Enough is enough

[Dead Eye]

Well, the question before us was 'is the hardware version the same now vs. what was shipped earlier?' By my picture I assume it has version 1.5 of the hardware configuration. I suppose it is conceivable that there is a range of hardware configurations that would operate using the same version of the OS and SDKs' but behave differently producing different outcomes because of slight differences in hardware. That is the only thing that explains different results among users using the same SDKs'.

The FAB number on the back of my unit is 'FAB1708031 0071'. That is different than whats on the board.

[Down2Earth]

lamster...be sure and don't forget this screw(arrow) when removing the main board. This pic is from the manual, my unit doesn't have those colored connections, it has them capped off. Also, the bottom panels screws are under the rubber pads at the front of the unit. 2 connectors had a RTV compound that was used to keep the connectors from being disconnected, but also since the clearances are so close, stuck them to the bottom panel. I used an exacto knife to cut that bond. GOOD Luck!

Just a guess Dead Eye maybe one doesn't need to open the box up to find out what the date on the motherboard is. I'm just guessing going by when I bought mines and received it. Bought mines during the early bird pre-order and the date for shipping was going to start in June for the new units ordered early, I received mine on 2017 July. The tag on the back of the unit that has your serial number on it, I believe the Fab number above it is when you box was made and the number to the right of it is the box roll out number. For instances my number is FAB1706231, if you break that down it would be FAB year (2017) - June (06) - 23rd (Day) - 1st generation (170623-1), the number to the right of mines is 0267, thinking my box was the 267th one made. You can verify this by looking at you Fab # and bouncing it off what you know from opening up your box and save lamster a bit of work.

To add to all these legs on this thread. What SaturnV and tbrown25 noted is basically what I have noted, there is no problem if things are done in those pretenses. I have movies and TV shows dating back to 1935 to date and V2.0.2.1 nailed every last one perfectly as prescribed. The only ones that will give this movie server fits is where a TV show is both on the TMDB and TVDB as both a movie and a TV series. Have seen where there were two movies that had the same title (it's rare but happens), with the NFO file with DVDfab, you just need to find out the correct year, put it in and call it the day and move on to the next burn.

I do have to agree and know that lamster and JimS have noted there problem for some time now and they have been very vocal and have not gotten any forward answers to what they have been asking and experiencing, think that's not right. I get their problem and it is a valid one. nnudd started this thread and not sure what is it he is having issues with, didn't see what he doesn't like in asking. Things have gotten a lot better with this box in a year and a half I believe. Think we are at that....this server just needs to finish checking everybody's boxes that was supposed to be checked on it when it was put in the box for delivery.

[Dead Eye]

lamster...be sure and don't forget this screw(arrow) when removing the main board. This pic is from the manual, my unit doesn't have those colored connections, it has them capped off. Also, the bottom panels screws are under the rubber pads at the front of the unit. 2 connectors had a RTV compound that was used to keep the connectors from being disconnected, but also since the clearances are so close, stuck them to the bottom panel. I used an exacto knife to cut that bond. GOOD Luck!

[pronto1st]

Had mine from day dot and updated the firmware once. Its never been 100%, so all I do is put the drive in the DMS go to videos pick the iso I wana watch and that's it I don't bother with anything else.

It plays my 4k uhd blu-ray iso's and it bitstreams Dolby Atmos that all I need . and I cant be arsed piss balling about with anything else on this machine its taken too much of my time.

[lamster]

JimS...I have had this question on my mind also. Do the current versions sold today have the board level revisions as those sold originally. I have had mine for about 3 years. As soon as it was out of warranty I took it apart to check out the inside. Attached is a recent picture I took of the inside of the server when I went inside to blow it out.
.

Now thats a good idea, maybe we all need to have a look inside and see if we have any differences, I will do mine oin the next few days and post it in this thread, I think the hardest thing to get will be someone with a fairly new DMS willing to have a looky inside.


So whos going to step up to the plate and put us out of our misery

[SaturnV]

I know the Movie Server doesn't deliver all that was promised and has some serious issues, but (and I never thought I'd say this) overall I like the Movie Server. Scraping issues that many complain about are usually easy to permanently resolve, by simply naming the files exactly as the movie or TV programme is spelt in the Movie Database (as in themoviedb.org). TV programme episodes must exist in the Movie Database otherwise they won't auto-scrape. Also, watch your .nfo files - if you don't specify when you rip, the default .nfo will be 'Movie" - which will then never be found as a TV programme in the scrape but may be found as some weird, unrelated movie.

I don't have a UHD TV, so the worst issues for me are:

• Jerky playback of some DVDs
• DVDs and Blu-Rays images where the menus don't work correctly
• Where DVDs images created by DVDFab jump straight into the middle of a title on the DMS and chaptering is all over the place, but the ISOs work perfectly on PC.

