Alsat Super Darkbox rev 2008 combo

[jeallen01]

This is a pic of one:
....Diseqc 1.2 to 36v positioner.

Apologies, not for the first time I misread a post, and thought you were talking about the actual motor on the dish!

However,:
- One, I would not worry about the positioner when you are not in a premises because I assume that the receiver in question will be switched off and presumably also the positioner, but do ensure that the mains supplies are also switched off at the wall sockets.
- Two, when you are using a system - given what was said earlier about positioner fires - then make sure it sits on a non-easily flammable (e.g. metal, tile, MDF, etc.) base and there is nothing else flammable near/above it that could spread any fire in the positioner. It is a small unit with relatively little flammable material in it, and so, at worst, all you will get is a lot of smoke and a blackened and "dead" unit, and the smoke alarm going off.

 

[Captain Jack]

Sure it was a member on here, that said one caught fire a few years back.

That would be me. The primary winding on the transformer went OC and burnt through the rectifying diodes. If I wasn't in the room at the time, it probably would have caught fire as it made quite a mess on the charred circuit board. I never did get around to fixing it - was cheaper to buy a new unit than a new transformer...

 

[inkyboy]

Blimey Alsat - thats a name I havent heard for a few years.

Alsat shut down years ago so the chances of any recent updates is about zero. That receiver is indeed 2008 - and according to this site

Dark Box - Dokumentation Project by ILG Software & BFM Internet-Vertriebs GmbH

the last year of production was indeed 2008.

Hi im looking for any updates to this box before the company shut down not any recent updates.I won it new on Ebay for £5 inc p+p! got to be worth that to have some fun with even though the opinion is their rubbish.Regards and thanks.Barry.

 

[Topper]

Hi im looking for any updates to this box before the company shut down not any recent updates.I won it new on Ebay for £5 inc p+p! got to be worth that to have some fun with even though the opinion is their rubbish.Regards and thanks.Barry.

I would imagine most members who involved themselves in 'updates' have had at least one new computer since then and done some housekeeping in the meantime, this forum never has been involved in such 'updates'

 

[Analoguesat]

Even any links you might find to file sharing sites are almost certain to be inactive now. I doubt very much anyone on this forum would have software updates for that model either.

Im not quite sure why you are looking for any updates anyway - they will be 7 or 8 year old now & they they arent going to do anything nowadays. Channel lists are going to be the best part of a decade out of date & patches arent going to do much these days.

You could try The Internet Archive I guess but they tend not to archive attachments

 

[davemurgtroyd]

Have you tried the Alsat forum - linkhttp://alsatforum.com/

 

[Analoguesat]

^^^^ Jeez thats a bit quieter than last time I looked at it!

 

[inkyboy]

I would imagine most members who involved themselves in 'updates' have had at least one new computer since then and done some housekeeping in the meantime, this forum never has been involved in such 'updates'

Hi sorry i do not understand your reply or the point your trying to make?.For example what as the age of a Pc and wether someone has replaced their pc got to do with me looking for any updates to the Darkbox that were released and saved in someones files or burn to disc before Alsat ceased trading?

 

[inkyboy]

I would imagine most members who involved themselves in 'updates' have had at least one new computer since then and done some housekeeping in the meantime, this forum never has been involved in such 'updates'

Further to my last email i have found zipped firmware for this box that can be downloaded from Satpimps then loaded onto a Usb memory stick which can then be used on the Darkbox to fix bugs in the original firmware and to make the Usb to a hard drive connection operative because it wasnt when the box was released and that is comfirmed in their instruction manual.Regards and thanks

 

[Analoguesat]

Hi sorry i do not understand your reply or the point your trying to make?.For example what as the age of a Pc and wether someone has replaced their pc got to do with me looking for any updates to the Darkbox that were released and saved in someones files or burn to disc before Alsat ceased trading?

Because few people bother moving ancient patches over to a new computer for obsolete receivers they may own. The average useful lifespan for a modern day receiver is about 5 years before they fall so far behind the curve they get replaced.

I loved my old DM7020 but its not used these days as it doesnt get dvb-s2. Useful lifespan of it - 5 years.

 

[inkyboy]

Hi im looking for any updates to this box before the company shut down not any recent updates.I won it new on Ebay for £5 inc p+p! got to be worth that to have some fun with even though the opinion is their rubbish.Regards and thanks.Barry.

Even any links you might find to file sharing sites are almost certain to be inactive now. I doubt very much anyone on this forum would have software updates for that model either.

Im not quite sure why you are looking for any updates anyway - they will be 7 or 8 year old now & they they arent going to do anything nowadays. Channel lists are going to be the best part of a decade out of date & patches arent going to do much these days.

