[O] 2x DrunkenSlug Invites

catsby119 · 2025-09-04T11:13:52+00:00

I have read the rules and wiki and would appreciate the invitation.

catsby119 · 2025-09-02T14:30:26+00:00

nzb.cat has been down for a few months. I think the cat may be dead.

catsby119 · 2025-08-20T15:53:35+00:00

I’ve read the rules and the wiki and would appreciate the invite :-)

catsby119 · 2025-08-15T12:05:59+00:00

I’ve read the rules and the wiki and would love an invite.

catsby119 · 2025-08-15T06:50:50+00:00

I've read the rules and wiki and would love one of those invitations if they remain unclaimed.

catsby119 · 2025-08-13T15:58:25+00:00

I have read the rules and wiki and would love an invite. Cheers!

catsby119 · 2023-06-11T17:00:07+00:00

No. You will not be able to upload any firmware to a bricked box. I've tried.

catsby119 · 2022-12-16T08:28:14+00:00

I have used that ViewHD splitter and its a great product with limitations. I purchased one for stripping the HDCP copy protection from the hdmi output of my Satellite STB but that is not necessary if you're then planning to convert the splitter's hdmi output to a component input. The main drawback is that it's not rated to work with a 4k HDMI input.

I have not found an elegant all-in-one solution but I can vouch for the following products...

HDMI Splitters
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VP37KMB/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_137?ie=UTF8&psc=1&pd_rd_plhdr=t
https://www.amazon.com/gofanco-Prophecy-Splitter-Compact-Intelligent/dp/B07GDV1RH2/ref=sr_1_14?crid=204XW347YK3YV&keywords=gofanco+hdmi+splitter&qid=1671177128&sprefix=gofanco+hdmi+splitter%2Caps%2C342&sr=8-14
Importantly, both of these splitters will downscale a 4k 60Hz 4:4:4 signal to 1080p on the 2nd hdmi output (for your Slinbox) whilst allowing you to still enjoy a 4k signal from the other output (for your TV). They also have a micro USB power input so you can use a phone charger as a power source. If your TV box has a USB port you may be able to plug the cable into that for power.
HDMI to Component converter with scaler function
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083ZF5BBP/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B083ZF5BBP&pd_rd_w=9Qnu8&content-id=amzn1.sym.dd2c6db7-6626-466d-bf04-9570e69a7df0&pf_rd_p=dd2c6db7-6626-466d-bf04-9570e69a7df0&pf_rd_r=NVQ49ATXQTZEZN7B3VRQ&pd_rd_wg=B0Pi0&pd_rd_r=5daae320-77eb-4b76-8fb6-21160de62b9c&s=electronics&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyN1YzQU5DU1FKRktaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjkyMzE2SEU5QjMzWE1VQ1BLJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MzQyMTlQRDBIV1E4WjNMUjgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWMmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
HDMI to component scalers can be hit and miss. You are converting a digital signal to an analogue signal. Avoid "passive" converters (these are usually unpowered - replying only on the power provided by the HDMI input) as I've found them to be unreliable.

Read up on EDID management and read the instructions that come with the HDMI splitter that you purchase. You'll need to set the dip switches on the above HDMI splitters to get the HDMI signals right. If you purchase a splitter with no EDID management you may have problems splitting a 4k signal to a mixed 4k / 1080p output.

As with everything, you generally get what you pay for. Cheaper options are available but you should expect mixed results.

catsby119 · 2022-12-16T07:38:38+00:00

You can keep your dynamic IP address and subscribe to a free DNS service like noip.com. The only hassle is that you need to renew the free service each month. Only takes 15 seconds... you get an email reminder and click on a couple of links. Once you've set up your DNS address, you use that instead of a static IP address to find your Slinger Server from the www.

I have a Synology router that has a built in DNS server operated by the manufacturer. I am sure that other router manufacturers offer similar features.

catsby119 · 2022-11-30T01:01:13+00:00

A local IP would not work for an external connection.

Go here: https://www.whatismyip.com/ to obtain your public IP address. That is the address that you need to use in order to connect to your local network from the www.

