DBox2

The d-box ( with the nickname multimedia terminal ) was a digital receiver, which was sold from 1996 by the German media group Kirch Group, which went into bankruptcy in 2002. The original d-box 1 was later replaced by the newly developed D-box 2. The receivers were used primarily to receive the Kirch 's pay- TV provider DF1, which was later renamed to premiere and is now called Sky Germany. With the boxes that there was a version for satellite or cable TV, but free TV programs also could be received. They were ( adjusted for inflation today would correspond to about 590 euros ) available from August 1996 for 890 DM in stores. The dbox -1 was developed by Nokia and produced the software dbox -2 was a product developed by Kirch subsidiary Beta Research, which ran on hardware that was produced in part by Nokia, part of Sagem and Philips. A d-box 3 was at Beta Research already planned, but never appeared. Since 2001, no new devices longer be produced.

  • 5.2.1 connections
  • 5.2.2 MHP suitability
  • 5.2.3 problems
  • 5.2.4 Linux on the d-box 2 5.2.4.1 Graphical User Interfaces
  • 5.2.4.2 Pay TV reception
  • 5.2.4.3 uploading
  • 6.1 documents
  • 6.2 External links
  • 6.3 See also

History and Development

The d-box 1 was the first DVB -capable receiver that was produced in very large quantities and marketed in Germany. First, the pay-TV provider DF1 had the vendor Nokia entrusted with the development and production, later also used Premiere, the German Telekom and ORF d-box as a technical platform for their own program. After Kirch DF1 merged with Premiere, the decoder could be rented for a fee (in connection with a subscription ). After the merger now got other manufacturers such as Philips and Sagem licenses to produce a set- top box with the brand name d-box. This was limited only to the successor, the d-box 2

Since 2007, the d-box devices of the brand Sagem by some cable operators as a receiver will not be accepted due to outdated technology.

Since 2001, no new devices longer be produced, copies located in the trade are mostly returns former rental equipment (also known as refurbished or industry overtaken known ), which were at times also announced or Premiere or various retailers quite cheap some with subscriptions. Compared to other set- top boxes, the value decline in d-box was surprisingly slow, so that if you buy privately - used equipment or in various online auction houses quite high prices were achieved. This is due to the fact that the devices (d -box 1 and 2) can be equipped with alternative operating systems that can exploit the technical possibilities of the devices much better, which was a selling point for many users. The further development and was instrumental in these alternative operating systems. This is evident, among other things, that countless websites and forums have emerged that have even specialized in part only on these devices.

Currently, alternative operating systems, the d- box2 are indeed only further developed by Tuxbox project. However, in this regard are now devices with advanced HD technology on the market that securities based on these software such as: be prepared Enigma2 or Neutrino HD standard and the Tuxbox project or other projects continue to be ported or developed for other platforms.

Technology

The D-box is available for the reception of DVB -S or DVB -C.

The d-box for satellite reception is like any other satellite receiver using a universal LNB for digital reception connected to the satellite dish. Exactly 70 television stations could the d -box 1 find via satellite initially, including all 17 DF1 programs and coded Scandinavian, Dutch and French channels. However, was only DF1 offered as a subscription in Germany.

The cable version of the d-box is used in every developed for digital reception (DVB -C) cable network.

To control the d-box, an electronic program guide under the name TONI was (Tele -line navigation instrument) used, which should facilitate use of the relatively complex technique.

