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Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
31–40 of 181 posts
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#32Programming errors happen, but thats why I don't get, that companies still use programming languages, where such errors result in a crash vs. an error which can be handled and recovered from. A faulty XML file shouldn't render the whole machine unusable.
> still use programming languages, where such errors result in Unfortunately no language or other framework or system can completely do away with programming logic errors.
But that is the point I was trying to make. No language can save you from logic errors, but a lot of languages let you recover from errors in functions. The simplest way is exception handling in Java like try { parse(xmlFile) } catch ( ... ) {.... }
There is no reason the device should get in an undefined state if parsing that file fails or even completely crash.
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#33I think the best approach is to never, ever connect a device like a TV, Blu-ray player, etc to the internet. That's the only way they'll survive. So far no HDMI-based attacks. Hotglue the ethernet port?
That doesn’t work if your BluRay player requires an internet connection. Yes, they exist.
Please do name and shame.
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
That doesn’t work if your BluRay player requires an internet connection. Yes, they exist.
Please do name and shame.
I don’t know of any off the top of my head, but I have seen them.
Besides that though, firmware updates require an internet connection, and those updates contain keys for newer AACS versions. So if you want to play a just-released movie, you may need a player capable of AACS 72 (or whatever it’s at now), but yours may only support AACS 52 (out of the box).
MakeMKV does require an update for each new AACS version.
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#35Programming errors happen, but thats why I don't get, that companies still use programming languages, where such errors result in a crash vs. an error which can be handled and recovered from. A faulty XML file shouldn't render the whole machine unusable.
This seems more like a process / testing issue. Someone should've tested this update, at least once, before it was deployed to the public, right?
(I used to work at a company where people checked in code, asked someone else to test it, and it was clear it had never even been run!)
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#36Programming errors happen, but thats why I don't get, that companies still use programming languages, where such errors result in a crash vs. an error which can be handled and recovered from. A faulty XML file shouldn't render the whole machine unusable.
What language makes it impossible to write if parse(config) == false then reboot?
Impossible is a big word :). But while a C or C++ program tends to crash in the presence of an error, like with a segfault, a lot of languages just throw an error which you can catch. So you could proceed with the default values, if the file cannot be read correctly.
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
What language makes it impossible to write if parse(config) == false then reboot?
In this case the XML file parsed fine, but the contents (specifically an empty element that the firmware expected to be populated) caused a crash.
I guess I should rephrase. What language makes it impossible to call abort() after a required XML element is found to be missing?
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
> still use programming languages, where such errors result in Unfortunately no language or other framework or system can completely do away with programming logic errors.
But that is the point I was trying to make. No language can save you from logic errors, but a lot of languages let you recover from errors in functions. The simplest way is exception handling in Java like try { parse(xmlFile) } catch ( ... ) {.... } There is no reason the device should get in an undefined state if parsing that file fails or even completely crash.
What specifically goes in the catch block? Please be precise.
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#39That's why: " What does a factory reset entail?" is a fascinating question. Everyone assumes you'll lose your settings during a factory reset, but what isn't as clear cut: Does it revert the firmware to whatever it was shipped with (bugs and all)? Some vendors do, but most vendors do not. A legitimate factory reset (inc. firmware) mechanism or USB boot/reflash would have likely saved Samsung considerable amounts of m…
> Does it revert the firmware to whatever it was shipped with (bugs and all)? Some vendors do, but most vendors do not. I think that's the only reasonable thing to do. Have the original firmware either as an actual rom, or only writable with an enable jumper flipped; use a power on key sequence to boot from the original firmware, copy to normal firmware and reboot into normal firmware (which is now the original firmw…
>I think that's the only reasonable thing to do.
But that'd also mean you need double the flash capacity, which drives up the BOM cost.
Re: Samsung Blu-ray players bricked because of an XML config file
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
As the owner of the device, I couldn’t care less if reverting to earlier firmware has been exploited. Are device manufacturers making more money from customers or studios?
Device manufactures can't make money from customers if studios blacklist their players.
Isn’t all this crazy when pirates can just download the damn movie with no problem. They are just punishing the paying customer. I have a plex server and have zero issues.