Iptv set-top box mag 245 250 micro. Connecting and setting up the MAG250 Micro IPTV set-top box

The Ukrainian company Infomir produces one of the most popular and in-demand IPTV set-top boxes on the market - MAG250. Extensive functionality of the device, good technical characteristics, compatibility with many systems and an attractive appearance are the features of the console, thanks to which it has gained considerable popularity.

Equipment

The IPTV set-top box MAG 250 is supplied in bright original packaging with color printing and logos and markings of standards and services printed on the surface, as well as a factory sticker with the serial number, barcode and MAC address of the Ethernet interface.

Inside the package itself there is a console and accessories for it. All parts are placed in special compartments, which eliminates the possibility of damage during transportation.

The MAG 250 TV set-top box includes:

• remote control;
• prefix;
• power unit;
• batteries for the remote control;
• A/V cable;
• operating instructions.

The disadvantage of the set-top box is the lack of an HDMI cable - to connect the device to modern TVs you cannot do without it. However, you can turn a blind eye to this, since the cost of such a cable is low and it can be purchased separately.

Appearance

Modern models of electronic devices tend to be compact and small in size, which is especially noticeable in the case of the MAG 250 Micro. The first thing that catches your eye is the small size of the console: 125x86x28 mm, the corresponding weight is 156 grams.

The body of the MAG 250 console is rectangular, made of high-quality black plastic. Some elements are matte, some are glossy. The build quality is excellent - there are no defects, creaks, gaps, nothing loosens during operation.

Interface and connectors

On the front panel of the set-top box there is a USB connector, an infrared receiver for the remote control and an LED indicator, covered with translucent plastic.

On the matte part of the top cover of the device there is a glossy inscription MAG 250. Ventilation slots, as well as a label with the serial number, model and MAC address of the device, are located on the bottom surface of the set-top box. There are also legs and holes for mounting on vertical surfaces. At the bottom there is another sticker with the inscription Made in Ukraine and a holographic warranty sticker, behind which one of the screws is hidden.

The main connectors are located on the rear panel of the MAG 250 Micro. From right to left there is a power connector, A/V output, S/PDIF connector, HDMI connector, Rj-45 Ethernet port, connector for an external infrared receiver and an additional USB port.

The set-top box has a rather attractive and original design, and its compact dimensions allow it to be hidden behind the TV.

Remote Control

A well-thought-out remote control for the MAG console that fits comfortably in the hand can easily be called an advantage of the device. The design is classic rectangular, without ergonomic frills or frills, which, according to consumer reviews, is quite convenient to use.

The layout of the buttons on the remote control is standard for most receivers, set-top boxes and media players, so you can get used to the MAG 250 remote control almost immediately.

A distinctive feature of the remote control is its ability to learn. The TV is controlled using the button block located in the upper right corner. Using the original paragraph, these keys are “learned”: you can rewrite any audio system or TV control commands on them, regardless of how they are labeled on the remote control itself.

Pressing any key is accompanied by a characteristic “click” and the activation of green indicators when controlling the MAG 250 set-top box and red indicators when controlling the TV.

The power supply for the control panel is two AA batteries supplied with the console.

Specifications

The MAG 250 Micro has good specifications:

Despite the fact that the technical characteristics of the set-top box are far from ideal, they are quite sufficient to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of many online and web services and playback of video files of any format.

Many users note in their reviews that for its price, the MAG 250 fully meets all the requirements for similar TV set-top boxes.

Software

All MAG 250 firmware is based on Linux 2.6.23, which serves as the basis for the rest of the set-top box software. Any user with the necessary knowledge can create the necessary programs and interface. There are detailed instructions on the manufacturer's official website. Thanks to this feature, IPTV providers can create entire services and their own platforms. Ordinary users who bought the MAG 250 console can do the same.

You can download the official software for the set-top box from the manufacturer’s website. The MAG 250 firmware can also be updated via the Internet. The developer quite often releases new versions of the software with changes and additions.

Both official and unofficial software can be installed in several ways - via BIOS or from a USB drive, via Multicast or the Internet. The update can be performed either automatically or manually by the user.

