[BootHDR] A method of decrypting recordings on the HD-FOX T2

Drutt

Drutt

Active Member
One frustrating thing about the HD-Fox T2 is that there is no way to play a recording on anything other than the box it was recorded on. Even a different HD will not play it. On the HDR-Fox T2 SD recordings can by decrypted simply by copying them to an external drive. With a little more effort HiDef recordings too can be decrypted (using foxy or auto-unprotect).

However the copy function on the HD does not decrypt the recordings in this way (Humax support have previously said that they have requested this feature from their developers, but it has never come).

There is a solution, which basically involves temporarily running the HDR's software on the HD, whenever recordings need to be decrypted using the copy technique.

I have posted a first pass "how too" guide at http://wiki.hummy.tv/wiki/Decrypt_recordings_on_the_HD-FOX_T2
 
My mother's husband (don't ask) has bought an HD-FOX T2 as well (not for £50 though :p) and is now trying to do all the stuff I say about the HDR - I keep telling him it won't work! At 230 miles range I have to coach him to do the mods - so I hope you won't be offended if I "improve" the writing in the wiki! I'm a bit reluctant though, in case I get it wrong - what do I do? I could do an edited version in the discussion tab, or put it in here for review?
 
I'd say go for it, the whole point of a wiki is for people to edit it and it's actually quite refreshing!
As it says on there whenever you add anything "If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here."
 
Absolutely, go for it - I just rattled that out in the limited amount of time I had available, and it would be great if people can "flesh it out" and improve it. At some point (maybe when af123 has fleshed out the "how to make a package" guide ;)) it would be good to get the scripts into a package that you just point at the HDR firmware (or even uses wget to just download it direct). No mucking about with ftp chmod etc...
 
Here's something interesting:

Pseudo-dad (for want of a better term) has managed to use a USB port multiplier to copy an StDef recording from his Buffalo Ministation to a 4GB USB stick, using the OPT+ interface (no mods). I was not previously aware that these USB splitters worked on the Humax. I'm waiting for him to confirm that the copy has successfully decrypted - his only normal PC is very flakey with Vista and I have dual-booted it with Ubuntu so I have suggested he installs VLC under Ubuntu.
 
I think that might be very useful to him

I just realised the decryption isn't going to work without running the HDR code is it?!
 
Thanks very much for this! I knew about the encryption problem with the HD and was hoping for some kind of solution.

As this is new to me, could I please ask a couple of favours?

1. How do you FTP and Telnet to the HD Fox T2 box? (or point me to a link where this is covered)
2. How do you download and install the 'humidify' and 'squashfs-tools' packages (or point me to a link where this is covered).

Your guide is very thorough, but I am missing the detail on the first 2 steps above.

Many thanks again!
 
For FTP you need to have "updated" the HD-FOX to the modded software - so that means having an external drive connected to host the software, installing the foundation mods (even pseudo-dad has managed to do that with a minimum of hand-holding), then logging in to the web interface and downloading the rest of the package (see Black Hole's Trail Guide in the HDR-FOX T2 section for hints about IP addresses etc).

Once you have done that, FTP access should open up for you. You don't need Telnet unless you intend to use the command line, most things "non-developer" are available on the web interface.
 
Black Hole said:
For FTP you need to have "updated" the HD-FOX to the modded software - so that means having an external drive connected to host the software, installing the foundation mods (even pseudo-dad has managed to do that with a minimum of hand-holding), then logging in to the web interface and downloading the rest of the package (see Black Hole's Trail Guide in the HDR-FOX T2 section for hints about IP addresses etc).

Once you have done that, FTP access should open up for you. You don't need Telnet unless you intend to use the command line, most things "non-developer" are available on the web interface.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much. The problem I have is that my router is upstairs and the humax is downstairs. I do have a spare router that has no internet connection and I can get the humax and my laptop communicating fine through it. I also manually downloaded the packages mentioned and placed them in the "/mod/var/opkg/base" folder. When I try the 'opkg install humidify' command, my telnet session hangs (I'm guessing it's because i've no internet connection). Is there any way to install the packages without an internet connection?

I thought of getting a wireless dongle for the humax and connecting from my main computer upstairs, but then I wouldn't be able to hook up my hard drive at the same time (hence using the spare router and ethernet connection). Or would I have to use a USB hub? I'm hoping I can install the packages using the spare router without an internet connection and when I want to decrypt files from the humax I would use the laptop and spare router to do that.
 
ukmark said:
Is there any way to install the packages without an internet connection?
Click to expand...

There are details of how to install packages from a usb stick at http://wiki.hummy.tv/wiki/Manually_loading_Features_from_USB. I've not tried it but I think it should work if you copied the package to the root of the usb hard drive (and renamed it to *.opk.auto and maybe rebooted), or you could probably just execute the downloaded opkg package directly from the telnet prompt (once it is on the hard disk).
 
Just had a look and all you have to do once the package is on the hard disk is
opkg install [name of downloaded package file]
and it will istall it directly from the local .opk
eg after downloading and copying squashfs tools to the root of the usb drive, type
opkg install /media/drive1/squashfs-tools_3.1r2_mipsel.opk
 
Thanks. I've just managed to get it all done - I really appreciate your help!

All is working (the web interface is very helpful) and the auto-unprotect is removing the 'Enc' flags. Looking good!
 
Drutt said:
Just had a look and all you have to do once the package is on the hard disk is
opkg install [name of downloaded package file]
and it will istall it directly from the local .opk
eg after downloading and copying squashfs tools to the root of the usb drive, type
opkg install /media/drive1/squashfs-tools_3.1r2_mipsel.opk
Click to expand...

Hopefully, one last question!

I'm assuming that in order for the decryption to work, we have to boot up in HDR mode (which I've managed to get working) and then use the 'Opt+' to move the file to another drive. Since we only have 1 USB port on the Humax HD-T2, would I have to use a USB hub to attach the 2nd USB drive? Do you know what anybody else is doing for this final part? I do have a 'virtual drive' available but I think that may be for the HDR-T2 since that has a built-in hard drive and a separate external USB port (I think).
 
ukmark said:
Hopefully, one last question!

I'm assuming that in order for the decryption to work, we have to boot up in HDR mode (which I've managed to get working) and then use the 'Opt+' to move the file to another drive.
Click to expand...

Correct.

The "virtual" drive is simply mapped to a folder called "virtual" on the main drive (be that the usb drive on the HD or internal one on the HDR), so it is simply a copy from one folder on the main drive to another, but set up to "fool" the box into thinking it is a external drive (and so do the decode). On the HD the "virtual" folder is not actually required as "drive1" (the usb drive) appears on the list of potential destinations, so you can just copy to a folder in that if you like. Another alternative (and probably the subject of another "how-to"!) is to mount a shared folder from you PC as a "drive" on the humax. This allows you to decode and copy to the PC in one step.
 
Excellent work. This seems to do the job on my HD box.
Keep up the good work - it is appreciated!

Looking forward to the "how-to" on mounting a shared folder on the humax...
 
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