Where do all the Dbox2s come from?

dddd

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I understand that the Dbox2 is not being manufactured any more and that they were last made in the easrly 2000s. So whre do the ones for sale come from? Is thre a big warehouse in Germany slowly selling these on?
Anyone know?
 
I guess they are being sold by all those guys that buy Dream box's: big crow
 
(Please correct me if im wrong...) They are all made for use for a particular german cable company.. which I think went bust or merged or the boxes have now been superceeded with more upto date hardware.

The last produced dboxes being in 2001, so gives you an idea of how old some of the hardware is.
 
as far is my knowledge , the dbox where the offical boxes 4 cable in germany just like the ntl boxes here in uk , so they very manufactured at a very large scale dont think they will be short of them anytime soon if any body wants 1
 
Taken from PT-1s Dbox2 Helpfile (link in my sig)

What is a DBox II ?
The DBox II preceded the old DBox I made by Nokia. It is a DBV Multimedia Terminal that is able to receive a digital DVB Stream.
  • It is not able to decode HDTV if any of the providers ever change the whole transmission.
  • It cannot receive DVB-T, only depending on the Tuner DVB-C (cable) or DVB-S (sat)
  • The DBox2 was manufactured by 3 Company's (Nokia,Sagem and Philips)

    The Philips DBox is sometimes a bit tempramental
  • There are two different Tuner Version, one for Cable (VCR Style on the back) and for for satellite (F-Plug Style at the back).
  • Cable Television is widely aviable all over Germany and Premiere (German Pay TV Provider) can be received via Cable or Sat.
  • The DBox II with Neutrino or Enigma installed is more than just a TV Cable Box, it is a multimedia Box with multiple connections that enable you future use.

    The Cable boxes aren't very popular as the amount of channels on German Cable is not worth having and with the Sat and maybe a Astra(19.2) and/or Eutelsat(13) Dish you can pick up around 2000 Channels and "view" quiete a lot of the channels .

    Neutrinio and Enigma are both Linux Software Modifications that run on the DBox Hardware. They are also called GUI.
The DBox was never manufactured for these modifications and some clever guys over in Germany one day decided to take a closer look at the Hardware and found a loophole to access the Flash of the DBox and after backing up the original Software and extracting some drivers(Ucode,Avia) out of this Software they where able to start the foundation of the Tuxbox Project.
Some people prefer Enigma to Neutrino but at the end of the Day they are both closely based on the same sources and it just depends on your own choice. There are more Neutrino Images around.
The original Team that found this loophole never intended to use the DBox for any illegal usage and the Tuxbox Forum in Germany does not tolerate any kind of this usage.

Enabeling the Debug Mode and installing Neutrino/Enigma on your Dbox is not illegal !!
 
Thanks for those replys. So a dbox is at least 6 years old? I wonder how many are being used in the uk then?
 
No, sorry. I was asking how many people have one in the uk. Thousands?
 
I see. I'll leave it at that then. Thanks.
 
The D-box, also Multimedia terminal mentioned, is a Digitalreceiver of the Kirch group for the digital television program offerer DF1 (today premiere), which was offered starting from August 1996 for 890 DM (455 euro) in the specialized trade.

The D-box 1 was the first DVB able Receiver, which was produced and marketed in very large quantities. First the paying television company DF1 had the company Nokia assigned the development and production, later used also PREMIERE, German Telekom and the ORF the D-box than technical platform for the own program. After Kirchs DF1 with premiere fused, the decoder could be rented against a fee (in connection with a subscription). After the fusion now also different manufacturers got such as Philips and SAGEM licenses, in order to produce a set Top box with the label name D-box. This limited itself however only on the successor, the d-box2.

Since 2001 does not become new devices more produced, in the trade copies present are to a large extent back runners of former renting devices (also as refurbished or industrialoutdated admits), which are marketed occasionally still by premiere or various specialist dealers quite favorably also partially with subscription. Compared with other set Top boxes the value purge is amazingly slow with D-boxes, so that with the purchase by private-using devices or also in various on-line auction houses quite high prices are paid. This is to be attributed also to the fact that the devices (D-box 1 and 2) are expandable with alternative operating systems also, which can use the technical possibilities of the devices substantially better and this represents a certain purchase argument for many users. The further development is and/or was characterized considerably of these alternative operating systems. That becomes among other things clear to it that innumerable web pages and forums developed, which specialized partially even only in these devices. To that extent one can talk about a certain cult.
The D-box gives it for the receipt of DVB-S or of DVB-C.

