Steps for 'De-bricking' an Echo

[mskenny]

Not me, and I've been at it for a week. I don't know why I've been this patient, as Ceton no longer respond to my support e-mails. Are you out there, Ceton?

24 hour response to support messages for a dead product is not good enough.

I did finally hear from support about an RMA. The decision to extend the return and the warranty period was a good move by Ceton.

[Psylent126]

I'm in the same boat. Got my Echo on 12/3 and have been trying to get it to recover since day 1. The messages I send through the support system get a response every day or two if I am lucky. At this point I just want to get it fixed. Whether that be through an RMA or some sort of software I can use to flash it, I don't care. It would just be nice to get a bit more feedback from Ceton as right now their customer support is seriously lacking.

RE: Support Ticket #EKG-606-22456

[Crash2009]

I'm in the same boat. Got my Echo on 12/3 and have been trying to get it to recover since day 1. The messages I send through the support system get a response every day or two if I am lucky. At this point I just want to get it fixed. Whether that be through an RMA or some sort of software I can use to flash it, I don't care. It would just be nice to get a bit more feedback from Ceton as right now their customer support is seriously lacking.

RE: Support Ticket #EKG-606-22456

So far I have one working and one not. So I have a bit of experience with both sides of the coin. What have you tried? Can you see anything (CETON logo, progress indicator, blank screen) on the TV? How about the Echo itself? Is the CETON light on? Any tiny red lights just below the CETON light (I have seen a total of 8 red lights) A few times I saw red light 1,2, and 3. Another time I saw all 8, another time I saw every 2nd one lit up.

The answers to these questions might get you some good suggestions.

[bobc_nj]

OK got the email that my Mac Address was approved.
Connected Echo to Desktop Switch
Connected Echo via HDMI to TV
Connected Echo to PC via USB
Re-ran Recovery Tool
Typed in the Code---> Echo powered up, 3 Red Lights (No Signal on TV)
Echo Found.....Loading Recovery Image...... Recovery Image Loaded.... Message says check echo HDMI for recovery status.... (Still No Signal Found via HDMI) not sure what to check.
(BTW...Absolutely No Activity on the Ethernet Lights (for that port on switch)
So now I am waiting... the email gets a little fuzzy from there...

4.) Please be patient as the tool attempts to recover your device. Do not unplug your Echo from the internet or your PC during this process.
Please note: If you are stuck on the screen "Connecting to Ceton...", please leave the unit alone, update your ticket verifying your MAC address, and we will re-approve your download. It should move into the recovery process shortly after.
5.) Once you have finished the recovery process, please unplug your Echo from your PC and use the supplied Ceton USB power brick shipped your Echo from that point forward.

How would I know if I am on the "Connecting to Ceton...." since I can't see a signal on the TV....
Guess I'll leave it like this until morning...

FYI Ticket Number...since others have posted theirs...
DUJ-342-97665

[Crash2009]

Doesn't look good Bob. No HDMI out is what mine was doing just before RMA. I couldn't get a blip out of mine after the no HDMI. Tried a bunch of different HDMI cables, and all the ports on the TV. Maybe someone else has discovered a new technique. On the upside, my other one is working great.

[FrankAZ]

Doesn't look good Bob. No HDMI out is what mine was doing just before RMA. I couldn't get a blip out of mine after the no HDMI. Tried a bunch of different HDMI cables, and all the ports on the TV. Maybe someone else has discovered a new technique. On the upside, my other one is working great.

My experience exactly. I got the Echo to attempt to contact Ceton just one time only but that was before Ceton were ready for the connection. That was the last time my HDMI or my Ethernet port showed any life at all.

I obtained my RMA invitation this evening.

Frank.

[bobc_nj]

Doesn't look good Bob. No HDMI out is what mine was doing just before RMA. I couldn't get a blip out of mine after the no HDMI. Tried a bunch of different HDMI cables, and all the ports on the TV. Maybe someone else has discovered a new technique. On the upside, my other one is working great.

Thanks Crash, My First one is working great too. I watched about 10 hours of football on it yesterday and it's solid as a rock. I'm wondering if it had anything to do with me waiting a week and a half before I installed this one. The first one said hello, downloaded the most recent version and away I went. I know that there was at least one update maybe 2 from that date, maybe it was too much of a jump. I dunno... after the first one I thought the 2nd would be cake. We'll see what the next steps..I'm willing to try anything if Ceton sends new instructions out. Maybe they're better off taking our not working ones back to the lab and figure it out there...either way they seem to be working their asses off.

Frank, that's the only bad thing about being here in the east coast. Newegg and Amazon get me things in a Day... I'm not sure how long the RMA will take me since I am on another coast.... Anyway, best of luck!

Bob

edited for Franks additional post...

[Crash2009]

I doubt it had anything to do with waiting. If it turns out to be a dud, it was likely like that from the beginning. Duds are disappointing but inevitable with any product. This year I sent back 3 hardrives, 1 motherboard, 1 video card, 2 matched pairs of ram, 1 32" Samsung TV, and a couple power supplys. Long story short, I will leave it up to your imagination how many O/S's I chewed up. It's just been one of those years.

