HD200 Woes

[bigo93bronco]

I put in a help ticket yesterday, but I figured i'd get all the help I can in the mean time.

I have two HD200 extenders on my network that I use in extender mode. One has not been able to accept any firmware newer than july 13 2010, since the firmware was released. The other has always accepted the newer firmware, and currently has the latest available. Any time I have tried to load newer FW on to the problematic one, I have had to restore it using the server recovery method, and then use the usb method to get it back to the last working july FW; nothing else works. I recenlty upgraded to the final verson of sage7, and figured I'd give the latest FW a chance, in order to get the most out of the new version 7. The reliable extender accepted it without issue, but the problematic one did not. This time around I cannot even restore it using the server recovery method. It will bring up the splash screen, but soon goes to a blank screen afterwards and becomes unresponsive. While the splash screen is up, I can log in using telnet, but lose the connection as soon as the screen goes blank. Once the screen is blank, the remote doesn't make the indicator lights blink, and I can no longer telnet in, or get a responce trying to ping it. When I use the server recovery method (using the file provided) it begins loading the file (I monitor the connection on the server/network performance monitor) but it shows a transfer to the extender for about a minute. Using this method in the past, it maintained the transfer for about an hour before the process was complete, and the unit rebooted. I have tried using a different cable, along with all the basic connectivity troubleshooting methods.

Does anyone have any suggestions, such as forcing it to reload the correct file using telnet or something?

[GKusnick]

Have you tried the USB recovery method? Maybe there's some issue with that unit's network interface or with your switch/cabling. Take the network out of the equation to see if it works any better.

[bigo93bronco]

I can't use the USB method because I can't even get into the standalone mode. I moved the extender from its normal location to near my main switch, and used a known-good cable to connect it to a different port on the switch. It loads the splash screen (black with sage logo), then the second splash screen (blue with sage logo), but where the prompt should be to auto connect to the server (or go to standalone mode) it just goes to a black screen and becomes unresponsive.

[gplasky]

And you have connected it to different TVs and different inputs (composite, s-video, component, hdmi) and cycled thru the Video Out button on the remote?

Gerry

[bigo93bronco]

I've tried different tv's and all the inputs except HDMI (don't have tv with one). I've tried cycling the video out button, but like I mentioned there is no response from the LED's at all. I get the two initial splash screens, and I can log in via telnet while the blue splash screen is up, but thats it. From that point forward, its a black screen and completly unresponsive.

[bigo93bronco]

Oh, I also read in an older post, that if the client files for said extender are corrupt it could cause this problem. I tried copying the files for the good extender and renaming them for the bad one but it didn't work. I also tried deleting the ones for the bad one and it didn't work either. I went through both files with them side by side, and they seemed to be exactly the same. May just have to wait for tech support on this one....

[gplasky]

Did you try this recovery method?

Option 2: Recovery Procedure via Server PC
Download the following file to the SageTV folder on your server. Place the file in the same directory where sagetv.exe is located.
http://download.sage.tv/firmware/stp200.bin
Make sure the SageTV software is running on your server and is configured to be able to talk to extender clients, as mentioned above.
Turn off the HD200 by pulling the plug.
Press and hold down the Back button on the remote while plugging it back in.
Continue pressing both the Back button on the remote until the Link and Data lights start blinking. Once the lights start blinking, you can let go of the Back button.
The lights on the front will continue blinking during the update procedure.
The unit will reboot itself automatically when done with this update and should then be running.
This process could take a while, so do not turn the unit off while it is updating.

If that doesn't work contact support.

Gerry

[bigo93bronco]

Yes, i've used that in the past with success, but no joy this time. I submmited a help request yesterday, but figured i'd see if I could learn anything in the mean time. I'm sure sage is probably swampped right now with the switch to version 7. Just trying to do everything I can to hold back the angery faces around me, that want to know why our primary TV isn't working

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by bigo93bronco

Just trying to do everything I can to hold back the angery faces around me, that want to know why our primary TV isn't working

That's easily solved by swapping the working unit into your main viewing area.

[bigo93bronco]

Just to wrap this post up, I ended up having to send my HD200 back to sagetv. They reviewed the debug logs I sent them, but were apparently unable to figure out what the problem was either. I don't think it's a hardware problem, but the firmware must be severly corrupted. Hopefully i'll get it or another one back before next weekend

[melluap]

I thought I would piggy back on this thread as I couldn't find anything else close.

I have a HD200 - appears "bricked" so I do a reset. Sometimes just the factory reset, sometimes the network reset where you have the .bin file posted and hold the back button.

Both methods work, eventually, and restore the HD200. Things are great.

For a day.

Then bang, "bricked". Wash, rinse, repeat and I am up and working. It is like the firmware is getting corrupted every day or so. Anybody else see this problem? Ideas?

[bigo93bronco]

I got mine back from sage and it worked fine while connected to an old 13" SD tv. When I hooked it up to my old rear-projection big screen using 480p over component, it started doing the same thing all over again. I did the factory reset (unplug and hold down delete button while pluging back in) but the problem came back everytime I tried to force 480p. I finaly tried adding custom 480p@60 setting into the client file, and suddenly the default 480p option worked! I don't know what it is, but all firmware versions from august of last year and up seem to have issues with at least 480p over component. Mine wasn't just outputting a format the tv couldn't display, it wasn't outputting anything, and the box locked completly up.