I have had to re-author many DVDs..

Other than that, it work very well most of the time and I am unaware of any other product that, in a single uncomplicated box will playback (most) DVD and Blu-Ray images with menus directly to your TV over HDMI.

[tbrown25]

I've had my unit about 3 years as well. I have wondered about the hardware myself a few times. I have always been puzzled by forum posts from folks using the same firmware, but seeing different behaviors.

For instance, Gambini above is unhappy with the scraping, but I get a 98% success rate from the scraper under version 2.x.x.x. Don't think I can ask for better than that. But there are still many areas that need improvement in the device...

[Dead Eye]

JimS...I have had this question on my mind also. Do the current versions sold today have the board level revisions as those sold originally. I have had mine for about 3 years. As soon as it was out of warranty I took it apart to check out the inside. Attached is a recent picture I took of the inside of the server when I went inside to blow it out.
.

[JimS]

Does anyone know if the current model DMS's being sold contain the same hardware in their interior as the original models (not firmware, but actual hardware)?

[Gambini]

I can echo the above.
I was also an early adopter 2-3 years ago, and I even bought two of them, streaming all my movies and series from my NAS. It simply does not work good enough. My wife and kids always have trouble finding and playing movies, because the scraping suck.
I agree that the 1010 has been the only semi stable version, - ever since some bugs has been fixed, but others has been introduced. It is still in BETA, - never got out of it.

I have all along believed in the potential of this player, but when the SW/GUI has never been finalised/stablelised, then it is of no use.

[lamster]

I also was an early adopter because of the promise of this being a UHD server and the expectation that I'd be able to use my Synology server to serve all of my UHD discs. While they play fine if I don't want to use Atmos, TrueHD, DTS-HD MA or any of the other HD Audio tracks or if I want to just use an integrated hard drive, my expectation was to be able to take full advantage of my Yamaha receiver. As has been documented by many others on this forum, we've been forced to use either stereo or non-HD 5.1 Audio if we want to avoid serious buffering problems. Management doesn't seem to want to address this issue. Wound up having to buy a Z.... unit to do what the DMS is supposed to do. It's now simply used to screen Disney movies in the kid's playroom.

I echo what JimS says, this streaming over NAS for UHD has been going on way way way too long with NO input from the admin or moderators at all, We are talking 2 YEARS + for this issue that back when first reported was said it would be resolved yet here we still are.


Any posts put up about it are ignored by admin/mods, I honestly dont think the player is able to do it and they are hoping if they ignore it-it will go away.

If this is the cse then just come out and admit it, then at least the owners who have this major issue can make their mind up if to get rid and move onto a player that will.


They seem to be more interested in posters not showing and collections etc, rather than getting the player to do what its supposed to, and play.

Id rather have playability sorted and no posters.

Will this ever be resolved, or even get a response................Im not holding my breath!!!!!!

[JimS]

I also was an early adopter because of the promise of this being a UHD server and the expectation that I'd be able to use my Synology server to serve all of my UHD discs. While they play fine if I don't want to use Atmos, TrueHD, DTS-HD MA or any of the other HD Audio tracks or if I want to just use an integrated hard drive, my expectation was to be able to take full advantage of my Yamaha receiver. As has been documented by many others on this forum, we've been forced to use either stereo or non-HD 5.1 Audio if we want to avoid serious buffering problems. Management doesn't seem to want to address this issue. Wound up having to buy a Z.... unit to do what the DMS is supposed to do. It's now simply used to screen Disney movies in the kid's playroom.

[Duc]

Completely agree. I was an early adopter and have not been able to use it except for a few brief months. Even then, I was only using it to stream YouTube because the movie server function was spotty at best. Now even the YouTube/Google Play store is no longer functioning for me and no matter what firmware version I install, it will no longer work. I'm not the only one either.

[jimczyz]

That's why I've been staying on v1010. It's the last version that worked good for me.

[nnuudd]

I have had the movie server for a year and a half now and all this time not being able to use it.
I'm fed up of looking on the forum and seeing people seemingly wasting there time testing these updates when they do finally arrive.

There is very rarely a response from anyone at dvdfab and when there is, it seems like they now just say that they are working on it?
So we have all paid our money for what we thought was a fully working server.
What has happened is that they have produced a test product, sold it and now have got lots of people using there own time testing and snagging it for them. And what's worst is that they do not even address it!

It looks to me now that with these very minor releases that they are now just tagging us along.
I'm sure some people will say that it is working for them, Id like to no how many people that it is running for them that they haven't got to keep messing around with things or compromising.

I feel enough is enough now and if dvdfab cannot provide me with what I brought then they should offer a full refund and to anyone else who hasn't got a working server as advertised on there website.