How To setup storage devices DreamBox / VU+ / xtrend DM8000HD PVR / DM7020HD PVR / DM800SE PVR / DM500HD VU+DUO / VU+SOLO / VU+DUO 2 / VU+SOLO 2 / VU+UNO / VU+ULTIMO ET9x00 / ET6x00 / ET5x00 / ET4x00 rudream GROUP 2014
Content Proloque... 3 Storage Devices Wizard... 5 The first launch... 5 List of found storage devices... 6 Configuring storage devices as harddisk drive... 7 Configuring storage devices as extension of buit-in memory... 8 Additional storage manager settings.... 10 Initialization (format) of storage devices... 11 Finishing setup using Storage Device Wizard.... 12 Setup storage devices from the box menu... 12 Select storage device... 14 Setting the DVD drive... 15 Setup of the selected storage device... 16 2
Proloque This wizard will help you to manage all media center drives, both external and internal. Master should be used for all drives that you plan to use only in your media center constantly (without removing). In all boxes models, drive connected to the internal bus (built-in) usually at boot time is defined as /dev/sda, and its partition as /dev/sda1 (it is assumed that the disk has one partition). Continuing to boot the system detects a first partition section as /dev/sda1 and begins to assume it as hard drive, mounting it to a folder /media/hdd (which, in turn, indicates a hard link /hdd). With this algorithm, on bootup the system can not uniquely identify that this is the built-in hard drive, because it considers such, any device connected as /dev/ sda and if you boot your media center without a built-in hard drive, but with connected external USB-drive, the system will assume its as built-in hard drive and used him to write a media content. This situation is even more complicated if at boot time, the media center you have multiple devices are connected. For example DreamBox can have one internal drive, and several external drives and can handle pretty well their mounts, internal drive always takes precedence and is installed in the folder /media/hdd, that can not be said about the line of VU+ mediacenters. VU+ based Mediacenter in the presence of internal and external drive makes it all the way around, by loading an external drive mounts as a built-in hard drive, and mount it in the folder /media/hdd. Fortunately for the elimination of these incorrect choices of storage devices mount, there is a solution that is based on static mounting of a device by its unique number (UUID) to a predetermined system folder. For example for correct determines by the system the storage device as a built-in hard drive, it is necessary to mount the folder /media/hdd (which before mount, as it may seem strange, is simply a folder in the embedded flash memory). Assume that we are mount by UUID selected drive as a built-in hard disk drive (HDD), but then the question arises: what happens to the other external drives that we connect to the USB? Built-in support for hot plug devices initially mounts the external devices in sub-folders, folder /autofs, eg /autofs/sdb1, /autofs/sdc1 etc. If there is no guarantee that the same external drive (USB-drive) when you restart again will mounts in same directory. The same physical drive can easily be swapped (the folder connection) with "neighbor". Now imagine that you want to place on a current device picons for the channels that will create hard links from the built-in memory, and you specify a system that picons are in the folder /autofs/sdb1. But after a reboot, the external drive with picons, can be installed in another folder and the system can not find them To resolve this problem and, as you can use the method described above is a static mount storage devices in a predetermined folder, eg /media/usb or /media/cf. 3
Also we have, the featured above, possibility to use external drives for expanding internal memory, such as placing picons for channels, skins, or any user data. To implement the above-described possibilities of expanding internal memory, you can use all the same mechanism of static storage connectivity, and the process is divided into two stages: You must connect a storage device such as static, and then move it selected data and further connect this media instead of an expandable folder, located in the internal memory (as a result of expansion of most built-in memory). NOTE: To use any device to expand box internal memory it needs to be initialized (to split it into one partition and formatted as ext3 or ext4 file system ). This file system allows you to use all specific features of the built-in mediacenter Linux operating system. 4
Storage Devices Wizard The first launch When You boot your mediacenter for a first time as a result of flashing the new software, after setting up the video resolution and language, you will be asked to configure storage devices found in the Mediacenter (Photo No 1). Photo No 1 (Storage Devices Wizard) Displayed dialog has a choice of two options: 1. Yes, configure storage devices currently 2. No, just start my mediacenter After you select the first option in the menu appears listing all available storage devices (photo number 2). Choosing the second option will cancel the wizard and proceed to the next step of mediacenter Startup Wizard. 5
List of found storage devices List of found storage devices This dialog box lets you select a custom device for its settings. All devices have a friendly name, including model, capacity and bus. Photo 2 (The list of found storage devices) NOTICE Current dialog always have a menu [Factory settings for storage device]. If U have any problem caused by changes You was made, You can easy revert all changes in /etc/fstab. If your mediacenter is equipped with built-in hard drive and an additional You plan to use USBdrives, it is recommended to configure the internal hard disk as a static device HDD. 6
Configuring storage devices as harddisk drive To configure the internal (or external) hard drive for storing and recording of media content, you must select it from the list of storage devices (Photo 2) and in the dialog (Photo 3) to appoint him as a static storage device HDD, by selecting the [Use storage device as static ] and using left/right arrows select [HDD] mode Photo 3 (Configuring storage devices) NOTICE: f you use the hard drive for a first time, it is recommended to initialise the storage device by selecting the action the list. NOTICE: Pay attention to the kind of static device, it can have several meanings HDD, USB and CF (for selection, use the arrow keys left / right). ATTENTION After initialising of a storage device, all data stored on it will be destroyed, and mediacenter will be rebooted. 7
