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Basic uses of custom firmware

J

Jamie McD

Member
Please can anyone point me to some kind of resource on how to use the custom firmware? I installed the latest version today, and gone into the web interface, but there I get lost!

I'd like to be able to copy SD and HD recordings over to my PC (and ultimately also to a Samsung Galaxy tab 2 10.1 (Android) and just can't figure out how to do it. I've tried the opt+ copy function in the web interface, it says "are you sure, it takes a long time," then I hit OK and immediately, nothing happens at all.

I'd like also to try streaming to and from the Fox box, from my PC and tablet but don;t know if that's doable.

I expect I'm missing something blindingly obvious but perhaps I'm the dummy the dummies guides are written for. Help!

Thanks all of you

J
 
Streaming from the Humax box to other devices is enabled out of the box, even without the custom firmware. Use an app like Skifta (to browse the files) and MX Player to play the files back. It'll only work with SD recordings, unless you use the auto-unprotect package in the custom firmware.
 
Hi Matt,

Thanks very much for replying. Really appreciate that. I've got the streaming working by browing in Skifta on my tablet and then it uses some media player or other to play it - grand, thanks.

Can you tell me how to use the auto-unprotect package to stream HD too?

Also wondering about the copying of files (HD and SD). I know I can use an USB stick for the SD (but hit the 4GB size restrictions for FAT32 and would like to try to do it via network) but the decrypting etc causes my brain to melt and I become slightly limp and useless!

Thanks again

J
 
You don't need to do much.. just install it from the Packages menu, and it'll start churning through your HD recordings, unprotecting them. It might take a while :-)

I've not taken much off the box & haven't hit the 4Gb limit, so can't comment.
 
So, there we are - installed. And do I just let it be there (and do literally nothing other than having downloaded it via the packages page), or do I need to select particular HD recordings to decrypt? Hopefully the former, so then another part of my brain can go to sleep!
Ta, Matt
 
As far as I know, you just let it go at it whilst the box is switched on. You could double-check the Opt+ menu in the web interface to see whether there's an option to bring a file to the front of the queue.
 
Jamie McD said:
I'd like to be able to copy SD and HD recordings over to my PC (and ultimately also to a Samsung Galaxy tab 2 10.1 (Android) and just can't figure out how to do it. I've tried the opt+ copy function in the web interface, it says "are you sure, it takes a long time," then I hit OK and immediately, nothing happens at all.
Click to expand...

Wrong option. "Copy" puts a marker in the paste buffer, where you can then navigate to another folder and select "Paste". The action is not obvious because the paste list is at the bottom of the web page (something I would like changed). The reason it warns about being a long process is because copy..paste creates a new file, whereas cut..paste changes the file system pointers but leaves the actual data where it is on the disk.

The option you need is "Download", but for HiDef you will need the auto-unprotect package installed, and to give it time to remove the "Enc" flag from anything you want to download. The content will then be decrypted during the download.

Full details of decryption HERE (click).

Jamie McD said:
I'd like also to try streaming to and from the Fox box, from my PC and tablet but don;t know if that's doable.
Click to expand...

THIS (click) should help.

Jamie McD said:
I expect I'm missing something blindingly obvious but perhaps I'm the dummy the dummies guides are written for. Help!
Click to expand...

It's on my job list, as an addition to the Quick Start Guide.
 
Jamie McD said:
So, there we are - installed. And do I just let it be there (and do literally nothing other than having downloaded it via the packages page), or do I need to select particular HD recordings to decrypt? Hopefully the former, so then another part of my brain can go to sleep!
Ta, Matt
Click to expand...
That's all you need to do. Now that it's installed it will quickly unprotect any existing HD recordings on the next boot and automatically fix any new ones that you make. You can tell if a recording has been unprotected by looking for the Enc symbol against it in the media browser in the web interface or on the TV screen.

You can now treat HD content in just the same way as SD, so if you copy a file to an external USB disk it will be decrypted and you should be able to stream it across your network without any problems apart from potentially those caused by the increased bandwidth requirement.

There's a good set of notes and a flowchart at http://wiki.hummy.tv/wiki/Encryption that shows the various options you have. If you just want to download a single recording to your laptop/PC then the OPT+->Download option is probably most suitable - as long as the recording has been indexed (shown by the green DLNA icon against it) then it will be decrypted en-route.

Edit: took me so long to write that BH got there first with some of the points.
 
Thanks, Matt - I'll leave the thing alone and check back by trying to stream HD via skifta tomorrow - will let you know.

Meantime, if anyone can help with the copying of HD and SD recordings onto my PC and android tablet, that'd be great too - wha a helpful lot. Ta
 
Yes, Black Hole and AF123 - thank you both of you - I really appreciate your time and help - I'll hopefully get a chance this evening to have a bash at your suggestions - and I'll let you know how I get on. TTFN, J
 
Jamie McD said:
I'd like to be able to copy SD and HD recordings over to my PC (and ultimately also to a Samsung Galaxy tab 2 10.1 (Android) and just can't figure out how to do it.
Click to expand...

