Nothing but problems with this terrible box!

Don't know if anyone can help but I have had nothing but problems with this box and now hate the thing.

If I use Spark then no matter what Softcam I use the sound and picture stutter and freeze every couple of seconds. I've tried CCcam 2.14, Mgcamd and Oscam and all equally as bad as each other.

If I use an Enigma 2 image then Oscam works without any of the issues I get under Spark even though its connecting to the same server. But then every single Enigma 2 image I try either doesn't work well straight away or when I find one that does work like the Latest PK Team Nebula 3 it just breaks once I finally get satellites tuned in and start organising my channel lists.

All I have done for the last 2 weeks is install various Enigma 2 images, tune them in and then watch them break and then have to start all over the next day. I installed the Nebula 3 image last night then from 3pm today I spent the day and night setting up the positions and tuning in and organising a channel list for the box the green screen on every boot now.

Also under Spark the remote is totally unresponsive, can press and press for up to 2-3 minutes at times with no response then suddenly it tries to execute all the commands together.

I've had an Openbox (was ok but wouldn't drive my motor), a Dreambox DM800SE clone (amazing box but got stolen), a ***box F3, horrible software but worked until a channel list update bricked it) and now this and right now its just unusable and the worst of them all because of the non stop problems.

As anyone else experienced these issues and have any fixes or is this the standard to expect from this receiver? Seriously regretting the purchase right now.

John.

**********************UPDATE - NOW I'M MAKING PROGRESS WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I DON'T THINK ITS A TERRIBLE BOX. SOFTWARE NEEDS SOME WORK IMO BUT FOR THE PRICE PAID ITS A PRETTY GOOD DEAL************************

I have posted an introduction - apologies as I actually thought I had previously done so.

I just attempted to post an in depth version of my issues and lost the post right at the end so for now I'm going to re-install the latest Nebula image and see what happens. If it fails I'll come back and give details.

I would appreciate if anyone can help with my Spark issues though (Latest version of the Spark software) -

1. The remote control is totally unresponsive - you can press a button and wait up to 3 minutes for the action to execute but if you then press it over and over you end up with all the commands being executed together when it finally reacts.

2. I have tried these softcams and all suffer from the same issue, sounds cuts out every few seconds and picture freezes often. Cccam 2.14, Mgcamd, ncam, Oscam. If I use Oscam under Enigma2 I get a perfect freeze free picture and no sound drop outs.

Plugin wise I have the e2remote plugin (disabled after first use), enigma2 upgrade (only active if installing an enigma2 image), calculator (pre installed and never activated), the online plugin update plugin (only active for installing plugins) and then the various softcams detailed above but only the one I'm using at the time is ever active).

The Spark software would be fine if I can get my picture and sound to work without any issues.

Hardware wise my set-up is the Amiko Alien SHD-8900 connected to a Technomate 80cm Dish and motor.

Thanks,

John.

Quote from Robxxx7

Do you have a USB HDD attached to your box ?
Is the box located in a ventilated area (so air can move freely around the box)

Hi Rob,

Yes its a Western Digital External USB HDD attached to the box.
There is plenty of circulation around the box but I still notice that it runs VERY hot.

Thanks,

John.

Quote from Robxxx7

How does the box operate with the HDD disconnected ? Would be worth seeing if the box responds better etc ... may have to give it 20-30 minutes to let your box cool down abit just in case before retesting ..suspect the HDD could be causing the box to have high CPU usage ... but will know for sure once HDD is disconnected and then test it for a bit

The first week I had the box I didn't have the HDD and was the same then as it is now with it connected. Also when having the most severe issues I have disconnected the HDD to see if any difference and there wasn't.

I have now flashed the PKTeam Nebula mod by vardan85 and so far this is running without the softcam issues I have had using Spark. I have the HDD running fine and the box is now running warm as opposed to hot like it does under Spark. But the catch 22 is that like all the enigma2 images I have tried so far its not exactly stable - even just changing channel seems to lock it up at times requiring a reboot via power switch which will no doubt eventually break the image and back to square one.
It does seem that enigma2 is the only way I can get a watchable picture and sound but need a more stable enigma2 image than any I've found so far.

John.

Quote from nano

No idea why you are having the issues you state you are having.