[TeddyR]

I doubt it had anything to do with waiting. If it turns out to be a dud, it was likely like that from the beginning. Duds are disappointing but inevitable with any product. This year I sent back 3 hardrives, 1 motherboard, 1 video card, 2 matched pairs of ram, 1 32" Samsung TV, and a couple power supplys. Long story short, I will leave it up to your imagination how many O/S's I chewed up. It's just been one of those years.

Yup.... I also get the feeling that todays hardware is not as robust as it used to be.... alot more "duds" get into the pipeline than in the past from many manufacturers... It may be cheaper to "just deal with the RMAs" than to have fuller and stricter quality control checks...

[Crash2009]

Motz,

Is there a document somewhere that explains what those red indicator lights represent?

How many red lights are there?
What does progressive 1,2,3 represent?
What does all lit represent?
How about every other one lit?
Are there any other scenario's?

[Bill]

Any ideas/fixes out there for the echo freezing 2mins after use? My first 2 echos are out for RMA already, and the 3rd one almost worked a whole day. How am i murdering these things?

[Motz]

Motz,

Is there a document somewhere that explains what those red indicator lights represent?

How many red lights are there?
What does progressive 1,2,3 represent?
What does all lit represent?
How about every other one lit?
Are there any other scenario's?

I will find out specifics tomorrow. I am pretty sure it is multiple states of auto recovery. With all three meaning it is recovering. I will get details though

[radams]

Any ideas/fixes out there for the echo freezing 2mins after use? My first 2 echos are out for RMA already, and the 3rd one almost worked a whole day. How am i murdering these things?

i'm still having the same problem...i've tried the echo on 3 different HTPC's and the freezing happens on all of them. it seems like most people's problems haven't been attributed to the echo hardware, so i'm wondering what exactly could be happening on my end to screw everything up.

[Bill]

Motz, any plans for allowing firmware updates from the users computer? In my case, updating the firmware might cure my issues. As it is right now, we RMA them, you update them(in some cases), and you ship them back to us. Possibly do it via the http interface of the echo similar to a router upgrade?

[Motz]

So for the red light on the echo. All they are for is saying there is an issue and that it is in recovery mode. Each of them are different stages and different attempts of the recovery process.

@Bill There could be different things going on and actually having to plug into a PC would probably make it a bit harder for the firmware to update, it usually only takes a minute or two right now. I think the latest firmware in beta right now fixes a bunch of issues and also some updating stuff as well. You can use the recovery tool though which will put the factory image back on. Once the current firmware is released to stable using the recovery tool will have the latest image on it, which might fix up some issues.

@radams have you tried the latest beta firmware?

[Crash2009]

So for the red light on the echo. All they are for is saying there is an issue and that it is in recovery mode. Each of them are different stages and different attempts of the recovery process.

Oh, it's a secret huh?

[kendrome]

Here is what I've gathered about the differing red lights.

There are a total of 6 lights

All 6 - Initiated recovery mode via remote command "73268379"
1 3 5 - Initiated image recovery mode via remote command "2065489548" (Used with a computer to update the firmware and debrick an echo)
All Lights cycling like a cylon - The echo has had the recovery image loaded and is now going through 10 recovery steps
1 - Step one of self recovery mode (This starts if the echo is messed up and when it first reboots after turning on, it'll continue to reboot through the next two steps)
1 2 - Step two of self recovery mode
1 2 3 - Step three of self recovery mode (as far as I know it doesn't go beyond this)

Oh and I thought one of my echo's was totally dead, after trying to use the restore image function, it wouldn't continue on to the connecting to ceton screen and the 10 steps, instead it'd just stay with lights 1 3 and 5 lit up and a black screen. I turned it off with the remote, then back on, after letting it sit for a bit I noticed it when through the three steps of the recovery reboot cycle where one more light shows up each time, after leaving it on with 1 2 and 3 lit up for a bit. I tried the image recovery again and this time it worked!

[Crash2009]

Thanks Kendrome.

[jkeller34]

On my second Echo -- seems like everyone else has had a least two Echos. Got the recovery tool but couldn't even get the image loaded. Waiting now for another RMA. I think I"m less patient than the rest of you and will request a full refund then check the forums in six months or so to see if Ceton has a more stable product. In the mean time, I'm quite happy with Plex on my HTPC server and a Roku as a client connected to my TV. Though I can't get Live TV, at least I can watch movies using a stable product and without any transcoding errors and of course without annoying red lights on the front

Ticket ID: OTN-169-20556

[Brian_A]

Has anyone actually recovered their echo that we know of?

I want to thank Ceton support for helping me resolve my problem over Christmas day. It required a string of e-mails but I have successfully recovered one of my "new-out-of-the-box" Echo units. The recovery process was as described elsewhere in this thread. I had no luck with the basic recovery (73268379) steps. However, the Ceton Echo recovery tool (2065489548) steps worked like a charm. As previously noted this process will not work until Ceton as the MAC ID of the device and authorizes the device to receive the recovery image / firmware download. It is unfortunate that the buggy product was shipped to so many early adopters.