Comments on: FS-4400 Satellite PVR

By: MJ Ray

MJ Ray — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:49:41 +0000

@Mike – I’m pretty sure it’s “ASK” – as in “ask Fortec Star”.

But I’m happy to report that a female to female rs232 null modem cable, a USB-Serial adapter and the software from the FS website has unbricked my receiver. I’ll post a short review of the changes as soon as I get time (I’m trying to get work finished for 2010!) but it fixes at least two annoying misfeatures and the zoom seems much sharper too.

@James Chapman – while uploading, my receiver displayed nothing, not CONN. Are you keeping the receiver switched off until the upload software tells you to reset the device?

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:28:14 +0000

BTW does anyone know what the “A5H” on the display means?

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:19:22 +0000

I’ll try the female to female rs232 when i can get a cable and report back then. I’m sure Fortec Star will have been back to me with a solution by then……..Yeah!

By: MJ Ray

MJ Ray — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:35:14 +0000

My best guess so far is that it needs a USB-serial adapter – and they usually have 9-way male connectors, so a female-to-female cable is needed. A simple USB-serial cable (as used for some cameras) won’t work. But again, another day, more snow, no delivery, no cable for me, so I’m just guessing.

Past upgrades have actually fixed annoying bugs, like one last year where the box didn’t switch on from standby for timer recordings, so I don’t think leaving alone is really an option. Fortec don’t actually say on the website what’s different in the new firmware. So we’re buying a pig in a poke. If only it was free and open source software!

I got the FS-4400 as a low-cost low-time low-power alternative to one of the Linux-based receivers. I feel like I’ve been taught a lesson again.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 22:11:16 +0000

I have had no luck with the rs232 cable. It won’t do anything for me. i can’t seem to get it to sync with the box. does the cable need to be installed? it is usb one end and rs232 female the other. should i be using sr232 male to rs232 female?

As for Fortec, they are useless to help. Their back up is very bad and i totally agree about the warning. I tried the usb option first and this led me to this mess. I loved the box before I tried to upgrade it. i should have left well enough alone

By: MJ Ray

MJ Ray — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:46:48 +0000

The snow’s slowing me down in getting the right cable. How did you end up at ASK? I need a cable because the instructions PDF says not to use USB when the menu says Allcode and not Allcode+Bootloader.

Have you tried reuploading the previously-used firmware?

Has anyone tried asking FortecStar about this mess? It seems a bit of a poor show to put out a firmware that doesn’t work in the obvious way and the warning in a PDF in a different download.

By: James Chapman

James Chapman — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:37:56 +0000

Has anyone had any joy with the ASH issue after updating with the latest firmware? I’ve tried with a null modem rs232 cable, but all I can get the device to display CONN (whilst updating) instead of ASH?!

By: MJ Ray

MJ Ray — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:51:22 +0000

Though I’ve just written that, I see the RS-232 cable upgrade software is now on http://www.fortecstar.com/4400-sw.html for download whenever you want. There’s also a firmware released October 2010 – was that the one you tried?

By: MJ Ray

MJ Ray — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:49:36 +0000

I’ve no idea. The only thing I found while searching is that the box maybe can be reflashed either by the producer or with software from them. Have you tried asking http://www.fortecstar.com/contact_us.html for help?

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:06:42 +0000

I have a fortec star fs4400.

can you please help, I have tried to download software upgrade by usb, but the reciever just has ASH or could be A5H on the display. Can you help