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Notes how to patch the Reciva radios (Tangent Quattro etc.) to work without Reciva

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Patching the Tangent Quattro Reciva radio

Notes how to patch the Reciva radios (Tangent Quattro etc.) to have internet radio access now after the Reciva was shut down. Also some own notes how to do stuff with it.

image

No more 17 000 stations...

UPDATE 12.02.2022

Updated mention and links to newer versions.

What we can get

image

---- NOTE ----

There is always a chance something goes wrong. I take no responsibility.

However, I have done this to two Tangent Quattros without any problems.

Table of contents

Why?

I was googling around to buy Tangent Quattro radio for myself, as my parents' already had it. It's quite old, however quite a nice way to listen to some smooth jazz during breakfast.

However, I found out that Reciva was going to close down and all those radios will stop working.

The Reciva Internet radio station aggregator is closing down.

The Recive was a service that aggregates internet radio stations, there was over 17k of radio channels to select from.

I managed to install Sharpfin and some plugins to the radio. After that, it's possible to change presets (1...6) by using web browser. It's also possible to add own station lists.

Hacking

I also tried to decompile (read: waste my spare time) and look around in the radio, as it's Linux based. I found out that there are some TEST MODE stuff with fake station list. However havent got any further yet. Some discussion here: http://iradioforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=2968.0

Step 1 - Installing Sharpfin (patching the radio)

The radio is configured to connect to our PC instead of Reciva server when updating firmware.

Please download this repository as zip or clone to your PC to access required files.

IP configuration

  1. Connect the radio to the same LAN or WLAN network that your computer is connected.

  2. Find out the IP address of your PC

    • Windows: Hit Windows+R on keyboard, write cmd and write ipconfig /all
    • My computer IP was 192.168.5.16 (used later)

  3. Open network configuration in Radio

    • Menu -> Configure -> Network Config -> Edit Config

  4. Edit network settings

    • Disable DHCP

      image

    • IP Address

      • Enter any valid IP from your network
      • In this example, PC was 192.168.5.16 and radio will be 192.168.5.25

      image

    • Netmask

      • Same as you can see in ipconfig
      • Usually 255.255.255.0

      image

    • Gateway

      • Same as you can see in ipconfig (usually your router IP)
      • In this example 192.168.5.1

      image

    • DNS server (1)

      • Enter your PC IP
      • In this example 192.168.5.16

      image

    • Enter DNS #2?

      • NO

Firmware update / patching

  1. Open files/RecivaServer/server.exe as Administrator

  2. Enter following settings

    • Patch file
      • ONLY for IPdio or IPdio Mini radios:
        • files\RecivaServer\patches\sharpfin-base_0.3_IPdio.patch
        • Deletes other languages than english and german from radio to get enough space (See issue #2)
        • Thank you ymienert, Trashwarez and all others for contribution!
      • For all other radios (Tangent Quattro etc.):
        • files\RecivaServer\patches\sharpfin-base_0.3.patch
    • DNS server
      • 8.8.8.8 (Google)
      • ---------------> Note: The textbox is empty at start (it only has a placeholder 8.8.8.8) <---------------
    • Own IP
      • Your PC IP used in previous steps
      • In this example 192.168.5.16
    • Full DNS redirect NEW 22.09.2021
      • Check this checkbox!!

image

  1. Press Start button > The server starts listening
gui: trying to determine IP.
dns: server is running...
gui: servers started...

NOTE: It seems that after this, you probably need to press the UPDATE button at RecivaServer. Click it just in case. See issue: #2 (comment)

  1. IMPORTANT (22.09.2021 update): Take radio power cable out and back in so that radio restarts totally. After startup, press back if you see reciva gatetway error. Then continue. This needs to be done!

  2. In radio, navigate to

    • Menu -> Configure -> Upgrade Firmware

  3. The Reciva Patcher should display some info in log similar to

dns: query for p1.h1.uk.reciva.com
dns: query for p1.h1.uk.reciva.com
dns: query for www.reciva.com
dns: query for u1.ext.h2.west.us.reciva.com
dns: redirected to local http server.
http: got request.
server: patch info requested.
dns: query for p1.h1.uk.reciva.com
dns: query for 17.5.168.192.in-addr.arpa
dns: query for 17.5.168.192.in-addr.arpa
  1. Answer YES to confirmation.

