Mutant HD51 (And other E2 Boxes) Diseqc/Usals Motor Fix.

[RustySpoons]

Have done a bit of debugging here over the past few days regarding this issue, and come up with a fix.

I sent Captain Jack a message this morning to test this and he's confirmed it works on his HD51, it's working on some other E2 boxes here,
it seems something was changed in the OA E2 image that breaks something to do with Diseqc commands.

Symptoms are, failing to lock/tune after moving the dish with a black screen, changing satellites and back sometimes solves it.
Motor failing to move etc.

FTP in to box...

go to etc/enigma2/settings


Looking at your screenshots you are showing lnb.1 not lnb.65, so looks like screenshot isn't showing the tuner with the motor on?

Change the line with the correct lnb number for the motor

Also nims number will be 0 or 1 (tuner 1 or 2) depending on tuner. So anywhere in the list below you see a nims number, check its the correct tuner the motor is on and edit that line.

Find a line similar to this, if motor is on "Advanced"

config.Nims.0.dvbs.advanced.lnb.65.powerMeasurement=false (just change false to true, only the line with correct nims and lnb for the motor)

If you are decide to use the "Positioner Option" under "Simple" instead of "Advanced" you change this line.

config.Nims.0.dvbs.powerMeasurement=false (just change false to true)

Further things to try, but try the power setting first.

I've changed these figures so the box doesn't try to scan/tune before the dish hits the bird, these are for a STAB-HH100
config.Nims.0.dvbs.advanced.lnb.65.turningspeedH=1.8
config.Nims.0.dvbs.advanced.lnb.65.turningspeedV=1.2


and under simple:

config.Nims.0.dvbs.turningspeedH=1.8
config.Nims.0.dvbs.turningspeedV=1.2

 

[MCelliotG]

That's more like a workaround rather than a fix. The powermeasurement should be enabled by default in the driver.
It partially fixes the non-lock problem but in my case did not fix the motor behaviour, it simply reduced the amount of time taking to get a signal. Neither the turning speed values helped, in fact they made the motor slower (it's a dark type motor).
If it fixes anything it's the box losing signal while fine tuning the motor and that's something!

 

[RustySpoons]

That's more like a workaround rather than a fix. The powermeasurement should be enabled by default in the driver.
It partially fixes the non-lock problem but in my case did not fix the motor behaviour, it simply reduced the amount of time taking to get a signal. Neither the turning speed values helped, in fact they made the motor slower (it's a dark type motor).
If it fixes anything it's the box losing signal while fine tuning the motor and that's something!

At the end of the day the end result is the same and it doesn't really matter where that code had been changed. So it's still a fix.

Hopefully this issue gets amended in any updates to the E2 OS as I've fed it back to dev teams.

I am surprised however that I've seen a lot of people complaining about this issue and desperate for a solution, which I have now provided but I seem to get some criticism back for some strange reason.

Are you using USALS or Diseqc to drive the dish, as stated those speed settings are dependent on a certain issue. I have a STAB H-H which is slower than the genetic motors, so that solves a different issue for me.

 

[Captain Jack]

I never experienced any issues with it driving a Vbox and this certainly fixed the very slow locking issues between satellites.

What exactly is this setting and how does it alter the behaviour?

 

[MCelliotG]

Why do you perceive my answer as criticism? What I've said clearly is that a fix should be in drivers, what the users change in the settings is a workaround! Is the use of the word that bothers you?
A driver fix should mend any problem for any setup. It worked in your case and that's fine but how sure are you that it fixes the problems for everyone? I thought the point for posting a fix is for people to try and report back if it worked in their case? So, if it doesn't work for everybody and they report it back as non-working is perceived as criticism? I can't follow you here...

 

[RustySpoons]

Why do you perceive my answer as criticism? What I've said clearly is that a fix should be in drivers, what the users change in the settings is a workaround! Is the use of the word that bothers you?
A driver fix should mend any problem for any setup. It worked in your case and that's fine but how sure are you that it fixes the problems for everyone? I thought the point for posting a fix is for people to try and report back if it worked in their case? So, if it doesn't work for everybody and they report it back as non-working is perceived as criticism? I can't follow you here...

I'm typing replies on my phone. No not you apologies if it read that way, I put this on other forums and wish I hadn't bothered.

Seems there are 2 issues. This resolves one.
It's not drivers for the other boxes I've tested it on as they are Broadcom and Alps tuners.

Interestingly I've just looked back at some archived E2 stuff I have saved from years ago, some images have this enabled by default. They don't have the GUI option but it's there in the config.

Another has it there in the GUI.

