MediaReady 5000

[HairBear]

I bought the MR 5000 from TigerDirect about two weeks ago. It was on back order for a day or two and then discontinued from TigerDirect completely. I was wondering if I would get one at all but they said it had been shipped.
After receiving the MR 5000 I noticed a loose screw bouncing around inside. Then I booted it up and noticed an IDE 80 pin cable error under the listed IDE devices that the bios posts. The machine didn't care about the error and booted fully just fine. Everything except the MOD feature worked perfectly right out of the box.
Since the box is going next to a TV, I need a wireless card for it which is more of a hassle than should be. I had tried several PCMCIA wireless cards and none worked. They don't have any listed for compatibility either. I went with a wireless bridge connected to the ethernet port which worked rather well.
Now, to find the loose screw...

[dbfresh23]

Does this Mean that you opened it up? If so please post some internal pics.

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by HairBear

I bought the MR 5000 from TigerDirect about two weeks ago. It was on back order for a day or two and then discontinued from TigerDirect completely. I was wondering if I would get one at all but they said it had been shipped.
After receiving the MR 5000 I noticed a loose screw bouncing around inside. Then I booted it up and noticed an IDE 80 pin cable error under the listed IDE devices that the bios posts. The machine didn't care about the error and booted fully just fine. Everything except the MOD feature worked perfectly right out of the box.
Since the box is going next to a TV, I need a wireless card for it which is more of a hassle than should be. I had tried several PCMCIA wireless cards and none worked. They don't have any listed for compatibility either. I went with a wireless bridge connected to the ethernet port which worked rather well.
Now, to find the loose screw...

I see the IDE 80 pin cable message also. From experience with other machines and mixing/matching 40 and 80 pin components I'm guessing that is because instead of an 80 pin cable they're using the older 40 pin cable on a controller capable of using an 80 pin cable.
I saw the message during the bootup process as the lines flew by.

I would definitely track down that loose screw. You don't want it rolling around in there possibly shorting between some connections and frying the whole machine.
I would also make sure you notify VWB about this. Since mine came with a PVR card that wasn't seated properly it may inidicate that they are having a significant problem with vibration during shipping causing things to vibrate loose.

What is your impression of the noise level of the power supply fan?

Just curious, I have a wired lan setup, but did the PCMCIA cards you tried say they were Linux compatible? The MR 5000 uses Gentoo Linux so you might want to do some research online about Gentoo and PCMCIA cards. Also if you can track down the brand/type of PCMCIA slot in the MR 5000 you might be able to google some info on that too.

[HairBear]

I couldn't resist! I popped it open and found the loose screw a Hauppauge WinTV PVRII(150), Samsung 80Gig HDD and a low-end DVD+RW drive. Also the onboard Sigma chip may be an Xcard chip. The fan is really loud for the size of it. I'm going to replace that soon. First things first though, I need to clone the drive. It just so happens that I have the exact same drive on hand. The day is goin good so far...

I succeeded in cloning the drive using a P4 PC and a "SystemRescueCD" free from the website. The drives were connected as the new clean drive Primary Master(hda) and the SageTV drive as Primary Slave(hdb). Boot the SystemRescueCD and used the command "cp /dev/hdb /dev/hda". It took forever and I'm not sure I did it right but I booted the drive and all was well. The good thing is I have the original HDD stashed for safe keeping if I screw up the clone.

If any one wants to see pics of the inside go to TigerDirect dot com and search for the "MediaREADY 4000". It is the same thing without a TV tuner card and a silver case. here is the link... http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...Tab=1&NoMapp=0

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by HairBear

I succeeded in cloning the drive using a P4 PC and a "SystemRescueCD" free from the website. The drives were connected as the new clean drive Primary Master(hda) and the SageTV drive as Primary Slave(hdb). Boot the SystemRescueCD and used the command "cp /dev/hdb /dev/hda". I took forever and I'm not sure I did it right but I booted the drive and all was well. The good thing is I have the original HDD stashed for safe keeping if I screw up the clone.

