Not Impressed

[GUAW]

I just bought a X5 SS and to be honest I'm not very impressed.

I have two other android boxes, an Nvidia Shield and a Humax freeview android box. On both these boxes I have TiVimate installed and it works perfectly, I can even record on the shield but the lack of space means I can't record much.

I bought the X5 SS primarily for the abilty to record with more disk space, however I find I am unable to record anything at all. I did wonder if it is because I only have 1 connection on my sub and maybe BuzzTV doesn't like that, so I installed TiVimate on the X5 SS and set it up as I have on my shield but that will not record either.

I can't find anything in the Buzz TV app that asks for permission to write to disk or USB, so I'm guessing it is granted automatically.

Finally, a seperate issue, I thought I would install Kodi, and connect my 4tb external hard drive that works perfectly on my other boxes. But the X5 SS will not connect. If I go to storage it just says elements is disconnected.

Does this box not recognize a 4tb disk or is it because it is formatted NTFS.

Can anyone help please.

[Maestro701]

You cannot record with one connection on the Buzz. I have no idea how you can record with this one connection on any brand device. 

[Emporium]

Actually, I think you can record, but only what you are watching, and once you start to record, it will not allow you to change channels, since there are no available connections.  And recording what you are watching, works perfectly fine on my x5 ss.

However I do think there has been a small bug introduced in one of the latest updates with "scheduled" recording.  They record, but I think the times are all messed up.  Doing some more testing and once I nail down the issue, I will report it.

For the HDD problem mentioned above, the box does support NTFS and 4TB drives.  However many mechanical based drives draw more current than the box is capable of providing over a single USB port.  USB sticks, SSD based external drives, or external drives with their own power supplies are usually not an issue.  For other drives that are only USB powered, you may need to get a cable similar to this, to be able to pull power from 2 USB ports.

If all else fails for the recording, since I assume the box is relatively new and not customized yet, you can try doing a hard factory reset just in case there was some glitch during first configuration script.

Here is the procedure.  Different box, but procedure is pretty much the same:

https://stbtalk.com/topic/300-factory-reset-hard-reset-xr4500-xrs4500/

BTW: Would help to post the Firmware and Software version from the Update screen.

 

 

 

[Maestro701]

Strange because when I start a recording it opens another connection 

[GUAW]

Thanks for the replies. I've tried the suggestion regarding the USB lead, it didn't work. I have 3 x 4tb WD elements external hard disks that work with my other 2 android boxes but not this one.

Tivimate also won't record on this box even though it does on my other 2 boxes.

I wish I'd never bought this box, I should have just bought another shield, but I fancied the extra disk space.

It's a shame because this box had potential, but as it is it's no better than a £40 firestick.

[Emporium]

I have tested at least 10 different external drives, from LaCie, to WD Passports, Seagate, and other cheap no name brands and have no issue with them if I use the USB power splitter cable.  Tested with both NTFS and exFAT formatted drives.  However this DID require a firmware update since there was some bug in earlier versions.

For Tivimate, there is nothing that buzz can control.  Is Tivimate even Android 13 compatible ?  The latest shield if I am not mistaken only goes up to AndroidTV 11.

Android 13 may take a while for 3rd party apps to become compliant.

Can you post the Firmware and Software version from the Update screen ? 

 

[dishuser]

I have no issues recording to internal or external using buzztv 5

[Emporium]

58 minutes ago, dishuser said:

I have no issues recording to internal or external using buzztv 5

Neither do I.  And I've been doing quite a bit of recording testing these last 2 days, no both the X5 SS and the X5 AX/C

Like I mentioned in a previous post.  Maybe he should do a hard reset.  something seems to have not configured properly.    But he hasn't even posted his f/w and s/w version.  He just keeps on ranting.  Whatever.

 

 

 

[dishuser]

On 1/29/2025 at 6:11 PM, Maestro701 said:

You cannot record with one connection on the Buzz. I have no idea how you can record with this one connection on any brand device. 

yes you can

mac is only one connection and I did a recording last night

[GUAW]

Ok, so I somehow have managed to get the recording to work.

What I have done is, deleted the cache and all details in Buzz TV from the settings/apps menu, and uninstalled Buzz TV updates. Then instead of entering my m3u details I entered my XC details and changed to back up player, and it has worked. I can now record. I'm not sure which action sorted the problem, but one of them has.

Still not sorted the external drive issue out yet.

I'll post my firmware details when I'm next home.

Oh and Emporium....... not ranting at all.

I was just disapointed.

[Emporium]

Considering you went through the hassle of uninstalling updates, etc... You should have probably just done a hard reset as I mentioned above, to start 100% clean.

Backup player is exactly that, a "backup".  It will be slower and possibly with glitches compared to Primary.  So if Primary does work, try to stick with that

Also, keep in mind that you bought one of the "latest" devices released (other than the PowerStation), and the first device to actually be based on Android 13.  Issues can be expected, just like anything else that is new design.  You buy a $$$$$$ new car, and if it is a new redesign year model, then it is often riddled with recalls and updates, which takes time to iron out.  Nowadays things get to market quickly, and  there will be issues with everything.  Hell, you buy computer hardware nowadays (motherboards, Video cards, etc..), and they no longer even include a CD for drivers and stuff, because by the time it get's to the consumer, it is already way outdated.   If you wanted something super stable, you should have probably considered one of the previous X5 incarnations, like the X5 AX/C versions.

For the hard drives, you had and tried one of those power cables which allows you to take power from more than one USB port ?   Or just as a test, would you have a USB hub which has it's own power adapter ?  Even if it is a USB 2.0 USB hub, at least to determine if the problem is USB power availability or now for those drivres.   When you plug it in, do you actually feel the HDD actually spinning, try to spin up - but spins back down, or does it not even spin up (and potentially just producing a clicking sound ?   And are you using he power supply that came with the X5SS, or just using any other USB-C power supply you had lying around ? 

 

 

[GUAW]

Ok here are my details

Firmware v20240930

software 5.0.938 But it has since updated itself again

One thing I have noticed is that not all my streams play with the primary player, but they all do with the backup player.

And a stream that only plays with the back up player will seemingly record ok (red record sign top right) but when I try to play it, it refuses to play even though the thumbnail is there and it displays the correct recording time.

Could this be anything to do with the stream format settings, mine is set on automatic.

Is this Ok, or should I try m3u8/HLS, TS, or RTMP

Also where on the drive are the recordings stored, so I can see if VLC will play the files.

Sorry to be a pain.

[dishuser]

I don't have RTMP in stream format

I use automatic which shows in panel as HLS