Help Please - Is this a clone?

[lolos]

Dear All,

I bought this receiver, picture below, and wonder if it is an Octagon clone?!

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/1849/drake5500fullhd2.jpg


It looks identical to Skygate HD receiver, which is Octagon clone AFAIK, but it does not accept its firmware!

http://satellite-tv.kiev.ua/img/shop/1264675311_804.jpg

I want to upgrade my Drake 5500 HD because its signal is very weak and sometimes it does not see the satellites. I tried to install the Skygate HD firmware through my USB but it did not work.

Drake's firmware website:
www.************.com (http://www.************.com)

If it is a clone, how can I install different versions of firmware on it? Detailed Steps please.

Current firmware specs:
v19.85 08/06/10
Boot: 4.26

Please help me out.

Thank you!

[freebe]

Hello lolos

It looks like a Clone but i am not shure. ( will look into this )

But to Update it you will need to do it over the RS-232 first.
It must have a RS-232 on the back ? Hold the DOWN Button on the frontside and then Power-up from the back.
If it has then you need to load this file > USE the Original Loader for this from Drake 5500
> GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin
Then you must use your > USB Stick with this on it.
> boot_GI_890_02-02-2008.bin
Then you should be able to use the following loader to load the Clones
> GisOct.exe
Each Firmware that you load ( clone ) you will have to load over the RS-232
If you then stay with that Firmware you can now carry on with your USB Stick.
Please remember that you MUST use the Settings from that Clone.
you CANNOT you your original Setting.
------------
Now although that is the way to do it i don't know if your box will take it.
So i will not hold myself responsible for you trying it.
Good luck or wait till i can confirm that box.

Maybe someone else here can put some light on this one.

[lolos]

Thanks Freebe!

Here is a pic of the back of the receiver. Yes it does have RS-232 port on the back but I don't have a cable handy, can I use the USB to USB to connect it with my computer instead of the RS-232 or should it be RS-232?

I tried to use GisOct and it seemed to be connecting with my receiver because it accepted com3 but it failed loading the GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin. Actually, when I tried holding the down arrow while the receiver is turned off, the receiver won't power up again! I have to remove power completely and re-open it several times until it lights up again.


What should be my first step, using GisOct to load the GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin firmware or to load something else? Please note that my receiver accepts two formats of files, .isd and .udb. I don't think it accepts .bin files.
Are clone firmwares any different than the non-clone firmwares? In other words, do I have to modify the original file in any way in order to be a "clone?"
Isn't the boot file you are referring to is a bit old? Does it make any difference?
How can I use/find/edit the right settings of that clone?
Which remote do I have (i.e. new or old), according to the pic attached above. The receiver looks very similar to Skygate HD receiver which I think a clone.

Thanks again Freebe :) I really appreciate your help. No one knows anything about this receiver and any help is greatly appreciated.

[freebe]

Thanks Freebe!

Here is a pic of the back of the receiver. Yes it does have RS-232 port on the back but I don't have a cable handy, can I use the USB to USB to connect it with my computer instead of the RS-232 or should it be RS-232?

I tried to use GisOct and it seemed to be connecting with my receiver because it accepted com3 but it failed loading the GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin. Actually, when I tried holding the down arrow while the receiver is turned off, the receiver won't power up again! I have to remove power completely and re-open it several times until it lights up again.


What should be my first step, using GisOct to load the GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin firmware or to load something else? Please note that my receiver accepts two formats of files, .isd and .udb. I don't think it accepts .bin files.
Are clone firmwares any different than the non-clone firmwares? In other words, do I have to modify the original file in any way in order to be a "clone?"
Isn't the boot file you are referring to is a bit old? Does it make any difference?
How can I use/find/edit the right settings of that clone?
Which remote do I have (i.e. new or old), according to the pic attached above. The receiver looks very similar to Skygate HD receiver which I think a clone.

Thanks again Freebe :) I really appreciate your help. No one knows anything about this receiver and any help is greatly appreciated.
--------------------------
1. Read #2 again
2. A Clone Firmware is a Clone Firmware 2sorts 1 is Original 1 is a Patch, you need the Patch.
3. If you know better then use it.
4. see mail
5. You have the new one ( all OK. )

[lolos]

It must have a RS-232 on the back ? Hold the DOWN Button on the frontside and then Power-up from the back.
If it has then you need to load this file > USE the Original Loader for this from Drake 5500
> GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin
Then you must use your > USB Stick with this on it.
> boot_GI_890_02-02-2008.bin
Then you should be able to use the following loader to load the Clones
> GisOct.exe.

Drake 5500 original firmware is 11.3 mb, the GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin is only 2mb!! There is a big difference between their sizes!! Is this right?

Also, why should I load Drake's original firmware through GisOct? I can update it from the receiver's menu through the USB since it is the original firmware. The receiver already has the original firmware, why do I load its firmware again? I think there is something missing that I don't understand.Does GisOct software change something in the file while uploading it?

Freebe, I understood the following: Am I right?
1- Load the Drake's original firmware (Drake_5500_Full_HD_VVPL019.85.is d) through RS232 cable through GisOct loader. -> its size is 11.3 mb
2- Then, load GI-S890CRCI_HD_Excellence_RYGY106.69 _041109GI4C1N0l_pz_PVR.bin through RS232 cable through GisOct loader again. -> its size is 2mb
3- Then load boot_GI_890_02-02-2008.bin through a USB stick on the receiver -> its size is 64kb
4- Then open GisOct again and load any clone through RS232 cable. For example, the SAB Ultimate HD clone firmware (not the settings file?) -> its size is 2mb
5- The last step, load the clone settings (the .udb file) through the USB stick on the receiver?

Q: Can I use the modem cable or the USB cable from my PC to the receiver to do the above steps, or only through the RS-232 cable?

Thanks a lot Freebe... you are a very kind and helpful person.

[freebe]

You need to do the First steps using a Loader from Drake 5500
You don't need to load Drake Firmware
Just use the Loader.
You MUST use the RS-232 using a ( NULL MODEM ) cable.
Only the Boot one can you put in using the USB.
If you don't have a PC with Com Port then usa a Laptop with an adapter USB to Serial then onto a ( Null Modem ) Cable.
The Settings you can do last BUT they MUST be from the same Firmware.
ie. Next-2000 Firmware then Next-2000 Setting.
ie. Octagon Firmware then Octagon Settings
and so on.

[lolos]

You need to do the First steps using a Loader from Drake 5500. --> I don't have a Drake's loader. I only have Drake's firmware.

You don't need to load Drake Firmware
Just use the Loader. --> Do you mean that I use the GisOct loader and just click "Start" without loading any firmware? Which device should I select then, Octagon or GI?

The Settings you can do last BUT they MUST be from the same Firmware.
ie. Next-2000 Firmware then Next-2000 Setting.
ie. Octagon Firmware then Octagon Settings
and so on. --> How can I load the settings?

Which clone firmware do you recommend? What is the size of a clone firmware?

What if I want to update only the bootloader not the firmware, can it be done? I think the boot may fix my tuner issues and I want to keep the server info that came with Drake's firmware. Is there a way that I can save the encrypted info saved in my firmware?

Thanks again Freebe, you are the best!

[freebe]

You CAN'T do any of the things we have spoken about till you have a Loader from the Drake 5500. ( Ende )
If you had got that far you could have loaded the Settings using your USB
As i DON'T know this box and have not tryed it i can not give you all the answer(s) that you are asking.
Thats why i sad you can test it at your own risk.
The box looks like the Clone one(s)
The Remote is OK.
But i don't know what Tuner is in it and i don't know what for a chip set it has.