Q+ TV Box Scam? - or just Unreasonably Suspicious!

[riclin]

I have previously posted regarding an issue where a Turewell (OTT) Q+ TV Box specced at 4/32GB reports 2/16GB after a firmware reflash. I have been unable to get a response from either the seller or from Turewell. At the expense of being unreasonably cynical, is it possible - or even likely - that the box has always been fitted with 2/16GB but the firmware had been modded by the manufacturer or seller to report double that amount? - and that as a result I've been scammed? (I do recall that I both RAM and Storage looked kinda "wrong" before the flash, but I didn't pay it too much heed at the time).

Or am I just being Unreasonably Suspicious?

 

[Nigelar]

Hard to say. Maybe buy your next box from Droix (this is their user forum) and you can be assured of their support and that of the Droid user community.

 

[riclin]

Fair comment. Must confess that I'd not registered that these forums were facilitated as a support to a commercial organization's customers so apols if I have been seen to be taking advantage. Prob best if I back right out.

 

[Nigelar]

No problem mate. Answering general questions (if i can) costs nothing. Just a bit harder with unfamiliar brands. So continue to ask away. Someone may have had a similar problem.

 

[Nigelar]

The other thing is that these boxes are sold with either 16 or 32gb. They may have sold you a 16gb model (when you thought you had bought a 32gb one). Maybe did not become apparent until you reflashed.

 

[Steve Rand]

The other thing is that these boxes are sold with either 16 or 32gb. They may have sold you a 16gb model (when you thought you had bought a 32gb one). Maybe did not become apparent until you reflashed.

I had the same experience and also thought about your suggestion. I did not check RAM and storage first, although the box that it came in had the correct specifications on it.
Can anyone confirm whether the firmware allows for detection of RAM? The storage would depend on the partitioning, which I believe the recovery does, so I put it down to the wrong firmware initially.
I have had two Android boxes before this one, and choosing the firmware that matched the ram and rom was critical.

 

[riclin]

I checked h/w - the RAM markings initially were inconclusive but the FBGA code of D9PSC printed on the RAM chips cross-references to a MT41K512M4DA-125 which as far as I can determine is a 2G chip. There are 8 of these chips (4 top & 4 bottom) so 8 * 2G = 16GB when I went to school. Not 32GB! Unless I'm missing something, it seems that these Q+ boxes are either a scam from the factory, or more probably somebody is buying the 2G/16G boxes and burning on bogus firmware so that they appear to have more RAM & Storage than they actually have. Only when the genuine factory firmware is reinstalled does the device then report its actual capacity.

So it seems that I wasn't being Unreasonably Suspicious at all!! Caveat Emptor colleagues!

 

[riclin]

OK - having cracked the box I investigated further regarding the hardware, and contrary to my comment above, it does seem that the hardware is correct and that is is 4G/32G as advertised (apols for the unreasonable suspicion

). Instead, the problem seems to be caused by u-boot passing incorrect parameters to the kernel at boot. I sense that I'm running out of knowledge here - is anyone in a position to steer me to a solution on this?

Cheers,

 

[deanobravo]

OK - having cracked the box I investigated further regarding the hardware, and contrary to my comment above, it does seem that the hardware is correct and that is is 4G/32G as advertised (apols for the unreasonable suspicion

). Instead, the problem seems to be caused by u-boot passing incorrect parameters to the kernel at boot. I sense that I'm running out of knowledge here - is anyone in a position to steer me to a solution on this?

Cheers,

Hi' i own this box but i do have the 2GB/16GB model' have you tried to flash the box via male to male usb cable through Phoenix usb pro or Phoenix suite rather than the SD card method as i think that maybe your problem right there' this option is probably best as it completely wipes the nand and flashes the new .img/image.

 

[heinzbean]

I own one of these boxes a supposed 4g/64g model .It was crashing my modem/router everytime i started the box. I had just got new broadband at the same time as the box so thought it was some kind of networking clash. once you forced it online it ran ok . One thing i did notice via ethernet it lost about 30% of the broadband speed . At first i was holding the remote control button down until the lights were coming on the box . I thought this was the cause. 1 quick click and it seemed ok. This box was advertised as 4g/64g and had a label on the box 4g/64g. Anyhow this box crashed the modem/router once again . So i opened the box up and on the mother board label Q+ 4-32G KR819 8 D3 vcx20200429093 05 11 HLSQ-2.1.1.6 cv300 20200110 .There is discolouration around the ethernet port on the back of the board. I am investegating the board trying to read all the chips.
I had reset the box . reflashed the box using phoenix car and the H6Q+2.1.1.6 software. all in all got a lot of experience of these crappy chinese devices. No more rubbish of Ebay for me.