Dreambox

Dreambox - The Dreambox is a Linux-powered DVB satellite, terrestrial and cable digital television decoder (set-top box), produced by German multimedia vendor Dream Multimedia. Its firmware is officially user-upgradable, since it is a Linux-based computer, as opposed to third-party “patching” of alternate receivers. All units support Dream’s own DreamCrypt conditional access (CA) system, with software-emulated CA Modules (CAMs) available for many alternate CA systems. The Dreambox is based on the DBox2 units that were distributed by Kirch Media for its pay-TV services before its bankruptcy; it uses the same Linux-based software originally developed for the DBox2. The built-in Ethernet interface allows networked computers to access the recordings on the internal hard disks on some Dreambox models. It also enables the receiver to store digital copies of DVB transport streams on networked filesystems or broadcast the streams as IPTV to VideoLAN clients. Unlike many PC based PVR systems that use free-to-air type of DVB receiver cards, the built-in conditional access allows receiving and storing encrypted content.

The combination of third-party developers and network connectivity which facilitates card sharing, makes Dreambox use particularly common among enthusiasts and those who intend to obtain services without payment. Third-party software for this purpose is neither officially endorsed nor supported by Dream Multimedia and voids the official warranty; however, unofficial web sites support a very large community of enthusiasts.

In 2007, Dream Multimedia also introduced a non-Linux based Dreambox receiver, the DM100, their sole to date, running on unspecified hardware, but still featuring an Ethernet port and a USB port.[1] The speed of the USB port is not specified, the manufacturer only says it is of “B” type, the one found on peripherals connected to PCs.
For many years, I’ve been into TV broadcasting via satellite. I started out with analogue TV in D2MAC format. For a couple of years now, the satellite world has been changing and switching over to digital broadcasts in the DVB-S format. The first satellite receiver (Set top Boxes, AKA demod) generation had to be rented from satellite TV channel providers. Such hardware “featured” low quality components, with very slow zapping speed, quite ugly OSDs, no digital audio output, poor reception sensibility, low quality MPEG2 decoding and a locked firmware, that only your provider could update (whenever they felt like it). A few low priced digital receivers also appeared, but they were often not (entirely) compatible with the special services satellite TV providers offered (e.g. Electronic Program Guide AKA EPG, Pay Per View AKA PPV°etc.).

The second generation of satellite receivers was equipment like the Xsat 310/410 and the Aston Xena series, which opened the door to the Of-The-Shelves Set Top Boxes (STB), independent from providers, compatible with official decryption cards. Such devices would allow you to reconfigure the position of each channel, manage favorites from your PC and even flash firmware with a serial cable.

Today, we can get the 3rd generation of settop boxes. The Dreambox is one of the popular 3rd generation boxes. Based on a powerful IBM PowerPC (not PC !) with an MPEG1/2 hardware decoder, this box is FULLY open, with an open source Linux operating system. The Dreambox not only offers high quality video and audio, but also has a variety of connections to the outside world: Ethernet, USB, PS2, Compact Flash and two Smartcard readers. The box can handle any dish configuration, an unlimited number of channels or satellites, has a very fast channel scan, allows for direct digital recording, etc. To receive encrypted channels, you need the proper decryption card from the appropriate organization and a PCMCIA CAM which supports your card. Alternatively, you can load a firmware that enables the built-in smart card readers to handle your decryption card. As the Dreambox is more a computer than a consumer electronic device, it can hang some time and it takes a bit of time to learn how to use its full potential.

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