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How to transfer files from defunct HDR FOX T2 to view on HDR 2000T?

J

jalba

New Member
Unfortunately, my long-serving HDR FOX T2 is kaput (not usable). I removed the 2TB HD (a previous replacement). I have put it into an external USB SATA caddy. When I connect it to my Chromebook I can see all the folders and file headings, but obviously can't open them due to encryption. I also have a mini 256GB PC and a WD 1TB HD (with 25% free) at my disposal.
I now use a Humax HDR 2000T. What is the 'easiest' method of restoring these files to fully access them from either copying them to the WD HD and/or the 2000T? My Acer Chromebook only has one USB port.
I need straightforward and reasonably simple step-by-step instructions, please, because I have only basic technical know-how. Thanks.
 
Don't throw the old HDR Fox T2 away yet, you need to know it's ethernet address to work out the encryption key it used. This is documented somewhere on this site.

You could buy a used HDR Fox T2 on ebay for not much money, put your 2TB disc in it, install the custom firmware on the HDR Fox T2, and use the web UI to set the encryption key for this HDR Fox T2 to the same as your old one. At that point the new HDR Fox T2 should be able to decrypt the contents of the disc. How to do all that is documented on this site, there's an article on swapping the hard disc. Once you get to the point of being able to play the old recordings you can then decide how you want to go about archiving them, either decrypting the disc direct on the HDR Fox T2 or copying out to external USB drive which will decrypt on the fly. But until you can play the recordings on the replacement HDR Fox T2 there's no point looking into that.
 
Thanks for that tip. It all depends on how cheap I can get a working HDR Fox T2 to make it worthwhile.
I had been storing an unused 2000T for the day my HDR Fox T2 failed. I had it for 14 years with one HD replacement, so I have had my money's worth!
I am currently using the 2000T and am happy with it. It seems to be faster and with improved video.
If there were an easyish way to just access the files, that would be great.
My wife has quite a few recordings going back a few years, and she would prefer not to lose them. I am not so bothered about my recordings.
 
Owen Smith said:
Don't throw the old HDR Fox T2 away yet, you need to know it's ethernet address to work out the encryption key it used. This is documented somewhere on this site.
Click to expand...
You also need the serial number
jalba said:
If there were an easyish way to just access the files, that would be great.
Click to expand...
I'm not an expert on the Fox T2 - but I do know that if you can get the ethernet address and serial number for your dead Fox you can use the "stripts" program found here to decrypt recordings. Somewhere on this forum there should be detailed instructions.
 
EEPhil said:
You also need the serial number
Click to expand...
I knew there was something I'd forgotten for the encryption key.
EEPhil said:
I'm not an expert on the Fox T2 - but I do know that if you can get the ethernet address and serial number for your dead Fox you can use the "stripts" program found here to decrypt recordings. Somewhere on this forum there should be detailed instructions.
Click to expand...
I was aware it is possible to decrypt the files offline on a computer but I had completely forgotten the details.
 
jalba said:
Unfortunately, my long-serving HDR FOX T2 is kaput (not usable). I removed the 2TB HD (a previous replacement). I have put it into an external USB SATA caddy. When I connect it to my Chromebook I can see all the folders and file headings, but obviously can't open them due to encryption. I also have a mini 256GB PC and a WD 1TB HD (with 25% free) at my disposal.
I now use a Humax HDR 2000T. What is the 'easiest' method of restoring these files to fully access them from either copying them to the WD HD and/or the 2000T? My Acer Chromebook only has one USB port.
I need straightforward and reasonably simple step-by-step instructions, please, because I have only basic technical know-how. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Rescuing Recordings from a Dead HDR-FOX
 
I will remind people of this statement in the original posting: "I need straightforward and reasonably simple step-by-step instructions, please, because I have only basic technical know-how."

My reading suggests to me that buying a second hand HDR Fox T2 and transplanting the old hard disc into it and using custom firmware to change the decryption key is going to be easiest for @jalba. And even that is likely to be a struggle I suspect. If they try to decrypt the files on a Windows PC they need to boot linux from CD/DVD/USB stick or load a third party Ext3 filing system reader into Windows. Then they have to run the firmware that does the decryption, which looks to be a Java tool you have to install and run from a jar file. I doubt given the "basic technical know-how" they have a linux system to hand to decrypt on that.
 