image

  1. The radio should now begin to do a firmware update
    • NOTE: Sometimes the first firmware upgrade does nothing (the radio only reboots). Just do it again, until the following stuff happens:

patching

Tangent Quattro screen when (successful) patching ongoing

image

Reciva Pather log when patching

  1. After update the radio will reboot automatically.

  2. Change radio IP settings back to normal, so the internet connection works

    • Probably/usually just Auto (DHCP) to YES

  3. Check your radios new IP address by navigating to

    • Menu -> Configure -> Network Config -> View Config -> IP Address
    • In this example it's 192.168.5.13

    image

  4. Open web browser and navigate to your radio IP. You should see Sharpfin frontpage

image

Updating the Sharpfin to 2.0

  1. Go Admin Home -> Install addon at the web browser

  2. Enter one of the following URL to the text box (if first doesnt work, try to second)

image

  1. Press Download Install Script and then Click Here to Do the Install at the end of the page

  2. Sharpfin will be updated, status should be shown on the radio screen. The radio will reboot.

  3. Refresh the web page. It should be updated to newer version.

image

Installing Sharpfin streaming media server by David at megapico.co.uk

More info at http://www.megapico.co.uk/sharpfin/mediaserver.html

  1. Navigate to ADMINhome -> Install Addon

  2. Enter one of the following URL to the text box (if first doesnt work, try to second)

  1. Press Download Install Script and then Click Here to Do the Install at the end of the page

  2. Done. See more info about this at http://www.megapico.co.uk/sharpfin/mediaserver.html

Managing presets

Now that the radio has Sharpfin installed, you can listen to internet radios by editing presets using web browser.

Adding a new preset to empty slot

  1. Navigate to your radio using web browser

  2. Press Store under presets

image

  1. Enter settings and press store (see https://github.com/jisotalo/reciva-radio-stations-sqlite for stations)

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  1. Reboot radio

  2. After radio has started, press button 1 -> Swiss Jazz starts playing.

Updating an existing preset

  1. Navigate to your radio using web browser

  2. Press Manage under presets

image

  1. Press 1-20

  2. Press edit (pen) button under preset you want to modify.

  3. Edit settings and press Store.

  4. Reboot radio

Telnet connection

After installing Sharpfin, you can connect to the radio using telnet.

  • IP: Radio IP
  • Port: 23
  • Username: admin
  • Password: admin

image

Disabling radio write protect

Using telnet, you can modify any files you want. However, the radio has a write protect that restores everything after reboot.

You can disable the write protect, do changes and then enable it again.

The following is from https://www.sharpfin.org/index.php/Config.txt_File

  • Log into the radio using telnet (user & password = admin)
  • Issue the command mount / -orw,remount to unprotect the partition
  • Do whatever you like
  • Write protect the drive with sync;mount / -oro,remount
  • Reboot the radio

Editing configuration

Use with your own risk. See https://www.sharpfin.org/index.php/Config.txt_File

  • Log into the radio using telnet (user & password = admin)
  • Look in(chdir /root/hwconfig/) /root or /root/hwconfig, depending on the current firmware version of your radio
  • Find your configxxxx.txt file (The xxxx is the Hardware Id, which you can find in Configure / Version)
  • Look in it and others in the same directory to work out what modifications you wish to make (such as enabling alarms)
  • Issue the command mount / -orw,remount to unprotect the partition
  • Edit the configxxxx.txt file with vi configxxxx.txt
  • i to enter Insert mode
  • Double Check your edits
  • Now treble check them!
  • Hit to leave Insert Mode and enter Command mode
  • :w<ENTER> To write current file (if you are sure and wish to save it)
  • :q!<ENTER> To exit vi
  • Write protect the drive with sync;mount / -oro,remount (or if you get error, without sync is then OK: mount / -oro,remount)
  • Reboot the radio

Useful configs for Tangent Quattro

Might not work to other models and cause bricking..

Source for most of these: http://iradioforum.net/forum/index.php?topic=2115

Config file

/root/hwconfig/config931.txt

Keep wifi powered when radio is in standby

Faster connect when waking the radio up + fixed some random wifi problems for me. Add a menu under network configuration.

Option:
wifi-standby-power-menu
on

Increase preset number

At least 12 presets seem to work

Option:
max-presets
40

Show presets under menu->stations

Possible to use presets 7..12. Probably not working anymore as reciva is down.

Option:
presets-as-menu-items
on

When entering text, pressing reply accepts the text

Same as END selection at "keyboard"

Option:
reply-button-exits-spinner
on

Links

Just some links I have saved

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Notes how to patch the Reciva radios (Tangent Quattro etc.) to work without Reciva

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radio internet-radio tangent quattro reciva tangent-quattro

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