The main feature of the MAG 250 set-top boxes is the variety of functionality: all options depend not on the IPTV set-top box itself or its software, but on the selected provider and the content offered by it.

Basic setup

Each MAG 250 console has a fairly extensive settings menu. You can call it using the SET key on the remote control.

In the menu that opens, audio and video output settings are available, complete information about the set-top box itself, software and hardware versions is provided, software is updated and some other functions are available.

In the "Services" section you can set the addresses of the portals that will provide the main content. You can specify any third-party portals created by other users.

Network configuration

Since the functionality of the IPTV set-top box involves receiving content via the Internet, MAG has a number of network settings. You can connect the device to the network using both wireless and wired interfaces. The first is optional and requires the purchase of a Wi-Fi adapter. It can be purchased either together with the console or separately.

You can directly connect to the provider's network using the PPPoE protocol. In this case, the user has different connection options depending on the selected interface: you can limit yourself to manual configuration or start receiving settings from the DHCP server in automatic mode.

When setting up a wireless connection, you need to specify the encryption parameters and SSID of the access point.

Regardless of the chosen method, setting up the MAG 250 set-top box will not take much time: the device quickly connects to the network, after which you can start working on the Internet.

Advantages

The main advantage of the MAG 250 set-top box, which has earned it considerable popularity, is its wide functionality, which can be increased through the content offered by the selected service provider or provider.

The ability to create external and internal software is also an important advantage. The set-top box is compatible with various systems and provides a wide selection of network protocols.

For users who value appearance, the manufacturer has also taken care of the design of the device: its compact dimensions and classic appearance will not leave you indifferent. The set-top box is equipped with a remote control. According to consumer reviews, the device is easy to set up and easy to control, which is another advantage.

Flaws

The downside of the MAG 250 is that it is not the most powerful hardware. Many users note insufficient memory and the lack of a gigabit Ethernet port.

Set-top box capabilities for providers

Based on MAG 250 devices, providers can create fairly large user IP television networks.

Since the set-top box supports modern Middleware systems, each user can deploy their own portal with support for both Smart TV and IPTV set-top boxes.

When ordering a large batch of devices, the manufacturer customizes the software and appearance of the consoles. For example, the provider’s logo can be applied to the case and a unique key can be installed that will not allow the set-top box to be used in the networks of other providers.

The open source of internal software makes it possible to create your own system firmware, adding various services and functions.

Operator software mostly affects the functionality of any IPTV set-top box. Therefore, changing client hardware will not require large investments from the provider.

Subscribers can be provided with various services - TimeShift, IPTV, delayed viewing, karaoke, Internet radio, our own online cinema and many others.

A provider using the Stalker media portal can offer subscribers the following services:

• watching television channels in FullHD resolution;
• ability to record broadcasts;
• access to TV program;
• watching any films, series, programs, TV shows;
• listening to Internet radio;
• a video catalog with the ability to play any of them;
• free access to materials on YouTube video hosting;
• access to images located on Google's resource;
• latest exchange rates, weather forecast;
• various entertainments - games, karaoke and jokes.

In general, the MAG 250 IPTV set-top box leaves a positive impression during use. A wide selection of providers significantly increases the functionality of such devices and allows you to select exactly those functions and options that are most suitable for the user.

• The procedure for connecting the set-top box
• Specification
• Portal for viewing Teleprom.TV
• Setting up a wireless WiFi connection
• Installing software with Teleprom.TV settings

Connection

To watch Teleprom.TV channels on a regular TV, a special Set top Box (STB) is used, which decodes video data and displays the decrypted video on the TV screen. One of the recommended viewing consoles is the MAG 250.
Appearance of the MAG 250 console

Fig.1 Front view

Fig.2 Rear view

USB port is a universal USB port for connecting a USB flash drive with movies and photos.
USB port is a universal USB port for connecting a USB flash drive with movies and photos.
RC port * - connector for connecting an external IrDA receiver. Please check the availability of the port when purchasing.

