DP-P1 Firmware to fix MPEG4 HD TV broadcast issues

[Bigdog]

I have a DP-P1 that is still going strong - one of the first machines with a 200GB drive. I have found that I cannot watch MPEG-4 HD TV channels - the picture freezes after a second or two of showing a highly pixelated jerky image and the sound stops and starts and crackles in a jerky fashion - ABC HD is not to bad but the commercial channels are woeful.

I am currently running Firmware 01.05.261 - I have downloaded 01.05.334 and 01.05.350 but have not installed either as I have read on various forums that neither of these firmware versions will fix my problem.

I have seen mention of the fact that there is possibly another release of DP-P1 firmware that will fix this problem but it was never publically released. There seems to be lots of commentary about fixing the issue on the DP-P2 but I am unsure if the same fix works on the DP-P1.

QUESTION: Is it possible to secure a copy of the firmware that will fix the problem on my DP-P1 and if so how can I secure a copy? It would be a great shame if I have to despatch the machine to the tip.

Beyonwiz told me to ask in the forum!

Thanks in advance

[MrQuade]

I believe there is a version of the 1.07.350 firmware (the firmware normally for the DP-P2) that has been modified to work on a DP-P1 or DP-S1.

The 1.07.350 firmware gains the ability to decode the MPEG4 broadcasts, but drops the ability to play DTS soundtracks and play ISO files.

I am not sure where to get your hands on the modified 1.07.350 firmware for the S1/P1 though.

See here:
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-r ... ?t=2506181
and here:
http://www.beyonwiz.com.au/forum/viewto ... f=3&t=9737
http://www.beyonwiz.com.au/forum/viewto ... 9&p=136393

[Grumpy_Geoff]

My S1 on 01.05.350 can play ABC HD, 7HD, 9HD and TEN HD - at times ABC HD is a bit jerky but I can change channels away and back again and it is fine.
warkus/Mark might see your post - he has that P1 firmware that won't have the 'sometimes jerky' issue that 01.05.350 displays.

[Bigdog]

Thanks guys. Contacted Warkus and now have the appropriate firmware to rectify the problem. All good.

[Bigdog]

Quick update. I decided to kick the process off by installing firmware 01.05.350. The result ... All HD TV channels are now working perfectly ... Perfect picture and sensational sound through the Yamaha connected to B&W surround sound speakers.

Thanks for the heads up Grumpy_Geoff ... I suggest everyone try's this firmware in the first instance on their DPP1 ... Will hang on to the special firmware just in case it all goes to custard down the track!

[SteveFromOz]

[quote="Bigdog"]Quick update. I decided to kick the process off by installing firmware 01.05.350. The result ... All HD TV channels are now working perfectly ... Perfect picture and sensational sound through the Yamaha connected to B&W surround sound speakers.


Hi, where are you located in OZ? Are you sure you used the 1.05.350 f/w downloaded from the Beyonwiz site? Initially I used that but no luck, so had to go to Warkus f/w which mostly worked. However, I have had some unusual issues with it so plan to roll back to 01.05.350. Is it the DP-P1 f/w you used or the DP-P2 on a P1.

Regards,

Steve

[arthurbach4]

Is it the DP-P1 f/w you used or the DP-P2 on a P1.

I'd like to know as well.

Thanks.

[Bigdog]

Hi Guys, It is definitely a DPP1. I did mention my success to Warkus after he sent me his firmware (which I haven't installed) and he was quite surprised that Rel 350 solved the problem ... I don't think he believed me. I did notice the other night as I was flicking through the channels that the Racing Channel had no sound (this is no loss to me btw) ... but all the other HD channels look great and sound great. If over time I have a problem I will install Warkus's firmware.

[MrQuade]

I did notice the other night as I was flicking through the channels that the Racing Channel had no sound (this is no loss to me btw) ... but all the other HD channels look great and sound great.

Yea, the Racing channel uses AAC-HE audio which the 1.05.xxx firmware definitely can't do.
It used to be the case that some of the other secondary channels also used AAC, but that appears to have been abandoned (likely due to incompatibilities like this).

[santoitaliano]

Sorry to dig up an ancient thread.

