other hardware buttons don't work.
now because it can still go through the motions of booting, i am still hopeful it is just a problem of a bad patch, and the processor might still be okay, now the only problem is how to reload the software probably via serial cable or what i have heard mentioned about as JTAG. by the way, i have given the whole process some thougth and i have come to the conclusion that it might not necessarily be that the downloaded file itself was bad, rather, it didn't copy properly to the flash drive (there are so many fake flash drives about, a lot of them will not accept mutiple data writing i.e. if you write unto them once, no probs, but when u try to write something unto them again, the subsequent file comes out as a corrupted file), so i think that might have been what happened (meanwhile the flash drive was supposed to be new!!! )

Anyways, i guess this brings me to a new chapter in my FTA learning curve, how to load firmware via serial cable. i have tried that, cos i download an iclass channel loader software, which i think can also be used to upload firmware unto the decoder but even though i have tried several times, it isn't loading, but then i am not sure i am doin it right.
what i don't know is if/when u connect the stb to the desktop via serial cable (rs232c 9 pin female to 9 pin female), isn't the computer supposed to recognise it as a new hardware or something? again how does one select the right com port? cos the CPU only list com ports 1 and 2 under device manager, so is it those ones i select under the option for "select com port" in the loader program? too many questions and i am so tired right now, but i'll sleep on it for now and hopefully, tomorrow i should be fully rested enough to pursue this subject.

Hi all,

Nice to be back, i was away for a couple of days and unfortunately had no access to the internet. For the folks in Ghana, i think it is great u guys are looking at some of these other alternatives ( I am actually choking as i am writing the word alternative because Hotbird cannot be an alternative to another satellite in the european/mideast skies), because as far as i am concerned, if you are going to pay a premium for dish construction, you might as well get the most you can out of it, you guys should really check up on those guys that do the dish construction and see, maybe you can get a good deal for dish big enough to get hotbird instead of just nilesat (that is if money and space is not really a constraint.) Personally, i am making plans to get a 6m dish hopefully in the first 2 - 3months of next year, so i'll be monitoring you guys carefully, all the best.

It seems to me there are a lot of guys requesting for FTA television, but you guys are not really going about it the right way, it is not like a computer software that one can just forward to you via mail or something like that, it takes a lot of planning and "trade off's" to acheive satisfactory FTA reception, so you guys should help by giving a bit more details such as where you are, what you would like to get and possibly how much you are ready to invest, so that someone who wants to help out will know what to say to you.

Enigma,

thanks for yesterday, i had been searching the net for just I-Class decoders for more than a month now, i guess i should have just typed in the entire name of the decoder, cos, yesterday was the first time i got any appreciable response. it seems there is a some degree of support for the decoder after all, especially in some arabic countries (it was purchased in Dubai, i remember now), and it seems to have similarities with the Hivion decoders and several others, i will explore all of that today. i did download some files, but maybe because of sleep or tiredness, i didn't bother checking them before going home, i found out most of the zip files were corrupted (incomplete downloads), so i don't really have much to report on today, but i've repeated the downloads, and i'll keep checking up on the net for other files.

All,

it seems my decoder has a lot of support from some North African/Mid-Eastern sites, problem is most of them require you to be registered on their site before you can download anything. please in case there is someone here who has enough knowledge of Arabic to get through the registration process (they have a random question segment, that i can't get past even after using some online Arabic-English dictionaries for translation), if you could help me and register and on the site _http://www.2050sat.com, and drop the username and password in my box, i would be very grateful.
thanks in advance.

Enigma,

thanks a lot for the input, i have downloaded some of the files, i'll try loading them (after reading about them) and then i'll get back to u no matter the outcome. once again thanks for the time. really appreciate it.

Talk about asking the right questions, i think i found the website, here's the link http://www.iclasstech.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1, though no support is posted anywhere. i'll keep searching sha. i have been perusing the net for any link to ali a1 receivers, there seems to be a lot of talk about them on non-english european sites, but i can't make out what they are saying even after using the translate fxn on google, but i 'll keep trying. i'll appreciate your help though.

Yeah, i thought it might be something like that, didn't know about the adding/substracting ones own longitude though. i think i have finally gotten my head around how the beam is broadcasted. thanks.

PS: i posted an SOS for you on the 'free to air codes' thread, have you seen it? i keep forgetting to take a picture of the keyedit menu and insert it into the post, i'll do that tomorrow.

The Irony in that answer lies in the fact that the satellite is positioned at 7 degree westward from the southpole, and you do face your dish in a slightly westerly direction in order to receive the bird. however, looking at lyngsat Maps, the beam is being directed Eastward from our position (W. Africa), so as to get a maximum concentration at the Middle East. so that leaves a bit of a dilemma as to what direction it is coming from. i am trying to figure it out in my head, but i am too tired from being in the office for so long, i can't think it through properly, anyway, i'll allow someone else give an input on that or i'll pop in later when i'm a bit more rested.

Jujukemist,

Is your installation still on for tomorrow? what time?