BOCS Xtender on Buy.TV - w a beautiful show hostess

As you might notice, we have started to carry a new A/V product, Xtender, from BOCS. It is a house entertainment distribution device which can send your cable TV, Tivo, DVD or HTPC output to everyplace in your house via coax connection. With the Xtender installed, there is no need to buy the 2nd DVR, receiver, and DVD player, or worry about the network connection availability at each room. In a pre-wired house, the Xtender is the ultimated content distribution device you ever need.



I'll do more posts to introduce Xtender. If you have more questions, you can check our product page or send me an email to howard_chang"at"amperor.com.

Buy.TV is now having a good introduction video produced by BOCS' CEO, Todd, and a beautiful show hostess. Click on the below image to watch the video.

Gap Issue -2

First, I want to say something before getting into the main subject. After the previous post, I got several people emailing me with the great worry about getting a bad unit. Actually, the gap does not exist on every unit. If your HDX 1000 runs smoothly without glitch or freezing, it is probably working just fine. You really don't need to take the risk to open the box.

We have received the silicon pad and the thermal paste from Digitech, to address the gaping issue. However, the thermal paste is in a huge tube package. We cannot easily take a small portion out of the tube to send out! So, we have ordered some small-sized thermal paste from Internet. You can see the gap closing kit that we plan to ship out in the below picture. Supposedly, you don’t need the silicon pad. Most machines should have the silicon pad installed in the correct position. After opening the machine, if you see the pad installed in the wrong position like lordy's description here, you can first try to rotate the cover by 180 degree and see if the silicon pad can go to the right position. Remember, the cover is in true square shape and can still be installed after the rotation. If the rotation step cannot bring the silicon pad back to the right position, you can re-install the pad provided in the gap closing kit.



We will be happy to ship the kit to any HDX 1000 owners who want to apply the solution in US and Canada. Please send the request to my email address (howard_chang”at”amperor.com) with the following shipping information.

1. Full name.
2. Ship-to address.
3. The serial number of your HDX 1000.

If you are outside of US and Canada, and did not buy your unit from us, please contact Alex at hdx1080.com for the help.

Before I get into the “un-official” thermal paste applying procedure, let me state some facts so you can make your own decision on whether you want to do this on your machine or not.

1. Alex at HDX1080.com reported that less than 0.0001% of the owners raised a supporting ticket concerning gaps wider than 1mm. It is true that some owners don’t know and don’t follow this topic. It is also true that not every HDX 1000 has this gaping issue. If your unit is working without freezing or glitch, more than likely, it is just fine. You don’t need to get into panic mode and open your unit.

2. Alex at HDX1080.com does not recommend people without previous hardware modification experience to open the box. If you experience freezing or display glitch issue, please first update the firmware. If you still experience the issue after updating the firmware, please contact your reseller.

OK, the following is the “un-official” thermal paste applying procedure. It is “un-official” because I cannot get an official procedure from Digitech. It is just what I use on my unit.

1. Open the cover (un-screw 4 screws circled by red)



2. Detach the two daughter board cables. Unscrew the two screws. Carefully remove the daughter board.



3. Un-screw the 6 screws which hold the bottom piece of the case to the walls.
4. Un-screw the 2 screws which hold the bottom piece of the case to the PCB. The bottom piece should come out easily.



5. Apply thermal paste onto the heat sink of the CPU.



6. Put the bottom piece back to its position. Install the two screws on the main PCB to better hold the bottom piece to the PCB. (You don’t need to put all the screws back.) Un-screw the two screws on the main PCB. Remove the bottom piece. Check if there is any thermal paste on the silicon pad. If so, you have successfully bridge the gap. If not, apply more thermal paste onto the heatsink.



7. Re-assemble the unit.

Please note that the front panel LED indicator and the IR sensor stand up high on the daughter board. You need to be careful not to short or damage the long legs of the two parts in the disassemble process.




Let me know if you have any questions.