 

[Ghostleader]

Have done a bit of debugging here over the past few days regarding this issue, and come up with a fix.

I sent Captain Jack a message this morning to test this and he's confirmed it works on his HD51, it's working on some other E2 boxes here,
it seems something was changed in the OA E2 image that breaks something to do with Diseqc commands.

Symptoms are, failing to lock/tune after moving the dish with a black screen, changing satellites and back sometimes solves it.
Motor failing to move etc.

FTP in to box...

go to etc/enigma2/settings


Looking at your screenshots you are showing lnb.1 not lnb.65, so looks like screenshot isn't showing the tuner with the motor on?

Change the line with the correct lnb number for the motor

Also nims number will be 0 or 1 (tuner 1 or 2) depending on tuner. So anywhere in the list below you see a nims number, check its the correct tuner the motor is on and edit that line.

Find a line similar to this, if motor is on "Advanced"

config.Nims.0.dvbs.advanced.lnb.65.powerMeasurement=false (just change false to true, only the line with correct nims and lnb for the motor)

If you are decide to use the "Positioner Option" under "Simple" instead of "Advanced" you change this line.

config.Nims.0.dvbs.powerMeasurement=false (just change false to true)

Further things to try, but try the power setting first.

I've changed these figures so the box doesn't try to scan/tune before the dish hits the bird, these are for a STAB-HH100
config.Nims.0.dvbs.advanced.lnb.65.turningspeedH=1.8
config.Nims.0.dvbs.advanced.lnb.65.turningspeedV=1.2


and under simple:

config.Nims.0.dvbs.turningspeedH=1.8
config.Nims.0.dvbs.turningspeedV=1.2

So this will fix my "arrives at satellite but then sits there like a complete numpty doing nowt despite there being a live bloody prestored channel" problem my good man?

 

[RustySpoons]

So this will fix my "arrives at satellite but then sits there like a complete numpty doing nowt despite there being a live bloody prestored channel" problem my good man?

It should do

 

[Captain Jack]

So this will fix my "arrives at satellite but then sits there like a complete numpty doing nowt despite there being a live bloody prestored channel" problem my good man?

It fixes it that particular problem for me, yes.

 

[MCelliotG]

So all we have to do is wait for users to report back and then we can have a more complete aspect of what is fixed.
So far it fixes for sure the slow lock and the fine-tuning, for the usals/diseqc setups we will have to see how each setup behaves.
I wish though it fixed my case too, I'm thoroughly disappointed as I had hoped it would be totally OK!

 

[RustySpoons]

So all we have to do is wait for users to report back and then we can have a more complete aspect of what is fixed.
So far it fixes for sure the slow lock and the fine-tuning, for the usals/diseqc setups we will have to see how each setup behaves.
I wish though it fixed my case too, I'm thoroughly disappointed as I had hoped it would be totally OK!

Yeah I can imagine, at least the ball is rolling and this needs to be addressed. I've been looking at this box for some time now and nothing was happening regarding looking in to it.

I've tried to speak to mutant on several platforms and no reply.

I will add that I had a strange issue with my TBS box (same Silabs silicon as the mutant) driving motors and spoke to TBS at length with this, initially they said it was a current issue with the motor until I proved otherwise with tests. Low and behold a new driver pops up on there site and the issue is resolved! (No change log tho) Maybe this applies to the Mutant. But without the source code being published for any of these devices I can't see what they have changed.

 

[Ghostleader]

It should do

Cheers, now simple question, if I FTP into the box and copy then change the required values as shown in your post then delete the original file and replace with the modified version and THEN restart the box these changes will be applied, i.e. I can do it that way? As I have a "Microsoft" free home, would use my phone.

 

[Captain Jack]

One tip. When you edit settings file, be sure that Enigma isn't running. Issue init 2 in telnet. This is because your changes would be overwritten by a graceful restart of the box.

 

[RustySpoons]

One tip. When you edit settings file, be sure that Enigma isn't running. Issue init 2 in telnet. This is because your changes would be overwritten by a graceful restart of the box.

Valid point. I always assume everyone uses Linux/BSD

 

[Ghostleader]

One tip. When you edit settings file, be sure that Enigma isn't running. Issue init 2 in telnet. This is because your changes would be overwritten by a graceful restart of the box.

So I would need to webinterface with the receiver rather than use the FTP program I would use normally then Jack?