Does anyone have the DP-P1 hybrid firmware the can share? I've tried messaging warkus on Whirlpool a couple of times over the past 9 months with no luck.

Thanks,

Santo

[Paul_oz53]

Sorry to dig up an ancient thread.

Does anyone have the DP-P1 hybrid firmware the can share? I've tried messaging warkus on Whirlpool a couple of times over the past 9 months with no luck.

Thanks,

Santo

Try calling him at: Decisive Computer Solutions.

[santoitaliano]

Thanks. Looks like i'm still in newbie jail and can't send PM's.. Appreciate the advice.

[prl]

The link is to warkus's company contact page. It has his phone number and email address. You don't need to be able to PM to use them.

[SteveFromOz]

From the FAQ.

I cannot send private messages!
There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you from sending messages. Contact a board administrator for more information.

[Gully]

From the FAQ.

I cannot send private messages!
There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you from sending messages. Contact a board administrator for more information.

It is also due to be a new member with the restrictions that brings which is normal.

But as Peter has already posted the link is to in real life details so no private messaging required.

[SteveFromOz]

But just in case Mark no longer has a copy of the f/w as it is now very old, I do have a copy. I also got the last DP-P1 circuit boards from him a few months back.

[bluey]

Does anyone have the updated firmware for the DP-P1?? I'd like to keep the old machine going if possible.

Unfortunately the link to Decisive Computer Solutions no longer works so I can't contact Mark directly.

Cheers

[blip]

Have a look at viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5253

[bluey]

Thanks blip, I am currently running DPP1_0107070 which I got from Mark but am experiencing the audio issues on the HD channels.

I was looking for version 1.07.350 of the DP-P1 firmware which gains the ability to decode the MPEG4 broadcasts as mentioned earlier in this thread.

Cheers

[raymondjpg]

Thanks blip, I am currently running DPP1_0107070 which I got from Mark but am experiencing the audio issues on the HD channels.

I was looking for version 1.07.350 of the DP-P1 firmware which gains the ability to decode the MPEG4 broadcasts as mentioned earlier in this thread.

Cheers

I have a copy of DPP2TB_Firmware_30Nov2010_ver_0107350.wrp. I'm no expert but someone could perhaps advise if this would be suitable for a DP-P1.

[sub3R]

... I am currently running DPP1_0107070 which I got from Mark but am experiencing the audio issues on the HD channels.

If that is the ‘DPP1_0107070_ORIGINAL.wrp’ f/w file supplied by Mark, did you reset to factory default after updating? The notes that Mark supplied me with that f/w was; “REMINDER PLEASE to reset factory default AFTER UPDATE. Once updated, boot and go straight into ‘menu > system > initialize’. You will not lose recordings doing this. Re-scan channels, and reconfigure the unit to your liking and you’re done.”

[SteveFromOz]

Does anyone have the updated firmware for the DP-P1?? I'd like to keep the old machine going if possible.

Unfortunately the link to Decisive Computer Solutions no longer works so I can't contact Mark directly.

Cheers

Hi Bluey,

I have a DP-P1 running 01.07.070 and it runs the HD MPEG4 channels with no problem. I am in NW Sydney. I do have a copy in case you have a corrupted coopy, but as someone else said, do a reset and see. I cannot recall if I had to do a reset when I installed 01.07.070 as it was 6 years ago. I will pm you an email address I have for Mark.

Regards,

Steve

[bluey]

Thank you raymondjpg, sub3R and SteveFromOz for your replies. I've been stuck in bed with the flu since the weekend so have only now had a chance to log back in.

The file I received from Mark back in 2016 was DPP1_0107070_ORIGINAL.wrp and from memory it was to address the change in channels/audio here in Sydney. It has worked great but over the last couple of years I noticed that as stations have upgraded to HD the recordings get glitchy/pixelated then freeze. If I don't stop it quickly I need to perform a hard reboot of the P1 to get it running again.

As suggested I will perform a reset and report back.

Cheers,
Bluey

[SteveFromOz]

Hi Bluey,

Not sure what is happening but it may just be a signal strength issue. Mine works fine on HD channels, although I must admit I don't currently use the Beyonwiz, now using Fetch. The test I did the other day was fine on HD channels.