Of pay television

Both d-box generations were originally intended for the exclusive reception of the program of DF1 ( dbox -1) and later for Premiere. As Crypt Betacrypt system was used. Other encryption systems are not supported except for installation of a so-called Multicams. Also (cable, satellite), certain smart card types needed to be passed along with a subscription to the users for the respective channels. An exchange a CI module is not possible without major technical interventions. In 2003, developed specifically for Premiere encryption system Nagravision Aladin works with a kind of tunneling of existing Betacrypt platform. Again, several types of cards are needed. The whole thing also attracts a certain tangle of licenses to use with it, as well as continue to various program providers Betacrypt and various cable providers use the system. Spicy is currently the rights issues of various program providers. A popular example is the current exploitation rights in the Bundesliga. On the part of arena, the consortium that acquired from 2006/ 07 for three years the rights to the football league, initially the utility of the d-box devices was assured. Since Premiere aufkündigte a license agreement with its distribution platform, the program is encrypted with Cryptoworks. Thus, a reception of this program with a d-box 2 is excluded without technical modification, since there is not the Conditional Access Module can be replaced. Meanwhile, you can Arena (channel " home arena ( Premiere ) " ) thanks to an agreement between Premiere and Arena also on the D-Box received ( both generations ). To this end, no conversion is necessary.

Thanks to an additional module ( Multicam ), which you can add to a D-Box 2, also pay-TV channels with other encryption systems can be received as Betacrypt. Since the only use of Linux on the D-box and optional software is illegal but possible, it is forbidden to decode other encryption systems. Also, one violates the license agreement Premiere, as the D-box has only one Betacrypt license.

Extensions

The operating software, with the d-box devices are delivered, was developed by the equipment manufacturers and authoritative of Beta Research, a subsidiary of the Kirch Group. The updates have been deployed via satellite or cable. The plan was that pay- per-view broadcasts should be charged with the integrated modem via telephone line. Also it should be possible to be able to play in conjunction with a PC or external CD -ROM drives VideoCD.

However, pay-TV and thus the sale of d-boxes developed in Germany very slowly, which was entirely due to the rather monopolistic scale market strategies of the Kirch Group and for the introduction of time quite high subscription prices. Also, the technical concept to provide a set-top box as a multimedia center and into the living room to use for different services and television, although very interesting, but also ahead of its time. Today's pay- per-view systems are based on a transfer of the individual activation signal by the program signal and order via the Internet, SMS or telephone.

D-box variants

D -box 1

D -box 1: ( from base of Motorola ColdFire )

  • Nokia (satellite) ( DVB-S)
  • Nokia (cable) (DVB -C)

The d -box 1 is actually a renamed Nokia Media Master 9500 Beta Nova - place Nokia software, and in addition there are two hardware versions, which have both externally and functional differences with: The older version has the antenna connections a right and mostly open socket for expansion RAM ( but only 1 MB of RAM onboard), with the newer version the antenna jacks are built into the left over the SCSI interface and 3 MB of RAM from the factory.

Connections

The d-box 1 offers various connectivity options, in addition to digital television and the video CD also, according to DF1 "Integrating been computerized, interactive services such as online access, e- mail and home banking, and various CD applications should " allow.

In particular:

  • Controller ( VCR) - controlling a video recorder (Rec / Play) on ext. IR module. The 0/12-Volt-Buchse (switching signal) controlled the distribution of the analog receiver.
  • 2 x RCA (Audio R / L) - Sound Left Right. The d-box outputs the audio mono, stereo, dual channel and the stereo signal and Dolby ProLogic hidden again. The playing Dolby Digital AC3 is not readily possible; it may be an optical output for Dolby Digital AC3 sound to be retrofitted, but which only works under DVB2000.
  • 3 x Scart - for video recorder (VCR ), television (TV ) and another device, such as analog satellite receiver or DVD player ( AUX). All jacks provide next to RGB for high image quality of the "normal" composite video signal and the sound.
  • RJ -12 module ( Telephone) - the integrated V.22 ( 1200 to 2400 bit / s) modem set to connect to the program provider DF1 over the telephone line here. About Here especially pay-per- view services should be billed. Premiere and other providers, however, do not use this billing technology. The modem function, however, was used by Premiere for the test operation of an e -mail application, with which it was possible to receive emails with the d-box and send.
  • RS232 DB9 (PC) - serves as a connection to a PC or a printer. The female was initially assigned function. The plan was, inter alia, the PC control or the expression of the billing. The RS232 connector can be a new operating software are up-played ( "flashed ").
  • F1-SAT - connection ( satellite version ), also LNB - for connection to the satellite dish. For the parallel connection of an analog receiver to the dish but you needed an extra distributor.
  • IEC antenna and TV / VCR ( cable version only ) - for connection to the cable network, the output looped the cable signal through to the TV or VCR.
  • SCSI 2 (mini -DSUB 50 pin connector. ) - For connection of CD -ROM drives, digital video recorders or PCs. The data format is MPEG2 with 5 Mbit / s synchronous and 3 Mbit / s asynchronous.