Ethernet port - 10/100 Mbit/s network connection port. Use this connector to connect the set-top box to the Internet.
HDMI port is a digital audio/video output for connecting the set-top box to a high-definition HD TV. Also transmits digital audio signal. HDMI cable sold separately.
S/PDIF port * - optical digital audio output for connection to a home theater system in DOLBY 5.1/7.1, DTS format. Please check the availability of the port when purchasing.
* - only in some models!

TRRS port is a connector for transmitting an audio/video signal in analog format via an RCA cable. Composite video (yellow “tulip”) and stereo (red and white “tulips”). An RCA cable is included in the package.
Power—connector for connecting a power supply.

Specification

Processor: STi7105

RAM: 256 MB

Flash memory: 256 MB

Operating system: linux 2.6.23

External interfaces:
Optical audio output S/PDIF, HDMI 1.3a (on the rear panel), USB 2.0 (1 on the front panel and 1 on the rear panel), composite + stereo A/V output (mini jack on the rear panel), Ethernet port 100Mbps (on the rear panel), connector for connecting a 5V power supply (on the rear panel), LED indicator (on the front panel)

Media content sources:
USB devices (external hard drive, USB flash drive, USB card reader, etc.), PC and NAS on the local network (SMB, NFS, UPnP, HTTP), other Internet and local TV networks (HTTP, UDP/RTP unicast/multicast), video streaming services are fully supported

Web engine: WebKit

DRM option: Verimatrix, Secure Media

Video modes: 1080i, 1080p, 720p, 576p, 480p, PAL, NTSC

Video codecs: MPEG1/2 MP@HL, H.264 HP@level 4.1, MPEG4 part 2 (ASP), WMV-9 (optional), VC1 video, XviD; support for high-bitrate video (up to 40 Mbit/s and higher)

Video formats: MKV,MPEG-TS,MPEG-PS, M2TS, VOB, AVI, MOV, MP4, ASF, QT, WMV (optional)

Audio codecs: MPEG-1 layer I/II, MPEG-2 layer II, MPEG-2 layer III (mp3), MPEG-2 AAC (optional), MPEG-4 AAC LC 2-ch/5.1ch (optional), MPEG -4 AAC+SBR 2-h/5.1ch(optional), Dolby Digital

Audio formats: MP3, MPA, M4A, WMA (optional), Ogg, WAV,AC3,AAC

Image formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, RAW

Subtitles: DVB,SRT (support coming soon), built-in text

Playlist formats: M3U

File systems: FAT16/32, NTFS (read), NFS, Ext2, Ext3

Ethernet: 10/100 Mbps

Wi-Fi: Optional USB module (not included in delivery), a list of modules that have been tested and working can be viewed at the link

Stream media protocols: RTSP, RTP, UDP, IGMP, HTTP

Software: Fully compatible with MAG-100, MAG-200, MAG-250(P) (API JS, API C)
built-in media portal with IPTV functionality
HTTP 1.1, HTML 4.01 XHTML 1.0/1.1
DOM 1, 2, 3, CSS 1, 2, 3
XML 1.0, XSLT 1.0, XPath 1.0
SOAP 1.1
JavaScript ECMA-262, revision 5
Media JavaScript API
C layer SDK

Dimensions (w/d/h), mm: 125/86/28

Set-top box weight, g: 156 (with packaging: 620)

Contents: MAG-250 Micro set-top box, user manual, mini jack to RCA (A/V) cable; power adapter 5V 1.5A, remote control, AA batteries - 2 pcs, packaging.

Warranty: 2 years

The procedure for connecting the set-top box

To connect to the MAG 250 TV, use the component TV signal output (3 RCA tulip-type connectors) - (Fig. 2 - 7) and the HDMI connector - (Fig. 2 - 5). The set-top box can be connected to any modern TV via a component output. If your TV has an HDMI input, it is better to connect through it for higher image quality.
Connect the Ethernet cable from the network switch to the Ethernet input of your set-top box (Fig. 2 - 4)
Insert the power supply connector into the socket (Fig. 2 - 8) on the console body.
Enabling and setting up the connection

Plug in the power source. The blue indicator on the front panel of the set-top box lights up.

Switch your TV to HDMI or Composite mode, depending on which cable the set-top box is connected to - HDMI or 3xRCA.