Question for @jalba: how many of the recordings you want to copy were from HD (High Definition) channels? If the answer is "none" then this gets simpler because only HD recordings are encrypted on the HDR Fox T2. At that point you only need to get the files off the disc.
 
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to assist me.

As Owen Smith says, I only have basic know how, hence my request.

It all looks a bit complicated. I fear my wife is not going to have her recordings restored.

Owen. The majority of the recordings are SD, and we would be happy to just have 'them' restored. What would be the simplest way of doing this?
 
@jalba I still think your simplest option is to buy an HDR Fox T2 on ebay, put your hard disc in it, install the custom firmware that you will find documented on this site (it's really easy), and use the custom firmware webUI to change the encryption key of the new box to what your old one used. At that point the new box will be able to play all your old recordings directly.

If you then want to get the recordings off and onto another device that can be a separate step done later.
 
Owen Smith said:
No I'm not. Tough day at work.
Click to expand...
That AI getting you down?
Remind me what did I forget?
Click to expand...
Your comment would have been appropriate for a FoxSat HDR. All recordings are encrypted on the HDR Fox-T2.
Owen Smith said:
I still think your simplest option is to buy an HDR Fox T2 on ebay
Click to expand...
I have to say I agree.
jalba said:
my long-serving HDR FOX T2 is kaput (not usable)
Click to expand...
What's actually wrong with it? How do you know the disk is OK?
 
prpr said:
That AI getting you down?
Click to expand...
Haha!
prpr said:
Your comment would have been appropriate for a FoxSat HDR. All recordings are encrypted on the HDR Fox-T2.
Click to expand...
I remember now. The difference is stock HDR Fox T2s can copy SD recordings off onto a USB stick and decrypt them, whereas a flag prevents that for HD recordings unless cleared using Foxy or the auto unprotect package.

I forget all this since all my family's 4 HDR Fox T2s run auto unprotect, and my pair auto decrypt everything set up under the web UI. So I can copy off anything any time I like.
prpr said:
What's actually wrong with it? How do you know the disk is OK?
Click to expand...
This is a valid question. @jalba have you tried disconnecting the hard disc and turning on your HDR Fox T2 without it connected?
 
Yes I have tried that.

The problem began with having to repeatedly switch the T2 off and on to get it to handshake with my Sony TV. It got gradually worse. I should have done something to save my recordings at that point. I assumed it was just a handshake problem and tried everything to correct that. Finally, all that would show on the screen was the Humax logo.

The hard drive is a 2TB Hitachi which I substituted a few years ago. It is now in a SATA caddy. I can see all the files when I connect it to my Chromebook.

I have replaced it with an unused 2000T, which I was storing for this day (14 years later) to arrive. We are both really pleased with the 2000T. The issue is that my wife has many recordings that she saved over the years, and obviously wanted to keep them. I wasn't too bothered about my recordings.

In all honesty, I have faffed around for a while already, so I am just about to give up and simply enjoy the 2000T, for as long as it lasts.

Thanks for your help.
 
jalba said:
The problem began with having to repeatedly switch the T2 off and on to get it to handshake with my Sony TV. It got gradually worse. I should have done something to save my recordings at that point. I assumed it was just a handshake problem and tried everything to correct that. Finally, all that would show on the screen was the Humax logo.
Click to expand...
That can be that the flash contents are getting tired and the software is not reading correctly leading to the box crashing at boot. That happened to one of my HDR Fox T2s recently and like yours it was intermittent and gradually got worse. If that is the case it can be fixed by reprogramming the standard Humax firmware with a USB stick. You would want 1.03.12 from here: https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cr7y1...2_1.03.12.zip?rlkey=view21znssfv49f7usx4ox5q6
Unpack the zip file and put file HDR_FOX_T2_upgrade.hdf on an empty USB stick. You want a stick that is about 4GB or 8GB in size and ideally an old stick, 10 years old or more is more likely to work. The USB stick should be formatted FTA32. Insert it into the HDR Fox T2 USB and power on the box while it is connected to your TV, it should program automatically.
jalba said:
The hard drive is a 2TB Hitachi which I substituted a few years ago. It is now in a SATA caddy. I can see all the files when I connect it to my Chromebook.
Click to expand...
So you do have a linux computer then. You could run stripts on it to decrypt the files.
jalba said:
In all honesty, I have faffed around for a while already, so I am just about to give up and simply enjoy the 2000T, for as long as it lasts.
Click to expand...
Your choice, but it's really not hard to transplant the hard disc into another HDR Fox T2.
 
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