WARNING: AzBox Premium HD Plus counterfeit units now being sold in the North American market!

[pwrsurge]

Thank you and good info to know about peeps looking to invest in an azbox.

Thank you but I believe the edited post still needs to be approved again.


Best regards,

PwrSurge
AzBox Canada

[Costactc]

Live links leading to site forums are permitted.

[Costactc]

I didn't realise that it was still being moderated, all good now.

[iq180]

Ok, I've taken apart my AZBox, which you all know I've been running since early 2009. In this post I'm just going to post a lot of high rez pix.
If you want to comment on any of them, please give me the Pix # that I've associated with that particular image. I have at least 80 images, so that means 8 posts with 10 in each post. Here we go 1 of 8.
Pix# 1
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 2
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 3
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 4
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 5
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 6
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 7
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 8
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 9
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 10
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[iq180]

Ok, I've taken apart my AZBox, which you all know I've been running since early 2009. In this post I'm

just going to post a lot of high rez pix.
If you want to comment on any of them, please give me the Pix# that I've associated with that particular image. I have at least 80 images, so that means 8 posts with 10 in each post. Here we go 2 of 8.
Pix# 11
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 12
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 13
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 14
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 15
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 16
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 17
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 18
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 19
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 20
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[iq180]

Ok, I've taken apart my AZBox, which you all know I've been running since early 2009. In this post I'm just going to post a lot of high rez pix.
If you want to comment on any of them, please give me the Pix# that I've associated with that particular image. I have at least 80 images, so that means 8 posts with 10 in each post. Here we go 3 of 8.

Pix# 21
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 22
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 23
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 24
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 25
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 26
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 27
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 28
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[iq180]

Ok, I've taken apart my AZBox, which you all know I've been running since early 2009. In this post I'm just going to post a lot of high rez pix.
If you want to comment on any of them, please give me the Pix# that I've associated with that particular image. I have at least 80 images, so that means 8 posts with 10 in each post. Here we go 4 of 8.

Pix# 31
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 32
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 33
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 34
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 35
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 36
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 37
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 38
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 39
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Pix# 40
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[el bandido]

I think there is some good information here. IMO, the majority of what I have read in this thread is not a good idea. Let me explain why.

(1) Somebody produces a receiver which gets copied or cloned.
(2) A clone kill firmware is released to destroy the copied or cloned receivers.
(3) AzBox receivers that are copied or cloned are adversely affected, including some genuine AzBox receivers being disabled by the clone kill firmware.

The clone kill firmware is the way things were done years ago. Is this the best AzBox can do?
Why not tighten up how the firmware is distributed? The AzBox could be updated over the internet or over a satellite as other developers have done.
Why try to destroy a receiver? The anti-clone firmware could be designed to not run except in genuine or designated receivers.

Post some evidence:
All I have seen so far in this thread is one salesman saying not to buy from another salesman. I have yet to see the first clone picture posted here.
Where are ALL the pictures of the clones and where are the pictures of genuine receivers so people can compare them now?
Where is any evidence at all? Be fair and post some evidence instead of just posting a list of distributors and saying they are the bad guys!

I do not support clones, and as far as I know, I do not own any clones.
A few years ago, I had a genuine receiver with all of the correct manufacturer markings that was disabled by anti-clone firmware. How would you feel if that happened to you?

IMO, trying to destroy a piece of equipment that you did not pay for does not make any sense. This clone kill firmware may end up hurting AzBox more than it hurts the illegal receivers. Especially if the illegal receivers produce a way to recover a disabled receiver. EB

[pwrsurge]

I think there is some good information here. IMO, the majority of what I have read in this thread is not a good idea. Let me explain why.

(1) Somebody produces a receiver which gets copied or cloned.
(2) A clone kill firmware is released to destroy the copied or cloned receivers.
(3) AzBox receivers that are copied or cloned are adversely affected, including some genuine AzBox receivers being disabled by the clone kill firmware.

The clone kill firmware is the way things were done years ago. Is this the best AzBox can do?
Why not tighten up how the firmware is distributed? The AzBox could be updated over the internet or over a satellite as other developers have done.
Why try to destroy a receiver? The anti-clone firmware could be designed to not run except in genuine or designated receivers.

Post some evidence:
All I have seen so far in this thread is one salesman saying not to buy from another salesman. I have yet to see the first clone picture posted here.
Where are ALL the pictures of the clones and where are the pictures of genuine receivers so people can compare them now?
Where is any evidence at all? Be fair and post some evidence instead of just posting a list of distributors and saying they are the bad guys!