You say the SystemrecsueCd is "free from the website". Got a link to that? Mine didn't come with a restore CD (one of the first shipped and the restore Cd's weren't ready). I looked all around the site and couldn't find anything.

thanks,

[HairBear]

"SystemRescueCD" is the name of the cd. Here is the link. http://www.sysresccd.org/

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by HairBear

"SystemRescueCD" is the name of the cd. Here is the link. http://www.sysresccd.org/

Ok, thanks. I'm downloading the ISO and manual now. When you said, one their website I thought you were talking about VWB's.

[cmaffia]

TigerDirect is no longer distributing the MR5000?
I wonder what that means for the product... and more importantly why they discontinued distribution so soon?

Oh also.. WARNING.. stay away from the VWB Flyboy.... I bought one and I am very very disappointed with it. I'd go into details if anyone is interested but in short it operates more like a home-grown prototype. The MP3 capabilities alone are several years behind in function...

Originally Posted by HairBear

I bought the MR 5000 from TigerDirect about two weeks ago. It was on back order for a day or two and then discontinued from TigerDirect completely. I was wondering if I would get one at all but they said it had been shipped.
After receiving the MR 5000 I noticed a loose screw bouncing around inside. Then I booted it up and noticed an IDE 80 pin cable error under the listed IDE devices that the bios posts. The machine didn't care about the error and booted fully just fine. Everything except the MOD feature worked perfectly right out of the box.
Since the box is going next to a TV, I need a wireless card for it which is more of a hassle than should be. I had tried several PCMCIA wireless cards and none worked. They don't have any listed for compatibility either. I went with a wireless bridge connected to the ethernet port which worked rather well.
Now, to find the loose screw...

[Narflex]

One of the nice things about the SageTV platform architecture is that the core JAR and the STV files are cross-platform.

[mikejaner]

One of the nice things about the SageTV platform architecture is that the core JAR and the STV files are cross-platform.

Hmmmmm..............
I don't know whether to take that as an unofficial comment that SageTV for Linux is possible with some hacking of the restore CD, or if we are easy to tease about upcoming versions for Linux.

[Opus4]

I believe it is a hint that the current version of SageTV's jar and STV files can be used on a Linux setup of SageTV. I was never certain how much to say about this, but I just can't resist mentioning how well this cross platform system can work, since there is some question about why java has any advantage here... I have one of the Linux systems from SageTV (but it isn't the same as the MediaReady 5000; it is the one mentioned in the announcements forum). I was able to put the v3.0.13 RC2 jar and the STV & and associated image files onto it and it works perfectly fine. No other files from the Windows system were needed. I can connect any of my Windows clients to it, just as if they were connected to some other Windows based server. (I haven't made the Linux system work as a client.)

Oh wait. I did copy one other files from my Windows system: wiz.bin. This gave me my entire viewing history on that machine from my main Windows HTPC. (A copy of this file was not needed for it to function, though.)

I don't know how the MR5000 system differs, though, so I can't offer too many suggestions. (Maybe a linux boot CD would enable access to the files that need to be replaced? If so, backup/rename any files before they are changed!)

Caveats: Of course, any such hacking is most likely not supported by VWB and it isn't an "official" thing to do from SageTV either. If any playing around on the MR5000 is done, you really should keep a way to return to the original configuration.

- Andy

[HairBear]

The only changes I want to make is the resolution from 800x600 to 1024x768 and replace the jet engine in the power supply. 800x600 does not work well with 37inch LCD's.

There is nothing special about the hardware except for the onboard Sigma chip. It is possible to install Windows Media Center Edition 2005 or MythTV, but some tweeking has to be done for full functionality.

Who was responsible for choosing Gentoo? VWB or SageTV? What features does it posess that Debian or any other distro hasn't?

[_Demo_]

The MR5000 runs at 480i (and 576i), not 800x600 since that's the ntsc(pal) resolution which allows for proper display of interlaced video material. There is currently no way to run it at other resolutions.

The good thing about Gentoo is it can be configured specifically for the target system.

_Demo_

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by HairBear

The only changes I want to make is the resolution from 800x600 to 1024x768 and replace the jet engine in the power supply. 800x600 does not work well with 37inch LCD's.

There is nothing special about the hardware except for the onboard Sigma chip. It is possible to install Windows Media Center Edition 2005 or MythTV, but some tweeking has to be done for full functionality.

Who was responsible for choosing Gentoo? VWB or SageTV? What features does it posess that Debian or any other distro hasn't?

