Freezes requiring reboot

[RyC]

Personally, I'm happy with it in its current condition and price. But I understand very well how you and many others are not. Maybe I'm the only one lol...

[IownFIVEechos]

Like I said, it's been 5 days with no problems. A couple weeks ago I smelled an Android Update coming and went ahead and updated everything to the latest. That's when my problems began.

You may have just seen the better results from the uninstall reinstall process. If you reinstall the later version you will probably be good as well. I run it and never have freeze issues.

[IownFIVEechos]

No matter what I do I can not get more than my original echo to see the add-ons. I have done all the normal stuff with selecting it in the checkbox etc.. And I fear if I uninstall reinstall the server side piece I will break the one that works. I would be good with just accessing it on the html side except I like to have the TV start up on turn on. Anyway to do that from some kind of telnet or something? Anyone ever telnet onto this thing?

[shortcut3d]

I just had my first freeze with a network issue displayed. Not surprised because 320 firmware seems to be very unstable, but it does play H.264 MP4s. Since selling my Xbox 360s and Apple TVs, 320 is the only way to get Handbrake encodes to the TV with some sort of WAF. 304 is much more stable although far from perfect, not even considering the complete inability to play H.264 MP4s.

[th3Pil0t]

I really don't understand why Ceton is so silent on the core functionality issues and F/W updates, unless they just can't fix these problems.

If they want to remain quiet on Android, fine. But this is functionality that we paid for and it's not working as advertised.

[IownFIVEechos]

I really don't understand why Ceton is so silent on the core functionality issues and F/W updates, unless they just can't fix these problems.

If they want to remain quiet on Android, fine. But this is functionality that we paid for and it's not working as advertised.

In their minds it is working how they advertised it. All of our setups are different. I have experienced failure and success on different occasions and many times it was my own fault. They are smarter then us. Lets leave them alone. They are great. --This post should not be deleted for these are all positive comments. You probably do not see my negative ones as they get deleted.

[Dean L. Surkin]

Update to my earlier posts: Every night for the past week, my wife and I turn on the Echo and start watching a program. About five to ten minutes in, the Echo freezes the video (sometimes the audio continues, sometimes not). Rebooting the Echo seems to fix the problem, until the following night.

WAF is hovering around zero. I dumped the Cablevision DVR system because it kept losing the external hard drive (we lost about 750 MB of programming when it finally decided that it would never find the external hard drive again--the drive, naturally, testing out as fully operational). I built an HTPC, bought the Echos, and at least we don't lose the hard drive anymore. Next, the HDHomeRun Prime tuner had trouble with PBSHD & CBSHD (which share the 700 MHz frequency on the Optimum/Cablevision system), leading to stuttering and breakup. Cablevision sent a technician, who could not detect any signal degradation. WAF started plummeting. SiliconDust recommended that I move the tuner away from all other devices, which may have fixed that problem. However, the current problem with the Echo requiring rebooting has moved the WAF almost to "let's get a Tivo" territory.

The rebooting problem appears to affect a number of people, and I hope there is eventually a firmware fix for it.

[grinchy]

Dean - have you tried any other extenders like the 360, Linksys DMA2100 or HPx280n? You could probably pick up one or the other for ~$80 or less... could be a stop gap until Ceton is ready to release the android update to the public.

[Dean L. Surkin]

Dean - have you tried any other extenders like the 360, Linksys DMA2100 or HPx280n? You could probably pick up one or the other for ~$80 or less... could be a stop gap until Ceton is ready to release the android update to the public.

Grinchy:
No, I haven't had the opportunity to try other extenders. I will see if anyone can lend me one for a week or so--doing so may narrow down the problems (i.e., either WMC, network, or the Echo).

We now know that Ceton has discontinued the Android project. I hope they consider these problems as worthy of firmware fixes:
(a) freeze requiring reboot
(b) momentary freeze in video that resolves within a second or two
(c) poor response to remote control's IR signal

I looked at the TiVo Roamio. To duplicate the capacity I have now, I'd need the top of the line (3TB) model plus one Mini
TiVo Roamio Pro $600
Service $500
Mini $100
Service $150
Total: $1,350.

Alternatively, instead of lifetime service, combined monthly service on the Roamio and Mini is $21 (versus $650 lifetime). That's about 31 months. I usually keep computer gear for 4 years between upgrades, and I keep TV gear for 10 years between upgrades. Considering the current low discount rate (i.e., the present value of future expense almost equals the present value of current expense), the lifetime service is a better deal. Still, that's another $1,350 out of pocket. I may give Ceton some time to come out with a firmware upgrade or two, while I wait to see what issues TiVo Roamio owners complain about.

[barnabas1969]

Freezes? Reboot? On the Echo? That doesn't happen. Just ask STC. He can tell you all about it.

If you would like to borrow a Linksys DMA-2100 or an HP X280N, just let me know which one you would like to try. You'll need to pay me $100 for it via PayPal (plus shipping) and I will refund your money once you send it back to me (you pay return shipping too) in working condition with all parts that I sent you originally.