I do not support clones, and as far as I know, I do not own any clones.
A few years ago, I had a genuine receiver with all of the correct manufacturer markings that was disabled by anti-clone firmware. How would you feel if that happened to you?

IMO, trying to destroy a piece of equipment that you did not pay for does not make any sense. This clone kill firmware may end up hurting AzBox more than it hurts the illegal receivers. Especially if the illegal receivers produce a way to recover a disabled receiver. EB

We perfectly understand everyone's concerns about potentially impacting genuine AzBox units as well which is why new firmware updates will only disable clones if they can be identified 100% via software. At this moment, we are still analysing a counterfeit unit internally and if we are unable to find a 100% accurate way of identifying it via software, we will simply display an alert message to the user and prevent certain components from being used instead.

Distributing the firmware via a secure site won't do much as someone will eventually upload the firmware on one of those free file sharing websites if they are forced to create an account before being able to download the update. Having online only updates also is not an option as not everyone has their box connected to the Internet or even have Internet access where the receiver is being used.

Please note that AzBox Canada is the exclusive authorised distributor of AzBox products for the Canadian market and does NOT sell directly to the consumer but via its authorised dealers. We decided not to release a public document outlining all the differences between the Premium HD Plus clone v.s. authentic units like OpenSat did in the past with the Premium HD (non-plus) clones because it would allow the company importing these clones to get their Chinese factory to fix the identified differences and make it harder to identify these in the future. However, we do fully outline all these differences in a customised detailed analysis report for each person who was a victim in purchasing one of these counterfeit units once they contact us.

Regardless, we do understand that some people want to see evidence or are simply curious so we will post the most obvious difference between an AzBox Premium HD Plus authentic unit and a clone which is the layout of the ventilation holes on the top cover above the tuner cards.


Counterfeit unit --------------- Reference authentic unit


Counterfeit unit --------------- Reference authentic unit

As you can see with these images, the clone unit clearly has differences with the layout of ventilation holes on the top cover
above the tuners. The reference authentic unit on the right only has two parallel columns of 16 holes each while the clone unit on the left has three parallel columns, the first one with 16 holes and the last two with only 6 holes each.



Best regards,

PwrSurge
AzBox Canada

[ViP3R]

We perfectly understand everyone's concerns about potentially impacting genuine AzBox units as well which is why new firmware updates will only disable clones if they can be identified 100% via software. At this moment, we are still analysing a counterfeit unit internally and if we are unable to find a 100% accurate way of identifying it via software, we will simply display an alert message to the user and prevent certain components from being used instead.

Distributing the firmware via a secure site won't do much as someone will eventually upload the firmware on one of those free file sharing websites if they are forced to create an account before being able to download the update. Having online only updates also is not an option as not everyone has their box connected to the Internet or even have Internet access where the receiver is being used.

Please note that AzBox Canada is the exclusive authorised distributor of AzBox products for the Canadian market and does NOT sell directly to the consumer but via its authorised dealers. We decided not to release a public document outlining all the differences between the Premium HD Plus clone v.s. authentic units like OpenSat did in the past with the Premium HD (non-plus) clones because it would allow the company importing these clones to get their Chinese factory to fix the identified differences and make it harder to identify these in the future. However, we do fully outline all these differences in a customised detailed analysis report for each person who was a victim in purchasing one of these counterfeit units once they contact us.

Regardless, we do understand that some people want to see evidence or are simply curious so we will post the most obvious difference between an AzBox Premium HD Plus authentic unit and a clone which is the layout of the ventilation holes on the top cover above the tuner cards.


Counterfeit unit --------------- Reference authentic unit


Counterfeit unit --------------- Reference authentic unit

As you can see with these images, the clone unit clearly has differences with the layout of ventilation holes on the top cover
above the tuners. The reference authentic unit on the right only has two parallel columns of 16 holes each while the clone unit on the left has three parallel columns, the first one with 16 holes and the last two with only 6 holes each.



Best regards,

PwrSurge
AzBox Canada

I don't see any proof of clones here apart from some holes in a case for ventilation, and you have accused some web stores in this thread with zero proof that they are selling clones.

We at Legit do not condone clones to be clear.

In saying that, since you have stated the next firmware will possibly contain a kill code or message..

I would advise all Azbox owners to stay with their current firmware...Simply do Not update...as the new firmware will NOT fix any issues of your box...but perhaps harm or KILL the box you payed hard earned money for.