2. Press Setup on the console’s remote control again and select Advanced Settings:

3.Select Language: Russian, Time zone: GMT +02.00 Jerusalem, then click OK:

4. Go to the Network Configuration menu:

5. Select Wired (Ethernet):

6. Select Auto (DHCP) and then press the EXIT button on the set-top box remote control:

7. Go to the Servers menu:

8. Fill in the fields in accordance with the figure below and click OK. To enter characters, we use the on-screen keyboard, which can be displayed by pressing the KV button on the set-top box remote control:

9. Select the Reboot menu and wait for the console to reboot:

Setting up the MAG-250 set-top box for connecting via Wi-Fi

1. While the set-top box is loading, the following will appear on the TV screen in turn: Loading, Loading the portal..., when the message Loading the portal... appears, press and hold the SETUP button on the set-top box remote control, release it when the message Loading the internal portal... appears, we get into the internal portal:

2. Go to the Network Configuration menu:

3. Select Wireless (Wi-Fi):

4. Select Auto (DHCP):

5. Click the Scan button:

6. In the list of found networks, select your wireless network and click OK on the set-top box remote control:

7. In the Password field, enter the key for your wireless network and click OK. To enter characters, we use the on-screen keyboard, which can be displayed by pressing the KV button on the set-top box remote control:

This completes the Wi-Fi network setup

Software installation

1. To install software configured to view the Teleprom.TV service, you need to download plugins for Infomir / MAG 250 / AURA HD, download the archive and unpack it to external media (USB Stick or flash drive formatted FAT32).

2. A folder “” should appear on the flash drive, and there should be 2 firmware files in it:
imageupdate
Bootstrap

3. Insert the USB flash drive into rear USB connector set-top box and turn it on while holding down the " MENU" on the remote control until the blue bootloader menu appears.

4. Select " Def.Settings" and click the arrow " right", confirm.
Next select " Save & Exit».

5. The set-top box will reboot, hold down the “ button again MENU"on the remote control until the blue bootloader menu appears.
Select " UPGRADE TOOLS" and press the arrow " right", select " USB Bootstrap" and click the arrow " right" And " OK", the set-top box will update and reboot.

After the first download, an auto-update window will appear in the portal - you need to update ( F4).

22.12.2017

data hidden

Pros: Simplicity and ease of control
Streaming video quality
Clear interface (even for parents)
You can watch videos from services (ex.ua, megago.net, youtube.com)
Watching videos from removable media (2 usb ports)
Cons: Sometimes glitches when working via wi-fi
I can’t watch 1080 movies normally, they freeze
You can’t watch your playlists (but the problem can be solved via https://playlister.online)
Rebooting the set-top box only by disconnecting the power cord
Review: Solid 4 in terms of features, quality and convenience

22.12.2017

poor people Vitaly

Pros: Excellent console. In my opinion, everything is simple and convenient. The internal portal (from Infomir) works flawlessly. Runs on Linux (not Android). Programmable remote control (5 programmable buttons) - very convenient.
Cons: I didn’t find any during use (several flaws in the provider’s portal).
Review: I use 2 set-top boxes with a short acquisition interval of more than a year. I purchased one from the provider, the other from an online store and flashed it myself. All declared characteristics correspond. The consoles work flawlessly. The provider’s portal sometimes slows down (it may freeze when exiting the YouTube client, some channels disappear, although the same playlist in the internal portal works in full, and other minor flaws - well, these are questions for the provider’s programmers, and not for the set-top box manufacturer). The internal portal works flawlessly.

22.12.2017

Silensky Egor

Pros: Good IPTV set-top box. Very easy to use and configure
Cons: Constantly freezes and takes a long time to load

22.12.2017

Rabidinov Marat

Pros: Excellent set-top box, we use it in an IPTV project. Price quality
Cons: you cannot install additional software
Review: Remote control for Android for the MAG 250 console.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.humansoftware.irremotemag250trial
An IR port (IRDA) is required.