HDX 1000 Firmware Update released - 3/6/2009

As title.

Go here to get your new firmware.

If you need help updating your firmware, click here.

The fix in this version includes:

1. Requires NMT apps 00-17-090115-15-HDD-403
2. Browser / System
- Improvement on font engine character rendering (30% speed up)
- faster navigation on local drives
- Use numeric key to input item number to jump to the page where item is located
- Improved fileplayer speed
- Fixed HDMI display output blackout issue for auto EDID
- Discrete RC (Logitech) scancode fix
- Updated network share and webservices language packs.
- Removed EXT2 option for NMT installation
- Note: due to long term reliability issue with EXT2 on device that is frequently turned off abruptly
- Additional symbols can be input from "1" key
- HTTP download manager (only works with links with special "download" attributes.
- File player hide Recycle Bin folder
- Fixed 'TV MODE' + '3' key handling bug
- Fixed recovery kernel no red screen displayed
- Browser image caching fix, should fix some YAMJ crashes or no image issue.
- Fixed HDD spin-up during standby
- Fixed slow loading of HTML pages
3. Web Services
- New UI
- customizable icon feature with browse image utility (need NMT apps)
- bug fixes on customizable service icon with browse feature.
- Web Services page modification
- Fixed a "save/remove service" bug
- Now able to customise JPG/BMP icon
- Fixed slow IR response while playback Internet Radio
- Immediate response to STOP during Internet video streaming
- Fine-tune Web Service UI
4. Network
- Improved SMB server startup time
- Improved browsing time for SMB client
- Atheros USB WiFi stability fixes
- Fixed SMB client hostname resolution picked up wrong IP address from the IP list
- Fixed file copy failed from HDD to SMB/NFS with names containing whitespace
- Fixed UPnP AV server playall issue broken in previous release
- Fixed Samba server halts after device name change
- Torrent client is now by default Transmission (btpd removed)
**** IMPORTANT NOTE: Please ensure completion with previous downloads with BTPD, as new Transmission client cannot inherit previous downloads.
- Fixed torrent schedule page not working
- Fixed occasionally newly created SMB/NFS shares doesn't show up in media source list
- Atheros USB WiFi added support for TP-Link v2 stick
- Fixed persistent private IP when DHCP server unavailable (e.g. cross-cable connection etc)
5. Playback
- Bookmark/resume for single playback
- 10 bookmarks available now
- Press stop to bookmark the last video playback
- Press enter / play with focus on bookmarked clip to resume
- Press "0" to start from beginning of clip
- Auto framerate synchronisation
- Framerate sync function in ISO playback, only for 50,60Hz modes (PAL/NTSC)
- switch to NTSC(60Hz) when selected mode not applicable.(previously, it will follow TV mode selected)
- Use 59.94 for NTSC when matching content detected.
- Fixed incorrect data shown on infobar.
- Fixed after ISO playback, screen goes blank when framerate sync kicks in
- Improved info display
- Disable incorrect video MPEG1/2 VBR display.
- Fixed incorrect framerate info for video playback (*.mov, *.mp4).
- Fixed video bitrate calculation error (less 1 packet every second)
- Modified infobar UI (height, spacing and text displayed)
- Fixed info bar losing text after paused
- Improved accuracy of mpeg1/2 bitrate information
- Photo app
- Fixed JPEG (PNG / TIFF transcode) from myiHome server cannot be displayed
- Fade-In Fade-out effect added for photo transition
- Enable large jpeg rotation. (downscale before rotate)
- Fixed faded color for jpeg at 360-deg rotation
- TV Type setting for DVD playback
- the TV type setting is now working for DVD video playback (4:3 and 16:9 only, 16:10 will treat as 16:9)
- DVD Menu
- new popup menu if MENU key on PCH remote controller is pressed
- user can select to jump to ROOT, TITLE, CHAPTER.... etc from the menu
- Modified progressive zoom and pan in ISO/IFO playback
- Removed up/down keys as prev/next track/td>
- VCD *.DAT playback fixed using soft demux
- Fixed "repeat" keypress in myiHome when playback audio caused picture playback to halt
- Improved handling of MKV H.264 profile and vlevel.
- Fixed cannot stream MPEG from UPnP AV server, liveTV
- Fixed .pls file unable to start when playback locally (HDD/SMB/NFS)
- *.m3u playlist supported.
- Fixed TS with stream6 as teletext playback cause out of memoryFixed MKV H264 L4.1 pixelated video issue
- Fixed MKV H264 L4.1 pixelated video issue
- Fixed ISO over SMB stutter issue, when no HDD attached
6. Subtitle
- Fixed subtitle parsing with BOM (UTF8 support only)
- Fixed wrong character rendered in Thai subtitle
- Changed default subtitle font size to 28 and Y offset to 10
- Exception handling in SSA subtitle parsing
- Slight adjustment of subtitle position

