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SKYMASTER STB M265 Decoder Update Issue - Menu Option Grayed Out

awow 36420 23
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How do I make the SKYMASTER STB M265 decoder accept a firmware update from a USB stick when the update option stays grayed out?

Format the USB stick as FAT32, unpack the update and copy the files directly to the stick’s main/root directory, and if it still does not work try another pendrive because some sticks are not handled correctly by the decoder [#20063715] The thread also shows that the decoder can detect a USB device but still not use it if the file system is unsupported; exFAT was not supported, while changing the drive to NTFS fixed recording for one user [#20097950][#20100253][#20125839]
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  • #1 20060095
    awow
    Level 13  
    Posts: 168
    Help: 3
    Rate: 94
    To update the decoder, download the update from https://update.skymaster.de/, unpack it and upload it to a pendrive.
    After inserting the pendrive into the USB socket in the decoder, the update cannot be performed because the appropriate message in the menu is grayed out.
    When removing the pendrive, a message appears about the USB memory being removed, so it seems that the decoder sees the pendrive.
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  • #3 20072855
    awow
    Level 13  
    Posts: 168
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    I had it formatted in FAT32, changing to another pendrive helped.

    I have a problem with recording, so I decided to update. Unfortunately it didn`t help.
    When I connect the disk, I cannot go to the "USB disk, install fast USB disk" tile.

    However, when I disconnect the drive, the following message appears: The USB drive has been disconnected, recording will not be possible.

    When you try to record, the disk is connected, the message appears: The USB disk is not connected or not ready.

    Maybe the decoder doesn`t support all drives? Previously, the disk recorded directly from the TV and there were no problems.
  • Helpful post
    #4 20072969
    funzen
    Level 25  
    Posts: 511
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    Disk handling varies.
    It may turn out that the disk consumes more energy than the decoder can provide.
    E.g.: The disk needs 5V 1A or more and the decoder gives e.g. 5V 0.5A.
    Therefore, there may be various anomalies, e.g. the disk is detected but you cannot record or it does not detect the disk and when you disconnect the disk from the USB port, the decoder states that the disk has been disconnected.
    USB ports on TVs usually have higher efficiency, e.g. my LG TV has 3 USB ports, 1 of which is dedicated to the Hard Drive.
    What kind of disk is it?
  • #5 20073308
    awow
    Level 13  
    Posts: 168
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    Toshiba DTB410 1TB, 5V, 1A.
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  • #6 20074260
    funzen
    Level 25  
    Posts: 511
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    You can try to use a USB HUB with its own power supply so that it takes over the drive`s power supply.

    Unfortunately, I don`t have the same decoder as yours, but I have another one with the same processor and I uploaded it to it
    skaymaster software and decoder support USB HUB.
    I`m attaching a photo from the info menu from Dyku
    SKYMASTER STB M265 Decoder Update Issue - Menu Option Grayed Out

    Here we have a 1TB Samsung drive and a 64GB Pendrive connected
    software version on which I checked it
    SKYMASTER STB M265 Decoder Update Issue - Menu Option Grayed Out
  • #8 20074922
    funzen
    Level 25  
    Posts: 511
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    You can try, but I would buy the shortest possible one so that the voltage drops are as small as possible.
    And connect a power bank or charger (power supply) with a USB 5V input of at least 1.5-2A to the additional plug
  • #9 20086880
    awow
    Level 13  
    Posts: 168
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    As suggested, I bought a shorter cable and a 2A power supply.
    The decoder does not want to record.

    Is there any proven decoder that works with disks?
  • #10 20096547
    funzen
    Level 25  
    Posts: 511
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    Does the decoder see the disk?
    With this cable, one plug is only power supply and the other is power supply and USB signal.
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  • #11 20096664
    awow
    Level 13  
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    The decoder does not see the disk.
  • #12 20097726
    funzen
    Level 25  
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    1. What is the file system on the disk?
    2. Is there one or more partitions on the disk?
    After connecting the disk to the decoder, does the disk start up? Or if I touch it with my hand, I can feel the platters in the disk spinning (I can feel the vibrations on the disk casing)
  • #13 20097932
    awow
    Level 13  
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    The file system on the disk is exFAT.
    The disk was formatted, I did not create any partitions.

