d-box
The d-box (with the nickname multimedia terminal ) was a digital receiver that was sold from 1996 by the German media group Kirch Group , which went bankrupt in 2002 . The original d-box 1 was later replaced by the newly developed d-box 2. The receivers were primarily used to receive Kirch's own pay-TV provider DF1 , which was later renamed Premiere World and is now called Sky Deutschland . The boxes, which were available as versions for satellite or cable reception, could also receive free TV programs. They were offered as rental devices and from August 1996 also as purchase devices for 890 DM in specialist shops . The dbox-1 was developed and produced by Nokia , the software of the dbox-2 was an in-house development of the Kirch subsidiary BetaResearch, which ran on hardware that was partly produced by Nokia, partly by Sagem and Philips . BetaResearch was already planning a d-box 3, but it never appeared. No new devices have been produced since 2001.
History and Development
The d-box 1 was the first DVB- compatible receiver that was produced in very large quantities and marketed in German-speaking countries. First, the pay TV provider DF1 commissioned Nokia with the development and production, later Premiere, Deutsche Telekom and ORF also used the d-box as a technical platform for their own programming. After Kirchs DF1 merged with Premiere, the decoder could be rented for a fee (in connection with a subscription). After the merger, other manufacturers such as Philips and Sagem were given licenses to produce a set-top box with the brand name d-box. However, this was limited to the successor, the d-box 2 .
Since 2007, Sagem brand d-box devices have no longer been accepted by some cable network operators as receivers due to outdated technology.
No new devices have been produced since 2001, and most of the items on the market are returns from former rental devices (also known as refurbished or industrially overhauled), some of which were still marketed at low prices by Premiere or various specialist dealers, sometimes with subscriptions. Compared to other set-top boxes, the decline in value with d-boxes was surprisingly slow, so that quite high prices were achieved when buying used private equipment or in various online auction houses. This is also due to the fact that the devices (d-box 1 and 2) can also be equipped with alternative operating systems that can make better use of the technical possibilities of the devices, which was a purchase argument for many users. The further development is or was significantly characterized by these alternative operating systems. This is made clear, among other things, by the fact that countless websites and forums have emerged, some of which have even specialized in these devices.
Currently, the alternative operating systems of the d-box2 are only being further developed by the Tuxbox project . In this regard, however, there are now also devices with modern HD technology on the market that are equipped with derivatives of this software such as B. Enigma2 or Neutrino-HD are mass-produced and are further ported or developed by the Tuxbox project or other projects for other platforms.
technology
The d-box is available for receiving DVB-S or DVB-C .
Like any other satellite receiver, the d-box for satellite reception is connected to the satellite dish using a universal LNB for digital reception. The d-box 1 was initially able to find exactly 70 TV channels via satellite, including all 17 DF1 channels as well as encrypted Scandinavian, Dutch and French channels. In Germany, however, only DF1 was offered as a subscription.
The cable version of the d-box can be used in any cable network designed for digital reception ( DVB-C ) .
To control the d-box, an electronic program guide called TONI ( Tele-Online-Navigation-Instrument ) was used, which should facilitate the use of the relatively complex technology.
Pay TV reception
Both d-box generations were originally intended for the exclusive reception of the DF1 (dbox-1) program and also later for Premiere. Betacrypt was used as the crypt system . Other encryption systems are not supported except when a so-called multicam is installed . Certain types of smart cards are also required for the respective reception (cable, satellite) , which are passed on to the user together with a subscription. Exchanging a CI module is not possible without major technical interventions. The Nagravision Aladin encryption system developed especially for Premiere in 2003 works with a kind of tunneling of the existing Betacrypt platform. Several types of cards are also required here. The whole thing also entails a certain jumble of usage licenses, as various program providers Betacrypt and various cable providers continue to use the system. The exploitation of the rights of various program providers is currently spicy. A popular example is the current rights management of the Bundesliga. On the part of arena , the consortium which acquired the rights to the Bundesliga for three years from 2006/07, the usability of the d-box devices was initially guaranteed. But since Premiere terminated a license agreement with its sales platform, the program is encrypted with Cryptoworks. This means that reception of this program with a d-box 2 without technical modification is impossible, since the conditional access module cannot be exchanged there. In the meantime, thanks to a contract between Premiere and the arena, you can also receive Arena (channel “arena home (Premiere)”) via the D-Box (both generations). No modification is necessary for this.
Thanks to an additional module (Multicam) that can be built into a D-Box 2, pay TV channels with encryption systems other than Betacrypt can also be received. Since this is only possible with the help of Linux on the D-Box and illegal additional software, it is forbidden to decode other encryption systems. You are also violating the Premiere license agreement, as the D-Box only has a Betacrypt license.