 

[MCelliotG]

So far there have been four different drivers for the same Silabs chipsets.
1. The Dreambox (complete closed of course). Everything works fine. Motor, usals, lock, correct db values (0.25 increments) and above all BLINDSCAN!
2. The Octagon. Everything works like Dreambox but no blindscan
3. The Vu+. Everything works except blindscan and db values (they disable db values deliberately so that the users have only pecentages). There has been a workaround with blindscan only through the blindscan plugin (external binary).
4. The generic for all other STBs (Mutant, Zgemma etc). Nothing works right. Motor issues, power issues, lock issues, ERROREOUS db values (calculated up and down), problematic lock in all cases (the signal is shown as weak and then goes back to the correct one), no blindscan.

So what Mutant users get so far is the end of the stick. All tuner revisions have the same chipset with slight differences in performance.
I have no words for Mutant's complete indifference in providing a correct BSP for their clients, when Dreambox uses the very same tuners and they work as they should with hardware blindscan on top of that. What they claim about motors is simply ridiculous, and has been proven wrong. They need to step up their game if they want the next models to sell, otherwise they will end up like Octagon....
And it's also sadder because other than the tuner problem the HD51 is simply excellent!!!

 

[RustySpoons]

So far there have been four different drivers for the same Silabs chipsets.
1. The Dreambox (complete closed of course). Everything works fine. Motor, usals, lock, correct db values (0.25 increments) and above all BLINDSCAN!
2. The Octagon. Everything works like Dreambox but no blindscan
3. The Vu+. Everything works except blindscan and db values (they disable db values deliberately so that the users have only pecentages). There has been a workaround with blindscan only through the blindscan plugin (external binary).
4. The generic for all other STBs (Mutant, Zgemma etc). Nothing works right. Motor issues, power issues, lock issues, ERROREOUS db values (calculated up and down), problematic lock in all cases (the signal is shown as weak and then goes back to the correct one), no blindscan.

So what Mutant users get so far is the end of the stick. All tuner revisions have the same chipset with slight differences in performance.
I have no words for Mutant's complete indifference in providing a correct BSP for their clients, when Dreambox uses the very same tuners and they work as they should with hardware blindscan on top of that. What they claim about motors is simply ridiculous, and has been proven wrong. They need to step up their game if they want the next models to sell, otherwise they will end up like Octagon....
And it's also sadder because other than the tuner problem the HD51 is simply excellent!!!

I was thinking about this the other day, I don't see dreambox users complaining but they are not using OpenPLI type OS, I think the fault seems to be only with the OE Alliance E2 distributions, I may be wrong?
VU+ does not have DVB-2SX tuner yet though sadly, I'd buy one if it did
Also not many have the No StreamRelay
DM 900 would be nice, but PLI/Vix Team won't support it for some stupid reasons.

Mutant ticks every single box for me, just hope all these issues can be sorted out.

The whole thing is a mess right now I think, I wish they could all get their act together as there will be a point people will stop buying E2 boxes which will be a great shame. I've used them for over 10 years now, before that I custom built a VDR box on a PIII using broadcast DVB cards, sky plus and pvr's did not exist. I did have a mess around with DBox's if anyone remembers those! was great when you could run Linux on them.

I just hope we will have Linux based boxes for a long time, but the way things are going at the moment it's not looking too promising.

 

[MCelliotG]

Good news, this workaround worked on OpenPLI (was trying on OpenATV). The dish moves as it should and locks fast, the dish moving icon disappeared but you can't have everything I guess....
All I did was change the powermeasurement values in my settings file to true, nothing else, after stopping enigma2 with init2.

So the correct drivers should ignore the powermeasurement value, since no other tuner is affected by this global setting default to false.

 

[RustySpoons]

Good news, this workaround worked on OpenPLI (was trying on OpenATV). The dish moves as it should and locks fast, the dish moving icon disappeared but you can't have everything I guess....
All I did was change the powermeasurement values in my settings file to true, nothing else, after stopping enigma2 with init2.

So the correct drivers should ignore the powermeasurement value, since no other tuner is affected by this global setting default to false.

I have a Broadcom box here that's affected, this is where it all stemmed from. As I was about to buy the HD51 and spoke to at lengths with Captain Jack that I would try replicate the issue here. As it was behaving the same as his HD51 so was determined to get to the bottom of it. I can also make it happen with a ALPS tuner Dreambox.

As I mentioned this seems to happen with OA E2 after a date in 2017. I think its a E2 issue not a driver issue if that makes sense, or a combination of both

 

[Mickha]

VU+ does not have DVB-2SX tuner yet though sadly, I'd buy one if it did

The VU+ Zero 4K is listed as having DVB-S2X tuners, there were claims that the other VU+ 4K receivers are supposed to be capable of handling DVB-S2X tuners with future updates.
Taken from the VU+ website:
VU+ Zero 4K
Advanced Single DVB-S2X tuner or
Single DVB C/T2 Tuner