1 Read EMTEC manual
Emtec provides a quite good documentation on how to re-install and/or upgrade the firmware. We'll not repeat that here, just in short, extract the binaries to an USB sticks (with FAT filesystem) root directory, unpower the cube, attache USB stick, press and hold standby-key while attaching cube to power. Release standby-key after about 5 seconds. Cube will boot and install/upgrade the firmware.
Note: If not choosing the upgrade option, all disk content (like recordings) will be deleted in any case. Even with the upgrade option that might happen (maybe with changed disk sizes for example), so backup data before!
2 Exchange boot logo
The boot logo is defined by file logo_pal.bmp . It can be easily exchanged with another picture, but has to have the same resolution and only four different colors. If not following this, Cube firmware installation might fail and/or Cube will not start afterwards. However this can be fixed by reinstalling a correct version of the firmware.
3 Change partition sizes
3.1 Details and original setup
3.1.1 Original setup
Partition sizes as well as install/upgrade option are listed in file part.txt .
Original file content of part.txt on Emtec R-700 firmware package is:
udf:res
ext3:512
ext3(2):150
swap:256
udf2:12288
fat32:30%
ntfs:30%
volume1:MULTIMEDIA1
volume2:MULTIMEDIA2
option:install
3.1.2 Details
The configfile seams to mean:
Line 1: the first partition is UDF and uses all remaining diskspace. It is the recording partition
Line 2: ext3 partition, space for firmware (later the root directory on OS level), shouldn't be changed
Line 3: ext3 partition, probably the location of the 'DVDPLAYER' software
Line 4: The linux swap space, shouldn't be decreased
Line 5: UDF partition used for time shifting
Line 6: The FAT32 filesystem with percentage of total diskspace used
Line 7: The NTFS filesystem with percentage of total diskspace used
Line 8/9: Just a name for the FAT & NTFS partition, which is shown if you connect the Cube to Windows via USB
Lne 10: Install or upgrade option
3.1.3 Considerations
The box is based on Linux, means it can read NTFS partitions, but not write to them. This means that the NTFS part is only accessible read-write if connecting the Cube to a Windows PC via USB. It will not be writable via the network (e.g. FTP/Samba), only readable.
On the other hand, FAT32 cannot store files bigger than 4 GB. Means if any big files, e.g. ISO images should be stored, NTFS is the only chance.
Recording and timeshifting partition requirements depend on your usage of the Cube….
Further one might increase the swap and root filesystem, depending on the activity planned with the box ;)
3.2 Adaptions
Based on the 500 GB disk in my cube, I redistributed the space a bit;
Increased swap from 256 to 384 MB.
I reduced the NTFS disk to 10 % only (about 50 GB), to be able to have few big files, but usually will not have those. Consequently I've increased the FAT32, to 70 %, which is about 350 GB.
Timeshifting size set to ~ 12 GB, means ~ 3 hours 45 minutes timeshifting is possible.
Remaining space put on the recording partition: About 90 GB, which gives ~ 35 hours on SP mode (~16 HQ, 35 SP, 50 LP, 64 EP, 100 SLP)
udf:res
ext3:512
ext3(2):150
swap:384
udf2:12288
fat32:70%
ntfs:10%
volume1:NAS-FAT32
volume2:NAS-NTFS
option:install
4 Apply new settings by firmware upload
Power off, disconnect power, attach USB stick, press and hold standby button, plug in power, after 6 sec
release the power button.
Firmware will install, on completion MC will go to standby.
Tip: DO NOT INTERRUPT AT ANY TIME
