Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I have a dash

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I have a dash and another subscription for you.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I have four C10s. However, one of the main things I use them for is to play music from Slacker and Pandora. If you can get that working, $3/mo is easy.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Del911 wrote:

I have four C10s. However, one of the main things I use them for is to play music from Slacker and Pandora. If you can get that working, $3/mo is easy.

We will not be able to support Slacker.  Pandora is open question, since Sony had a separate contract with Pandora from Chumby.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I have a Dash and am also a current subscriber with a Chumby. I will be wanting to continue to have a provider for my Dash.

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56 (edited by whois101 2017-05-01 08:06:12)

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Got a Sony Dash, and Sony dashed my hopes on using it again. (HID-C10).

I don't like them announcing they were abandoning our Dash in July 2017, and I certainly don't like it they secretly changed that to May 1st without even having the decency to let us know.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Yes, it does look like Sony's servers are currently either down or not delivering a manifest to the dash units.

It's hard to tell if this is a temporary thing like it has been in the past, or whether they've shutdown the system two months earlier than they previously announced.  The dash.dash.sel.sony.com website still shows the same July 2017 date.

I am shuffling my priorities to see if I can bring in the date for releasing something to get these devices running.

The good news is that my device with the patches is still working just fine.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Sounds great, Duane. We all look forward to whatever you come up with, even if it's limited to start!

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Duane wrote:

Yes, it does look like Sony's servers are currently either down or not delivering a manifest to the dash units.

It's hard to tell if this is a temporary thing like it has been in the past, or whether they've shutdown the system two months earlier than they previously announced.  The dash.dash.sel.sony.com website still shows the same July 2017 date.

I am shuffling my priorities to see if I can bring in the date for releasing something to get these devices running.

The good news is that my device with the patches is still working just fine.

Hey Duane,

What would be the process of switching over to the chumby servers? We register the Dash by MAC on your website and go into the boot menu on the Dash to load a custom firmware from USB?

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I don't think we'll be distributing a custom firmware image for a couple of reasons.  Dash firmware images are (mostly) cryptographically signed by Sony and we don't have the the keys to sign a modified version that would be accepted by the device.  There was a hack for some older firmware images that allowed some simple modifications, however Sony apparently closed that hole when it became public.

You'll be downloading some software onto a USB dongle, and simply booting the device with it.  Initially, you'll need the dongle always inserted while the device is on, removing it will revert the device to stock condition.  We'll also be working on a version where the software will be installed onto the device so that you can remove the dongle, but that's not the priority at the moment given the time pressure.

At that point, you would activate the device to the chumby servers using the "ovals" method, just like all of the other chumby devices, instead of the rather odd Sony method.  You can see how that works by logging into the site and hitting "activate a chumby" and selecting the chumby Classic.  Basically a grid of ovals is displayed on both the site and the device, you tap the ovals on the device to match the pattern on the site, and they make the association.  Like all of the rest of the devices, you'd need to purchase a subscription to get widgets on the device.

Note that none of your channels from the Sony systems will be available, you'll have to recreate them on the chumby site.  Most, if not all of the "Sony exclusive" widgets won't be available, however, there are probably about a hundred widgets on the chumby site that were not available on Sony's, not counting any older non-functioning widgets that have been repaired on chumby's site.

The biggest loss in functionality will be the premium audio and video services, such as Netflix and Slacker, which there's nothing I can do about.  Those were part of Sony's "BIVL" media service, and I don't have Sony's relationships with those companies.  Indeed, it would be impossible to get them under these circumstances for this device - none of these companies would ever agree to enter into a contract for a third-party hack of an unsupported device.

I haven't yet evaluated the SSL situation on the dash - we have a solution for updating SSL on the chumby and Insignia devices, but that simply may not be an option for the dash.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Thanks for the very detailed post Duane.  Clears up some of my questions. I wasn't sure if the Dash knew to boot from USB by default which is great that it does that.

What is being booted exactly? Since you stated that Sony's firmware is locked down, is this a custom chumby one that is running a different OS? From the picture you posted, it looked completely different but that may have just been a different theme. Will the current themes still exist?

