dreambox 500 hd

[benny/9]

can i ask for views on this model does anyone
have one or seen tests on them etc: i want to
buy this model but just want to certain i get it right
before i buy, i'm not interested in any clone model.

[alunfennell]

Hi Benny,

I bought one just before the World Cup ! Loaded up Dream Elite and for 2-3 Days I had green screens and Crashing all the time ! (I thought Here we Go again ).

Loaded up Gemini 5.0 and it has not crash once in three Months, Its the most stable receiver I have bought in years , Very Fat functionaly, Zapping etc.

HD Picture running the Gemini Image it is crystal clear and by far better than the current 800HD, The Broadcom chip on the New Tuners makes a big Differance I suppose because the Main Processor is Broadcom as well ! the two are in tune with each other that little bit better, Fantastic Picture and Upscaling of SD is far beyond what my expectations were before buying it.

Connected to a Esata HDD works realy well, for PVR function, Playback of Movies and Music pretty standard with some nice features of the Dreambox 8000 in Menu and functionality works realy well.

The only Down side is there is no USB as standard, but a simple Mod and you can get at least two to function, one Internaly (I have WIFI stick Internaly Fitted )and the other on the rear of the case.

In summary you are getting a Baby Dreambox 8000 as the Dreambox 500HD can not be put in the same class as the Current 800HD, Its a far superior bit of Kit and If the New 800HD-SE fails to impress & with a high Price for in theory two USB ports and a little screen the 500HD is the best of both options.

[benny/9]

many thanks for the info alun. i had thought about the new 800hd
as well as the 500hd but i think from reading your post i'm going to
for the 500hd.

[gji25]

go for the 500hd as its a cracking box and as said above the hd is excellent on a full 1080pi lcd

[mapex]

I've had mine a few weeks now after having a 800hd
clone the 500hd blows the clone away. Picture quality
is 2nd to none, i really see the difference in quality.
Had a few teething problems but its running sweet
now and in quality i put it in the same team as my
cyrus hifi.

[215liverpool]

Hi Benny,

I bought one just before the World Cup ! Loaded up Dream Elite and for 2-3 Days I had green screens and Crashing all the time ! (I thought Here we Go again ).

Loaded up Gemini 5.0 and it has not crash once in three Months, Its the most stable receiver I have bought in years , Very Fat functionaly, Zapping etc.

HD Picture running the Gemini Image it is crystal clear and by far better than the current 800HD, The Broadcom chip on the New Tuners makes a big Differance I suppose because the Main Processor is Broadcom as well ! the two are in tune with each other that little bit better, Fantastic Picture and Upscaling of SD is far beyond what my expectations were before buying it.

Connected to a Esata HDD works realy well, for PVR function, Playback of Movies and Music pretty standard with some nice features of the Dreambox 8000 in Menu and functionality works realy well.

The only Down side is there is no USB as standard, but a simple Mod and you can get at least two to function, one Internaly (I have WIFI stick Internaly Fitted )and the other on the rear of the case.

In summary you are getting a Baby Dreambox 8000 as the Dreambox 500HD can not be put in the same class as the Current 800HD, Its a far superior bit of Kit and If the New 800HD-SE fails to impress & with a high Price for in theory two USB ports and a little screen the 500HD is the best of both options.

I agree with Alun Fennell. I put Gemini 5.0 on my DM500HD and it's been purring away nicely ever since. No probs

[benny/9]

my dreambox 500hd arrived today and i need help
getting it set up, first what cables do i need?
i have a cat5 ethernet cable to connect to my router
do i need a cable for the service connector this looks
like a mini usb port, if i do what is it i need to buy?
i have connected the receiver to the tv,dish etc but
apart from a picture or the receiver that appears on the tv screen
on boot up i cant get access to the menus etc. and does the receiver
need to be flash first, before i try and set it up for sats and chns etc:
i have tried Pressing and holding the power button. and Switched on
with the power switch on the rear to get the next free DHCP IP address
from my router but nothing happens, and i just wonder am i missing
something obvious,

[alunfennell]

What you need to update the firmware:

You need a image for the DM 500HD that has the extension *. NFI.

Connect your Dreambox to your Switch / hub / router.

Turn off the dreambox, use the switch on the rear of the receiver.

1. Press the button on the front panel and hold it down with one hand Then turn on the Dreambox via the switch on the back with the other.
3. your Dreambox now get the next free DHCP IP address from your router.

Go to your Browser Firefox etc, Enter the Next IP address on your Router, if your PC IP address is 192.168.1.101 then the next will be 102 then 103 104 and so on

This screen will then appear

Select your Image

And select Flash

[shere]

Where did you guys buy the dm500hd from?

[benny/9]

What you need to update the firmware:

You need a image for the DM 500HD that has the extension *. NFI.

Connect your Dreambox to your Switch / hub / router.