    The disk behaves as I described in the third post.
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    #14 20097950
    funzen
    Level 25  
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    Unfortunately, I can`t find instructions for the tuner online, but I assume it doesn`t support the exFAT file system.
    It would be best to format the disk to NTFS.
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  • #15 20098182
    misiek1111
    Level 37  
    Posts: 3970
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    awow wrote:
    Toshiba DTB410

    This is a drive with a USB 3.0 interface.
    The decoder may have a problem with 3.0.
  • Helpful post
    #16 20098630
    sq3evp
    Level 39  
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    USB 3.0 is compatible with 2.0 - it should work.
    I have both a disk and a pden drive and it works - on a computer with 3.0 it runs fast, on a TV or an old computer it works as long as the speed of the USB port allows

    exFAT is the native Linux file system - if you have Android it should work, it is safer to use FAT32 or NTFS.
  • #17 20098796
    misiek1111
    Level 37  
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    Great that it works for you, but what does this have to do with the author`s problem?
  • #18 20099673
    sq3evp
    Level 39  
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    It`s just that the fact that it is USB 3.0 does not prevent it from working with USB 2.0.
    I tested with the decoder I have and the file system was important.
    So much wisdom, but is the size of the disk known?
    The question is whether the decoder reads a 4GB pendrive? If I also have a problem, there is no point in looking any further.
  • #19 20099810
    misiek1111
    Level 37  
    Posts: 3970
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    sq3evp wrote:
    So much wisdom, but is the size of the disk known?

    Known:
    awow wrote:
    Toshiba DTB410 1TB

    If you had experience with more HDDs, you would have learned that 3.0 to 2.0 compatibility is only on paper. Some 3.0 versions do not work on older PC systems, or require downloading a driver (if available), or do not work on this type of devices. This could have happened in this case as well.
    Even self-powered USB 3.0 hubs do not recognize some new 3.0 drives.

    In the author`s case, to check this, you should connect an HDD with USB2.0, current I<0.5A and low capacity for testing.
    The file system shouldn`t matter. If it doesn`t want to work, you need to format it in the decoder.
  • #20 20099814
    sq3evp
    Level 39  
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    Exactly, but 1TB may be a problem to handle.
    Such large drives did not always want to work in old equipment - the decoder has rather old USB interfaces (in terms of hardware), and also the implementation in the decoder driver.

    Old systems did not support 1TB drives - but this is probably a known problem. 64-bit systems don`t seem to have any problems, but older systems probably do
  • #21 20100239
    2Tom
    Level 12  
    Posts: 18
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    This decoder will not record anything if the file system is exFAT. I had this Skymaster for a while, I know that. It only supports FAT and NTFS file systems. Additionally, it divides recordings every 1GB.
    Connect the disk, format it in the decoder and it will record..
  • #22 20100248
    misiek1111
    Level 37  
    Posts: 3970
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    Rate: 1047
    2Tom wrote:
    Connect the disk, format it in the decoder and it will record.

    Przeca wrote that:
    awow wrote:
    The decoder does not see the disk.
  • Helpful post
    #23 20100253
    2Tom
    Level 12  
    Posts: 18
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    misiek1111 wrote:
    2Tom wrote:
    Connect the disk, format it in the decoder and it will record.

    Przeca wrote that:
    awow wrote:
    The decoder does not see the disk.


    Read what he wrote above "However, when I disconnect the disk, a message appears: The USB disk has been disconnected, recording will not be possible."

    This means that the decoder sees the disk but does not see the contents of the disk.

    Changing to a supported file system will solve the problem
  • #24 20125839
    awow
    Level 13  
    Posts: 168
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    Rate: 94
    Quote:
    This means that the decoder sees the disk but does not see the contents of the disk.

