50 replies to this topic

[gw1]

I'm not really an expert on DM receivers but I'll offer some general suggestions.

To use Phoenix with a DM receiver you need to be using a fully wired serial extension cable (not a thin mouse extension cable) with all wires connected through. As your interface works with DM500 you know the interface and cable aren't the problem.

That means it has to be either
- a configuration problem on your DM8000
- a damaged serial port on your DM8000

The first thing I'd suggest is to eliminate the possibility of the port being used by another process.

* Go into expert setup screen in DM8000 and turn off the option to send debug information to serial port. This is important because if that option is enabled the port may not be available for use with phoenix.

* Don't install any extra plugins until you get the serial port working in case one of those extras is interfering with the port. Try uninstalling anything that might be using the port.

* I'd try wiping and reinstalling a fresh image, perhaps an old trusty one that is widely used by others. I don't have a DM8000 so I can't be more specific.

If problems persist even with a fresh image, and you're sure there's no special configuration steps you've omitted, you need to consider the possibility that your DM8000 serial port may be damaged.

* Damage can occur if you connect DM serial port to your PC while the DM is unearthed and powered or connected to anything that's switchmode powered. That's why the DM documentation says you must earth your receiver before performing firmware updates to avoid damage not covered by warranty. Most people who earth their receiver do so via their LNB using anearthing kit. A workaround technique is to unplug EVERYTHING from yourDM receiver before connecting/disconnecting the RS232 lead.

* Damage can also occur if you plug a switchmode-powered device into the DM serial port while it is already powered. ie if you are using a switchmode plugpack with your Phoenix interface then it's critical you unplug power before connecting/disconnecting the serial lead.

To test if your DM serial port is damaged I suggest connecting your receiver to your PC using a null modem cable (disconnect ALL other cables from your receiver first before connecting the null modem cable). Then see if you're able to communicate using DreamUp or other tools that support serial port. If they don't work then that's an indication that your serial port is damaged. To fix you'd need to return for repair, or else desolder and replace the RS232 transceiver IC yourself (which voids warranty and requires above average soldering skills).

The only other thing I can suggest is to check your Phoenix interface and see what it's doing with its handshaking pins 4,6,8. If they aren't connected then join those three points together. Alternatively if either pin 6 or 8 aren't used then connect them to GND (pin 5).

good luck

[xfiles_2007]

hi gw1 thanks for the nice detailed reply! top work...

heres my issues hehe :

- I have tested the serial port on the dm8000s via dreamup, dreamup responds and can get the box info (detects that the box is a dm8000) , upload the image to the box (however at the very last stage it fails - but thats probably another issue, maybe ??!..)

- I do use a full serial extender cable with all 9 cables etc... ...hav also made a cable (2-2, 3-3, 7-8, 1-6-4) = same result = fail.

- Dreambox serial port seems to be sending and receiving data since the tx and rx increments as per request...problem is it doesnt seem to translate or do anything with the incoming packets... (newcs and cccam doesnt basically pick up anything from the phoenix, rx increments though per reset command, so its getting something back...however on the dm500 with same emu setup and config it works fine)...


I have a jaycar pheonix, do i still connect pin 6 to ground... do you think i still need do somethin with its serial pins ??

The only issues i think it can be is :

- Software for some reason is not controlling the serial port incoming packets on the dm8000s ?
- Hardware issue with the serial port state on the dm8000s, causing it not to go to a certain state ?

Im totally lost on this one, so sorry for my dumbness...and many thanks for your help...

what do i try!

[xfiles_2007]

anyone else have this problem or tried ?

i cant seem to get it working.

[jonc]

Never had the problem, so when you find a solution I will put it in the wiki ..

[xfiles_2007]

hmm still no luck with the rs232 port on the dm8000... i read theres also the same issue on the dm800....maybe these ports are just not meant to work ? lol... hav tried everything .... different cables, different images, different emus.... no go...

anyone else got this issue ?

cheers

[hemertje]

did you install the serial drivers?

[pieterg]

serial drivers should be compiled in the kernel

[Erik Slagter]

serial drivers should be compiled in the kernel

I guess they mix up with the support for drivers for usb-to-serial dongles.

[pieterg]

Reading my comment again, it's not very clear at all

What I meant is 'in a PLi 8000 image, the serial drivers are built into the kernel, so there's nothing you have to with the drivers'
(and not 'serial drivers are meant to be in the kernel', that's not true, technically it's possible to load them as seperate modules. But in a PLi image you don't have to)

[Erik Slagter]

What I meant is 'in a PLi 8000 image, the serial drivers are built into the kernel, so there's nothing you have to with the drivers'
(and not 'serial drivers are meant to be in the kernel', that's not true, technically it's possible to load them as seperate modules. But in a PLi image you don't have to)

I think it was clear anyway.

[pieterg]

just had to use the comport a bit on the 8000 and the 800 for debugging purposes (trough a getty), and on the 8000 the comport is working fine.
But on the 800 it could never have worked before, it needed a bit of work.
Just completed a fix, and pushed it to the openpli repository.