You could try The Internet Archive I guess but they tend not to archive attachments

I t

Well I hope you got it very cheap. There's one on Fleabay for £20 new. 302602806784

Could well be totally wrong but I believe that Alsat (at least as a company as such, rather than a just a brand, in the UK) went out of business a long time ago; and the "2008" might indicate that it is around 10 yrs since this model receiver was made, and so it could be that there have been few, if any, recent firmware updates for it - and I don't think I have seen it mentioned on this forum in the last 3 years or so.

Others on the forum know quite a lot about the history of Alsat (I don't).

Personal advice would be to try to return the unit and get your money back from the supplier to buy something a lot more modern (on that point, there is a lot of advice you can find here) - Just my opinion though!

Personal advice would be to try to return the unit and get your money back from the supplier to buy something a lot more modern (on that point, there is a lot of advice you can find here) - Just my opinion though!

Hi thanks but the box is brand new boxed and cost me £5 inc p+p from Ebay.Its got to be worth a lot more than that to have some fun and im more than happy with my purchase.To put the icing on the cake i wondered what updates to the firmware to fix bugs etc have been released prior to the company ceasing trading.I know i cant get them from Alsat but wondered if anyone still had the firmware updates they downloaded if any were released.You say updates arent going to do much these days but they will do what they were released to do for example fixing bugs regardless of how old they are..Regards and thanks.

 

[inkyboy]

Because few people bother moving ancient patches over to a new computer for obsolete receivers they may own. The average useful lifespan for a modern day receiver is about 5 years before they fall so far behind the curve they get replaced.

I loved my old DM7020 but its not used these days as it doesnt get dvb-s2. Useful lifespan of it - 5 years.

Hi you dont transfer things like firmware updates etc from one pc to another you save it to a Usb Memory stick or burn it to a disc and save it that way.This is what most people i know will do and then youve always got it if someone should require it.Thanks.

 

[Topper]

I t



Hi thanks but the box is brand new boxed and cost me £5 inc p+p from Ebay.Its got to be worth a lot more than that to have some fun and im more than happy with my purchase.To put the icing on the cake i wondered what updates to the firmware to fix bugs etc have been released prior to the company ceasing trading.I know i cant get them from Alsat but wondered if anyone still had the firmware updates they downloaded if any were released.You say updates arent going to do much these days but they will do what they were released to do for example fixing bugs regardless of how old they are..Regards and thanks.

You are wasting your time, the encryption levels moved to a higher level a while ago, nothing from that era will work now

 

[Analoguesat]

Hi you dont transfer things like firmware updates etc from one pc to another you save it to a Usb Memory stick or burn it to a disc and save it that way.This is what most people i know will do and then youve always got it if someone should require it.Thanks.

Most people dont bother. Or lose the memory stick. Or wipe whats on it to put something more useful on etc etc.

Im glad you have found something. Good luck with it.

 

[inkyboy]

You are wasting your time, the encryption levels moved to a higher level a while ago, nothing from that era will work now

Hi reading your reply and talk about "encryption" i feel you have not understood my original request.Manufacturers of Freeview boxes, dvd players and Freeview boxes and of course Satellite boxes have firmware on them to make them work and very often this firmware has teething problems so updates are released to rectify the problems.These are the updates if any in fact any were released that im trying to find.These updates will still workno matter how old the box is and improve the firmware and do some good so what is this talk of encryption and why am i wasting my time??

 

[inkyboy]

Most people dont bother. Or lose the memory stick. Or wipe whats on it to put something more useful on etc etc.

Im glad you have found something. Good luck with it.

.People only use discs that that you can wipe and reuse if what they want to keep on it is unimportant so they can erase it.Also if you only happen to have rewriteable discs writing on it with a cd pen what is on the disc with do not erase would seem to be a sensible option..If its important like firmware etc they would burn it to a write once disc which is not eraseable and anyone who burns important files to a Usb memory stick then loses it should not bother doing it in the first place.Thanks.

 

[inkyboy]

Have you tried the Alsat forum - linkhttp://alsatforum.com/

Hi yes ive tried that site without success bu thanks

 

[nelson_b]

Further to my last email i have found zipped firmware for this box that can be downloaded from Satpimps then loaded onto a Usb memory stick which can then be used on the Darkbox to fix bugs in the original firmware and to make the Usb to a hard drive connection operative because it wasnt when the box was released and that is comfirmed in their instruction manual.Regards and thanks

I doubt you will find anything better than you have already found on that site

regards ...

 

[inkyboy]

I doubt you will find anything better than you have already found on that site

regards ...

Hi i joined every every Satellite forum i could find and in the end it was only on that site i found something.Judging by most of the replies i received on most forums and no matter how hard i tried no-one really seemed to understand my simple question..Its been hardwork. but ill now settle for what ive found and call it a day.Regards and thanks.