I do miss not using the DP-P1, but it does have an intermittent motherboard that can't be fixed.

Take a look at where you live, there are various translators around Sydney. i live in NW Sydney and have my antennas pointed to Kurrajong.

Regards,

Steve

[bluey]

Thanks SteveFromOz,

So after some testing what I have found is (note I live in Western Sydney):
- Can watch all channels with no issues
- Can record all channels with no issues
But every recording from ABC2, SBS2 or 10 has at least one glitching issue in a 60 min period. The playback is usually good for at lest 10 minutes then the video starts to pixelate, if I stop it quickly then playback again there is a good chance it will play normally. If I don't then after about 5-10seconds the whole picture freezes up, I then stop playback but the Beyonwiz has now lost audio on all LIVE channels and whole thing needs a reboot.

I don't know if this is just a symptom of the unit getting old or I needed new firmware to handle the new transmitting formats of TV channels.
I will investigate the signal strength and report back.

Cheers,

[SteveFromOz]

Hi Bluey,

I'd say your disk is faulty. you can replace it, but you need an IDE disk or a SATA to IDE adapter, most of which won't work correctly in the BW.

You could try to initialise the disk via the setup menu, but that would lose all recordings you have.

Regards,

Steve

[peteru]

The above symptoms do not match a failing HDD.

The most likely explanation is a dying power supply in the DP-P1. If you get the PSU refurbished early enough you'll probably get many more years of service out of your Beyonwiz. If you wait until things stop working completely, you have a high chance of ending up with a system that can not be repaired.

Best place to get the power supply serviced is NASA Electronics.

[SteveFromOz]

That makes sense.

The PSU, if it has never been repaired, will need new capacitors and probably a complete set of diodes.

Well worth it to keep the old beast going. Mark in WA did mine, but I don't think he does them any more,

Certainly give NASA a go.

Regards,

Steve

[bluey]

Thanks peteru and SteveFromOz,

Never even considered the power supply could cause such an issue. I purchased the unit new probably over 14 years ago and it has never been touched. Would either of you have a schematic, my brother is a repair technician so I should try him first before NASA.

Cheers,
Bluey

[bluey]

Just for completeness here are my tuner readings - (quality / strength):

Good recordings:
7 - (91 / 99)
9 - (86 / 99)

Glitchy recordings (sometimes):
ABC - (78 / 99)
10 - (78 / 99)
SBS - (89 / 99)

[sub3R]

... have a schematic, my brother is a repair technician so I should try him first before NASA.

Not a schematic, but Mark’s (warkus) excellent PSU repair instructions are stickies at the top of this sub-forum.

The Beyonwiz IP-108 MODEL PSU Repair - UPDATE 25-10-2012 instruction should suit your DP-P1 according to section 3 of that instruction, but just check to make sure it is the same.

The link in section 9 to Mark’s website won’t work, so you won’t be able to get the pdf download repair instruction that way. Select, copy & paste to a MS Word document should provide a digital copy.

[peteru]

If you have someone competent to do the work, they can follow one of these guides, depending on which model of the PSU you have installed.

Original DP-S1

AD055H018.PDF

DP-S1 PSU repair guide

(901.26 KiB) Downloaded 38 times

DP-P1, DP-S1 later models, FV-L1, DP-Lite, DP-H1

IP108.PDF

DP-P1, DP-S1 and other PSU repair guide

(671.67 KiB) Downloaded 43 times

DP-P2

IP100.PDF

DP-P2 PSU repair guide

(603.39 KiB) Downloaded 37 times

[Paul_oz53]

Your repair tech may also need to replace some of the general-purpose caps as well. Warkus did when he fixed my P2, along with a faulty voltage regulator on the mainboard.

[bluey]

Houston we have found a problem

Yesterday I broke the warranty seal and lifted the lid on the unit. What I found were some very unhealthy (burst) capacitors on the PSU, they were the same ones shown in Mark's instructions. Spent all of last night ordering the components as per the instructions so now we wait.

Big thanks to sub3R, peteru and Paul_oz53 for your assistance.

Also huge thanks to the admins/moderators of the site Gully and peteru for keeping the wealth of information alive.

I'll update again once progress has been made.