Extensions
The operating software with which the d-box devices are delivered was developed by the device manufacturers and, to a large extent, by Betaresearch, a subsidiary of the Kirch Group. The updates were imported via satellite or cable. It was planned that pay-per-view broadcasts should be billed via the telephone line with the integrated modem. It should also be possible to play VideoCDs in connection with a PC or external CD-ROM drives.
Pay TV and thus also the sale of d-boxes developed very slowly in Germany, which was due to the rather monopoly-based market strategies of the church group and the rather high subscription prices for the introductory period. The technical concept of placing a set-top box as a multimedia center in the living room and using it for various services and television was also very interesting, but also ahead of its time. Today's pay-per-view systems are based on the transmission of the individual activation signal via the program signal and ordering via the Internet, SMS or telephone.
d-box variants
d-box 1
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d-box 1 (based on Motorola Coldfire ):
Strictly speaking, the d-box 1 is a renamed Nokia Mediamaster 9500 with Betanova instead of Nokia software, and there are two hardware versions that differ both in appearance and function: the older version has the antenna connections on the right and usually one Free socket for a RAM expansion (but only 1 MB RAM onboard), in the newer version the antenna sockets on the left above the SCSI interface and 3 MB RAM are permanently installed ex works.
connections
The d-box 1 offers various connection options which, in addition to digital television and video CD, also, according to DF1, “integrate previously computer-aided interactive services such as online access, e-mail and home banking as well as various CD applications " Should enable:
- Controller (VCR) - Control of a video recorder (Rec / Play) via an external IR module. The 0/12 volt socket (switching signal) controlled the distributor for the analog receiver.
- 2 × Cinch (Audio R / L) - audio signal left and right. The d-box plays the audio formats mono, stereo , two-channel sound and Dolby ProLogic is also hidden in the stereo signal . The playback of Dolby Digital AC3 is not easily possible; An optical output for Dolby Digital AC3 sound can be installed later, but this only works with DVB2000.
- 3 × Scart - for video recorder (VCR), television (TV) and another device, e.g. B. analog satellite receivers or DVD players (AUX). In addition to RGB, all sockets deliver the “normal” composite signal and sound for high picture quality .
- RJ-12 module (Telephone) - the integrated V.22bis - Modem (1200-2400 bit / s) provided the connection to the broadcaster DF1 over the telephone line here. Above all, this should be used to bill pay-per-view offers. However, Premiere and other providers do not use this accounting technology. However, the modem function was used by Premiere for the test operation of an e-mail application with which it was possible to receive and send e-mails with the d-box.
- RS232 DB9 (PC) - serves as a connection to the PC or a printer. The socket was initially not assigned any function. The plan was u. a. the PC control or the printout of the billing statement. New operating software can be loaded ("flashed") via the RS232 socket.
- F1-SAT connection (only satellite version), also LNB - for connection to the satellite dish. For the parallel connection of an analog receiver to the dish, however, an extra distributor was required.
- IEC antenna and TV / VCR (cable version only) - for connection to the cable network; the output loops the cable signal through to the television or video recorder.
- SCSI 2 (50-pin mini DSUB socket) - for connecting 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 (last official) operating software "Betanova 1.3T MediaVision", the teething troubles of the d-box 1 are largely eliminated. The long installation of the d-box 1 used to present a problem: it took up to an hour or more for the operating software to load. However, this is no longer necessary today, as software updates are no longer required and can (only) be carried out via the RS232 interface. When zapping through TV programs, the d-box 1 is as fast or slow as many other digital receivers . With the earlier software versions, however, it sometimes took the decoder several seconds to decrypt the respective programs or to carry out a program change, and system crashes were not uncommon. For this reason, among other things, the alternative software DVB2000 (see above) was developed, which offers even faster switching times and, above all, other advantages in satellite reception.
Since April 30, 2012 there have been jerks when receiving ZDF , 3sat , KiKA , ZDFinfo , ZDFneo and ZDFkultur . The data rate may be too dynamic for the aging hardware of the d-box 1.
In modernized cable networks, the d-box does not search all channels during a complete station search (e.g. not the special channels S2 and S3). These were previously not used, but now digital programs are broadcast on these channels in the modernized cable network. In order to be able to view these channels with the d-box, a manual station search must be carried out on the missing channels (mostly 113 MHz and 121 MHz).
Alternative operating system for the d-box 1
The alternative operating software DVB2000 (formerly: DVB98) has existed since 1998. It was developed by the programmer Uli Herrmann (alias Dr. Overflow) and is suitable for both normal Otto consumers and professionals ( Sat-DXers ). DVB2000 was developed up to software version 2.00.0 beta 8.
