hi mark.this is very strange! its possible the firmware could've become corrupted perhaps during the download? try downloading the one i've listed and reinstalling it, and let us know if that fixes the issue. also, i've noticed that if your hard drive is failing in these boxes or on its way out, they'll regularly crash. TVOnics used cheap nasty hitachi drives running at 5900RPM, not good enough to be used when you've got TTS loaded. that's why, when the boxes were first released, i replaced the hard drives for a good few people with faster better quality ones made by Seagate. Its very unlikely you'll need to do this, but if you do need a hand getting it back up and running, drop me a note off list and you could either send it to me or you could atempt a hard drive upgrade. i'd try reinstalling the firmware first if it'll let you, if not then reset to factory defaults.
cheers, Mo. On 20/09/2013 18:06, Mark Threadgold wrote:
Guys, I have an HD500 and it stopped all speech a couple of weeks ago. I looked up the RNIB instructions and used the remote as described by Mo to get speech working again. Since then the box has crashed regularly, sometimes every time it is turned on. It locks up and won't work again for up to a couple of minutes, and is always reset coming up on BBVC1. The record and playback and all other functions seem to work, but only when it is not locking up. The announcement of where a recording is playing from no longer speaks, instead a single ding when you press the fast forward button is heard. There is also the little jingle when it is powered off, and sometimes it says going into standby, sometimes not. Having read this thread I checked the manufacturer information in the settings and it is now saying it is a Pulse 8 with software version 3.0. The automatic softward update was turned on so I can only assume this update ocurred while I was away on holiday. If it is not compatible with the HD500 I am disappointed it did automatically update itself. This was done over air and not through an internet connection, by the way. If anyone has the Tvonics firmware file I can reload onto the HD500 I would appreciate a copy, as the box is so unreliable it is hardly worth using it some days. Regards, Mark Threadgold Of all the things I have ever lost, the one I miss most is my mind...________________________________ From: access-uk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mobeen Iqbal Sent: 20 September 2013 16:51 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: TVOnics New Firmware with TTS Support Released! hi martin. yep, the design of that box could've been improved *chuckles*. So does that mean that the firmware bugs have been rectified? if so then the RNIB don't need to worry, they're probably worried about warranty claims. as i said its not necessary for customers to upgrade unless you want the extra functionality. I'm very glad your box hasn't gone bang. cheers, Mo. On 20/09/2013 16:42, martin wilsher wrote: HI Mo: yes I found it, thanks. that under the wing one is a complete pest to get to. probably why they provide two, in case u bust one *grin* yes upgrade went well, though thanks to u I had the means to get my tts working again. the memory note, menu, one, ok,2 ok, three right arrow would work for getting tts up and running I think. ________________________________ From: access-uk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mobeen Iqbal Sent: 20 September 2013 16:36 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: TVOnics New Firmware with TTS Support Released! Hi martin. I am glad it worked for you! Yes, there is a USB port on the back as far as I can remember its under the scartt socket. I hope your box is ok? RNIB seem to think the firmware could be unstable though I think that was the previous version that did not include tts support. My box has been fine for over a week. Cheers, Mo. martin wilsher <martinwilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> <mailto:martinwilsher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: HI Mo: Thanks for this. Btw, can u tell me on the dtr hd box, is there another USB port in a better place than the one on the bottom right under the wing? It was a thorough pest trying to get the usb stick in there. Btw, now I note the box makes a funny tune when going into standby. Thanks. -----Original Message----- From: access-uk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mobeen Iqbal Sent: 20 September 2013 14:12 To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: [access-uk] TVOnics New Firmware with TTS Support Released! Hello Everyone. I'm surprised noone's mentioned this officially yet. Many of us have TVOnics set top boxes. As some of you may know, a company called Pulse Eight aquired the TVOnics boxes and agreed to keep on developing them. Last week, i noticed that a new firmware file was listed on the pulse eight website. It would appear that this firmware rebrands the box as a pulse eight box, and also allows you access to the channels recently added to freeview that require the internet. new channels are being added all the time, and if you connect your box to a broadband router, then you can access the new channels that are broadcasting over the internet as well as your standard channels. Also, i'm guessing they've changed the check for update feature so the box now contacts pulse eight for updates, only a guess though as there doesn't appear to be a change log anywhere. The upgrade process is fully accessible, though i did manually have to reenable speech afterwards. Instructions are below, though i've only tested these once having only my box to test them on. as always, carry out these instructions at your own risk! First, download and save the appropriate firmware file for your box. HD500: the one supplied by the RNIB, the plastic box with wings. http://www.pulse-eight.com/store/download/get/20 Z500HD: the metal shoobox stile box. http://www.pulse-eight.com/store/download/get/19 Copy the upgrade file to a pen drive. Plug the pen drive in to your boxes USB port. Press menu and go down to service. go down to USB software upgrade. when you press select, the box should ask you if you want to update to the new software version 3 from your current version. right arrow to yes and press select. the update will begin, and after about 4 minutes your box will restart. NOTE: you could lose speech at this point when the box turns back on. if pressing the blue button, that's bottom right doesn't work, here are some instructions to reenable accessibility. If you can hear the TV channel you had the box on when you upgraded, that means that probably nothing's gone wrong. here's what i did. First, to make sure there are no prompts on the screen, power down your box either via the power button or by unplugging it if the power button doesn't power it down. power the box back on, and your TV channel should come back on. press the menu button. go down once to settings and press select. go down twice to accessibility settings and press select. go down 3 times to text to speech, then press your right arrow. this should turn on text to speech. you shouldn't need to retune the box. as always, if anyone would like a hand please contact me on or off list. I hope i get credited for these instructions if the RNIB use them, as they haven't published any of their own yet. fat chance. Enjoy!< br /> Mo. ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
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