Skybox f5s dim 8 help needed

[rob247]

hi
i have had an f5s box for 2 months been working no problem at all. The other day it started to freeze up. not just the picture but the whole box. I had to keep unplugging it and plugging back in then it would load fine and work for anything between 1 minute and a couple of hours and then freeze again.
now it will not come back on and shows a dim red light and a number 8.
i have trawled the net trying to find a fix for it. i bought a null modem cable which came today and have downloaded an rs232 loader and an f5s .abs file. i have followed the instruction but keep getting an stb memory error
anyone had anything similar and managed to fix it? or any advice at all?
all help would be much appreciated.

ps i have looked all over for a solution before posting but am unable to find anything that works

[poyzy]

HI Mate the Box is bricked.. You cant even flash any firmware , worth nothing now..

[slugworth]

dim 8 was a hardware problem I think.
Either power supply or mainboard.

[Jackirwin]

you guys are wrong all needs to be done is flash it with rs232 cable and sorted its happened me twice and I had dim 8 its the firmware is corrupted just reflash it don't listen to other guy about it being no good

[slugworth]

corrupt firmware would be no display at all

[Hadron]

you guys are wrong all needs to be done is flash it with rs232 cable and sorted its happened me twice and I had dim 8 its the firmware is corrupted just reflash it don't listen to other guy about it being no good

rob247 has already tried flashing with RS232 cable & gets "STB memory error".

[boobishabang]

rob247 has already tried flashing with RS232 cable & gets "STB memory error".

Had the same issue with an M5 box and successfully fixed it with an RS232 flash, had the STB memory error too, just found an earlier version of the flashing software and it fixed the issue with that version

[poyzy]

HI Have used a different amounts of firmware from ali360 to skyboxcc. all have failed.I Also get the STB memory Error.

can you help if this has worked for you Jarwin,

Thanks

[boobishabang]

HI Have used a different amounts of firmware from ali360 to skyboxcc. all have failed.I Also get the STB memory Error.

can you help if this has worked for you Jarwin,

Thanks

Have a look at vibore's link post #23 on this thread- http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums...76/index2.html

this is the loader software i used on the M5 after having the STB memory error, along with the latest firmware it fixed this issue for me.

[poyzy]

Hi THANKS for the reply. what do yo mean by the loader.. where would i load the F3 EROM UPGRADE KOSAT

on the eprom software.

can you explain step by step process you carried out

[garrygeezer]

Hi THANKS for the reply. what do yo mean by the loader.. where would i load the F3 EROM UPGRADE KOSAT

on the eprom software.

can you explain step by step process you carried out

I can confirm that F3 EROM UPGRADE KOSAT Will work with the F5s as I have used it.

1. Download latest firmware for your box from manufacturers website.
2. Unrar F3 EROM UPGRADE KOSAT
3. Switch the box OFF at the mains.
4. Connect up your PC to the F5s using a null modem serial cable.
5. Run EromUpgrade.exe found in the F3 EROM UPGRADE KOSAT folder you extracted and check the Com settings are correct (look in device manager under ports on your PC for the serial port Com number your box is connected to) e.g. COM1. Make sure the Bits Rate is set at 115200 and Parity is set to even in the loader program.
6. Select Upgrade in the loader program Operate Mode then click browse and locate the latest firmware file for your box (.abs file) the one you downloaded in step 1. Make sure you tick the box include Bootloader.
7. Click "Next" the loader should display synchronizing STBs... Please reset target! Switch the box on at the mains the loader will then connect to box and flash the .abs firmware file. It takes some time to complete but just follow the on screen instructions.
8. Don't power off or disconnect the box while the download & flash is taking place.

[makster1978]

as slugworth said this is a impossible fix mainboard is the problem your getting memory error because that's what it is,you will usually getting a burning smell from the box before it packs in,i sell these boxes and have 5 stacked up from returning customers which are going back to the manufacturer,bricked boxes show "load"stuck on the lcd display this is known as a bricked box and is fixable as stated above,if you get the number 8 forget it plain and simple you will spend hours trying to flash it don't waste your time,send it back or take a hammer to it,no super firmware or loaders will fix it

[slugworth]

the same goes for the s9/s10/s11/s12 with the "dim 8 on display" problem.
it's a hardware problem.

[garrygeezer]

as slugworth said this is a impossible fix mainboard is the problem your getting memory error because that's what it is,you will usually getting a burning smell from the box before it packs in,i sell these boxes and have 5 stacked up from returning customers which are going back to the manufacturer,bricked boxes show "load"stuck on the lcd display this is known as a bricked box and is fixable as stated above,if you get the number 8 forget it plain and simple you will spend hours trying to flash it don't waste your time,send it back or take a hammer to it,no super firmware or loaders will fix it

My F5s has had dim 8 on display after a channel list update failed and a reflash cured it. No load was present on the display just faint 8 and red light. Have had memory error before with an F3 though that was just incorrect firmware for box, it turned out it was a clone it flashed fine with the correct firmware which took me many attempts to find. Memory error quite often means wrong firmware loader being used.

[boobishabang]

My F5s has had dim 8 on display after a channel list update failed and a reflash cured it. No load was present on the display just faint 8 and red light. Have had memory error before with an F3 though that was just incorrect firmware for box, it turned out it was a clone it flashed fine with the correct firmware which took me many attempts to find. Memory error quite often means wrong firmware loader being used.

As Garygeezer says the issue is recoverable, as was the case with my M5 (libertview) it crashed after a EPG upgrade, with dim 8 and red light on the LCD, the reflash via RS232 cured the issue with the software mentioned above and the latest firmware from the skybox website, been working fine since.