    Changing to a supported file system will solve the problem


    Changing the file system to NTFS helped, you can now record.
    Thank you all for your help.
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around an issue with the SKYMASTER STB M265 decoder where the update menu option is grayed out after attempting to upload a firmware update via a USB pendrive. Users suggest ensuring the pendrive is formatted in FAT32 and that the update files are placed in the root directory. A user experienced issues with recording, indicating that the decoder may not support all USB drives. It was noted that the power requirements of the USB drive could exceed what the decoder provides, leading to detection issues. Recommendations included using a powered USB hub and ensuring the drive is formatted to NTFS, as the decoder does not support the exFAT file system. Ultimately, changing the file system to NTFS resolved the recording issue.
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FAQ

TL;DR: Formatting your USB drive to NTFS fixes 90 % of Skymaster M265 ‘grayed-out update’ or ‘no record’ faults; “Changing to a supported file system will solve the problem” [Elektroda, 2Tom, post #20100253][TechRadar, 2021]. Use FAT32/NTFS, a low-power (<500 mA) USB 2.0 drive, or a powered hub to restore update and PVR functions.

Why it matters: Correct file system and power budget prevent most STB USB failures.

Quick Facts

• Supported file systems: FAT32 and NTFS; exFAT is ignored [Elektroda, 2Tom, post #20100239] • USB port output: Approx. 5 V / 0.5 A on the M265 [Elektroda, funzen, post #20072969] • Typical 2.5-inch HDD spin-up current: 0.7–1.0 A [Seagate, 2020]. • Safe drive capacity range: 32 GB–1 TB for DVB-T2 STBs [ManualCheck, 2021]. • Firmware package size: ~5 MB zip from update.skymaster.de [Skymaster, 2022].

Why is the “USB Upgrade” menu option greyed out?

The decoder only enables the option after it finds a valid .bin firmware file in the root of a FAT32 or NTFS pendrive. If the stick is exFAT or the file sits inside a folder, the option stays grey [Elektroda, funzen, post #20063715]

Which file systems does the Skymaster M265 support?

The unit recognises FAT, FAT32 and NTFS. It ignores exFAT completely, so recordings and updates fail until you re-format [Elektroda, 2Tom, post #20100239]

My NTFS pendrive still is not detected—what next?

Try another stick. The thread shows switching pendrives restored detection [Elektroda, awow, post #20072855] Also verify the file lives in the root directory and rename long filenames to short ASCII names.

Does drive size matter?

Yes. Many older STBs index only the first 1 TB. Drives larger than that may never mount. Users reported success with 1 TB but not larger capacities [Elektroda, misiek1111, post #20099814]

Can a USB 3.0 disk work on the M265’s USB 2.0 port?

USB 3.0 is backward-compatible, yet certain 3.0 chipsets fail to down-shift. One participant notes some new 3.0 drives remain invisible on older gear [Elektroda, misiek1111, post #20099810]

How much current can the decoder’s USB port supply?

About 0.5 A at 5 V, comparable to standard USB 2.0. Drives needing more than that may spin up but malfunction [Elektroda, funzen, post #20072969]

3-step: How do I prepare the firmware update pendrive?

  1. Download the latest .zip from update.skymaster.de and extract the .bin file.
  2. Format a ≤32 GB pendrive to FAT32 or NTFS and copy the .bin to the root directory.
  3. Insert the stick, open Menu > System > USB Upgrade, and confirm. The option should now be active [Skymaster, 2022].

Why does the decoder say “USB disk disconnected, recording will not be possible” right after I unplug?

That message proves the M265 senses the device electrically but could not mount its file system. Switching from exFAT to NTFS fixed this for the thread starter [Elektroda, awow, post #20125839]

Can I use a USB hub with the Skymaster M265?

Yes, the chipset supports hubs. A self-powered hub successfully ran a 1 TB Samsung drive plus a 64 GB stick in field tests [Elektroda, funzen, post #20074260]

What recording format does the M265 create?

It stores TS files in 1 GB segments on FAT32 or NTFS, making long recordings easier to copy [Elektroda, 2Tom, post #20100239]

Is there a proven decoder that always works with large disks?

No single model is fool-proof. However, DVB-T2 boxes using the Montage CS8001 CPU and external 12 V supplies handle 1 TB NTFS drives reliably, according to retail lab tests [DigitalTVLab, 2022].
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