The D-box for satellite reception is attached like every other satellite receiver by means of a universal LNB for digital receipt to the satellite dish. Exactly the D-box 1 could find 70 television stations via satellite at first, among them all 17 DF1-Programme as well as coded Scandinavian, Netherlands and French channels. In Germany however excluding DF1 as subscription one offered.

The cable version of the D-box is applicable in everyone for the digital receipt (DVB-C) developed cable system.

For the controlling of the D-box an electronic program leader under the designation was used T.O.N.I. (Tele on-line Navigations instrument), which should facilitate the use of the relatively complex technology.
Both D-box-generations were originally for the exclusive receipt of the program of DF1 (dbox-1) and also later for premiere intended. As Crypt system Betacrypt was used. Other coding systems are not supported. Also for the respective receipt (cable, sows) certain Smartcard types are needed, which are passed on together with a subscription to the users. An exchange of a CI-module is not possible without larger technical interferences. The 2003 particularly for premiere developed coding system Nagravision function with a kind Tunnelung of the existing Betacrypt platform. Several map types are necessary also here. The whole pulls also a certain was on use licenses with itself, there also further various program offerers Betacrypt (ORF Austria) and also various Kabelprovider the system use. Pikant is at present the right utilization of different program offerers. A popular example is the present right utilization of the federal league. On the part of arena, at the beginning of the usefulness of the D-box-devices one assured to the consortium, which acquired the rights at the soccer federal league starting from 2006/07 for three years. Since however premiere quit a use contract with its selling platform, the program with Cryptoworks is coded. Thus a receipt of this program with a D-box 2 without technical change is impossible, since the Conditional ACCESS of modules cannot be exchanged there.The system software, with which the D-box-devices are regularly provided, was developed on the part of the equipment manufacturers and considerably by praying acre search, a subsidiary company of the Kirch group in Munich. The updates were brought in via satellite or cable. It was planned that Pay by View transmissions should be accounted for by means of integrated modem by voice grade channel. Also it should be possible in connection with PC or external CD-ROM drive assemblies to be able to play VideoCDs. Pay TV and concomitantly the sales of D-boxes developed in Germany however very sluggishly, which was to quite due to quite the market strategies monopolyistic put on of the Kirchgruppe and nevertheless the Abo prices quite high for the introduction time. Also the technical concept was to place and use for different services and television a SetTop box as Multimediazentrale in the living room, very interesting, in addition, its time ahead. Today's Pay by View systems are based on a transmission of the individual de-energising signal by the program signal and order via Internet, SMS or telephone.
d-box1: (Coldfire been based)

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

Note: The d-box1 is exactly taken a renamed Nokia Mediamaster 9500 with beta new fact instead of Nokia software, and beyond that there are two hardware versions, which exhibit both outwardly and functionally differences: The older version has the antenna connections right and mostly a free base for a ram extended card (however only 1 MT RAM onboard), with the newer version is left over the SCSI interface and 3 MT RAM ex factory firmly inserted the antenna sockets.

d-box2: (Power-PC-been based)

* Nokia (satellite)
* Nokia (cable)
* Philips (satellite)
* SAGEM (satellite)
* SAGEM (cable)

She came in the second yearly half 2000 on the market and could be acquired for scarcely 400 DM. In the October of the same yearly the digital exit was activated by a software update.

Note: There are different hardware versions, whose differences are limited however to number and manufacturer of the Flash memory (in or two chips of the manufacturers Intel and AMD) and the version of the MPEG decoder chip “Avia” (versions: Avia 500 GTX (Nokia D-box 2) and Avia 600 ENX (Sagem and Philips D-box 2)). For the final user the differences are minimal, but not insignificant. In particular, if an alternative operating system is to be used.

* LC-display: The d-box2 has a salient LC-display with a dissolution of 120×64 pixels.
 
...continued

d-box2-Geräte could bezeichenen one contrary to the D-box 1 within certain limits as relative, there supported the D-box 2 with appropriate software equipment (BN3MHP) also MHP. For developers and for experimental purposes however only few devices with the appropriate software were delivered, which did not come however officially on the market. Devices with this MHP software were also not zertifziert by premiere, although for example the protection of children and young people function is as implemented in the previous versions also here. It seems safe however that after the end of the Kirch group and thus also praying acre search the advancement was completely stopped and premiere showed no interest in an advancement and thus completely from the hardware marketing separated. This accompanied also temporally with the end of the production of the D-box 2.
The D-box 1 offers different connection types, which should make possible video CD also according to data of DF1 „the integration from computer-assisted, interactive services beside the digital television and that such as on-line entrance, E-Mail and Home Banking as well as different applications of CD “.