HDX 1000 Video Guide #2: Firmware Updating Process

The 2nd part of the HDX 1000 Video Guide is to present the firmware updating process.

I've tried to change my screen resolution from 1024 x 768 to 800x600, and record the TV screen via composite output. However, the result is not what I expect to have - the words are still too small.

Just in case you cannot read it (who can...?). Here are the steps in writing.

1. At the HDX 1000, go to Setup > Maintenance and write down the firmware version. The 3rd section of the version number represent the date code yy/mm/dd. For example, 080812 means 2008/08/12.

2. Go to Digitech's website. Click on the "Download" button on the top of the web page. Then, select: "HDX 1000 Download Section" > "HDX 1000 Firmware".

3. The first firmware listed is the latest version. Compare your version wrote down in step 1. and download the firmware if you don't have the latest version.

4. Unzip the downloaded file to the root directory of a USB drive. (There should be 5 files created after the unzip process.)

5. Plug in the USB drive to the USB port right above the LAN port.

6. At your HDX 1000, click on the "Media Source". Click on the USB drive and click on the "Document" icon.

7. Run the "usbupdate.html" file. The updating process will begin. The whole process takes around 5 mins to complete.

8. Optional: if you have the internal SATA HDD installed, the NMT application will be updated as well after the firmware updating process.

HDX 1000 Video Guide #1: Quick Installation

This is the first part of the HDX 1000 video guide. I'm going to go over the installation process from opening the box, connecting the cables, accessing the library resided in PC, browsing the library and do a high definition content playback.

Some computer screen shoots are surprisingly small after doing the video format converting. I'll try to see if there is any way to enlarge the screen shoots.

Our website is down

This morning, we found our website: www.amperordirect.com is down, due to DNS setting conflict. We've done the process to resolve the issue. After the major DNS servers picked up the change, AmperorDirect should be up again. Hopefully, it will be up in 1 ~ 2 days.

Gap Issue -1

As you might have already known, the latest HDX 1000 related news is about a gap existing between the CPU heatsink and the bottom case in some users’ machine. A user, Black6spdz, first reported this issue at NMT forum, and several people observed the same thing in their machines as well.


The Gap between CPU heatsink and the case

Just in case you haven’t heard about this, in the following is a recap from another HDX 1000 user, ydrol. Thanks for his permission of letting me use his summary article posted at the HDX official forum. He has spent quite some time on this issue and brought us some good pictures to better illustrate the gap. (He also writes some 3rd part software plug-in for the NMT application. Please see the link at http://prodynamic.co.uk/nzbget/index.html for his works.)

“I recently bought 3 HDX boxes in January.

Prior to this 'gap' issue: Two units appeared to be working OK. (though bad cooling can affect longevity of electronics)

One unit was exhibiting random Ethernet drops, and I raised a support ticket to this effect. I was trying to troubleshoot the ethernet issue, and had just moved to doing some more intensive testing (*) but upon seeing the post in the NMT forums I opened the faulty unit and noticed the gap and thermal pad placement. I trimmed down the stand-offs(+), applied some thermal paste and made sure the heat-spreader was in direct contact with the cover when re-assembled.