Problems

With the current ( latest official ) operating software " beta Nova 1.3t Media Vision " teething troubles of the d -box 1 are eliminated as far as possible. A problem prepared earlier the long installation of the d -box 1: It took up to an hour or more until the operating software is loaded. However, this is no longer necessary because software updates are on the one hand no longer required and can ( only ) be made via the RS232 interface to the other. When zapping through TV programs is the d -box 1 as fast or slow as many other digital channels. With the previous versions, but the decoder is needed sometimes several seconds to decode an application or perform a program change, and there were not infrequently system crashes. Partly for this reason, the alternative software DVB2000 was (see above ) was developed that provides even faster switching times and above all other benefits with the satellite reception.

Since April 30, 2012 There are stuttering when receiving ZDF, 3sat, KiKA, ZDFinfo, ZDFneo and ZDFkultur. Possibly, the data rate is too dynamic for the somewhat dated hardware of the d-box 1

In upgraded cable networks, d-box does not scan all channels from (for example, not the special channels S2 and S3 ) at a full- service search. These were not previously occupied, but digital programs are now in modernized cable network also aired on these channels. To view these channels with the d-box, a manual channel search on the missing channels ( usually 113 MHz and 121 MHz) must be performed.

Alternative operating system for the d -box 1

Since 1998 there is the alternative operating software DVB2000 (formerly DVB98 ). It was developed by the programmer Uli Herrmann ( aka Dr. Overflow) and is suitable for both petrol ordinary consumers as well as for professionals ( satellite DXers ). DVB2000 has been developed to the software version 2.00.0 beta 8.

Due to the hardware-specific programming in machine language DVB2000 is in many ways superior to the original software Betanova of Beta Research. In addition to the better utilization of the hardware DVB2000 supports the hardware present and never used by Betanova SCSI-2 controller. This SCSI devices such as hard disk or CD- ROM drives with the d -box 1 can connect, which can be used eg for playing audio files and music tracks. The most important decision for DVB2000 is the ability via SCSI connection cable, d-box 1 with a commercially available computer to connect to the SCSI host adapter, so as to directly record the audio and video data.

D-box 2

D-box 2: ( based on PowerPC)

  • Nokia (satellite)
  • Nokia (cable)
  • Philips (satellite)
  • SAGEM (satellite)
  • SAGEM (cable)

There are different hardware versions, their differences, however, the number and manufacturer of the flash memory ( One or two chips manufacturer Intel and AMD) and the version of the MPEG decoder chips " Avia " limit ( versions: Avia 500 (older Nokia d-box 2) and Avia 600 ( Sagem, Philips and newer Nokia d-box 2) ). The differences are minimal to the end user, but not negligible, especially when an alternate operating system is to be used.

The d-box 2 has a striking LCD display with a resolution of 120 × 64 pixels. It was issued at the end of 1999 as a rental device and came in the second half of 2000 as a buying unit for about 400 DM in the trade. In October of the same year, the digital output is enabled by a software update.