22.12.2017

Vladimirovich Roman

Pros: inexpensive, performs its functions, does not compress the image and sound, good remote control
Cons: everything works well for me, no flaws
Review: I bought the console somewhere in April of this year, and have not yet regretted it. A good thing for those who like to watch movies in good quality. The costs for the family budget are almost invisible, and we enjoy watching films every day. In general, I'm happy with the purchase. I easily figured out the settings and connection myself - everything is simple. Fortunately, the model is popular and is often discussed on forums. There were no deviations such as non-switchable channels or pixelated images. I took a remote control that can also be configured to control the TV (that is, one remote control for both the set-top box and the TV) - so that 100,500 remote controls do not lie all over the apartment. Very comfortably. Thank you.

Very often, when we need to set something up, instead of calling a specialist, we try to do it ourselves. Of course, this doesn’t always end successfully, but that’s a different story. In the case of interactive digital television, you can connect your set-top box yourself. The connection procedure consists of two stages:

1 — Connecting the set-top box to the provider’s network
2 — Connecting the TV set-top box to the remote control.

Diagrams for connecting the Mag 245/250 micro STB set-top box to the provider’s TV network.

1. Switch (network switch)

If the switch is unmanaged, then there is simply no configuration. Some providers may provide subscribers with a managed switch with VLAN support for use. In this case, you need to configure a port for STB on it. Otherwise she won't show anything. Next, you just need to connect the network cable to the switch port.

2. Router (Router)

In this option, you must first configure your router so that it separates one of its LAN ports into a separate group. After setting up the router, you need to turn on the mag 250 TV set-top box exactly in the router port that you have allocated for it.

There are two options for connecting the mag-250 to the router:

1. A regular Ethernet patch cord. This is a classic option.

2. Using a Wi-Fi adapter.

To the delight of many IPTV STB users, the infomir mag 245 and mag 250 set-top boxes can also work via a Wi-Fi wireless network. But unfortunately, only with a few adapter models based on the Ralink 3070 chipset:

TP-LINK TL-WN727N;
ASUS USB-N13;
WiFi Module Aura HD;
D-Link DWA-125.

Setting up the STB connection via Wi-Fi is as follows:

1. We connect the adapter to the USB port of the set-top box and wait until it “sees” it.
2. Press the Setup button on the remote control and go to settings - “Network” >>> “Wireless Wi-Fi”.
3. Select the “Auto (DHCP)” item.
4. Scan the airwaves in search of your Wi-Fi network and select it from the list of those found.
5. Enter the WiFi password using the on-screen keyboard (KV button on the remote control in the form of a keyboard).
6. Check the network status.

3. Direct connection to the provider's network.

In this case, the cable from the provider that comes to your apartment must be laid all the way to the TV set-top box. Next, we simply plug it into the LAN connector, reboot the set-top box and wait until it receives an IP address.

Connecting a mag-245 or mag 250 TV set-top box to a TV.

There is nothing complicated here at all. First, decide which cable you will use to connect the STB IPTV set-top box to your TV. If this is an old TV with a picture tube, then there will be no question - we connect it via an RCA cable (the “tulips” familiar to everyone). But if you are using an LCD TV or plasma panel, it is better to use an HDMI connector. We connect the cable to the appropriate connector on the TV. Then, on the TV remote control, press the video source selection button and select the output to which you connected the mag 250. If you did everything correctly, you should see the main menu.

A very good example of connecting Infomir MAG 250 set-top boxes can be seen in this video:

Differences between Aura HD And MAG 250 micro(hereinafter simply MAG 250) are so insignificant that Aura HD easily turns into MAG 250, and some MAG 250 can be flashed under Aura HD. In fact, everything differences
MAG 250 micro and Aura HD boil down to packaging, packaging (the Aura HD also includes a patch court and an HDMI cable), firmware, and labels on the device itself.

MAG 250 firmware older than version 0.2.14 will not allow you to turn it into AURA HD, however, it is possible to use alternative portals such as ModMenu (m.modmenu.ru), which smooth out the differences and make it possible to use almost all the functions that also available in AURA HD. Also, for the time being, the portal online-media.infomir.com.ua is available, which only allows the launch of widgets, among which you can find your favorite “EX”, “MEGOGO” and widgets from IPTV providers.