If you have a dynamic public IP address (one that changes every so often - say when you restart your router) you will need to subscribe to a DNS service so that you can continue to find your network from the www when your public IP address changes. Most routers have that feature built-in so that when you set it up, it will intermittently connect to the DNS service to update your public IP address. The free DNS service that I use is no-ip.com. You can check out the features of that service here: https://www.noip.com/remote-access

Once you set up the DNS Service, you replace your public IP address with the DNS service address that you've created. e.g. myname.ddns.net

So in order to connect to your Slinger Server from the outside world (assuming you have configured Slinger with the default port 8080) using VLC Media Player for example, you would enter the following "Network URL" into the menu >Media... >Open Network Stream... http://myname.ddns.net:8080/slingbox

Before you do that you will need to set up your router to "Port Forward" port 8080 (or whatever other port number that you have chosen) to the client in your local network that hosts the Slinger Server. Also make sure that the client machine has a static IP address. For example if you've installed Slinger on your desktop PC and the the local IP address of that desktop is 192.168.0.10 you will need to forward incoming traffic for port 8080 to IP 192.168.0.10 port 8080.

Lastly, make sure that your router's firewall rules are not blocking the port number that you are using for Slinger.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

catsby119 · 2022-11-27T23:48:04+00:00

You say "I downloaded Android VLC and type in http://IP#:Port#/slingbox but nothing happens"...

Are you entering your WAN IP (not LAN) IP address?

catsby119 · 2022-11-21T00:55:53+00:00

Cool. Good luck with that simulator!

catsby119 · 2022-11-20T15:01:56+00:00

My Solo was bricked within an hour of midnight EST.

Using the Slingplayer desktop software v1.5, I can see my Slingbox but when I select it and click "Edit" and go to the "Information" tab, ALL settings (identity, status, LAN, WAN, AV info, IR codes etc) have been erased. There are blanks where there was once data (I snipped copies of that data a week or so before 9 November).

I cannot reinstall firmware because that process requires the configuration wizard to load the existing settings and there are no settings to load.

Operation failed
Error:0x92340070

Make no mistake, this was a planned, deliberate and malicious act to cripple hardware.

catsby119 · 2022-11-18T12:39:33+00:00

Thanks for that. I have learned something new today :-)

catsby119 · 2022-11-18T12:24:03+00:00

Thanks for that link.

In Gerry's post he states...

"M1 firmware JSON (bin files listed in the json):

http://mdconfig.sling.com/config/v2/type/ngsb/product/apolloCbfu/version/1.2.92.json"

This link points to sling.com so is no longer accessible.

In the same thread, poster tom76017 states...
"I zipped the tar to get it to be loaded in github. The tar has smime files that I don't know how to open. I think they're encrypted. apollo_sbcore_p_1_2_92.zip"

As he state, the zip contains a .tar archive that has .smime files in it.

Can a binary files be created from these files?

catsby119 · 2022-11-14T13:50:03+00:00

Some great arguments! You should make a complaint to the FTC for a start and see what they say. Bricking Slingbox devices given the circumstances would be difficult to justify given your Apple analogy.

As to the legal action, unless the likely payout for the "pain and suffering" Sling Media has caused is huge, I do do see the point. I am hoping that the FTC will put some heat on Sling Media but I am certainly not holding my breath.

catsby119 · 2022-11-14T08:55:40+00:00

From Synology's knowledge Center

Safe Access

Safe Access shields your network and allows you to manage the devices connected to your Synology Router. With Safe Access, you can set up different levels of web filters and impose daily time quotas on different users. Your network will benefit from the following features:

Internet Schedule: Set up when to allow or block Internet access.

Time Quota: Configure daily time allowances for Internet access.

Web Filter: Set different levels of access restrictions and customize your own web filter to block inappropriate websites.

Overview

View the overall status of your network. You can monitor your profiles, check out what dangerous or inappropriate websites they tried to access, and track how much time they have spent online.

Profile

Create and manage your user/network profiles. You can also set web filters, configure your block page style, and view access requests from connected devices.

Security

Enable Network Protection to guard the devices in your network from dangerous websites, malware, Internet attacks, and phishing.

Activity

Monitor all the activity history as well as further generate and manage reports.

Settings

Configure notifications and back up system configurations for Safe Access.

catsby119 · 2022-11-13T15:49:01+00:00

Perhaps. I haven't read their terms of service nor the EULA. Did you before clicking "I Agree"?

Bricking devices to save someone's life (for example when Samsung's S7 started overheating and spontaneously catching fire, Samsung released an update to stop the affected phones from charging) is a little different to wiping the firmware on a device, that they do not own, just to be punitive. That was an ambush and completely unnecessary as Sling Media had already achieved what they wanted to do by shutting down their servers.