Connections

  • Scart sockets: Connects to a TV and a VCR.
  • Integrated 56k modem with RJ11 jack, the modem was originally as the d -box 1 for pay-per- view services, interactive services with return channel (e-mail application ) is provided, but this was never formally implemented but remained only in experimental stage.
  • Integrated RJ45 Ethernet port: A 10 Mbit / s half-duplex network interface. In the original system, the network interface is not used. If Linux is used as operating system, this interface for data communication with the d-box such as the installation indispensable.
  • RS- 232 Connector: served as a connection to a PC or a printer. The female was initially assigned function. The plan was, inter alia, the PC control or the expression of the billing. These plans were never implemented, so is this interface has no function or only for service technicians of meaning in the original software.
  • Audio Outputs: Analog RCA outputs ( L R ) and a copybitgeschützter digital optical output.
  • The satellite version of the d-box 2 has an F- socket to connect a satellite dish (DVB -S ) and an addition for connecting an analog satellite receiver.
  • The cable version of the d-box 2 has a coax antenna input (DVB -C ) and another coax output for looping the received signal to the TV, VCR, etc. In contrast, as it was common for video recorders, for example, is but not modulated on the image of the d-box itself on the antenna signal and passed on to the TV. For this purpose, a connection via Scart is required.
  • Memory module slot: connect an internal memory expansion ( In some older boxes covered with a 16 MB memory module, in which only 16 MB of onboard memory were soldered ). Even the connection of an ATA adapter for connecting hard drives is possible ( however, was not intended by the manufacturer ).

MHP suitability

D-box 2 devices could be in contrast to the d -box 1 designate for that time to be relatively future-proof. The d-box 2 Compatible with the corresponding software features ( BN3MHP ) and MHP, which at that time was considered a promising future, but now is virtually meaningless. For developers and for experimental purposes and only a few devices with the corresponding software have been delivered, but which are never officially come on the market. Devices with this MHP software are therefore not of Premiere (now Sky) certified, although here, for example, the Parental Controls feature was implemented as in previous versions. After the end of the Kirch Group and thus Beta Research, the development has been completely set. Premiere also showed no interest in further development and has subsequently completely separated from this kind of hardware marketing. This went hand in hand and thus coinciding with the end of production of the d-box 2.

Problems

There was also dissolved Beta Research by the collapse of the Kirch Group and the software of the d-box 2 was not developed any further. The last and latest official version " betanova 2:01 " is considered relatively stable. However, the d-box 2 is considered not as mature as the previous model.

Also, the LCD display has a common mistake: it shows mostly in the Nokia variant of vertical stripes, which act more or less disturbing. They arise because dissolves the adhesive of the cable from the display to the board. The can, however, temporarily remove some craftsmanship. There is also newly produced displays of different colors, which are no longer susceptible to stripe.

In boxes with AVIA600 chipset and a few with AVIA500 chipset ( Sagem boxes in gray housing are most commonly affected ) the following problem occurs with the sound: Disturbing clicking noises, which usually only after a warm-up period of about 20 to 25 minutes of operation begin to occur in more or less frequent intervals and may affect the listening of radio programs with many quiet passages considerably. It may also happen that this crackling occurs only during switching. You can compare pops or crackles with playing a poorly dusted record. These disorders can be clearly heard in both the beta - Nova as well as the various Linux versions of the d-box 2. The cause of the crackling is the AVIA600 chipset. But what exactly happened until now is still unclear. Under Linux can be a neutrino exchange of Ucodes remedy.

Linux on the d-box 2

Graphical User Interfaces

The fact that the d-box 2 has a Linux -compatible 66-MHz PowerPC CPU from Motorola, it has a free developer community, the TuxBox project that allows since about the year 2000/ 2001 for the d-box 2, Linux - based graphical user interfaces ( GUIs) to develop. The performance of the d- box2 hardware but was increasingly exhausted over the years, so there was also ported to other devices. Designed to have multiple GUI projects that were plentiful spread thanks to open source code and GPL license:

  • Neutrino is one of the most common resulting from it graphical user interfaces. It is used primarily by functional, but simple structure very well received. The design has also changed little over the years. Neutrino has now been ported to other platforms. In addition, neutrino is now also used commercially using the suffix "HD" by some manufacturers HD and multi- tuner capable. It is mainly developed by the CST and the user community further. On this basis, the TuxBox project continues to develop on ports for other platforms.
  • Enigma is graphically complex than neutrino and similar neutrino structured. Enigma was also used as one of the first that emerged from the project commercially graphical user interfaces. So it was, for example, developed by the company Dream_Multimedia for some series of your receiver and used. In addition, also be one of the largest communities of users has developed.
  • Lcars is oriented by design, the appearance of the Copmputerbedienelemente the newer Star Trek series and movies. However, it clearly stands out from the user guide neutrinos and Enigmas from and is no longer being developed.
  • EliteDVB is one of the first alternative graphical user interfaces and the predecessor of Enigma, which was given for the d-box 2. However, it is less known and will not be developed any further.

Not least because of faster operation, sophisticated user interface and numerous features ( streaming video, recording over Ethernet, fast channel search, etc. ) is very fast emerged a large following. The original software, which is written in Java, let the d-box 2, not least because of stagnating development, quickly reach their limits.

Pay TV reception

These distributions are all based on the TuxBox open source project. The disclosed source code made ​​it possible for savvy programmers to distribute customized versions of some of the distributions or their own versions with modifications of the source code that made an illegal free viewing of pay- TV channel Sky or the program of Media Vision in the cable Deutsche Telekom as well as various foreign pay-TV channels and the ORF. Not least because Linux was for the d -box 2 and over again in the headlines. The illegal extensions are not supported by the developers of TuxBox project.

Since the d-box 2 with Linux as the operating system is not the certification criteria of Premiere or Sky will meet the Creator of all the named distributions have regularly offered the Sky channels disabled. With a minimal modification of Sky subscribers can also see the program on Linux, but this violates the Terms of Premiere in point duty to cooperate. Also no technical backing of Sky can be expected. Owner of a d-box 2 with Linux can use your regular subscription of Sky continues, however, there are so far no official restrictions imposed by Sky against Subscriber, even if you get no support for the alternative operating system.

Play

For uploading a Linux system, which can be reached by loading ( " flash " ) of so-called flash images, no conversion for the purposes of replacement or modification of components to the hardware of the d-box 2 is necessary. It is only necessary to put the device in the so-called debug mode. This was originally a reservation of the developers and service engineers mode, the software can be tested and changed, and the only way a non-native operating system such as Linux recorded or read out and used.

After appropriate modification, however, is no longer a guarantee claim, since under certain circumstances and subject to certain procedure or temporary impact on the hardware and software need to be made and this engagement is understandable under certain circumstances. This procedure is necessary because the original software to changes depending on the manufacturer of the d-box 2 is hardware and / or software- protected.

There are now several distributions in the form of so-called d-box -2 images to choose from. In addition to the initial " primordial images" such as the McClean images there was one of the first widespread distributions called AlexW images, which it, however, no longer exists in current versions and actually only on various websites as a backup can be found. Their successors are the Yadi images that JTG images or images from other providers, such as NovaTux images. The differences in function and operation are really low, but often can be found in the various versions of technical or functional features that are not pronounced in all versions in the same way.

Additional hardware

Even hardware is developed for the d -box 2. So it's developers were able to develop an ATA or IDE interface and SATA interface, which can make the d-box 2, a hard disk video recorder. At functions such as time-shifted television is still being worked on. Recently there is an interface that allows ( max. 2 GB) to operate a MicroSD card in the d-box 2. Since the development of the SD card also goes on and on, one can assume that ATA interfaces might represent only a temporary solution, because according to the manufacturer of the SD card, a new technology (SDHC) could allow this to 1 Terabyte to extend memory, which of course then makes a hard drive unnecessary.

Appendix

Documents

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