Sorry for all the questions, just very interested in the logistics of how the device runs.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I'm not planning on disclosing how our hack works until after the Sony shutdown so the temptation isn't there for them to disable it.  I don't know what Sony's position would be with regard to any ongoing support of these devices, so I don't see any value in waving a red cape at them.

The current themes all belong to Sony, so all new themes would need to be created if that's something that people feel need to be supported.  However, that's not currently a priority.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

"I haven't yet evaluated the SSL situation on the dash - we have a solution for updating SSL on the chumby and Insignia devices, but that simply may not be an option for the dash."

Of course some is better than none, but I suspect that the various weather widgets are very popular on the dash, I know mine was almost all weather.  With the SSL situation not "fixed" on the Dash it would severely inhibit its usage for those new here - for many the weather is the usage.
The current "kinda" fix is often considerably out of date making the various radar images somewhat useless.
I really hope you can find a way for updating SSL  not only on the chumby but the Dash as well. For those of us with both its not as big a deal, but dash only folks may be too disappointed to join.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Pardon my first "dumb question":  Will I be able to have a "personal widget"?  On my dash, my default widget that simply loads the "real" MovieClip from my local server.  (This was my way of working around the need to occasionally modify my "real" code...so I didn't have to always upload to Sony...until I couldn't.)

65 (edited by matty 2017-05-03 15:04:44)

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Many thanks for offering this potential lifeline.  I guess it was inevitable really, the dash was always seen as the red-haired stepchild of the Sony family, support has been poor to nonexistent for many years now.  I have three dashes, two in me and the mrs' bedroom and one in the kitchen, permanently on the weather app.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

tomw2 wrote:

Pardon my first "dumb question":  Will I be able to have a "personal widget"?  On my dash, my default widget that simply loads the "real" MovieClip from my local server.  (This was my way of working around the need to occasionally modify my "real" code...so I didn't have to always upload to Sony...until I couldn't.)

You'd have to upload that "shell" widget to the chumby servers, and given the way the system is currently set up, you'd have to have a subscription for it to show up on the device, but otherwise it should work the same way.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I just got a message on my DASH from Sony (?) saying there is an update available to download and do I want to install it now or later.  I said later!  Does anyone know what this "update" will do?  Will it disable the device now instead of in July?  I wouldn't put it past Sony to pretend this is going to do something good and then brick the device instead, perhaps making it unusable with Duane's solution.  Grrr.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I got 2 dash.

Btw, i got the control panel update on one unit.  I tried it.  All it seems to do is display a message confirming  it will no longer work as of july 2017.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I would recommend everyone download a copy of the 1.7.1526 firmware, if the link here works:

https://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-ho … ownloadTab

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Hi Duane,

I have the last update as you suggest - 1.7.1526 - and I get this latest update request every hour or so, despite pushing the "later" option.  I guess Sony thinks that "later" is only an hour long.  sad Very annoying!  Do you know if your programming work will still be effective if we do this "update" which is, apparently, just a message telling us the service will stop in July?

In other words, do you think I have to keep pushing the "later" button every hour between now and July?  smile

Cheers,
Pat

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

As I recall, the dash will prompt for three different types of updates:

1) A full firmware update
2) A Control Panel update
3) A Browser update

If the update is for one of the latter two, then it's likely not a problem.  If it's the first one, then it's more risky.

72 (edited by dougsr 2017-05-04 04:42:08)

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

So moving forward from here, as we experienced from the last fiasco from Sony,,, I found that Blue Octy had the only functioning apps that were still up and working during those dark times. So my question; can Blue Octy possibly save our incredible (Can't live without) devices and further, could they still possibly run all Chumby apps?

We have 3 Sony C-10 Dashes in the house.
Thanks.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

I have a C10. I allowed the update today, before jumping onto reddit and eventually finding this thread. Had no idea about the termination of service from Sony until then. Anyway, FW is still 1.7.1526 after the update, which i think was a control panel update.

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

Duane wrote:

You'd have to upload that "shell" widget to the chumby servers, and given the way the system is currently set up, you'd have to have a subscription for it to show up on the device, but otherwise it should work the same way.

Excellent!  Many thanks for your work on this!

Re: Post in this thread if you have a dash...

If you get it working count me in as a Dash owner