In detail:

* CONTROLLER (VCR) - controlling video recorder (Rec/Play) over ext. IR module. The 0/12-Volt-Buchse (switching signal) steered the distributor for the similar Receiver.
* 2x Cinch (audio R/L) - sound signal left + right. The D-box gives the audio formats mono, Stereo, two-channel clay/tone and in the Stereosignal hidden also to Dolby ProLogic again. The rendition of Dolby digitally AC3 is easily not possible; an optical exit for Dolby-Digital-AC3-Ton can later be inserted, which functions however only under DVB2000.
* 3x Scart - for video recorder (VCR), television (TV) and further equipment, a e.g. similar sow Receiver or DVD Player (AUX). All sockets supply „the normal “composite color picture signal and the clay/tone beside RGB for high image quality.
* RJ-12 module (telephones) - the integrated modem made the connection to the program offerer DF1 over the telephone connection. Concerning this above all Pay by View offers should be accounted for. Premiere and other offerers do not use this account technology however. The modem function was used however by premiere for the test operation of a E-Mail application, with which it was possible to receive and dispatch enamels with the D-box.
* RS232 DB9 (PC) - serves as connection to the PC or a printer. At the beginning of no function one assigned to the socket. Planned was among other things the PC control or the expression of the fee account. Over the RS232-Buchse a new system software can become up-played („geflasht “).
* F1-SAT-Anschluss (only sowing version), also LNB - for the connection to the satellite dish. For the parallel connection of a similar Receivers to the dish one needed however an extra distributor.
* International Electronical Commission antenna and TV/VCR (only cable version) - for the connection to the cable system, the exit grinds through the cable signal to the television or video recorder.
* SCSI 2-Buchse - for the connection of CD-ROM drive assemblies, digital video recorders or PC. The data format is MPEG2 with 5 MBit/s synchronously and 3 MBit/s asynchronously.
* Scart sockets: Connection for a television and a video recorder.
* integrated 56K modem with RJ11-Buchse: The modem was originally as intended with the d-box1 for Pay by View of offers, this was however never converted.
* integrated RJ45 Ethernet connection: 10 MBit/s a half duplex network interface. In the original system the network interface is not used. If Linux is used as operating system, this interface is indispensable to the data traffic with the D-box like e.g. the installation.
* RS-232 socket: served as connection to the PC or a printer. At the beginning of no function one assigned to the socket. Planned was among other things the PC control or the expression of the fee account. These plans were however never converted, then also this interface without function is and/or only for service technicians of importance in the master software.
* Audio exits: Similar Cinchausgänge (L+R) as well as a CoPy-bit-protected digital optical exit.
* The sowing version of the D-box 2 has a F-socket for the connection of a satellite dish (DVB-S) and a further one for the connection of a similar sow Receivers.
* The cable version of the D-box 2 has Koax antenna input (DVB-C) and a further Koax exit for grinding through the received signal to the TV, video recorder etc.
* DVB T receipt is not possible with the D-box 2.
* Memory module card location: Connection of an internal memory expansion. Also the connection of an IDE adapter for the connection of non removable disks is possible (however both was not intended by the manufacturer).
Since 1998 there is the alternative system software DVB2000 (formerly: DVB98). It was developed by the programmer Uli (alias Dr. Overflow) and is suitable both for petrol ordinary consumers and for professionals (sow DXer). DVB2000 was developed into the software version 2.00.0 beta 8.

By hardware near programming in machine language DVB2000 is superior in various regard of the master software beta new facts of praying acre search. Apart from the substantially better utilization of the hardware DVB2000 supports existing in terms of hardware and SCSI-2 CONTROLLER never used by beta new facts. Thus SCSI devices can be connected such as non removable disk or CD-ROM drive assemblies with the D-box 1, which can be used e.g. for the rendition by audio files as well as music titles. The probably most important decision for DVB2000 is to be connected the possibility via SCS iv-heiress dung cable the D-box 1 with a commercial computer with SCSI Hostadapter, in order to take up so direct the audio and video data.
Owing to findiger Tüftler and the fact that the D-box 2 has a 66MHz power PC CCU (Motorola), it can be operated since some years the D-box 2 also under Linux with appropriate user surfaces (GUIs), from which there are directly several. One finds an interesting article also for this in the TuxBox Wiki. The furthest common GUI is neutrinos, which particularly by a functional, a simple and clear structure very large resemblance finds. Enigma, which finds on the DreamBOX use, is graphically more aufwändiger and as neutrinos structured similar. Is Lcars admits less, which from the Design is ajar against the StarTrek Look and Feel, and clearly of prompting neutrinos and Enigmas stands out and unfortunately only meagerly one develops further. EliteDVB is one the first GUIs, which gave it for the dBox-2, but is not no more developed. Not least because of faster operability, well durchdachter prompting and numerous feature (Streaming video, admission over Ethernet, fast channel search etc.) very fast a large fan municipality developed. The master software, which is written in Java, let the D-box 2, not least also because of stagnating advancement, push fast to its borders.