To connect ModMenu on your set-top box, just go to the settings menu (the "SET" key (gear)) and to "Servers" In the "Portal 1 URL:" field you need to enter m.modmenu.ru. In the same way, you can neutralize the advantages of the “aura” by entering the address of the portal developed for MAG 250 ( To use the functionality " aura"When rebooting, you will be prompted to select the native AURA HD portal using the SET button on the console remote control).

However, the "Online Media" menu of the native portal "Aura" already provides widgets for most IPTV-providers in your region and beyond.

IPTV service providers are actively creating portals for MAG series set-top boxes, since the portal is nothing more than an html page, and the set-top box just opens this page in a browser with advanced functionality. This approach has made “magicians” popular among providers and, accordingly, widespread among consumers of IPTV services.

Perhaps in the future, in subsequent firmware "Mag 250" the possibility of using alternative portals to emulate the "aura" function will be excluded. After introducing an alternative portal, new services may not work; in this case, MAG 250 must be connected via a router like Aura HD. This is due to the fact that many providers connect the IPTV set-top box directly to the local network via a switch, which blocks the ability to access external services not provided by the provider.

To summarize, it can be noted that even a not particularly dedicated person will not have much difficulty expanding the MAG 250’s own functionality, thereby bringing the functionality closer to AURA HD and saving on the difference in the cost of set-top boxes. Question, which is better AURA HD or MAG 250 micro, it is not necessary that the consoles are functionally different and each is tailored for its own tasks.

• Specifications MAG 250 micro:

• CPU- STi7105
• RAM- 256 MB
• Flash memory- 256 MB
• operating system- linux 2.6.23
• External interfaces- Optical audio output S/PDIF, HDMI 1.3a, USB 2.0, composite + stereo A/V output (mini jack connector), Ethernet port 100Mbps, connector for 5V power supply, LED indicator
• Media content sources USB devices (external hard drive, USB flash drive, USB card reader, etc.), PC and NAS on the local network (SMB, NFS, UPnP, HTTP), other Internet and local networks TV broadcasting (HTTP, UDP / RTP unicast/multicast), video streaming services are fully supported
• Web engine- WebKit
• DRM option- Secure Media
• Video modes- 1080i, 1080p, 720p, 576p, 480p, PAL, NTSC
• Video codecs- MPEG1/2 MP@HL, H.264 HP@level 4.1, MPEG4 part 2 (ASP), WMV-9 (optional), VC1 video, XviD; support for high-bitrate video (40 Mbit/s and above)
• Video formats- MKV, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, M2TS, VOB, AVI, MOV, MP4, ASF, QT, WMV (optional)
• Audio codecs - MPEG-1 layer I/II, MPEG-2 layer II, MPEG-2 layer III (mp3), MPEG-2 AAC (optional), MPEG-4 AAC LC 2-ch/5.1ch (optional), MPEG -4 AAC+SBR 2-h/5.1ch(optional), Dolby Digital (optional), DTS (optional)
• Audio formats- MP3, MPA, M4A, WMA (optional), Ogg, WAV, AC3, AAC
• Image formats- JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, RAW
• Subtitles- DVB, SRT, text MKV
• Playlist formats-M3U
• File systems- FAT16/32, NTFS (read), NFS, Ext2, Ext3
• Ethernet - 10/100 Mbit/s
• WiFi- optional USB module (not included in delivery)
• Stream media protocols- RTSP, RTP, UDP, IGMP, HTTP
• Software- built-in media portal with IPTV functionality HTTP 1.1, HTML 4.01 XHTML 1.0/1.1 DOM 1, 2, 3, CSS 1, 2, 3 XML 1.0, XSLT 1.0, XPath 1.0 SOAP 1.1 JavaScript ECMA-262, revision 5 Media JavaScript API C layer SDK
• Supported VoD- Espial-Kasenna, Bitband, ARRIS (C-COR), Live555
• Equipment- MAG250 Micro set-top box, user manual, mini jack to RCA (A/V) cable, power adapter 5V 1.5A, remote control, AA batteries - 2 pcs, packaging
• Dimensions (w/d/h), mm- 127/87/30
• Weight of the attachment, g - 190