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September 30, 2007 08:02 PM

Categories: PRO

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cdbartha

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Joined: 09/28/2007

I have a slingbox pro and qwest DSL internet. I upgraded my internet to comcast cable modem today assuming the faster upload speed would give me a better picture. Boy was I wrong. When i first log on everything looks fine and I get speeds of about 800 kbps but then after a few minutes the speed divebombs down to around 100 kbps and the picture gets really glitchy. Did i make a big mistake or is there something I can do to fix this? Any thoughts???

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Comments 41-60 of 864 | Latest Comment | « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 44 Next »

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 19, 2007 12:45 PM

I dont believe so unfortunatly.Frown

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 19, 2007 1:06 PM

OK So I have a copy it seems, from V1.4, 

Version : SbPbProFwV1_0_11Current.bin

What do I need to do to it if anything to put it back into the pro ?

Im guessing i can do this remotely ? (accross the atlantic :-)

 

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 19, 2007 2:51 PM

Well Guys,

I think (*think* !) I have fixed it. Its by using the old firmware. Quick forum search, a kind person described how to modify the old firmware to act like a new verson using a hex editor.

I have loaded 1_0_11 pretending to be version 40 and it has been running now for 30 mins no problems.

Anyone who wants my firmware version (at your own risk) let me know Ill mail it to you. You may want to wait a day to be sure it is a cure.

thanks to one and all for the help.

 

Andrew 

poslaw Avatar
Member
October 19, 2007 7:53 PM

I am having the same problem with a Slingbox Pro in Japan. What a rip off. It was working fine until I upgraded to the latest firmware.

Confirmed UL speed of 348Kbps.

 
Slingbox Pro starts off fine, the buffer builds up, then drops to 100Kbps within a minute or two, then drops to 70Kbps, then blacks out and gets stuck on "optimizing."

 Stopping and immediately reconnecting starts the video again, then the same problem happens and video stops again within a minute or two.

So what I have now is a $250 piece of junk. It seems that there are plenty of people with this same problem. 

Don't waste your money on Slingbox. 

NA9D Avatar
  Moderator
October 20, 2007 12:23 AM

I haven't followed this thread recently, but something came to mind...

Do you guys have the Sling Optimizer turned on? If not, turn it on. The reason is that at least with this firmware/player build, if you have the optimizer turned off and then do ANYTHING, the box goes into control mode and stays that way unless you manuall disable control mode. I'm not sure if this is the problem people are having or not.

It just befuddles me because I don't see it and I run on multiple platforms and devices with 3 Slingboxes and none have the problem.

Second, because I am sure the firmware was seriously beta tested before it launched. I was part of the Mac Player beta last year and I know Sling does a fairly thorough beta program. You'd think if this was widespread it would have been seen and discovered...

Slinging w/ Catcher, ProHD, Pro, Solo, AV, and a Classic. Two TivoHDs, Roku Photobridge and a Roku Soundbridge, AppleTV, and Vudu.www.na9d.net Follow me on Twitter

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 20, 2007 1:59 AM

Yes the optimiser is on. Ive tried all sorts of combinations, found the default worked best.

however its still OK with the old firmware. I have had no dropouts since downgrading the firmware. Ive tried V1.5 and 1.4 both appear to work fine (so far!) with the old firmware. I would suggest others try it and post the results. 

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 20, 2007 2:03 AM

One other thing....

I have same issue of the player reporting higher speeds (380k) using wireless to my AP, as compared to direct ethernet connection to the same AP (250k) suggests this is not related.

poslaw Avatar
Member
October 20, 2007 8:28 AM

I wonder why the connection just drops and I need to STOP and PLAY again and the player just doesn't detect this and do it automatically? Why does  the player go from full bandwith to 70 to 0, yet it still shows that the buffer is full? Hmmm? Buyer beware.

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 20, 2007 9:34 AM

Poslaw,

mine was doing exactly the same thing, I can email you the old firmware if you want to give it a try. 

No problems here still.... looks like a firmware bug... 

tivoboy Avatar
Member
October 20, 2007 11:28 AM

NA9D said:

Second, because I am sure the firmware was seriously beta tested before it launched. I was part of the Mac Player beta last year and I know Sling does a fairly thorough beta program. You'd think if this was widespread it would have been seen and discovered...

 

I'm not sure how much this last FW was beta tested.  I know there was a short beta, I was out of the country for a month, and then boom, it was out.  Was anyone here on this latest FW or SW beta?

NA9D Avatar
  Moderator
October 20, 2007 12:13 PM

Yes...Like I said...I've seen no problems...

Slinging w/ Catcher, ProHD, Pro, Solo, AV, and a Classic. Two TivoHDs, Roku Photobridge and a Roku Soundbridge, AppleTV, and Vudu.www.na9d.net Follow me on Twitter

tivoboy Avatar
Member
October 20, 2007 2:28 PM

As noted in my original post, I did NOT have this problem with the previous Pro firmware, which I think was the december release? But that was using the previous 1.5-1 SW and not this latest either. I would say, that when I was in China, I was most likely on the latest FW, but not the latest SW, and I didn't have this problem.

So, it would seem to be some interaction of the latest SW and latest FW on some pros.

I am still using the beta Pro box, anyone else on that one?

NA9D Avatar
  Moderator
October 20, 2007 2:33 PM

Again, I was involved with this firmware. No problems that I have seen.

