A-110 needs new firmware update

[mgroover]

(01-19-2012 06:11 AM)ensiferum Wrote:  - device is always on even if you power it off.
- device runs extremely hot, probably sucks a lot of energy as well

I have noticed this as well, most likely because it is a 1st gen embedded linux device. On the upside is that it only draws 7-8W even when playing 1080p material.

The other issues you have is nothing I have experienced, except the audio dropout when resuming or seeking. It most likely has to do with bad encoding of the file more than the device as it doesn't happen on all files.

[halfelite]

- there is no off on the device it was deigned like that. You push power it turns off the display port so people that download torrents and things there downloads stay running,

- Device runs within standard of its heat range.

[Cokegod]

I agree with Mike06, since around June 2011 I had many videos my A-110 couldn't play, mostly XviD videos.
While other people in this thread might think the A-110 is totally ruined, I still think it could be usable, but it really needs a firmware update.

[jdelacruz]

just wanted to jump in and say that it would be nice to have an update for the A110.
I've had the A110 plugged in and powered on since 2008 and I can say its still going strong -
it still plays 98% of the files I have thrown at it... a couple files have had to be remuxed
but that really is no biggie considering the source of those files...
its been a fun ride and i would definitely be picking up another popcorn when its time to upgrade...

peace out!

jdc

[Zod]

Some of you folks are measuring the time from when the a110 came out. I didn't buy mine until May of 09. They literally announced the c300 right after I recieved it in the mail.

Honestly. It's been a good little machine. The biggest bug I've had with it was that MKV compression issue last year. It stopped alot of video files from playing. Eventually they fixed it (but it took a loooong time.. the new models were fixed much quicker).

There's a few bugs here and there, but I used it to watch HD video and it seems good at that.

When it dies (or won't play new files anymore) will I buy another popcorn hour? Probably not. I was dissapointed to see my model's support drop to the backburner shortly after I bought it. They really did put the emphasis on updates for the new model.

If I did buy another PCH I'd only buy it if just came out. I'd love to find something open source that runs XBMC and can support a big internal hard drive. Open source is so much better, the community keeps improving/updating. I still think my XBOX1 with XBMC was my favorite media player. It's too bad it didn't have the power for HD.

[warakul]

I have a same problem , some media file can't play on my A110 include some iso dvd movies. I'm not sure may be some iso not standard type but another chipset play correctly then please fixed it. A-110 software nearly complete. I'm not expect to run new format files completely .But I expect to run dvd iso , avi ,some of mkv correctly.I need firmware update too.

[ciao]

This old thread got hijacked pretty fast. The OP wasn't angry about his A-110 becoming obsolete, but rather about how easy it would be to compile newer versions of the Gaya source code on which this device runs. The rest of these forums with their developer discussions almost make it seem like Popcorn boxes are open source, but they're obviously not because when you broach that topic it's referred to derogatorily as "cross flashing."

Sometimes companies that stop supporting their old devices turn the hardware open source and let their devoted user base hack it and find new uses for them. Normal consumers probably don't care about this, but the financial upside is that it encourages serious brand loyalty from the more savvy users who feel like they're part of a community. Sigma might have some legal hold over how Gaya accesses their hardware, but no one here has indicated that that's the case.

[halfelite]

(11-24-2012 08:38 PM)ciao Wrote:  This old thread got hijacked pretty fast. The OP wasn't angry about his A-110 becoming obsolete, but rather about how easy it would be to compile newer versions of the Gaya source code on which this device runs. The rest of these forums with their developer discussions almost make it seem like Popcorn boxes are open source, but they're obviously not because when you broach that topic it's referred to derogatorily as "cross flashing."

Sometimes companies that stop supporting their old devices turn the hardware open source and let their devoted user base hack it and find new uses for them. Normal consumers probably don't care about this, but the financial upside is that it encourages serious brand loyalty from the more savvy users who feel like they're part of a community. Sigma might have some legal hold over how Gaya accesses their hardware, but no one here has indicated that that's the case.

Its been said over and over it cant be done and maintain any functionality of a media player, All the sigma code is closed source and they will never release it and in order to compile a firmware you have to have both the signed key and the sigma sdk, You can run and compile any code you want on the popcorn hour in that since it is open source you can even kill the gaya display and launch your own display using directfb. SO not sure what people are looking for.

