Skybox f5s newbie

[cfcorp]

Hi,
My dad got a skybox f5s and it just used to load to 100 and then restart over and over again
I got tired of this and used the null modem serial cable, i got the rs232 loader from skybox.cc and the f5s latest firmware.
Now after flashing all the thing does is load up to 093 then display the E001 error code.
From reading about this on the internet i learned it means the FW is not correct, corrupt or there is a hardware problem.
Ive also tried the yojiatech f5s FW as i wasn't sure it was a real f5s and maybe a clone with no change in the loading procedure.
The remote that is with it looks like this: Remote Control FOR Skybox F5S F5 F4S F4 F3 V3 Openbox S9 S10 S11 S12 Genuine RCU | eBay
Any ideas on what to do?
Is there anyway of checking the box is real with the serial on the bottom?
I cant ge tinto the skybox.cc as it says its currently unavailable and when it works the downloads are sloooow.
Also noticed the dim red led on, may be faulty FW or hardware fault
Thanks guys

[digicon]

Even though the main sire is down there is still plenty of uploaded firmware ****tered about this very forum for you to try especially in this thread: http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums...-cable-233298/

you could also try the sites themselves:

http://www.yojiatech.com/a/Support/Download/Skybox_F3/

http://hddvbsw.com/

http://www.bi-union.com/en/xiazai/xiazaiDetail_96.html

[Hadron]

...Is there anyway of checking the box is real with the serial on the bottom?...

Do you still have the box that the F5s came in?

If so, you can scan the QR code with a smartphone & see which site it comes up with.

[cfcorp]

Hi,
First of all thank you for the quick replies guys,
I have tried all the latest fw's from all three of those sites
I have the original box and an galaxy s3 so ill scan the QR code now

[cfcorp]

ok so it appears after scanning the QR code that it isnt a skybox.cc sybox, it appears to be a shenzhen geton limited one as the QR code gives the web address link: shenzhen geton limited,shenzhen geton ltd,shenzhen geton,dreambox,dm8000,dreambox800hd dreambox 8000hd
So ill start there
It appears they have ths f5s there but no downloads page, but under contacts it lists cocoboc.com.cn as a homepage as well as the szgeton.com one

[cfcorp]

the cocobox webpage has a downloads section for the f5s so ill download the FW and try that.
its very slow at downloading however, like 1 or 2Kb/s

Ive also examined the inside of the box, it appears that the PCB has been reworked.
There is a small coated wire soldered onto a pin on the cpu and it goes to an 8 pin IC with no markings. With a multimeter the wire appears to feed a 3v DC signal to the pin on the unmarked IC.
this is illustrated in the attached image, please note the thicker red wire soldered on is there because the track lifted off the PCB and the coated wire was not long enough. ive also marked the original path of the copper track in orange. you may also notice the dimly lit red led. I have tested the 12v adapter and it is fine and all the caps look ok, not bulged etc. pcb.jpg

[cfcorp]

ok so i couldnt donwload the latest FW because the server is too slow and times out, I managed to download the original firmware and installed it using the KOSAT F3 upgrade tool which i found from reading forums is good for the F5S in a lot of cases.
I just contacted the company and asked for the latest FW as well as the correct rs232 uploader tool.
It may just have a hardware fault.
After installing the original firmware the skybox now does what it did originally, which is load from 0 to 80, stay at 80 a while gets to 90, then appears to 93, then gets to L100, stays at L100 for a few seconds and then repeats this process again.
Any ideas?

[katieb]

if sold as genuine then send it back if brought in the uk. if not then you are stuffed unless brought via paypal then start a goods not as described issue but supplier may ask you to return the goods before they refund then you are still stuffed.

[cfcorp]

if sold as genuine then send it back if brought in the uk. if not then you are stuffed unless brought via paypal then start a goods not as described issue but supplier may ask you to return the goods before they refund then you are still stuffed.

Hi,
they sent out a replacement, i am not returning the old one, they never bothered asking me to do so.
I was just wondering if there was anything that could be done with it

[walf]

Try the firmware thats on the new box on the other one. I had a similar problem, luckily I had another box from same seller.

[ludemon]

Hi,
Was the problem discussed in this thread resolved? I have a F5s that only loads up to L093 and eventually displays E001. I have tried every combination (I think) of loader and firmware that I can find on this forum, but the problem remains.
Can anyone help further with this?

[paulinter]

I had the problem of it getting to 100 and loading again and again. It was the power supply. Use a 5 amp one now and no problems. Not sure this will help anyone but worth a try

[ludemon]

Thanks for the advice paulinter. I have been using the standard 12v 2A power supply and don't have a 5A supply, however I hooked the F5s box up to a 12v bench power supply that can deliver up to 4A. So far the the problem is still present, but I've not done all the loader/firmware combinations yet.
I checked the current at !2v and it is between 0.4 and 0.5 amps although transients might be higher than that. I also checked an F5 box that I have and the current was the same.
It is possible that I don't have the correct loader and firmware and unfortunately I don't know where the box originally came from. I tried the website that cfcorp used previously, but the firmware for the F5s is not available from there now.
Any more ideas?