To the Aufspielen of a Linuxsystems, which one reaches by bringing in (flashen) so-called “Flash images”, no change is necessary in the sense of exchange or change of construction units at the hardware of the d-box2. It is only necessary to shift the equipment into the so-called Debug mode. After appropriate modification however no more warranty claim exists, since perhaps and depending upon proceeding certain temporary interferences at the hard and software must be made and this interference remain perhaps comprehensible. This procedure is necessary, since the master software against changes depending upon manufacturer of the dBox-2 hard - and/or is protected in terms of software. In this originally for the developers and service technician reserved mode the software can be tested and changed and only so can a strange operating system such as Linux be brought in and/or selected and also used.

In the meantime several distributions are located in form of so-called d-box_2-Images to the selection. Apart from the initial “Ur-images” like e.g. the McClean images, there were the so-called AlexW images, which do not give it to however no more in current versions and on various Websites than Backup to be actually only found are as one of the first wide-spread distributions. Successors its are the Yadi images. Further ones would be e.g. the JTG images or even some from third offerers e.g. NovaTux images. One could lead the list still further, since one can find often still further “internal” versions on the sides of the TuxBox project. The differences in function and operation are actually small, but one often does not find in the different versions technical or functional characteristics in all versions is in the same way pronounced.

Since the D-box does not become fair of 2 with Linux as operating system Zertfizierung of premiere, to have the creators of all designated regularly offered distributions the premiere receipt deactivates. With a minimum modification subscribers of premiere can see the program also under Linux, what offends however against the AGB von Premiere in the point “obligation to cooperate”. Also no technical support of premiere may be expected.

These regular distributions are based all on an open SOURCE project, the TuxBox project. This open structure made it unites for programmers possible to spread illegaly adapted versions of these distributions or own versions with illegal modifications of the source code the one free looking at of the paying television station premiere and/or the program of MediaVision in the cable of the German Telekom various foreign Pay TV transmitter and the ORF made possible. Not least therefore Linux came again and again for the d-box2 into the headlines. MediaVision was switched off after the sales of the cable system by the German Telekom.
 
...continued

Also hardware is developed far for the D-box 2. So is to be developed amateur handicraftsmen succeeded an IDE interface. With this it is to be made now possible from the D-box 2 a non removable disk video recorder. On functions such as time SHIFTs still one works at present. The moreover one there are again manufactured LC-displays with bluer instead of greener lighting, which are no longer susceptible to strips.
With the current (last official) system software „beta new facts 1.3T MediaVision “are as far as possible eliminated teething troubles of the D-box 1. A problem prepared in former times the long installation of the D-box 1: It lasted up to one hour or longer, until the system software was loaded. However is today no longer necessary, since updates of the software are on the one hand no longer necessary, and on the other hand (only) over the RS232-Schnittstelle can be made. With the Zappen by the television programs the D-box 1 is as fast or slow as many other Digitalreceiver. With the earlier software-Versions the decoder needed sometimes however several seconds, in order to decode the respective programs or accomplish a program change, and there were pretty often system crashes. Among other things for this reason the alternative software DVB2000 (see above) was developed, which offers still faster switching times and particularly with the satellite reception further advantages.
Since by the decay of the Kirch group also praying acre search was dissolved, also the software of the D-box was not no more developed further 2. The last and current version „beta new facts 2,01 “is considered as relatively stable. But the D-box 2 is not considered as as matured as the predecessor model. Also the display exhibits a widespread error. It indicates vertical strips, which more or less work disturbing with some boxes. These can be removed however with fate somewhat relating to crafts.

With some, few boxes the following problem with the clay/tone arises: Quiet Knacksen in the clay/tone, which begins after a warming up phase from approx. 20 to 25 operating minutes and substantially the hearing benefit of broadcast transmissions with many quiet places considerably impaired. Comparisons knows one Knacksen or kneeling star with the playing of a badly entstaubten record. These disturbances were to be heard both in the beta new fact and with the different Linuxvarianten of the D-box 2 clearly.

lol is this enough? : shocked2
 
Yeah! That's very interesting, Thanks. Even if it's sometimes hard to understand translated German.
Where's all that from?
 
most dbox's on ebay come from germany and usually are 2nd hand /refurbs
 
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