HTC HD2 - Android and DSTV Drifta

Background:

I have an old HTC HD2 phone running WM6.5 which was replaced by a iPhone 4.  While this is ok for dstv's Drifta, I kept loosing picture due to incoming calls.  To rectify this, I decided to get my old HTC HD2 onto the Android platform and to start using this as my Drifta's connections.

Installation:

• Get the sources from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=933951 - Look for the DOWNLOAD link and download the cLK release.
• In the same thread as the above link, also get the gps fix (i.e. for Africa) and the tyween_cpu_settings.zip file.
• Get the "tutotial for installing clk.rar" file from http://filetram.com/download/multiupload/8813268455/tutorial-for-installing-clk-rar - You should also be able to get this from searching google.
• Extract the tutorial and start running the steps to get your phone to clk.
• Once your phone has been clk'd, dump the clk zip file and the gps/cpu zip files on your SD card, using a PC or the clk utility.

OK, this concludes getting Android on your phone.  Now to get the Drifta working on your phone...

(Thanks to Justin Williams - http://j-j.co.za/2011/09/running-the-standard-android-drifta-app-on-non-standard-phones/)

Things to keep in mind:

• Your HTC HD2 is now what is called "rooted" - DSTVMOBILE app will not install on a rooted device.
• Your HTC HD2 is not a supported device by the DSTVMOBILE app, but has the same hardware as the HTC Desire HD handset.

Now to the nice bits.  What your will do is:

• Temporarily un-root your device by installing the "OTA Rootkeeper" app from the MARKET.  (Just open the MARKET app once your machine is up and running and search for the app.)
• Change your device from a HTC HD2 to a HTC Desire HD by installing the "ES File Explorer" app (also from the MARKET) and changing the file /system/build.prop contents from "HTC HD2" to "HTC Desire HD".
• Now go to the MARKET and install DSTV Mobile app.

All done.

From Johan's blog:

I have an HTC HD2 that I have running Android  Gingerbread (2.3).

I have also made the name changes in the root to reflect “Samsung GT-I9000” as per instructions on your website using ES File Explorer. (You only need to do these steps if you have an unsupported device)

1. Get ES File Manager from the Market (link here)
2. Open ES File Manager and go to Menu > Settings > Root Options and enable both check boxes (You must do this!)
3. With ES File Manager, make a copy of the build.prop file that’s in the /system folder, just in case. Open  build.prop and change these two lines:
   • ro.product.model=’your phone’s name’ to ro.product.model=GT-I9000
   • ro.product.manufacturer=’whatever’ to ro.product.manufacturer=samsung
4. Reboot and you’re done.

I have un-rooted the device successfully with the OTA Rootkeeper App from Supercurio (link here)

Install the DStv mobile application (link to Android market place here)

Activated the phones Wi-Fi and connected to the Drifta.

The DSTV app on the HD2 sent a software upgrade to the Drifta and I then rebooted the Drifta.

The DSTV app on the HD2 immediately picked up the Drifta, displayed the channel information, I clicked on SuperSport 1 and up came the picture.

The picture quality on my HD2 is excellent as well as the audio with no lag or delays.

Thanks Johan

XEN - Building pfSense and FreeNAS on the same server.

Last week Thursday and Friday I started building a new VM environment for my company's smaller branches. The configuration is as follows and a breeze to set up!

Configuration:
P4 Quad, 4GB, 2NW, 3HDD. (HDD1=250G, HDD2/3=1TB)

XENSERVER running the following VM's:
1. pfSense 2RELEASE.
2. FreeNAS8.

pfSense running (Installed Packages):
1. Squid and SquidGuard. (To give users access to the internet and to manage access to sites.)
2. Snort. (To stop undesirables from getting to and from the network)
3. Lightsquid. (To get full reporting on user-access to the internet)
4. Cron. (To schedule jobs.)
5. HAVP. (Antivirus)
The system is split between the LAN and WAN with 2 network cards. The LAN card is also being utilized by the FreeNAS8 server.

FreeNas8:
The system has the CIFS/SMB modules enabled to give users access to a nice 1TB file-sharing system. As I said the LAN card is being shared by the LAN of the pfSense server...

The system works like a charm and no problems experienced.

cyber7-out...

Doll's bed - part3

Completed the build of 3 more of these beds...

doll's bed!

Xmas and the ever-so-often question of how much to spend.

As I have 3 nieces under the age of 10 and Christmas  is on the way, I decided, instead of spending a small amount on plastic toys for the girls, why not go the alternative route and make them something...

My budget this year is about R140.00/child (about $20) and about 5hours in time, thus started my new project, doll furniture.  Why, you ask furniture?  The simple reason that, if built well, unlike to $20 plastic toy, will be a keep-sake and could be passed down to their children.

Quick note on the difference between boys and girls:

Boys: You can give them a box and once the FORT, RACE-CAR or FIRE-TRUCK has been imagined, it will be tossed.  The same with most toys, once played-out, will be burnt with magnifying glasses, put on fire or blown-up with illegal fire-crackers.

Girls: Look at your wife, sister, mom, girlfriend.  You will find hidden their favorite toy from childhood hiding in some closet or 'stashed' away at mom's house.  It is a fact...  (Side-note: If you are a grown man and still have your action-man from childhood, a sex-change is eminent!)

Now for the build: (Thank you Ana White.  Referenced on another posting!)

I will finish this in white and post a picture once finished.  I will build 4 of these, one for a future-reference example.

cyber7 out.

doll's bed!

The first white coat applied looks quite great!  Thank you Ana White :)