Slinging w/ Catcher, ProHD, Pro, Solo, AV, and a Classic. Two TivoHDs, Roku Photobridge and a Roku Soundbridge, AppleTV, and Vudu.www.na9d.net Follow me on Twitter

coousin01 Avatar
Member
  • member since: 10/18/2007
  • rank: 27404 of 41906
  • 16 comments
October 20, 2007 3:40 PM

NA9D said: Again, I was involved with this firmware. No problems that I have seen.

 

What does that prove. You seem to imply that everyone is imagining this problem.

A lot of people, from a lot of technical backgrounds, have reported this problem. Typically after a lot of troubleshooting. the consensus is that it is a problem related to the firmware.

 

How about, instead of giving the typical propellor head answer 'no problem I have seen' you pitch in with some tips to resolve the problem we are experiencing and prove it is not the firmware.

This product is now UNUSEABLE. Not very good for future sales, ya think?! 

 

 

NA9D Avatar
  Moderator
October 20, 2007 3:49 PM

Again, as I have stated previously: I AM NOT DENYING THE PROBLEM. But why did it not get caught during beta testing and why is it that not everyone has the problem? It doesn't seem to be isolated to anyone platform or hardware type. As stated, I have a Slingbox Pro and a Slingbox Solo both running the new firmware. I run the player on the Mac, on Windows and on WinMobile 5.0 on my Treo700W. I Sling both internally on my LAN and externally for hours and hours at a time. I have never seen this. So why is it that other people with Slingbox Pros and the latest firmware have the issue? If it was a firmware issue, then everyone should see it or it should be isolated groups such as all people who use Pros or all people who use Pros with Windows, etc. But that's not the case. People with Pros see it, people with AVs see it. Mac users see it and PC users see it. So it absolutely does make me question the configurations and the settings that people have. There's got to be a common thread between all the people that have the problem that is unique to them and it's something the rest of us don't have. That's what I am trying to understand....

Slinging w/ Catcher, ProHD, Pro, Solo, AV, and a Classic. Two TivoHDs, Roku Photobridge and a Roku Soundbridge, AppleTV, and Vudu.www.na9d.net Follow me on Twitter

coousin01 Avatar
Member
  • member since: 10/18/2007
  • rank: 27404 of 41906
  • 16 comments
October 20, 2007 4:04 PM

OK. Lets start with routers.

 

Mine, Linksys WRT54G ver 6.0. Same problem before and after I updated the router firmware.

The only change to my system that I am aware of is the fw upgrade to the SBPro. Prior to that it worked GREAT. I run exclusively on the LAN, not even configured for WAN access.

 

 

Generic Member Avatar
  Member
October 20, 2007 4:11 PM

Would it not be a good idea for slingmedia to make a "rollback" deal on the firmware. So that you can revert to the old version without resorting to editing the code.

24 hrs on mine is still fine with the old version. not one crash.

I tried :

Different machines with XP and 1.4 and 1.5

Different ISP's and AP's with Vista and XP, 1.4 and 1.5

Different settings, changed the buffer settings auto - 15 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second etc etc

And finally back to the old version of firmware which seems to fix the problem for me.

My speeds now stay around 300-380k and Im delighted with my pro, just happy to find a fix.

So to my simple brain there are two explinations, the beta was not tested properly (unlikely) or there is a hardware difference in a batch of pro's, shown up by 39 thats causing the problem.

poslaw Avatar
Member
October 20, 2007 4:31 PM

Why do people assume that this firmware was beta tested propertly? This software reminds me of AOL with its limited feature set. Why must I run the "wizzard" every time I want to change the setup of my Slinbox? Why is it that the Slingplayer has so little features and options yet you really need to be an advanced user to setup a slingbox? I wish I knew that the firmware upgrade was going to crash my system. Why is there no way to disable the prompt that I get when my monitor configuration changes? I use a docking station and the popup is pretty annoying. That makes me wonder how much though goes into this product's software.

NA9D Avatar
  Moderator
October 20, 2007 5:09 PM

Poslaw - I can tell you that there is a LOT of effort that goes into testing the firmware and software. How do I know? I've been involved with more than one beta program with Sling. It's one of the reasons that some of their development takes as long as it does because there is a VERY thorough testing process. The wizard is run simply to make the setup easy. Not everyone is as technical as you. The feature set is plenty well there. If you don't like your box, I'll take it off your hands. Just PM or e-mail me...

Slinging w/ Catcher, ProHD, Pro, Solo, AV, and a Classic. Two TivoHDs, Roku Photobridge and a Roku Soundbridge, AppleTV, and Vudu.www.na9d.net Follow me on Twitter

tivoboy Avatar
Member
October 20, 2007 6:38 PM

Is everyone only having the problem over the WAN access?  I don't have this problem on the LAN access, and least not as noticeable.  I mean, it doesn't fluctuate, but never bottoms and stays there.  I guess it could be an issue on the LAN, but doesn't create the poor image quality as on the WAN at 110kps or so.

 

As for routers, I had this on a netgear which has been the same one I have tested with now for 2+ years, so I cannot imagine that would change.  In an effort to adjust for the problem I switched to a linksys WGT54GL, with tomato running, and I have the same problem.

 

Again, only on WAN access, and only with SP software, the SPM software I use on a treo 700w, seems to get pretty good throughput constantly, between 250-385kps but constant. 

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Back to Top | Comments 41-60 of 864 | Latest Comment | « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 44 Next »

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