Octagon SF-4008(4K) Bugs, Issues, and Problems

It seems this stuck in booting has caused some boxes to fail to load any file? I do not know if this was caused by incompetence of the users, or if the dead boxes are flawed in some way? At any rate, some repairs have been posted that have a bolt.bin file. The bolt.bin file is critical to the box and can render the box useless. I suggest avoiding using a bolt.bin solution for recovery unless you have nothing to lose.

Here is a translated quote from Captain at OpenATV about using the bolt.bin solution:

Quote:

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[QUOTE = Captain; 337340]

I would also watch out there have bolt.bin in the folder

if something goes wrong, the box is completely dead [/ QUOTE]

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I have more or less given up on this SF4008 product. Time for me to look for something else...

Hello EB
Well what do you think about the VU+ ZERO 4K Receiver, Kimmo is selling it for 129.00 euros, I would like to replace my Miraclebox Ultra, this receiver is good 2 tuners, I don't use it that much, I would let it go for 125.00 dollars if anybody is interested.
Regards.
Chewie

Vu+ Does not talk with the customer. This much we know.

Vu+ Products do work though, and they build good quality receivers. As a basic receiver, I think the Zero 4K will work just fine. Just do not expect any recording capabilities or much of anything else. It is a zapper.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chewie [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Hello EB
Well what do you think about the VU+ ZERO 4K Receiver, Kimmo is selling it for 129.00 euros, I would like to replace my Miraclebox Ultra, this receiver is good 2 tuners, I don't use it that much, I would let it go for 125.00 dollars if anybody is interested.
Regards.
Chewie

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Simple, if you don't mind inaccurate and non-sensical signal indication in only percentages with never a possible db support, then go for it! That's the staple with Vu receivers.

I will comment about the booting issues and people supposedly bricking receivers.

First, I have had no booting issues using SatDreamGr images. There was a driver update around 12-27-2017, and this did cause the SatDreamGr image to get stuck in boot. This bad update was removed, so there seem to be no current issues with SatDreamGr images and the SF4008.
If you have a SF4008 that is stuck in boot, try downloading and installing the Satdreamgr-5-sf4008-20180102.zip image located in the link. [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Understand that in enigma2, there are two main groups which are OE Alliance and OpenPLi.
SatDreamGr and PKT images are based on OpenPLi.
OpenATV, Openvix, OpenEight, and most of the other SF4008 images are mainly based on OE Alliance.
For some reason, OpenPLi based images do not seem to have the "stuck in boot issue" or some of the other issues OE Alliance based images are having. I say this based on loading many different images from several different groups over a period of days.

I also think that no one enigma2 group is better or superior to any other enigma2 group or groups. The different enigma2 groups are known to share and help each other. However, this booting or "stuck in boot" seems to be in the OE Alliance based images, and not in the OpenPLi images. There could be many reasons for this, and I do not care to try to understand why.

So if your SF4008 receiver is stuck in boot, try downloading and installing the SatDreamGr image listed above.
If your SF4008 receiver is having problems or issues besides being stuck in boot, then try setting HDR to NO as seen in the attached screencap.

I do not see this booting problem as the fault of OE Alliance, OpenPLi or any enigma2 image group. This problem came directly from Octagon, and they will have to fix it!

Note: Enabling No HDR should put you in 1080 resolution, so you lose your 4k resolution. This should be a temporary fix or adjustment. Special Thanks to Captain, OpenATV, and all the others who have worked on solutions for this issue!

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From Esmos:
NEW: Driver (driver) update Octagon SF4008 - 1/12/18


- remove temporary kodi support
- Fixes audio issues on 2160P / 60Hz on certain TVs
- Fixes no booting on HDR mode
- Fixes undate.bin issue

- -> Important, User must flash image new!

GitHub
oe-alliance-core / meta-brands / meta-octagon at 4.1 * oe-alliance / oe-alliance-core * GitHub

OpenATV 6.1
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

OpenATV 6.2
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Load todays image from the above links, and it will fix the stuck in boot problem for most receivers. I imagine removing Kodi fixed some other things too.

Hello EB
I installed both images and it corrected the booting issue but the sound issue with 2160p still there, so I had to disable PIP.
Regards.
Chewie

- Fixes audio issues on 2160P / 60Hz on certain TVs

OpenVix and OpenATV images made on or after 1-12-2018 will have 1080p 60Hz capability. Right around, or shortly after Kodi was installed, 1080p 60Hz did not work in OE Alliance images. SatDreamGr images never had the 1080 60Hz issues that I know of.

It seems that people get enigma2 boxes and do not know what to do with them. They load every available update like it is something to be cherished, and they may try to load every image available. (I write this because I used to do it.)
The vast majority of enigma2 updates will do little or nothing for the fta user in North America. For a beginner with an enigma2 box, it is best to find an image that works well and then do not update it unless you know why you are updating it. Read the update logs, and ask someone if you do not understand what the update logs say is being updated.

I think OpenVix and SatDreamGr are good images for the SF4008, considering the condition it is in. There are obvious coding problems, and there will be more updates soon to bring back Kodi. OpenVix images are tested and vetted before they are released. OpenAtV nightly builds are not!

OpenVix will be running for a bit on my SF4008. Here are a couple of screencaps for an OpenVix image that I tested on a 1080p 60Hz television. This image is very easy to install on any 60Hz television. Look at the receiver display and follow the instructions displayed on it immediately after loading. The image first boots in 50Hz or multi, but you will be given the option to change that almost immediately after the image loads.

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Since I don't own a SF4008, I can only comment on a logical conclusion.

After many days of reading the Octagon forums at Ricks, they seem to be having problems with certain images. But this also applies to some Euro forums having problems with said images too. Strange no one mentions trying the SDG image for the 4008. Could be they don't know that it exists, or they may have tried it and did not like the image due to esthetics. If they did try SDG and didn't like it, all they would have to do is change the skin. Hopefully problem solved.

It does not make much sense to for a dealer in North America to use a German based image in the SF4008 when other images are available. I guess they figure that is what came loaded in the box, and that is the image they are supposed to have?

It would make a great deal of sense for someone who is selling enigma2 in North America boxes to approach one of these enigma2 groups and get special support. This could easily be done, but no one is interested in support. They are only interested in selling the box, then claiming no responsibility or warranty for it because you updated the image or loaded some software into the box.

SatDreamGr has helped us with ATSC and other items. Their work is appreciated!

SatDreamGr is not a "full" image. Things like system time have to be added manually. SatDreamGr usually runs faster because it does not have every option in it. You are supposed to add what you need, and I think some are clueless about this.

OpenVix is considered to be a full image, with most available options pre-loaded in the image. OpenVix is easy to use, but the menus could confuse some at first.

OpenATV is a German image that is made for a wide variety of enigma2 machines. OpenATV is also a full image with most options pre-loaded. OpenATV also includes European satellites with thousands of channels and bouquets that are useless to us because we cannot get European satellites. Some OpenATV menus display a few German words even when the language is set to English.

ALL enigma2 images are great because they allow us to watch tv, and they may do some things a bit different. I appreciate the work of ALL enigma2 groups!