Security DVR Boot Probs

OK you guys seem to be my last resort ;-) The Retailer wont return my phone calls, I can find nothing on the net worthwhile to help me with the unit's problem and at this point in time I'm pretty well screwed :-(

The unit is a

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The brand on the front of the box is Panorama.

It has 2 x 500GB Seagate drives and a Pioneer DVR112 burner added.

The unit has been behaving faultlessly for about 2 months but now it won't boot up. The screen message is "DVR Initialization". I still get all the cameras displayed on the screen but no recording and no button and/or menu functions and the unit is inaccessible from network. It will display this for about 1-2 min then re-boot.

It's a bit like looking at a Windows start up screen :-(

The Mother board has the number ET0870319 on it. There are 2 LEDs lit up with the writing next to them 3v and 5v so the PS is ok and we have power everywhere. IMHO it is a software problem. BTW I also disconnected all the cameras, network cable and even all the drives and then even added a known good blank HD and still no joy.

Any ideas how to do a reset/re-boot/bios/firmware reflash etc????? There is a round battery on the MB the same as a keep alive BIOS one on a computer MB - should I pull it out?? I'm not game yet ;-) The user's manual is very sparse on info re-probs.

Any help appreciated.

Cheers TT

Reply to
TT
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Firstly it looks like a software / firmware issue. The unit uses imbedded Linux. There is probably nothing the user can do to correct this except return the unit for repair under warranty. If the retailer won't help or return your phone calls I suggest you name and shame them here. It would serve as a warning to other prospective customers to reconsider their decision to use a retailer who offers after sales service.

Cheers, Alan

Reply to
Alan Rutlidge

"Alan Rutlidge" > all the cameras displayed on the screen but no recording and no button

This is why I have not named and shamed as it is still the silly season and many people are away from work (me included) :-)

The retailer has since contacted me and we have now started a dialogue. It still doesn't work but he is communicating with me. Apparently the hot spell in WA has tipped a few of these over the edge - inbuilt temp sensor.

Cheers TT

PS I should just go away for the break at this time - last year the smoke came out of ME850 >:-(

Reply to
TT

Ah, yes but we know the reason for that. Seriously underrated bridge rectifiers.

Cheers, Alan

Reply to
Alan Rutlidge

Ahhhh.......... so being full of booze and playing old heavy rock (ACDC, Deep Purple, Sweet, Suzi Q, etc) flat out at 2:00am New Year's Morning had nothin' to do with it eh?? :-) You can give up on warranty manager's job now Alan after having said that ;-)

Warranty Rule #1 - It's always the customers fault ;-) ;-) Warranty Rule # 2 (see above) Warranty Rule # 3 (see above) Warranty Rule # 4 (see above) Warranty Rule # 5 (see above) Warranty Rule # 6 Damaged in transit Warranty Rule # 7 Power surge/ Dirty mains Warranty Rule # 8 Are your sure it's not the customer's fault? Warranty Rule # 9 Humidity/Dust/Heat/Cold wrong Sheng Fui Warranty Rule # 10 Never seen this fault before you are the first and only so no warranty - refer #1

That's how it usually goes for me anyway ;-)

Cheers TT

Reply to
TT

Ring the Importer and tell him the retailer won't stand by the warranty agreements and what do they intend to do about it. Does this thing have a RS 232 port on the back. If so, ask to speak to the service manager, and tell him you want to re-boot the software, as it's playing up, not working properly, giving trouble, and your sorry to bother him but your retailer refuses to assist, and he's your last hope. Or perhaps he would like to supply you with a new unit, under the warranty "lemon" agreement., as if you re-boot the software, it will void the warranty, and we don't want to do that, so would he like to do it for you. When you do this, really take your time with the phone call, and keep telling them you realise just how busy they are, but it's important that you get it fixed. The longer you can drag it out the better. they will think your a pain in the arse, and promise you anything to get rid of you.

If all else fails walk into the retailer with a couple of mates, when he's flat out, and make a lot of noise, about his crap after sales service, and make a big point of dumping the thing on the counter. if he tells you he will get back to you, be there the next morning, when he arrives to open, and don't leave until he does something about it.

If he tells you he will call the cops, if you don't leave, give him the phone number, But remember he's not your friend, a friend would have replaced the unit on the first visit. bassett

Reply to
bassett

Sounds like the board is not cooled correctly , so when you reboot it and it hangs ? Usually pulling the cover and running a large fan gets them working , if it doesnt then it's a warranty and the dealler HAS to fix it , if he wont then it's piss easy to make them or he is liable to all sorts of problems beacuse of the usage and certain warrantys he has neglected to advise you of . I don't use that brand but it is a known problem with some models and normally air flow across the board cures things ..

Reply to
atec77

Atec might be onto something here. I have a GigaByte MB that was randomly rebooting, but not always at start-up. Turned out (under closer inspection) that the fan on the aux chipset had seized and was over heating it. Bought a cheap replacement fan and fitted it - sweet :-)

Have you confirmed both HDDs are spinning up?

Cheers, Alan

Reply to
Alan Rutlidge

Unfortunately this is very difficult when you buy over the net :-( He's in Vic. I'm in WA. At least he is talking to me now and I have already explained that we both want this fixed quickly and simply ;-)

Cheers TT

Reply to
TT

"Alan Rutlidge" >> all the cameras displayed on the screen but no recording and no button

Yes the fan is spinning. No one except the chronically deaf could miss the sound of it ;-). Both HDs and DVD-RW have been disconnected and a known good drive plugged in. Either way the OS is embedded on a chip not on a HD.

BTW this has now cooled down overnight and is about 20Deg.C. still wont boot :-(

Cheers TT

Reply to
TT

Ok then the eprom might have gone toes up

if you want a better source after failing to fix it shoot me an email and I will make some suggestions on the equipment you might consider..

Reply to
atec77

On Tue, 1 Jan 2008 09:52:42 +0900, "TT" put finger to keyboard and composed:

If the fan is spinning, then I suppose that the +12V rail is up. It might be worth confirming this at the drive power connectors, though. (I just repaired a DVD player that took out the +12V fuse.)

- Franc Zabkar

--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

Thanks for the reply Franc. Yes the fuse is intact, the drives spin, the 2 LEDS 3v & 5v are both lit up. it powers the monitor and passes through all camera feeds. I am discounting a hardware fault at this stage (fingers crossed).

Cheers TT

Reply to
TT

I am hoping it is a FW problem and will be able to get the procedure and files to re-flash it over the RS232 port and/or the procedure for doing a hard re-set (if there is one).

Please feel free to send me anything you like that may help. My email addy is very easy to un-mung ;-)

Cheers TT

Reply to
TT

You are a slack bugga.. check the mail anyway...

Reply to
atec77

yep, buying of the net is a completly different ball game.

Reply to
bassett

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