[accident]

Even open sourced hardware has closed source drivers and things related to it. The units are in no way shape or form an open hardware platform. Syabas has however not stopped people from adding additional stuff to it. A previous developer who also worked on the same sigma chips for example was able to fully compile mpd correctly and that's a good example of something someone could do.. but it took the not free sdk from sigma to do it.

Gaya is also just a screen interface. In a windows media center extender you knew may have known it as maya. It's just the interactive ui.. There's also been some compiled versions of QT, and webkit and some applications that use them for the screen. to some degree you can do a lot with the units, however if it involves any of the media functions your going to need the sigma sdk..

This is partially why I'm interested in a recent press release from sigma. As you may know they paid to have someone port xbmc for mips, they also worked on the chipset and in a press released talked about an open sourced api to their chipsets.. No clue what that really means but it sounds promising as a way in the future to take what might be open sourced hardware with the mips port of xbmc and do more than normal with them. of course some things are probably still going to be very closed source but it's interesting enough to follow whoever jumps in and offers a unit first to see what else is possible.

[Shamino]

Unfortunately no longer receive support and is a good player.

[alvoryx]

(01-03-2012 08:51 AM)chris57 Wrote:  

(01-03-2012 07:44 AM)Gigahertz21 Wrote:  Any company that drops support for one of their products that is only a few years old will never get me to buy anything again from them, I just created a post earlier today because I think my A-110 is dead (no video output and doesn't respond to the remote even though it powers up) and if it is indeed dead and no way to fix it, I will not buy another popcorn hour.

I shake my head in disbelief when I read posts like this.

Please tell me of another Media Player company that has released firmware updates for 4 years. The 100 series making its debut in November 2007!!!
Are you expecting infinte updates?

You are then saying that if it breaks after 4 years then you wont buy anything from a company.

Get real.

no man..

you "get real" please

you're comparing bananas and oranges <_< the whole point of a media player is to read media

as everyone knows, video stream encoding over the internet is changing fast, very fast

if the device, doesn't adapt, it becomes useless. not because it's hardware is defect or because the hardware is to low to read the media, only because the software is not compatible.


so..that being said, how do you call a company which sells you another device being maintained software side for another few years but offer nothing else than the previous ? thiefs


all functions, tablet, music, video capability is just bullshit..the whole point of this kind of device is reading freaking videos..simple task which it fails doing after 4 years because of retarded marketing decisions

that my pch a110 doesn't read 3d bluray I can accept, that it doens't read a xvid rip, i don't


i'll continue to flame popcorn hour / syabas product's when i can and to whoever ask's me

[halfelite]

(02-04-2013 09:50 PM)alvoryx Wrote:  no man..

you "get real" please

you're comparing bananas and oranges <_< the whole point of a media player is to read media

as everyone knows, video stream encoding over the internet is changing fast, very fast

if the device, doesn't adapt, it becomes useless. not because it's hardware is defect or because the hardware is to low to read the media, only because the software is not compatible.


so..that being said, how do you call a company which sells you another device being maintained software side for another few years but offer nothing else than the previous ? thiefs


all functions, tablet, music, video capability is just bullshit..the whole point of this kind of device is reading freaking videos..simple task which it fails doing after 4 years because of retarded marketing decisions

that my pch a110 doesn't read 3d bluray I can accept, that it doens't read a xvid rip, i don't


i'll continue to flame popcorn hour / syabas product's when i can and to whoever ask's me

How is that comparing apples to oranges, these hard not software devices, if the hardware decoders cant support a new format or technique there is no hope for it getting an update, All microcode updates for sigma chips comes from sigma they dropped support for the chip in the A100/110 years ago, So no the A100/110 will not be getting any updates to support any new options that might have come about. Its an EOL product all products come to EOL, And to think that a product should not is being unrealistic. Its not as simple as a pc saying Oh a new divx version came out let me just update the divx codec, there is no software divx coded inside the pch it goes through a hardware decoder that has the same instructions to decode as software but they are not easliy changeable beyond what they were initially released for