I had to open mine up the other day when I was "fiddling" with some of the Sage files to try and get it to run as a Client. I got it to a command line after Sage wouldn't boot, and that's where my extremely limited Linux knowledge stalled me.
So I had to put in a boot DVD. Unfortunately they've got the DVD open button set up as a remote button and for whatever reason you can't get the DVD drawer open until Sage is up and running. So I had to open it up, unplug the DVD and place another DVD reader within reach of the data cable on the MR 5000 so I could boot to my Knoppix desktop and "fix" the file I had changed.

That PS fan design is just IDIOTIC!! They've got an 80mm fan blowing into the PS. Olny problem with that is the only outside vent on the PS are a bunch of tiny holes covering about 40mm in diameter. Very little air gets out those holes so the fan's spinning madly (and making lots of noise) and doing very little actual movement of air and subsequent cooling.

A couple more things to bring up the next time I talk/email the VWB folks.

[dbfresh23]

For future reference, if you were able to get to a command prompt you should be able to unmount the dvd drive. While in linux you cannot open the drive until it is unmounted. Also you should probably be able to open it before it boots up - be fore linux starts.

Any way to tell which Sigma chip is actually being used or is it covered with a heatsink?

[HairBear]

The DVD drive in the MR5000 is not a typical drive. There is no actual eject button and the rescue tab can only be accessed by removing the face plate. The eject button provided is software driven and only works when SageTV is fully booted.

Yes the Sigma chip has a heatsink but windows only accepted the Xcard drivers when I installed it. With windows you can use Sisoft Sandra to make an in depth analisys of the hardware used on almost any system. It has a chip number but I forgot it and erased windows already. I think it was 8475 or 8745...

How did you get the prompt exactly? I'm curious as to if it is root or a user logged in. Does anybody know the password to root on the MR5000?

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by dbfresh23

For future reference, if you were able to get to a command prompt you should be able to unmount the dvd drive. While in linux you cannot open the drive until it is unmounted. Also you should probably be able to open it before it boots up - be fore linux starts.

Any way to tell which Sigma chip is actually being used or is it covered with a heatsink?

Yeah, you would think the drive could be opened before Linux boots up, but I think since it's a remote button for open/close that it's done through some controller (i.e. it's not just a button that pushs the "real" button) that it won't work until Linux has loaded the driver.
With the pitiful amount of command line knowledge I have of Linux I'd be afraid that my attempt to unmount the DVD would somehow format the HD.

[Narflex]

If you want to open the DVD drive without booting into SageTV you need to go into the BIOS and then hit the F3 key. The 'Pics' key on the keyboard is the one that'll get the BIOS to go into Setup.

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by Narflex

If you want to open the DVD drive without booting into SageTV you need to go into the BIOS and then hit the F3 key. The 'Pics' key on the keyboard is the one that'll get the BIOS to go into Setup.

Man, VWB REALLY needs to get an FAQ set up on their website for the MR 5000! Who would think that the PICS key is actually the "delete" key since there's already a key labeled "Delete" up on the top row?

Ok, now where's the "F3" key since there are no keys labeled "F1-F12" on their IR keyboard?
I'd been resorting to hooking up a standard PC keyboard to the PS/2 input on the back to get to the bios and use the function keys, etc.

Time to cut up a few sticky labels and start marking the keys on the front edge of them so I know what their "real" function is in normal PC jargon.

[JUC]

wayne, i am seriously considerring ditching my shuttle client and getting this. Bunch of questions though that maybe you or andy can help out with:

1. Is the UI just like Sage? or modified in any way? Any screenshots would be great if they differ. The UI in the specsheet looks different
2. Can you burn CD's from the My Music section? Rip them?
3. Any word on updating the software versions? I would only buy this if i can use it
as a client with a networked encoder and know that I can do this ahead of time with little effort on my part
4. How is the remote--intuitive? and you mentioned smooth FF/RW?
5. what about using other STVs? any way to do this or have you tried?
6. Any special 'media center' features like weather included?
7. What about channel changes--can you hook up a USB-UIRT or Actisys 200L to this? If not, deal breaker!!!
That's about all i can think of for now and I understand you may not have all the answers yet but any info you can provide will be helpful. I am also curious about the Sage Media Center 3.0 that has been in testing since early this year but will start another thread on that.
Thanks,
JUC