I had not completed testing of my Ethernet issue before making this change, so I cannot say for certain whether cooling was the root cause. I know the issue has gone away though.

I opened my working HDX box and noticed the same thing, so I changed that also.

Some observations and acknowledgements: - Thanks to Black6spdZ for spotting this issue.
- Thanks to Alex of HDX for timely response on this issue. - Thanks to Doom for some balance & sanity check

- The HDX case is very nice as we all know, and overall appears well designed. I would still recommend them over other models in terms of looks and cooling potential. My only real concern regarding recommending HDX, was general responsiveness from HDX support in the new year, but in this particular matter - I've no complaints.

- My thermal pad placement, appears to be a fairly isolated incident, judging by other posts on other forums. My HDX was ordered 7th Jan 2009 and received 15th Jan. Serial HDX1K00835*. I should really open the 3rd HDX, (which was ordered for a friend, esp has he has a proper HD setup, I'm a CRT man). But before I do, I will try my paper test (**) and report back.

- The gap issue appears to be more widespread. There is suggestion that the gap is closed when the unit is assembled and only appears when disassembled. If so, this would be solely due to pressure from the AV sockets and the 3 screws on the AV panel. I'm sceptical of this , but one user 'doom' has reported that the gap is closed (thermal paste was transferred from the pad to the heatspreader just by them re-assembling their unit)

- HDX have been quite responsive on this issue thus far, offering to send me thermal paste etc. My only experience of them has been since the new year, so I wasn't expecting this much response so soon.”

On the Network dropping issue, he also reported:

"I put the unit back together, and after a while the network dropped (this unit was working OK before this!). The LAN light on my router was flashing about 10 times a second , but the ethernet lights on the HDX appeared stable.

On further examination it looks like the component legs of the ethernet and av sockets, have scratched through the paintwork of the AV panel and shorting on the case!

I will have to revist the other boxes and make sure the component legs are not touching the AV panel."

Yesterday, I randomly picked three HDX 1000 units from my inventory and found the gap existed in one of them. In addition to ydrol’s summary, I want to add in one more observation.

During the dis-assembly process, I found the PCB is tight down to the bottom case using two mechanisms.

1. The two screws / standoffs, covered by the green glue in the below picture, help to secure the PCB’s non AV panel side to the bottom case.



2. After the AV panel is assembled onto the case wall, it then be tight down to the bottom case by the screws indicated by green color on the other side walls.



There are several screw holes reserved, but not used in the design. For examples, the screw between X4 and X7, and the two screws on the AV panel wall are not installed.






In order to observe the gap, we need to disassemble the side walls. However, when doing so, it removes the 2nd mechanism mentioned above. We all know it needs three or more screws to hold two plains together. With only two screws at work, it would exaggerate the gap.

I then push the AV panel and the bottom case together by hand. I can see the gap diminished, but still existed. However, it is not as large as I originally observed. With the gap in this size, I think applying thermal paste to the CPU heatsink to make sure the good contact between the silicon pad and the heatsink itself can be a good solution to close the gap.

Digitech (HDX) is willing to help on the issue. They are going to send me some silicon pad and the thermal paste. For our existing customers and the HDX 1000 users in US, if you want to apply the paste onto your machine, please send me an email. I’ll send a pack of silicon pad and paste to you for free. If you are not in US and didn’t bought the HDX 1000 from AmperorDirect, we will charge the shipping fee if you want us to ship the pack to you. (You can always contact Alex @ hdx1080.com for this, too. I think he will ship you the pack for free.)

I’m trying to ask Digitech to publish an official paste applying procedure. I’ll post the procedure at here when it is available.

Again, thanks ydrol for the work. The pictures in this post are all from him. Please visit his site if you want to explore the potentials to use HDX 1000 with nzbget.

Please visit AmperorDirect for our HDX 1000 product page.