Turn off the dreambox, use the switch on the rear of the receiver.

1. Press the button on the front panel and hold it down with one hand Then turn on the Dreambox via the switch on the back with the other.
3. your Dreambox now get the next free DHCP IP address from your router.

Go to your Browser Firefox etc, Enter the Next IP address on your Router, if your PC IP address is 192.168.1.101 then the next will be 102 then 103 104 and so on

This screen will then appear

Select your Image

And select Flash

***********************************************
hi alun.
can i ask do i need the usb cable connected from the mini port
on the box to the computer at the same time as the cat5 to the router,
next i get nothing when i hold the front button and turn on at the rear switch
the sat box turns and tv screen just stays black
i tried the ip ddress that was in the network section in the box menu
and it takes me to dreambox web control page not to the one you posted
that i need to load a image. also do i need to scan the sats and chns before
loading a image,

[alunfennell]

***********************************************
hi alun.
can i ask do i need the usb cable connected from the mini port
on the box to the computer at the same time as the cat5 to the router,
next i get nothing when i hold the front button and turn on at the rear switch
the sat box turns and tv screen just stays black
i tried the ip ddress that was in the network section in the box menu
and it takes me to dreambox web control page not to the one you posted
that i need to load a image. also do i need to scan the sats and chns before
loading a image,

No you will never use the USB mini Port, and using Dreamup is not Required for Flashing.

But you can if it its easer for you:

Manual update firmware DM 500HD via mini-usb & Lan Network

Items required:
1) mini-usb male to male USB & Cat5 Network Cable



2) Universal DreamUP 1.3.3.5

Process:

1)Unplugged the Dream 500HD

2)We connect the cable for its part mini-usb port and "Service" of the Dream 500HD and the USB to a USB port on your PC and also the Lan Cable from your Router

3)Just plug it in, the PC will detect new hardware connected to the system:

4)The PC will ask the driver for this new component, Windows 7 will download the driver Auto

5)Open the Windows Device Manager, and you will see the new hardware installed, will appear as COM port (even a USB cable). In the following example, is recognized as the cable into the port COM4.



6)We opened the universal DreamUP 1.3.3.5 (for example) and select the update COM port (like any other model of Dreambox). At this point, we choose the COM port that we appeared in the previous step (COM4 in this example).

7)Press the Connect button the DreamUP universal and we can turn
the Dream 500HD to start loading new firmware.


So there are the Two ways to flash the Receiver, and Yes a Previous Copy of E2 Channel List is the best way to upload the Channel List, or you will have to scan each one Independantly.

[215liverpool]

Where did you guys buy the dm500hd from?

I bought mine from dreamboxshop.co.uk.

It was ?319 but they are that much pretty much that price everywhere.

Best piece of electrical equipment that I have ever bought.

[benny/9]

I bought mine from dreamboxshop.co.uk.

It was ?319 but they are that much pretty much that price everywhere.

Best piece of electrical equipment that I have ever bought.

*********************************************
so i got a good buy then from wizard ?290 and next day delivery
and now i have it more or less sorted i agree a great box,

[benny/9]

No you will never use the USB mini Port, and using Dreamup is not Required for Flashing.

But you can if it its easer for you:

Manual update firmware DM 500HD via mini-usb & Lan Network

Items required:
1) mini-usb male to male USB & Cat5 Network Cable



2) Universal DreamUP 1.3.3.5

Process:

1)Unplugged the Dream 500HD

2)We connect the cable for its part mini-usb port and "Service" of the Dream 500HD and the USB to a USB port on your PC and also the Lan Cable from your Router

3)Just plug it in, the PC will detect new hardware connected to the system:

4)The PC will ask the driver for this new component, Windows 7 will download the driver Auto

5)Open the Windows Device Manager, and you will see the new hardware installed, will appear as COM port (even a USB cable). In the following example, is recognized as the cable into the port COM4.



6)We opened the universal DreamUP 1.3.3.5 (for example) and select the update COM port (like any other model of Dreambox). At this point, we choose the COM port that we appeared in the previous step (COM4 in this example).

7)Press the Connect button the DreamUP universal and we can turn
the Dream 500HD to start loading new firmware.


So there are the Two ways to flash the Receiver, and Yes a Previous Copy of E2 Channel List is the best way to upload the Channel List, or you will have to scan each one Independantly.

*********************************
thanks for the help alun i have the image flashed
i got it sorted this way, turn off and wait 30secs then hold
hold the front button for about 1 min then while holding the
button turn on and and hold for anouther 1 min release and
type the ip from the network section in the box menu in to
firefox and it went to the correct page then i flashed the box
now it's setting to work with a v-box and a 36v motor on diseqv 1.2
and get the sats and chns scanned

[alunfennell]

Great to hear your up and running M8, What Image are you using ?