Can you help trouble shoot Sharper Image Internet Weather Station EC-WS115?

Ah, I've figured it out:

The time response coming from server2.netinfostation.com is:

13390343 1339034354 01:59:14 Jun-07-2012.

We've already concluded that the second value is the epoch, which sets the date and time to the application. Now... the first number is supposed to be an offset in seconds. Yes, I know it's just the first eight digits of the epoch, that's why the app doesn't work ;-)

The number above works out to about 155 days. The actual offset should be like 0.9 (probably some delay measured based on the processing of the request).

I've found that server1 does give the correct time response. So I've hacked the executable to make it connect to server1 instead of server2. You can download it (at your own risk, of course... and don't blame me for the bad weather!) from:

http://www.fraservalleysoftware.com/download/5-day forecast.exe

Now what does that mean? There's some very confusing difference between server1 and server2 in the time response. On purpose? Who knows. Did the URL for server 2 used to be redirected to server1, but now because of the move it isn't? Who knows... But at least I expect my fix to help everybody out till the guys at Forecast finished their "move" :-)

Stefan Viveen

Fraser Valley Software

Hope, BC Canada

Thanks Stefan!!!  your fix rocks !!!   :)

Stefan, your solution works perfectly. Thanks very much. I did as you explained: 

1. Stopped the application ("Close" on the application, then right click the the tray icon and choose Exit)
2. Located the original "5-day forecast.exe" in Program Files (x86)
3. Renamed it in the same location
4. Saved your download (right-clicked your link, and Save link as ... ) directly to the same location as the original: http://www.fraservalleysoftware.com/download/5-day forecast.exe
5. Double clicked the new "5-day forecast.exe" (also tried using the original desktop icon, and as that is still targeting the .exe file, it still launches the application just fine)
6. Voila, the application is back to life on my PC (Win Vista 64-bit); the setting does indeed show "V1.02b (FVS)"
7. Getting the device to display requires the same tedium as always - good batteries, start it next to the transmitter, move it gradually away to its site a couple of rooms away . . . .

Thanks for the fix!  Out of curiosity, why does my antivirus program (McAfee) want to quarantine the executable you've provided?

You're welcome!

Well... I dunno...

Maybe McAfee noticed that the executable now suddenly had slightly different contents. Which is usually a sign of something/somebody messing around with it. Which is eehhh well.... exactly what I have done!

Stefan.

Ah, I've figured it out:

The time response coming from server2.netinfostation.com is:

13390343 1339034354 01:59:14 Jun-07-2012.

We've already concluded that the second value is the epoch, which sets the date and time to the application. Now... the first number is supposed to be an offset in seconds. Yes, I know it's just the first eight digits of the epoch, that's why the app doesn't work ;-)

The number above works out to about 155 days. The actual offset should be like 0.9 (probably some delay measured based on the processing of the request).

I've found that server1 does give the correct time response. So I've hacked the executable to make it connect to server1 instead of server2. You can download it (at your own risk, of course... and don't blame me for the bad weather!) from:

http://www.fraservalleysoftware.com/download/5-day forecast.exe

Now what does that mean? There's some very confusing difference between server1 and server2 in the time response. On purpose? Who knows. Did the URL for server 2 used to be redirected to server1, but now because of the move it isn't? Who knows... But at least I expect my fix to help everybody out till the guys at Forecast finished their "move" :-)

Stefan Viveen

Fraser Valley Software

Hope, BC Canada

Awesome work - I had thought that something was wrong with my system.  I had run the program in safe mode and it reported the actual date/time, but that was because it couldn't connect to the internet and used the system date/time.

If your taking requests to further the functionality of the product and also unsure how much of the executible you've been able to decypt. Could you change the update cycle from 12 hours to 1 hour? I am just running a BAT file through task scheduler that kills the running process and starts a new one.

Again thank you very much to stepping up and fixing the problem!!!