PINWHEEL announcement JUNE 23, 2014 - We're still alive!

[nachnamev8]

To All pinwheel supporters:

First of all, our team sincerely apologizes for the delayed updates. We are still here, alive and stronger than ever!

We have paused the support for our units temporarily until we figure out a small issue!

Biggest reason is that some of our source code for our Pinwheel branded receivers was stolen and it was sold to a clone manufacturing company in ASIA!

The clone manufactures are now using our source code and have so far have managed to make 2 boxes.

Under the name

DreamTech HD

and

AZ Link HD S1

Both of the above mentioned units use our source code and are same replica down to even the same pin code for server list "9999"

Instead of the Vertical GUI they have used Horizontal GUI!

DreamTech HD and AZ Link HD S1 are 100% copies of PinWHEEL HD.

Here is the link to the clone sellers


http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=dreamtech+hd

--- How to tell if the unit is original or CLONE --- very easy

1 - For DreamTech HD, AZ Link HD S1

2 - Unplug wifi/network cable from your unit

3 - Boot the unit without wifi/network

4 - Go to Apps > Server List > 9999

If you see "DELETE" "ADD" "EDIT" options at the bottom beside color options, then your unit is 100% Clone!

Also, there is absolutely no warranty on clone boxes!

What can you do about it?

You should return all DreamTech HD and AZLink HD S1 to their respective dealers and demand your refund and purchase 100% original PINWHEEL Brand Only!

We are going to be release a minor fix soon. More updates coming soon as soon as we fix the source code issue!

PINWHEEL HD comes with 1 year warranty from respective dealers!

Thanks again for your continuous support!

[tbird686]

i'm not worried i sold mine long time ago....lol

[Mr Hanky]

Here we go again ......toot the horn one more time before sinking the ship.

[bobby]

heard it all before, still not a good enough reason to have not fixed some simple issues like the north epg that has been an issue since day one before any clones or the spotty south epg for that matter, too bad cause the receiver has potential with some nice features but at this rate who would want to take a chance with this brand when there are so many others to choose from clone or not

["QE"]

Agreed. Im not too impressed with my box at all. I would not recommend it now and have no confidence that you will ever see any future fixes for this box. At least not any that really matter.

QE

[Anubis]

Ok folks, this is headed towards brand bashing so tread carefully.

[Anubis]

I did not say anyone was bashing but it was headed towards it.;)

[xtrawest]

I really like this box, great interface..!!! Thanks Team Pinwheel, desperately waiting for the new updates
*Please fix IPTV because it stopped working for last few days, none of the channels are loading

[whoknows]

I really like this box, great interface..!!! Thanks Team Pinwheel, desperately waiting for the new updates
*Please fix IPTV because it stopped working for last few days, none of the channels are loading

Don't think your IPTV problem has anything to do with Team Pinwheel, fact is I don't think there is a team at all, but anyhow try refiring your equipment starting with modem and also check that you p$ channels are up. good luck

[xtrawest]

Yup, everything is UP except IPTV which went down couple of day ago, will try power cycling my router!

[mark64]

maybe that was the bug fix shut down the iptv
normally when he posted the file was up right away been 5 days now and nothing

[xtrawest]

Most of the channels on IPTV are beck up again..

[sg2100]

Patiently waiting for anything from this group lately is like watching grass grow ! . for a group that is suppose to be stronger than ever and "still alive" coming back with a clone fix or anything should not take so long , before this ****e happened files were rolling out nicely each week it seems . Ah well just my rant for today , had to put it somewhere ..

[genmax]

If the cloners have the source-code pinwheel is just delaying the inevitable. The fact that the source code was released and then altered means this isnt a 1:1 clone this is actually a truely recompiled bin. That said it will be impossible for them to kill clones since they have the source code to alter if pinwheel releases out "clone" killers...
For a team that was releasing bins every week or so, its surely sad to see they have not been able to control the clones. I say this is nothing but a delay tactic to sell out their left over inventory and close up shop. We have seen what has happend to Jynxbox HD. One clone destroyed the brand. If pinwheel had the power to stop these clones they would have done so by now.

[corsario45]

What source code? Pinwheel is a clone of Mvision 700HD. Pinwheel team have to do is make a uboot that enable enigma 2 usb boot like Mvision and many people will buy the receiver.

[Nostradamus]

For a team that was releasing bins every week or so, its surely sad to see they have not been able to control the clones.

you know if people stopped supporting clones and some importer got stuck with 10000 of them in a warehouse he couldn't give away that would be the end of the clone market and then maybe you would see some quality boxes with better support

[genmax]

Well i dont buy that fact that they "cloned" anything.
Someone leaked the azlink team the source code and then they reverse engineered the PCB.
So Pinwheel has no one else to blame but themselves for this, as they were probably careless with the security of their source code. The fact that the azlink has the same filestructe and modded headers for its uboot and upgrading software it is evident that the source code itself was stolen or sold. Because it is next to impossible to decompile packed linux executables even if you know assembly really well or even if you had the debug traces from the original compiler.
If it were so easy to decompile and make clones i am sure Azlink would have clones of every FTA device out there. So this points to the fact that the actual source code was stolen or sold.

Pinwheel really did start off with lies from day one, they promised they would release an SDK to support custom plugins and firmware mods. They never did give the sdk out, also they never did fully fix the DP switching issues.

They need to start supporting enigma 2 and unlock the filesystem on this device, the STlinux gated build is really a bummer. The hardware in the device itself is great but the system itself is not using the full potential of the hardware.

With the source code Azlink has the power to basically counter ANY security measure pinwheel will put into place, UNLESS pinwheel will build the whole OS from scratch which i dont think will happen since they stole the originally firmware design from Mvision anyways. With the true power of linux it is not impossible to clone macids, serials, ghost cpuinfo, or even memserials. So i dont know how pinwheel plans on "securing" its next release if there is even any. I think the post was made to clear out pinwheel inventory. No one wants a box that will see no support.

Pinwheel is "dead" it is not a wise decision to invest anything in this box, unless the team is willing to release updated software that fixed bugs or allow a dreambox openpli style setup where developers can build on it. At that point they can fire all those useless coders and profit on the hardware sales.

---
Forgot to add that sometimes people dont know if its a clone they are buying. Also another thing there are many FTA boxes out there that were not cloned but have lost support, and they are not even courteous enough to release any sourcecode so that third party developers can fix issues such as common EPG releated issues on almost every bin out there.

[mark64]

well said genmax
and I really wish I could change this box to a different brand

[bory267]

still waiting for new file where is the still alive come on we need a better file for epg and few things

[itjustme]

i have a azlink hd s1 i just check to see if it was clone it is not i can not install any file but there. on this box it will not load them i try penwheel it will not load any of them and i got say it is a good free to air box