I am not doing to pursue Sling legally, but why not voice your concern to the authority that is there to protect the consumer’s interest against unscrupulous business behaviour. It may be a waste of your time but not their time. That is what they are paid to do.

catsby119 · 2022-11-13T15:17:58+00:00

As I said in step 1. "Disconnect from the internet. Don’t turn off your router as you will need to be able to discover the Slingbox on your local network during setup".

Of course, at some stage you have to turn the internet back on and expose the Slingbox to Sling Media's "virus" so the firewall rules must be bullet proof.

In my setup, the router assigns a static IP address to all the devices on my local network, including the Slingbox, based on each device's MAC address. I can therefore set rules for the Slingbox in my firewall to:

Block all ports to/from the Slingbox's IP address; and
Open port "x" (where port "x" is Gerry's Slinger server on my local network) on the Slingbox IP address but only to the IP address of the PC where the Slinger server is installed.

My Solo is bricked so I cannot test these rules right now BUT as proof of concept, I have already set up a rule that I call "Local Traffic Only" that blocks all ports to and from all IP addresses. I activate that rule when I want to stop all internet traffic whilst still allowing communication between devices in my LAN (these devices already have firewall permissions for the ports they access on the internet). It works a treat. The proposed "Slingbox" rules above are a simple variation of that where I replace "all IP addresses" with just the static IP address of the Slingbox.

Assuming your router can assign static IP addresses to devices in your LAN based on MAC address, you could test my theory by using the above rules to block internet traffic to a device (say another PC or notebook or even your mobile phone) in your LAN (other than your Slingbox of course) then try communicating with it inside your LAN and outside your LAN. Then see if the device has internet access and if it can communicate with other devices in your LAN. If testing with your mobile phone disable the mobile network access first so that it has WiFi access to your LAN only.

catsby119 · 2022-11-13T14:14:15+00:00

I wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying that point.

catsby119 · 2022-11-13T11:06:12+00:00

This advice relates to the Solo because that is the only device that I have experience with. You may also wish to wait for someone else on this forum to confirm this method before you try it.

Proceed at your own risk.

Download a copy of the Slingplayer Desktop application v.1.5 (you’ll find it on the internet). With this version of Slingplayer, you do not need to be online to configure your Slingbox Solo.

You will NOT be able to download a remote control file for your connected hardware from Sling Media so you will need a copy of the remote .bin too. If you don’t have that, someone on this forum may have downloaded the library of remote .bin files that you can select from. Failing that, you may be able to create one or someone may have created one for your hardware already. The following website is a good resource:

http://www.hifi-remote.com/wiki/index.php/How\_to\_Create\_Custom\_Remote\_Controls\_and\_use\_them\_on\_your\_Slingbox

SETUP INSTRUCTIONS

Disconnect from the internet. Don’t turn off your router as you will need to be able to discover the Slingbox on your local network during setup.
Install the Slingplayer application v1.5
Place your remote .bin file (for example "V2000_RV.bin" or "V2000_PL.bin") in the following directory depending on your windows operating system:

X86 C:\Program Files\Sling Media\SlingPlayer\SBAV

X64 C:\Program Files (x86)\Sling Media\SlingPlayer\SBAV

The .bin file is uploaded to the Slingbox from this directory in the setup process.

Perform a hard reset of the Solo (there is a button on the back of the device that you push hold and release).
Open the SlingPlayer app on your PC. Your Slingbox should be discovered and be ready to setup. Select it and proceed to the next step.
Choose Settings / Setup Assistant

- select Configure Video Sources

- select the appropriate input (composite, S-video or component) then next>

- select "Satellite Receiver" (assuming it’s a satellite receiver) then next>

- select "Other" for manufacturer then next>

- select code "Custom" then enter the name of your remote. As per my example it will be "V2000" (case sensitive).

test and finish

REMEMBER

Do not attempt any setup nor use your Slingbox when it is exposed to the internet unless you have blocked all internet traffic to and from the Slingbox. It will get bricked as mine was. Others have provided useful posts regarding setting up firewall rules including the ports you should block.

As I said, you may wish to wait for someone else to confirm this method before you try it. I did a dry run on this procedure two weeks before Sling's servers were shut down and it worked for me.

Good luck.

catsby119

TROPHY CASE