[ale] Tivax STB-T8 Serial Interface
Charles Shapiro
hooterpincher at gmail.com
Thu Jan 8 08:03:49 EST 2009
Dang Keith, you're Good..
--
On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 3:30 PM, <krwatson at cc.gatech.edu> wrote:
> I did some hardware hacking last night on my Tivax STB-T8 ATSC to NTSC
> converter box serial interface. So what has this to do with Linux you might
> ask. The goal is to control my new found miracle of modern electronics with
> a Linux workstation.
>
> I have to use the converter to receive digital TV so I can't program my
> NTSC VCR to change channels anymore. The solution is to control the
> converter with a computer. I could use an IR blaster but where's the fun in
> that.
>
> Here is what I've uncovered so far:
>
> NOTE: The manufacturer warns that using the serial interface voids your
> warranty.
>
>
> What is the serial connector for?
>
> The serial connector is for uploading software by the factory. No, at this
> time there are no plans to make new software available to consumers.
>
> The connector can also be used for controlling the unit with a PC. Baudrate
> is 115kb. Use the command "zir" to issue cmds. This interface is not
> supported. Do not ask questions what does this or that do. Use of this port
> voids any warranty.
>
> https://shop.tivax.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=1&id=42&artlang=en
>
>
> Of course my response is one or both of the following:
>
> Your Motto: If it ain't broke, take it apart and fix it.
> http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/techies/8f52/
>
>
> Joss Whedon Serenity Browncoat/I Aim To Misbehave T-Shirt
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Whedon-Serenity-Browncoat-Misbehave-T-Shirt/dp/B000TYFDU4
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2llnny
>
>
> Enough frivolity and on with the hardware hacking.
>
> The manufacturer web page above is the only hint given on how to use the
> serial port but it's all I need (Thank you Tivax).
>
> I used two standard PC 9 pin female to 25 ping male serial cables connected
> with a break out box so I could swap pins around. I ended up having to cross
> connect pins 2 & 3.
>
> I configured my PC serial port for:
>
> 115200 baud
> 8 data bits
> No parity
> 1 stop bit
> XON/XOFF flow control
>
> I suspect this is not the correct pin out. At this baud rate I would expect
> it to use hardware flow control. But it was good enough to talk to the
> converter.
>
> Once I was connected I typed in zir<return> which resulted in the
> following:
>
> Usage: zir [key]
>
> key:
> menu (menu)
> exit (exit from menu)
> v- (volume down)
> v+ (volume up)
> p+ (program up)
> p- (program down)
> sel (select/enter)
> mute (mute)
> up (up)
> dn (down)
> l (left)
> r (right)
> last (last channel)
> pow (power)
> info (information)
> Guide (Guide)
> Last (Last Channel)
> Aspect (aspect ratio)
> Text (-)
> cc (subtitle)
> Audio (Audio)
> Signal (signal strength)
> AudioLR (Audio LR)
> Fav+ (Fav Up)
> Fav- (Fav Down)
> Freeze (Freeze)
> ZMon>
>
>
> I'll get to what the options mean in a minute but I must note that the ZMon
> prompt is significant. Apparently the unit is now in monitor mode. This
> means that the converter is constantly spewing all manner of information
> about the state of the currently viewed station. The worse the reception (it
> was very windy last night so it was more than my bowtie antenna could
> handle) the more information gets spewed. Here's a sampling:
>
> handleZtvClosedCaptionRegister :ccType=3,serviceType=64
> doPSIChange : Warning - unable to match audio language 0x0
> Defaulting to first audio stream
> doPSIChange : ignored
> Warning: Video channel (VBV) buffer underflow
> Last message repeated 3 times
> Warning: ClearTLVideoBuffer nrdnt2 not configured
> has708=0, has608=1, t708=17202510, t608=17202535
> cbTimeoutUnmuteTimer : Unmute
> Warning: ClearTLVideoBuffer nrdnt2 not configured
> Last message repeated 4 times
> Warning: Video channel (VBV) buffer underflow
> TLCtrlArraySave: Saving backup 550 in slot 3 succ
> Invalid FSCOD
> AC3 sync word not found
> AC3 sync word not found
> AC3 sync word not found
> has708=1, has608=1, t708=17204174, t608=17204172
> AC3 sync word not found
> has708=0, has608=1, t708=17204174, t608=17204764
> AC3 sync word not found
> new key 0x70
> new key 0x70
> has708=1, has608=1, t708=17206526, t608=17206526
> has708=0, has608=1, t708=17206526, t608=17207129
> AC3 sync word not found
> AC3 sync word not found
> Invalid FRMSIZECOD
> AC3 sync word not found
> AC3 sync word not found
> AC3 sync word not found
> AC3 sync word not found
> symInvalid FRMSIZECOD
>
> So far I have not figured out how to tell it to stop monitoring.
>
> Here is what the zir options mean.
