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Free Agent Theater +
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While this wouldn't be possible without the many helpful people on this forum, I do thank Bodhi, Tinwable, Playdude and Wig_out, you are legends around these parts. If you find any problems or think something should be added/clarified please let me know!
OFFICIAL SEAGATE-RELATED LINKS
Please see the product page for the FreeAgent Theater+ (FAT+ no longer listed 2012) and GoFlex TV (see end of this post). The original FreeAgent Theater (FAT) is discontinued.
- The Manual (link)
- Support page for FreeAgent Theater and FreeAgent Theater+. (link)
- FAT+ datasheet. (link)
- Search the Knowledge Base for "FreeAgent Theater Plus". (link)
- Don't interrupt the indexing process (link)
- Control the FAT+ with an iPhone. (link)
FIRMWARE 101
The latest FAT+ firmware is version 2.23 (official release notes released Feb 08 2011). This version does not allow telnet, as 2.20 did. See the mod section below for more information.
Since this firmware is so new, check the forum thoroughly and contribute KNOWN bugs to this thread.
See this thread for some early questions and more information.
Version 2.23 firmware is region-specific with three regions: U.S., EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and APAC (Asia, Pacific Rim, Japan. China).
Direct link to firmware (US/North America) (EMEA) (APAC).
The FAT+ by default will auto update. However, there have been many issues when allowing the FAT+ to update itself. The preferred configuration is to 1) disable auto update on the FAT+, and 2) always use the cold method when new firmware is released.
THE COLD METHOD - It's highly recommend you use the COLD METHOD when you update your firmware. Similar to doing a clean install of Windows, rather than an upgrade.
THE USB METHOD. Another method is refered to quite a bit. The usb method entails downloading the latest firmware and placing the firmware on a usb drive, then going in to the FAT+ menu and doing the upgrade from there.
You can downgrade from 2.23 to 2.20 using the USB method. However, if you have version 1.55 or later installed, you cannot downgrade to a pre-1.55 version.
There is also a FW 2.23 and older - bugs fixed, unfixed, and work-arounds thread.
OLDER VERSIONS OF FIRMWARE - DIRECT LINK
U.S. / Canada 2.23 2.20 1.55(added Netflix) 1.45 1.26
EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) 2.23 2.20 1.45
APAC (Asia, Pacific Rim, Japan and China) 2.23 2.20 1.45
Release Notes (1.45) (2.20 / 2.23)
Link to the U.S. Rescue Firmware for 1.55. Password for RAR file is "willimann" without quotes. (thanks Willimann). If you are running 1.55, you can use either the cold method(preferred) or the usb method. If you are running 2.20, you can ONLY use the usb method.
MISCELLANEOUS Q&A
- If you have lost access to your USB ports, some information is now known as well as a possible solution. Please refer to this thread (link) and specifically this post (link) for one solution.
- Which drives will fit in the dock? (link) FYI, none of the GoFlex drives will fit in a FAT+, just Go drives.
- Remote control app (Android) (iPhone link to German iTunes)
- You cannot access a drive hooked up to the FAT+ from a PC.
- It is not possible to see your Network movies under the Movies tab.
- If you are unable to see a list of your movies, go to Menu, Browse, and select "Show All Media"
- The FAT+ creates a ".Theater" folder on attached USB drives. If you run into issues missing files, etc. connect the drive to a PC, delete that folder, and reattach to the FAT+. It will reindex the movies. It you are still having issues with "ghost files" please see a solution in this thread (link).
- Windows Vista/7 says it need to scan/fix the usb drive after being connected to the FAT+ - it is a false positive (link)
- Guide to set up file sharing on Windows XP (ignore step 1) or Windows 7.
- The remote control for this device is mediocre. You have to point the remote directly at the device. Live with it. Or get a cheap universal remote and learn the IR codes. On a related note, if you are using a Logitech Harmony remote, the settings are: Device Type: Computer - Media Center PC, Manufacturer: Seagate. (There's an IR MOD thread that appears to solve the funky remote issue!)
- If you have problems initially activating Netflix and you are using wireless: Remove the wireless adapter and hook the FAT+ up with a network cable, activate Netflix, then disconnect and reinsert your wireless device.
- Press the reset button for 3 seconds to reset the unit to factory settings.
- Toggle between NTSC and PAL by holding the reset button for 10 seconds.
- Stream Hulu with Tversity guide. (link)
- You can play PAL dvd files (iso or video_ts directly).
- The device does not stream Hulu! Few devices do. You can use TVersity or PlayOn to stream from your PC to the FAT+. There is a known issue with sorting files from PlayOn using firmware 1.55.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Head over to another sticky post, "A guide to getting the most out of your FAT+". Includes topics like:
- How do I get videos on my hard drive?
- Getting your cover art to show up
- Windows 7 network problems
- Move or resize subtitles and other subtitle issues
- Thumbnails do not work over a network drive, nor do the movies show in the main Movies folder
- Firmware 2.20 freezes on a slideshow (btw, there is no solution, it's a bug. If you don't use Netflix you can downgrade to 1.55 (North America only)
- SEARCH THE FORUMS! You would be surprised how many times your question may have been answered.
If you are asking yourself, why doesn't it do (fill in the blank), see if it's been discussed in the Feature Requests thread.
MOD FIRMWARE ACTIVITIES
A great thread by Bodhi detailing the procedure to install 2.23 with utilities. (link)
2.20/2.23 can now be modded! (link) thanks to Seb. The first post there is updated with more info (thanks to dm).
- Step by Step Instructions to install (link)
- Adding to the Internet GUI (link)
- Nmap & telnet (link)
- HOWTO: Native Compiling on FAT+ (link)
- See what fun can be had with a pre-1.55 firmware
----- Playdudes' historic firmware (link)
----- How to roll your own firmware (link)
----- Oleg optware installation (link)
- Custom RSS Video Feeds - spoofing DNS for seagate.com (link)
----- chroot your way out of unwriteable root squashfs (link)
----- Testing 2.20 on a 1.45 box (link)
----- update / upgrade workaround (link)
COMPATIBLE WIRELESS ADAPTERS (original thread) (yet another thread)
- Airlink101: AWLL6075 or AWLL6077v2
- TRENDnet: TEW-648UB TEW-649UB TEW-424UB
- Zonet ZEW2546
- ASUS USB-N10
- GetNet GN-621U
- SITECOM NANO X1 wl-353 (Europe)
- HornetTek HT-2223BK (source)
- Hiper WINU6832N2 (source)
- DLink DWA-131 (source)
- TP-Link TL-WN723N (source)
- Rosewill RNX-N180UBE (source)
- D-Link DWA -130 RevE (source)
- Click here for a list that appear to be supported but not verified. (link)
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The last firmware for the original FAT.
The GoFlex TV is the latest release. The moderator, AlanM, identified the differences as follows:
"The FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD media player is similar in many ways to the FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player, but using GoFlex TV HD media player you will be able to easily insert your GoFlex ultra-portable drive through the incorporated drive slot. You can also access content from any other USB 2.0 storage device, any network-attached storage device or server, and from a selection of popular web-based content providers. It is also possible to use your FreeAgent Go drive with the GoFlex TV HD media player using the external USB port, the same way that it is possible to use your GoFlex ultra-portable drive or GoFlex Pro ultra-portable drive with the FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player."
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- Please search the forums first and remember, these are COMMUNITY forums so don't expect Seagate techs to trot out some new firmware update because you don't like something. To be honest, they don't even visit these forums. Be nice, verbose, and mindful.
- There are
sticky threads that can also answer many of your questions
- Reinstall firmware with the
COLD METHOD