Due to the hardware-related programming in machine language , DVB2000 is in many ways superior to the original BetaNova software from BetaResearch . In addition to the much better utilization of the hardware, DVB2000 supports the SCSI- 2 controller, which is available in hardware and has never been used by BetaNova . This allows SCSI devices such as hard drives or CD-ROM drives to be connected to the d-box 1. B. can be used for playing audio files and music tracks. Probably the most important advantage of DVB2000 is the possibility of connecting the d-box 1 to a standard computer with a SCSI host adapter via a SCSI connection cable in order to record the audio and video data directly.
d-box 2
d-box 2 (based on PowerPC ):
There are different hardware versions, but the differences are limited to the number and manufacturer of the flash memory (one or two chips from Intel and AMD ) and the version of the MPEG decoder chip "Avia" (versions: Avia 500 (older Nokia d-box 2) and Avia 600 (Sagem, Philips and newer Nokia d-box 2)). For the end user, the differences are minimal, but not insignificant, especially if an alternative operating system is to be used.
The d-box 2 has a striking LC display with a resolution of 120 × 64 pixels. It was issued as a rental device from the end of 1999 and went on sale in the second half of 2000 as a purchase device for almost DM 400. In October of the same year, the digital output was activated by a software update.
connections
- Scart sockets: connection for a television and a video recorder.
- Integrated 56k modem with RJ11 socket: As with the d-box 1, the modem was originally intended for pay-per-view offers and interactive services with a return channel (e-mail application). However, this was never officially implemented, but only remained in the experimental stage.
- Integrated RJ45 Ethernet connection: A 10 Mbit / s half-duplex network interface. The network interface is not used in the original system. If Linux is used as the operating system, this interface is for data traffic with the d-box, e.g. B. the installation indispensable.
- RS-232 socket: used as a connection to the PC or a printer. The socket was initially not assigned any function. The plan was u. a. the PC control or the printout of the billing statement. However, these plans were never implemented: In the original software, this interface has no function or is only important for service technicians.
- Audio outputs: Analog cinch outputs (L + R) as well as a copy-bit protected digital optical output .
- The satellite version of the d-box 2 has an F socket for connecting a satellite dish (DVB-S) and another for connecting an analog satellite receiver.
- The cable version of the d-box 2 has a coax antenna input (DVB-C) and a further coax output for looping the received signal through to the television, video recorder and so on. Unlike it z. B. was common with video recorders, but the image of the d-box itself is not modulated onto the antenna signal and passed on to the television. A connection via Scart is required for this.
- Memory module slot: Connection of an internal memory expansion (is occupied by a 16 MB memory module on some older boxes, where only 16 MB of memory was soldered onboard). It is also possible to connect an ATA adapter to connect hard disks (but this was not intended by the manufacturer).
MHP suitability
In contrast to the d-box 1, d-box-2 devices could be described as relatively future-proof for the circumstances at the time. The d-box 2 with the appropriate software equipment (BN3MHP) also supported MHP , which was considered promising at the time, but is now practically meaningless. For developers and for testing purposes, only a few devices were delivered with the corresponding software, but they never officially came onto the market. Devices with this MHP software have therefore not been certified by Premiere (today Sky), although here, for example, the youth protection function was implemented as in the previous versions. After the end of the Kirch group and thus also Betaresearch, the further development was completely stopped. Premiere also showed no interest in further development and subsequently completely separated from this type of hardware marketing. This went hand in hand with the end of production of the d-box 2.
Problems
Since BetaResearch was also dissolved due to the disintegration of the Kirch group, the software of the d-box 2 was no longer developed. The last and current official version "betanova 2.01" is considered to be relatively stable. However, the d-box 2 is not considered to be as mature as its predecessor.
The LC display also has a widespread flaw: predominantly in the Nokia variant, it shows vertical stripes that are more or less annoying. They arise because the adhesive on the cable separates from the display to the circuit board. However, they can be temporarily removed with a little manual skill. In addition, there are newly manufactured displays in different colors that are no longer prone to stripes.
The following problem occurs with the sound of boxes with the AVIA600 chipset and a few with the AVIA500 chipset (Sagem boxes in gray housings are most frequently affected): annoying crackling noises that usually only occur after a warm-up phase of approx. 20 to 25 minutes of operation begin to occur at more or less short intervals and can significantly impair the enjoyment of radio broadcasts with many quiet parts. It can also happen that this cracking occurs only when switching. You can compare a crackling or crackling sound with the playback of a badly dusted record. These disturbances can be clearly heard in both the BetaNova and the various Linux versions of the d-box 2. The cause of the cracking lies in the AVIA600 chipset. But what exactly happens is still unclear. Under Linux Neutrino, exchanging the UCodes can help.