Configuring storage devices as extension of buit-in memory To configure the internal (or external) disk / flash memory to increase the amount of built-in memory, you must select it from the list of storage devices (photo 2) and in the dialog (Photo 4) set it as a static storage device HDD/USB/CF, by selecting the [Use storage device as static ] and using left/right arrows select [HDD/USB/CF] mode. Photo 4 (Configuring storage devices) ATTENTION This action is only possible if the storage device is formatted EXT3 or EXT4. If your drive does not satisfy this requirement, it is necessary to initialize the storage device Use storage device as static (HDD/USB/CF) - this action does mount the selected drive using UUID, respectively, as the HDD/USB/CF, no matter of what system device is formatted - FAT, FAT32 or EXT3... After clicking [OK] and successfully performed action message, menu shown in Photo 4 will changed to new one (Photo 5). 8
Фото 5 (Настройка устройства хранения) NOTICE This setting allows you to significantly free up resources of internal memory, for boxes with built-in memory less then 1 Gb it s necessary. Use storage device as extension of buit-in memory - this action move data to a static device and installs it instead of a folder of internal memory. This menu has a choice of several options: all user data - makes maximum use of the extension of built-in memory, by installing all addons, plugins, skins, logos, etc. at the selected drive. skins & picons - allows to use the extension of built-in memory for users who use the maximum number of skins & channel picons. All other add-ons will continue to be istalled in internal memory. picons - allows to use the extension of built-in memory for users who use the maximum number of channel picons. All other add-ons & skins will continue to be istalled in internal Selection of the desired built-in memory extension mode by the left/right arrow buttons on your RC unit. 9
Additional storage manager settings. Use storage for the electronic program guide, media libraries and other data - this option allows you to transfer EPG data, media library and other data files from internal memory to the selected static device. It also frees the internal memory and reduces the load (number of write cycles) that favourably affects its service life. Given the size of the data written to these files, it is recommended to use this function in most cases obligatory. ATTENTION If you enable this feature on any of static storage device, you can t simply disable this feature, it is necessary to activate it on a different device. Use the device for the swap file - this option allows you to activate the swap file on the selected storage device and select its size. ATTENTION The swap file should be activated at one of the static storage devices, regardless of the size of the embedded memory. Size is recommended to install the more - the better, as the storage device used allows it. ATTENTION When a device is selected for the swap file should consider its performance and stability to the number of write cycles (many USB-Flash drives are slow enough that can slow down the performance of boxing in general. TRIM Initialization - This setting is only available for solid state drives (SSD) with the EXT4 file system and allows you to activate and sets the TRIM operation interval for the current disc. This operation allows you to improve the performance of the disk, clearing it in advance erased data. Save of the selected settings - to apply your chosen settings click OK to start the process of applying of them automatically. 10
Initialization (format) of storage devices This action removes the all the sections of your drive, then creates a single partition and format it in the format using EXT3 or EXT4 file system. Use of this file systems, maximizes the use of all the specific features of Mediacenter built-in Linux operating system. After selecting the initialisation, message will appear to confirm the selected action. Desire file system can be selected be using left/right arrows on your RC unit in Initialise storage device menu. Initialising of storage devices can be performed together with other settings, after clicking OK to apply the settings. Photo 6 (Storage device initialisation) ATTENTION When initialising a storage device, all data stored on it will be destroyed forever, and mediacenter will be rebooted. 11
Finishing setup using Storage Device Wizard. After completing the settings of mediacenter, it is necessary in any dialog to select the [Exit storage devices wizard] to continue configuring the software using Startwizard of image. Photo 7 (Storage devices setup) Notice After finishing Storage devices wizard all further actions with the storage devices could be carried out in the following menu [ Settings ] > [ System ] > [ Storage devices ] Setup storage devices from the box menu Configure storage devices perform similar functions described in the previous Storage devices Wizard section and is already used in the operation of your mediacenter, but it allows, if necessary to add or change the configuration of devices without flashing the new software. Access to Storage devices menu from [ Settings ] > [ System ] > [ Storage devices ]. 12
Photo 8 (System setup) Photo 8 (System setup) 13
Select storage device After starting the menu familiar to the Storage devices Wizard dialog will be shown to select a storage device (Photo 9). This dialogue is intended to select a storage device, or restore the factory settings for storage devices. Photo 9 (Storage device select) NOTICE: The composition of this menu may differ depending of the model of your mediacenter and connected devices, for example on DM8000HD PVR You can see an additional menu for DVD drive. 14
Setting the DVD drive This menu differs from the setup of disk or similar storage composition of its settings (Photo 10) Photo 10 (DVD drive setup) NOTICE: This menu appears only if DVD drive is installed in the box In the configuration dialog of DVD drive, you can change the following parameters: Rotational speed of DVD drive - this option allows you to optimize performance and noise of the drive. Rotational speed of DVD drive - this option allows you to optimize performance and noise of the drive. Frequency of settings DVD - this option allows you to assign the period parameter of setting the drive during operation 15
Setup of the selected storage device Storage settings dialog also does not differ from similar dialogue Storage Device Configuration Wizard, except for the additional panel outputting some additional information about the current settings of the selected drive (Photo 11). Photo 11 (Setup of the selected storage device) NOTICE: For internal disk additional menu for hdd Standby time settings will be shown 16
Menu settings in storage devices menu (Photo 12) may also vary depending on the current state of the storage devices, and all the basic steps described in the previous Storage devices Wizard chapter. Photo 12 (Setup of the selected storage device) ATTENTION Be sure to configure the swap file on one of the devices assigned static NOTICE: Additional information about some settings of selected storage device 17