Let me first tell you a little about the two devices...

The HP X280N has two odd problems:

One: It gets an error when you FFWD/RWD while watching copy-protected content, but only if the TV is connected via HDMI. The problem does not happen when using the component video connection.

Two: It magically turns itself ON, even when nobody presses a button on the remote.

The DMA-2100 does not suffer from these problems. However, the HP can handle H.264 video better than the Linksys.

Your choice. Let me know.

[STC]

I said it doesn't happen to me, and oh look, someone else too
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 688#p59688

[barnabas1969]

I said it doesn't happen to me, and oh look, someone else too
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 688#p59688

Oooo... two of you. Exciting.

[STC]

Yes!

[RyC]

Heh heh heh, I probably shouldn't have said anything

[barnabas1969]

OK, so add Sammy2 (really? even HE finally admitted that his Echos were unstable in another thread) and Phil Seastrand. But, for a bunch of people, random reboots are "normal" with the Echo.

[Sammy2]

OK, so add Sammy2 (really? even HE finally admitted that his Echos were unstable in another thread) and Phil Seastrand. But, for a bunch of people, random reboots are "normal" with the Echo.

Right up until I went back to using the ceton supplied USB power cord.

[Sammy2]

Dean - have you tried any other extenders like the 360, Linksys DMA2100 or HPx280n? You could probably pick up one or the other for ~$80 or less... could be a stop gap until Ceton is ready to release the android update to the public.

Grinchy:
No, I haven't had the opportunity to try other extenders. I will see if anyone can lend me one for a week or so--doing so may narrow down the problems (i.e., either WMC, network, or the Echo).

We now know that Ceton has discontinued the Android project. I hope they consider these problems as worthy of firmware fixes:
(a) freeze requiring reboot
(b) momentary freeze in video that resolves within a second or two
(c) poor response to remote control's IR signal

I looked at the TiVo Roamio. To duplicate the capacity I have now, I'd need the top of the line (3TB) model plus one Mini
TiVo Roamio Pro $600
Service $500
Mini $100
Service $150
Total: $1,350.

Alternatively, instead of lifetime service, combined monthly service on the Roamio and Mini is $21 (versus $650 lifetime). That's about 31 months. I usually keep computer gear for 4 years between upgrades, and I keep TV gear for 10 years between upgrades. Considering the current low discount rate (i.e., the present value of future expense almost equals the present value of current expense), the lifetime service is a better deal. Still, that's another $1,350 out of pocket. I may give Ceton some time to come out with a firmware upgrade or two, while I wait to see what issues TiVo Roamio owners complain about.

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 745#p59745

[Dean L. Surkin]

Freezes? Reboot? On the Echo? That doesn't happen. Just ask STC. He can tell you all about it.

If you would like to borrow a Linksys DMA-2100 or an HP X280N, just let me know which one you would like to try. You'll need to pay me $100 for it via PayPal (plus shipping) and I will refund your money once you send it back to me (you pay return shipping too) in working condition with all parts that I sent you originally.

Let me first tell you a little about the two devices...

The HP X280N has two odd problems:

One: It gets an error when you FFWD/RWD while watching copy-protected content, but only if the TV is connected via HDMI. The problem does not happen when using the component video connection.

Two: It magically turns itself ON, even when nobody presses a button on the remote.

The DMA-2100 does not suffer from these problems. However, the HP can handle H.264 video better than the Linksys.

Your choice. Let me know.

Thanks, but I think I'll pass on the offer. You definitely don't make the HP sound very good, and I may be able to borrow a DMA-2100 locally to try out.

[nick]

Due to the long boot up and to mimic instant-on for the WAF, I leave my Echo on 24/7 and just turn on/off the TV. With the current 1657 firmware I'll get a lockup/freeze every 2-3 weeks. Usually when it happens once it seems to occur again within the next 24 hours then not again for a few weeks. I'm not sure if it has to do with the channels it is on or some other watching habits. The echo is used 90% for watching live TV and the rest recorded TV.

I'd really like this eventually fixed but it's a minor annoyance at this time. I'm actually more pissed that the Android adventure derailed firmware updates.

Early with the 1657 firmware, I had a TON of issues with the echo; it would have the lockups/audio issues multiple times a day and every day. The problems dropped significantly when I built a new HTPC in April from the ground up. Since April it's now just the few times a month that it needs a reboot with 24/7 uptime. While I don't know why the echo had more issues with the old WMC setup, there was something causing increased instability. This only impacted the echo since my xbox 360 didn't seem to care.

I know some people schedule auto reboots of their WMC; maybe an automated remote daily reboot of the echo would help. We are dealing with Windows after all...

[shortcut3d]

I honestly think its a combination of difficult to process channels / shows and network bugs that cause the hanging. The Echo seems struggle with HBO and Showtime. USA original series also give problems, but not reruns. Similar Hannibal had all kinds of problems. There are stuttering and artifacts for this content. Then combine with super sensitivity network settings and configuration results in crashes and hangs. For example, I can't recall a single freeze or reboot on MSNBC.