Linux on the d-box 2
Graphical user interfaces
The fact that the d-box 2 via a Linux -taugliche 66 MHz PowerPC - CPU from Motorola features, it has a free developer community, the TuxBox project possible, since about the year 2000/2001 for the d-box 2, to develop Linux-based graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The performance of the d-box2 hardware was increasingly exhausted over the years, so that it was also ported to other devices. Several GUI projects have developed, which were widely distributed thanks to open source codes and GPL license:
- Neutrino is one of the most common graphical user interfaces that have emerged from it. It is particularly popular thanks to its functional but simple structure. The design has changed little over the years. Neutrino has now also been ported to other platforms. In addition neutrino is now also using the suffix "HD" is commercially available from several manufacturers HD - used and multi-tuner capable. It is being further developed by the CST company and to a large extent by the user community. On this basis, the TuxBox project continues to work on porting for other platforms.
- Enigma is graphically more complex than Neutrino and structured similar to Neutrino. Enigma was also used commercially as one of the first graphical user interfaces to emerge from the project. So it was z. B. by the company Dream Multimedia for some series of their receivers further developed and used. In addition, one of the largest user communities has developed as a result.
- The design of Lcars is based on the appearance of the computer controls of the newer Star Trek series and movies. However, it clearly stands out from the user guidance Neutrinos and Enigmas and is no longer developed.
- EliteDVB is one of the first alternative graphical user interfaces or the predecessor of Enigma that was available for the d-box-2. However, it is less well known and is no longer being developed.
Not least because of the faster usability, well thought-out user guidance and numerous features ( streaming video , recording via Ethernet , fast channel search and so on), a large fan base quickly emerged. The original software, which is written in Java , quickly pushed the d-box 2 to its limits, not least because of stagnating further development.
Pay TV reception
These distributions are all based on the open source project TuxBox . The source texts disclosed made it possible for experienced programmers to distribute adapted versions of some distributions or their own versions with modifications to the source code, which enabled illegal free viewing of the pay TV channel Sky or the MediaVision program on the Deutsche Telekom cable as well as various foreign pay TV channels and the ORF . Not least because of this, Linux kept making headlines for the d-box 2. However, the illegal extensions are not supported by the developers of the TuxBox project.
Since the d-box 2 with Linux as the operating system does not meet the certification criteria of Premiere or Sky , the creators of all named distributions that are regularly offered have deactivated Sky reception. With a minimal modification, Sky subscribers can also see the program under Linux, which, however, violates the Premiere terms and conditions in the point of obligation to cooperate . Also, no technical support from Sky can be expected. Owners of a d-box 2 with Linux can, however, continue to use their regular Sky subscription, so far there are no known restrictions on the part of Sky against official subscribers, even if there is no support for the alternative operating system.
Play
To install a Linux system, which can be achieved by importing ("flashing") so-called flash images , no conversion in the sense of replacing or converting components on the d-box 2 hardware is necessary. It is only necessary to put the device in the so-called debug mode. In this mode, originally reserved for developers and service technicians, the software can be tested and changed, and only in this way can a foreign operating system such as Linux be imported or read out and also used.
However, after a corresponding modification there is no longer any warranty claim, as under certain circumstances and depending on the procedure, certain temporary interventions must be carried out on the hardware and software and this intervention may remain traceable. This procedure is necessary because the original software is protected against changes on the hardware and / or software side, depending on the manufacturer of the d-box-2.
There are now several distributions in the form of so-called d-box-2 images to choose from. In addition to the initial “original images” such as B. The McClean images were one of the first widespread distributions, the so-called AlexW images, which are no longer available in current versions and which can actually only be found on various websites as backups. Their successors are the Yadi images, the JTG images or images from other providers, e.g. B. NovaTux images. The differences in function and operation are actually minor, but often you will find technical or functional features in the various versions that are not the same in all versions.
Additional hardware
Hardware is also being further developed for the d-box 2. Developers have succeeded in developing an ATA or IDE interface and SATA interface that can turn the d-box 2 into a hard drive video recorder. Functions such as time-shift television are still being worked on. Recently there is an interface that enables a microSD card (max. 2 GB) to be operated in the d-box 2. Since the development of SD cards continues, one can assume that ATA interfaces could only represent a temporary solution, because according to the manufacturer of SD cards, a new technology ( SDHC ) could allow them to be used up to a terabyte Expand memory, which of course makes a hard drive superfluous.
See also
Web links
- TuxboxWiki - The documentation platform of the software project GNU DBox2
- d-box FAQ, collection of questions and answers about d-box 1 and d-box 2
Individual evidence
- ↑ Nico Jurran: "Kabel Deutschland no longer accepts all dBoxes" . heise-online from May 9, 2007.