My U4 dies overnight ...

[BazzaG]

I've been dreading this day for a looooong time but I didn't quite expect my U4 to die like this...

Working perfectly fine last night, switched it off as normal (standby mode), this morning went to copy a video file to the U4 & no go.

Checked the box & it's saying:

BOLT v1.31.1
Booting...
Beep (not very loud though)

then back to the start & cycle repeats. Occasionally LOADING ... will appear then back to the start.

Powering off & even pulling the power cord for a while doesn't do anything.

I don't believe there is anywhere today that I can even get it repaired. There used to be a place in Perth & another in Sydney but I believe they have both gone today ... Is that correct?

Just out of interest ... given my fault description above, anyone want to guess what is the likely cause?

I "loved" my U4 it was the best PVR we have ever owned; & we have had a few, even that piece of crap called a 'Fetch TV' (which the U4 replaced all those years ago). Loved the ability to "Pause Live TV" or to go back 20 mins on the channel that I/we were watching. Wouldn't be a day go past where I wouldn't use this feature.

Oh well, that's life.

Any alternatives these days?

IceTV have sold out of IceBox's & I don't have a spare PC that I can place anywhere near a TV aerial to install the IceBox BYOB. I also don't have the room to place a normal PC anywhere a TV aerial.

What about a mini PC or NUC? There are some available but gee they are expensive ... I hate to imagine the cost of a new IceBox when they do arrive.

What about USB tuners? Can I buy the IceTV tuners separately?

Any help would be most appreciated.

If need be, I'll buy a Fetch TV but that box will always remain as my last, desperate option.

Sorry, I'll have to cancel my IceTV subscription if I can't get a compatible service going.

[MD]

A couple of weeks ago we had a subscriber with a dead T4 who emailed NASA Electronics as they have closed down/he's retired and he did a repair as a favour so worth a go: nasaelectronics2017@gmail.com

[BazzaG]

Thankyou MD. I'll give it a go.

Email sent ... fingers crossed.

[raymondjpg]

IceTV have sold out of IceBox's & I don't have a spare PC that I can place anywhere near a TV aerial to install the IceBox BYOB. I also don't have the room to place a normal PC anywhere a TV aerial.

What about a mini PC or NUC? There are some available but gee they are expensive ... I hate to imagine the cost of a new IceBox when they do arrive.

What about USB tuners? Can I buy the IceTV tuners separately?

Any help would be most appreciated.

If need be, I'll buy a Fetch TV but that box will always remain as my last, desperate option.

Sorry, I'll have to cancel my IceTV subscription if I can't get a compatible service going.

You could save on cost by sourcing a refurbished NUC which may come with RAM and SSD installed. Try ebay.

Have you considered a USB firmware re-install on the U4?

[IanL-S]

Band news about the U4 - mine is still going strong.

One (remote) possibility is a failing power supply, as it can have many symptoms.

I hope Nasa will be able to help you out - please post back, as I have a T2 in need of help.

I got a couple of second-hand NUCs when the IceBox first came out. Check out the storage options - some only take mSATA drive which can be hard to come by, but there are mSATA to SATA adapters (but you would need to have the dive external). The drives they come with tend to be small. Also some have a SATA port but no bracket to install a SATA drive.

You may have better luck with a Mini PC - somewhat gigger, but at least one suppler has them with option for larger disk.

[BazzaG]

Have you considered a USB firmware re-install on the U4?

No I haven't. The last time I tried to turn on the U4 it took about 3 mins, maybe even 5 mins before it would display the above sequence.

As to the firmware ... I even have a old, small thumb drive that I used for this very purpose.

Found. It has the following in the root dir:

Dir: beyonwiz
In the beyonwiz dir:
Dir: u4
within that there are several files, including update.bin, etc. all with dates of Sun 10 Oct, 2021 (which match the file dates in beyonwiz-19.3-beyonwizu4-20210821_usb.zip the I found).

Worth giving it a go. Now for the instructions of how to do so. Also, found.

[MD]

Re miniPC these guys appear to have the same tuners
https://www.pbtech.com/au/product/TVNHGR1590/Hauppauge-WinTV-dualHD-Dual-Tuner-DVB-TT2C-Digital?qr=GShopping&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17416457683&gbraid=0AAAAAC73VCBUXaqEFIAM4HEneOq183uoq&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItsyq3Z6okgMVr9I8Ah0kWygbEAQYASABEgKko_D_BwE

[BazzaG]

Thanks MD, however, ....

I have my U4 working again ... and I am very, very happy.

It was the power brick that came with the U4 that died and amongst a drawer full of old AC to DC converters & old battery charges ...  I happened to have 1 that had the exact power output: 12v at 3.5amp. However, new power brick needed to have a different 240v power cable & again I just happened to have 1 that was fitted to a battery charger for a very old Lumix camera which died years ago.

As to the firmware, I did try but the re-install failed and it was while the U4 was trying to do so that I noticed the light on the original power brick was working correctly ... it kept flickering off & on.

One (remote) possibility is a failing power supply, as it can have many symptoms.

Ian, you were spot on. Not that I realised it until just a while ago.

Thanks to 1 & all.

[IanL-S]

Wow, so it was the power supply! This is most excellent news!

Ian

[IanL-S]

A few weeks ago, after a power failure, I was making sure that my T2's would log into the IceTV server. During the process T2 01 stooped working followed by T2 02. As they are only backup devices, I decided to come back to them later.

Today I took them out of the cabinet and tested them in my study - both worked perfectly. So my fears that the power supply had died on them both were misplaced. I suspect the problem is with the 10 year + old power board. So I have replaced it and hopefully all will be well. One of the RCUs was not recognized, and when pressing RCU key both the STP and TV buttons lit up (something I have not seen before). Clearly all was not well; removed the batteries from the RCU then put them back in and all was well.

Ian

[raymondjpg]

I suspect the problem is with the 10 year + old power board. So I have replaced it and hopefully all will be well.

Did you have a spare handy, or did you mean power supply?

[IanL-S]

Not power supply, I mean a power bard to which you attach a standard power cord. I had a spare 4-port on which I attached both T2's, a Ethernet switch and powered USB HUB.

I do have a spare T2 power supply and I think a U4 power supply. I have a collection of power supply PCB for Toppys that I "trashed"; 1 x 2470; 2 x TF-T6000.

[raymondjpg]

Not power supply, I mean a power bard to which you attach a standard power cord. I had a spare 4-port on which I attached both T2's, a Ethernet switch and powered USB HUB.

I do have a spare T2 power supply and I think a U4 power supply. I have a collection of power supply PCB for Toppys that I "trashed"; 1 x 2470; 2 x TF-T6000.

Thanks for the clarification. I seem to recall that it was necessary to apply to Beyonwiz for a a beefier power supply brick for the T2 when they were first released. Fingers crossed I haven't had any issues with mine, or the internal power supply (that I know of), so far, but then I have it on standby 99% of the time and use it only for recording.

[IanL-S]

My T2's are all refurbished barebones so I assume they all came with "updated" power supply. Even so, had one or two die on me.