I can recommend MediaHouse from the Android Apps. store for streaming and downloading content from the Humax, you can play (stream) and download files using a short or long 'tap'. Not sure Skifta allows downloads, if so I haven't managed to do it yet
 
Dear All,

Thanks BH, Ezra, AF and Matt.

SO, if I understand it correctly:

The HDR will decrypt the existing HD recordings it finds without me having to do anything (I don't have to use the Decrypt opt+ on selected files) and under it's own steam it'll decrypt any new HD recordings. But I can decrypt 'on-demand' by choosing that option in the opt+ menu. Is that right?

Once decrypted, Skifta or media house should be able to find it and play it/stream it on my tablet (err not working, that one) actually it's not working on VLC on my PC either - again I imagine I'm missing something obvious but best to ask!

I've downloaded an HD recording by the opt+ button (thanks BH) and it plays well on VLC on my PC. Windows media player on my PC, and MX player and samsung player on my tablet all play pictures but have no sound though - which is odd. But I imagine I can convert the downloaded .ts file into MP4 or something like that to increase compatibility?

Thanks, folks, and the mystery tour continues!
 
You are confusing unprotect with decrypt - you're not the first, neither will you be the last.

Decryption occurs during various processes, in particular when doing a WebIF Opt+ "download" or a copy-to-USB using the standard Humax user interface (SUI), or when you use WebIF Opt+ "decrypt" option (which decrypts the file where it is). HiDef recordings can only be decrypted by any of these processes once they have been unprotected, which is what auto-unprotect does.

You can also decrypt everything automatically, either within a folder or within a whole folder tree (including the whole of My Video), by setting the Autodecrypt or Recursive Autodecrypt flags (again, HiDef needs unprotecting first).

A file that is protected has an "Enc" icon against it in the WebIF. Once the Enc icon is not present (auto-unprotect has done its work) and the DLNA icon is present to signify the file has been indexed, then the file is amenable to being decrypted... after which it will have a "Dec" icon.

Things Every... tells you about encryption when there is no custom firmware, the Wiki link posted above explains the different routes to decryption. Alternatively, full details of decryption HERE (click).

Your sound issue is either because those players don't have the AAC codec, or because the sound stream tends to change format between trailers and actual programme and confuses the player. You can't convert a HiDef recording to anything on the Humax, although you can repackage a StDef recording to .mpg (it is only a repackaging exercise, the video and audio streams remain the same format). You might be able to use VLC to convert just the audio stream, but the solution is to get a better player on your tablet.
 
Jamie McD said:
The HDR will decrypt the existing HD recordings it finds without me having to do anything (I don't have to use the Decrypt opt+ on selected files) and under it's own steam it'll decrypt any new HD recordings. But I can decrypt 'on-demand' by choosing that option in the opt+ menu. Is that right?
Click to expand...

I suggest you have a look at the Flow Chart for decryption HERE, basically you start at the top, you need to get to a box on the bottom row, note the icons that are displayed in the Web-If browser screens
 
Black Hole said:
You are confusing unprotect with decrypt - you're not the first, neither will you be the last.
Click to expand...
It doesn't help that the icon for protected is
749_1_26_Video_Encryption.png
: )
 
Jamie - MediaHouse is just like Skifta, except a long press on the file you want to view will give you a 'Download' option allowing you to save the file and view while away from your Foxbox, etc.

I use MX Player on Android and it works in most cases.....HD can be a bit flaky though.
 
Hi, sorry for the delay in responding.

As ever, all of your inputs and pointers to the wiki etc, are very much appreciated - thanks, all of you.

Here's where I'm up to...

Streaming - St Def to PC and Tablet - fine using VLC (PC) and Skifta/Media House (android) respectively. Ta for recommendations, all.

Streaming - Hi Def - No joy, even with 'auto-unprotect' and 'decrypted in place' HD recordings (they've been indexed and have the dec icon too). Neither VLC (PC) or the android apps will recognise the files, let alone play them. Again, I may be missing something here - any ideas, folks?

Copying - great - all working - St Def and Hi Def - VLC plays the .ts files beautifully. Skifta and Mediahouse struggle so I just translate the files to avi or MP4 to side step that. Ta.

On a separate note, when the Web IF says play (in media details) and I click it (even with VLC open on the desktop) I seem to get nothing. Now this isn't vital (unless it would allow me to stream HD), but it does strike me as odd. Could it be I'm missing another package that would make that work?

Also curious if the web if remote control package works - it won't install for me. Shame - would be a neat gizmo.

Hoping you are all well and thanks again

J
 
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