>
> menu (menu) (the same as pressing the menu button on the remote)
> exit (exit from menu) (the same as pressing the exit button on the remote)
> v- (volume down) (the same as pressing the volume up button on the remote)
> v+ (volume up) (the same as pressing the volume down button on the remote)
> p+ (program up) (the same as pressing the channel up button on the remote)
> p- (program down) (the same as pressing the channel down button on the
> remote)
> sel (select/enter) (the same as pressing the OK button on the remote)
> mute (mute) (the same as pressing the mute button on the remote)
> up (up) (the same as pressing the up arrow button on the remote)
> dn (down) (the same as pressing the down arrow button on the remote)
> l (left) (the same as pressing the left arrow button on the remote)
> r (right) (the same as pressing the right arrow button on the remote)
> last (last channel) (haven't tested this yet)
> pow (power) (the same as pressing the standby button on the remote)
> info (information) (the same as pressing the info button on the remote)
> Guide (Guide) (the same as pressing the guide button on the remote)
> Last (Last Channel) (haven't tested this yet)
> Aspect (aspect ratio) (the same as pressing the aspect button on the
> remote)
> Text (-)(this brings up the channel identifier)
> cc (subtitle) (the same as pressing the caption button on the remote)
> Audio (Audio) (the same as pressing the audio button on the remote)
> Signal (signal strength) (the same as pressing the signal button on the
> remote)
> AudioLR (Audio LR) (haven't tested this yet)
> Fav+ (Fav Up) (haven't tested this yet)
> Fav- (Fav Down) (haven't tested this yet)
> Freeze (Freeze) (haven't tested this yet)
>
>
> I also figured out why they think using the serial port voids the warranty.
> You are talking directly to the hardware so it is possible to trash the
> configuration of the box. Be very, very carful what you type. What may look
> like gibberish to you could be a command to the box. To see all the commands
> type help<enter>. (see attachment help.txt)
>
>
> Of course I noticed the "help all" so the output is in the attachment
> help_all.txt.
>
>
> I did a bit more poking around but I was unable to find out how to tune to
> a specific channel. However I did find some useful tid bits.
>
> In the help it mentioned:
>
> padnum - the padnumber of the pin to configure (see beetle_pad_xxxx.xls)
> SDCard - Test SD card initialization process
>
>
> The vidinfo command produced the following:
>
> ContextSettings - Digital Beetle_420
> Display : 720 x 484 I 60Hz- All Formats 4:3 (narrow)
> Context : 352 x 480 I @ 29.970030hz (narrow)
> ROI : [0 16 352 448] max[0 0 1920 1088]
> position: [0 0 720 480] max[0 0 1920 1088]
> hScale=2.045455 vRawScale=1.071429 vScale=1.071429
> contextFieldTimes=2 extraDelay=2997 invertFieldDecode=0
> tcfactor=22.603842 writeback=0 deinterlace=0
> bufferModel=Inline mceSize=2 low_delay=0
>
>
>
> I then did something (not sure what, maybe the config command) that
> resulted in the attachment possible_config_data.txt. Here are just a few of
> the interesting morsels:
>
> #line 1 "../generated/../config/chip/740REVB
>
> ;; configuration switches
>
> ;; $DateTime: 2007/01/23 17:12:10 $
>
> ;; $Author: pryush.sharma $
>
> #line 1 "../generated/../config/chip/CONFIGBASE"
>
> ;; Copyright (C) 1997-2004 Zoran Corporation.
>
> ;; $Id: //suprahd/customers/PROJECT17/config/chip/740REVB#1 $
>
> option COMMON_TARGET_ENDIAN_BIG 2
> option COMMON_TARGET_ENDIAN_LITTLE 1
>
> option BEETLE_CHIP_640 0
> option BEETLE_CHIP_660 1
> option BEETLE_CHIP_680 2
>
> option BEETLE_REV_A 10
> option BEETLE_REV_B 11
> option BEETLE_REV_FPGA 0
>
> option CLK_166MHZ 2
> option CLK_200MHZ 3
> option CLK_55MHZ 1
>
> #line 1
> "../generated/../config/platform/../../config/platform/740LEOPARD_CONVBOX"
>
>
> I need to do some Googling. I'm going to see if I can find a programming
> manual for the chips that are being used. I'll start with strings in the
> dumps and if I have to I'll pop the case and get a parts list.
>
>
> Here's the results of the ident command:
>
> $TLVersion: customers/PROJECT17/70186 7.40-24_20080728_Michley
> REVB_MTC_THOMSON_OGENERIC$
> /*
> * ident - version identification
> *
> * Copyright (C) 1997-2004 Zoran Corporation.
> * All Rights Reserved
> *
> * $Id: //suprahd/customers/PROJECT17/ident#219 $
> * $Revision: #219 $
> * $DateTime: 2007/11/14 00:22:44 $
> * $Change: 70201 $
> * $Author: dtvswbld $
> */
>
> #define TL_BUILD_VERSION "customers/PROJECT17/70186"
>
> /*
> * RELEASE - release identification
> *
> * Copyright (C) 1997-2004 Zoran Corporation.
> * All Rights Reserved
> *
> * $Id: //suprahd/customers/PROJECT17/RELEASE#15 $
> * $Revision: #15 $
> * $DateTime: 2007-12-13 14:24 $
> * $Change: 61847 $
> * $Author: catherine.lee $
> */
>
> //#define TL_RELEASE_VERSION "7.40-24_20080228_Michley"
> #define TL_RELEASE_VERSION "7.40-24_20080728_Michley"
>
>
>
> That's all I had time for as others in the house wanted to use the TV to
> actually watch something.
>
> More later,
>
> keith
>
> --
>
> Keith R. Watson Georgia Institute of Technology
> Systems Support Specialist IV College of Computing
> keith.watson at cc.gatech.edu 801 Atlantic Drive NW
> (404) 385-7401 Atlanta, GA 30332-0280
>
>
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