I have exactly the same box, running the same image and i have absolutely no issues with it at all with either spark or E2.

What spark version and u boot version do you have on it. Have you done an online upgrade?

You have to remember this is a fairly new box on the market and most of the images are still not 100%, but they are getting better. It may be 12 months or so before all the bugs are completely ironed out.

I've been that impressed with mine that i purchased an Alien 2 on Saturday, it arrived today so hopefully i can find some time over the weekend to play with it.

Nano

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I am running the latest version of spark (upgraded online) which I think is 1.2.58se. I now have the PKTeam Nebula mod by vardan85 running and so far working pretty well with none of the issues I have experienced under Spark. But it does tend to freeze at times with the loading logo rotating. I liked the Nebula 3 image better but it kept green screening when trying to reboot after updating channels.

I've read in a few places that none of the enigma2 images for this box are stable as yet so I'm interested to know which enigma2 image your using and what plugins you run so I can try and see if this solves my problems?

Thanks,

John.

Quote from satsok

i had none of these issues either with 8900 or alien2 (i have both)

some issues with all e2 images yes, but with spark they perform just perfect.

only one thing though, with alien2 the remote control was not responding well from the left side of the receiver, it was ok from the other side.
so i suspected a hardware misplace, and indeed when i removed the front panel i found the ir sensor to be soldered 3 mm off the right position, i fixed it and after it the box worked fine...

The Spark software is fine until actually try watching an encrypted channel via softcam and then all falls apart - freezing, stuttering and constant audio drop outs. Basically it acts like a bad server but the server is fine as the exact same softcam setup in enigma2 works flawlessly. I am going to factory reset the Spark image and try again to see.

The remote isn't an hardware placement issues as again the remote is fine under enigma2.

Thanks,

John.

Quote from nano

I wasn't aware that SatStation did an image for the SHD8900? I thought it was just for the Alien 2.

I am just using the standard PKT Nebula V3 image on my SHD8900, downloaded from the PKT forum.

Code

http://pkteam.pl/

Be prepared to use Google translate unless you can speak Polish.

I also am only using OSCam with it. I have it running OSCam build 7924 and it works fine.

I download a newer version of OSCam every few weeks.

The ones i use on my box can be found here.

Code

http://download.oscam.cc/index.php?&direction=0&order=mod&directory=1.20_TRUNK/sh4-amino

I haven't suffered any freezes or anything like you describe on my own box. OScam works like a dream on it, if anything its more stable than my old DM7020Si which is ultra stable with OSCam.

Nano

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Hi Nano,

Thanks for the info - I actually did run your Nebula build and really liked it - loved the interface and HDD worked straight away whereas most images have to mess about with mounting etc before works. But then after a couple of days of stable use it broke after a channel list upgrade from Dreamset. I reflashed it and started tuning in my satellites and this time the same problem (green screen on reboot after the Nebula boot screen) occurred straight after tuning in 3 satellites. So I tried the Nebula by vardan mod that I'm running now and this is pretty good. Bit of tinkering to get HDD running but no green screens yet (touch wood). Only issue with it at present is that I find if I leave it switched on when I'm not watching (I tend to do this at night as Im running a ***box F3 in my bedroom from the loop out and I use the web interface on the Amiko to drive the dish) when I come back to use the Amiko its frozen and I have to power off and reboot to use again. I'm tempted to try the Nebula V3 image again but as things are pretty good right now its got me in two minds.
My oscam is perfect btw on any enigma2 image I've tried - its purely under spark that I suffer my oscam (and all softcam) issues.

When I get chance I do plan to factory reset the Spark image and start from scratch and see what happens - I will update this thread with the results of that in case its of any use to future forum members.

Thanks,

John.

Quote from djmist

Have you tried the Satstation image? I have been running it for a few days now and the only thing thats wrong ius the remote freezing, bt it might only freeze for about 4/5 seconds at a time, every now and then.

Isn't that an Amiko Alien 2 image?

Quote from djmist

Yes, its is an Alien 2 image.

No use to me on my Alien SHD-8900 lol

I have the Pkteam Nebula 3 image running great now so no real need to bother with spark or any other images.
Thanks to everyone who gave advice :-)