PBO Bootcode Update (TFTPD/LAN Free) Under $6 and Under 666 Seconds

[__B__]

I've left for 2 hours, nothing happened.

This is a fresh flash drive, from Patriot. I formatted (not even selected "Fast Formatting") in FAT32 and copied the install.img only, at root.

The flash drive led light up intensely, but the usb led on PBO doesn't light on, even after 2h.

I'm going to connect it again, and run erase -m a second time. If possible I'm going to post the screen results. Thanks.

[__B__]

It worked.

I didn't have to wait a couple of hours, in fact, in 5 minutes I was testing a mkv movie in my unit.

The problem was with the flash drive. They all worked on all machines I tested except the PBO, so it's impossible to know if it's going to work before you connect to the unit. In fact, I used a NOKIA N95 8GB in Mass Storage mode!!!

I'm going to do some more tests, and post the correct wire combination with some pictures.

Thank you all! You helped me a lot.

(Another question: now that I know it's possible to unbrick and brick in an easy way, I have a generic wireless usb adapter here at home. Does exist a firmware with a better driver range to detect it, like a "better Linux distribution") or something? Which firmware do you recommend?)

[aasoror]

It worked.

Good to know that.
Enjoy your PBO

(Another question: now that I know it's possible to unbrick and brick in an easy way, I have a generic wireless usb adapter here at home. Does exist a firmware with a better driver range to detect it, like a "better Linux distribution") or something? Which firmware do you recommend?)

Unfortunately there is no complied drivers (for any realtek based player) than those already available inside the PBO. As a matter of fact P05 is the built in the most recent SDK (more recent than the "you know which" firmware), thus whatever drivers are there are the latest.

Notice that a generic USB adapter wont work unless it has a realtek chip inside it (check the wifi USB sticky for a list of the supported realtek chipsets)

[scboley]

I have a generic wireless usb adapter here at home. Does exist a firmware with a better driver range to detect it, like a "better Linux distribution") or something? Which firmware do you recommend?)

If you're savvy with linux yes you could add another adapter to it BUT you would have to find TSK's post for compiling in a mips environment and then get the source package from PM and then IF your usb wireless controller is supported in linux, you could get that driver source compile it against the mips kernel the PBO utilizes and manually go in and add it to the module tree and then as long as it compiled correctly I'm sure it would then work on the PBO. The thing to do would be do some research for the best performing usb wireless N on linux and then someone compile the module and distribute it to everyone that would want to purchase that adapter.

It's not impossible to go outside Realtek branded chipsets but it's definitely a PITA.

[sky-chicken]

The link for the USB CA-42 cable on eBay is not correct. The cable you get is a 3-wire knock off and has no 3.3 Volt VSS (pin 4).
I send the eBayer an email and ask whats going on. You better remove this link for now !

[aasoror]

The link for the USB CA-42 cable on eBay is not correct. The cable you get is a 3-wire knock off and has no 3.3 Volt VSS (pin 4).
I send the eBayer an email and ask whats going on. You better remove this link for now !

Great first post .. you need to do your homework first my friend before spreading misinformation

- The cable is not a knockoff (does it say its Nokia cable?) it says its a replacement for (compatible with) Nokia cable and not from Nokia (typically called OEM). That said, I could care less of its a knockoff as long as it work. BTW : The ebay listing is now expired (the link is given for reference only).

- The cable have different number of wires depending on the Chinese factory from which you get the cable. they might have 3/4/6 wires.
If your cable has 3 wires (i.e. no volt ) which is called VCC by the way, that just means its USB powered (I guess you didn't read my first post if you raise this issue).

- I am not sure about the ebayer you have contacted (about a perfectly legitimate and expired ebay listing) but he must be having a good laugh now (unless he doesn't know how to read English which is quite possible).

Peace,

[__B__]

The link for the USB CA-42 cable on eBay is not correct. The cable you get is a 3-wire knock off and has no 3.3 Volt VSS (pin 4).
I send the eBayer an email and ask whats going on. You better remove this link for now !

Sky, I bought a chinese cable, with 6 wires, and was able to use it. The problem with the approach is just that it's not going to be completely straighforward, but still helpful, since you need to test your wire's combinations.

I'm going to post my config soon, I suggest you to do the same if having different configurations.

Good luck!

[aasoror]

I'm going to post my config soon, I suggest you to do the same if having different configurations.

Thank you, just the wire assignment should be enough and I will edit my first post to include it once you post it.

[__B__]

Ok. Since a lot of people helped me with my bricked device, I think the minimal thing to do is to share my own experiences with a different cable and a full description of my device.

A lot of advice that I got from my cable config was from a different forum, when I searched google about "CA-42 Nokia cable with 6 wires" or something like that, and I would like to give proper attribution to the following advice:

If you don't have a volt meter, you can also do a very rough test. Set up your terminal session and slightly let touch 2 wires at once. If you see come up strange characters in your terminal window, then you have in your hands RX and GND wires. Then, type random characters in your terminal and do the same with the other wire and when you'll see what you type come back in your terminal window it just means you connected RX and TX togheter (a loopback connection!!).

... to dskbrk, from msfn forums.

Cable Information and Pictures

My cable was a chinese model from Ark Pioneer Microelectronics Ltd., with 6 wires. It came with a cd with drivers: PL2303 and ARK3116. I used ARK3116.



The correct combination is White (GND), yellow (TX) and blue (RX).

Assembled Cable Pictures

(Don't follow this image color configuration, the correct combination is: White (GND), yellow (TX) and blue (RX). This picture is only to show a different way to connect your wires if you have less resources (!!!) than the proposed by the first post of this thread)



Unit Information and Pictures
Hornettek Phantom MP2020. Came with Bootcode 16 and (I believe) P02 firmware, since in the back there's P020A01. The Hardware id is RTD1073-DEMO.



Working Unit Pictures
This is my unit in a small television after reflashing - you can see "Box Office" on my TV, and "Hornettek" on my unit.



Thank you all!

[sky-chicken]

Sky, I bought a chinese cable, with 6 wires, and was able to use it. The problem with the approach is just that it's not going to be completely straighforward, but still helpful, since you need to test your wire's combinations.

I'm going to post my config soon, I suggest you to do the same if having different configurations.

Good luck!

Thank you "B"!
I really appreciate your help and thank you for not posting unconstructive criticism :-)