New image Dreambox / Configuring Enigma2

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Communication satellitesThis guide will explain you how to update the firmware/image of the Dreambox (7025+).

Most steps in this article also applies to any other DVB satellite/terrestrial television receiver running Enigma2 like the VU Plus (VU+) devices. Read in this case instead of Dreambox, the name of your favorite receiver. However, this article is assuming you are upgrading a Dreambox 7025+

Actions are preceded with either @Workstation or @Dreambox to tell you where the action has to be performed. After the slash (/) the application to use is mentioned. As workstation a Linux desktop has been used, but any computer with Internet connection, a browser, telnet-, SCP- and SSH-client can do the job.

After reading this post you will be able to accomplish these goals:

  • Flash new image (Dreambox specific);
  • Do basic configuration including setting tuner(s);
  • Customize Dreambox by changing some extra settings;
  • Make Dreambox accessible via SSH (console);
  • Install Gemini3;
  • Install Henksat bouquets.

Important: It is always recommendable to make a note of your tuner settings and to create a backup of your (Enigma) settings before upgrading the image. Read at the end of this article how to backup this configuration.

Flash new image

After this step the new software is running in your Dreambox.

  1. Download image:
    @Workstation/browser: Download an image from: http://dreamboxupdate.com.
    Select the Dreambox model (DM 7025+) and Opendreambox branch (1.6). In my case the file was located at: http://dreamboxupdate.com/opendreambox/1.6/dm7025/images/experimental-dm7025_20111023.nfi
  2. Find IP-address of Dreambox:
    1. @Dreambox: Switch your Dreambox on while pressing and holding + and – buttons. After some seconds the boot process will pause.
    2. @Dreambox: Read IP-address from display of the Dreambox.
  3. Upload image to Dreambox:
    1. Connect a computer directly via UTP-cable with the Dreambox. Give this computer an IP-address in the same subnet as reported by the Dreambox.
    2. @Workstation/browser: Now start your browser and browse to the IP-address which is visible on the Dreambox:
      In my case this was: http://192.168.178.21
      Now you are in the ‘bootloader Web Interface’ of your Dreambox.
    3. @Workstation/browser: Find the link ‘firmware upgrade‘ and click it.
    4. @Workstation/browser: Select the image downloaded in step 1 (NFI-extension). Click ‘Flash!‘ to start uploading the firmware to your Dreambox and flash it in memory.
  4. @Dreambox: When flashed, reboot your Dreambox.

Do basic configuration including setting tuner(s)

After this step your Dreambox is set up for basic use including configuration of two tuners. Of course this depends on the available parabolic antenna(s), positions and low noise block(s) (LNB) you have at your site. Aligning the dish(es) is beyond the scope of this article. Setting the address and subnet mask of your network interface is done using DHCP. Please make sure your router is configured as DHCP-server.

@Dreambox: After first boot, the configuration wizard is started. Configure the Dreambox using the remote control of your Dreambox. The Dreambox is projecting an on screen display (OSD) at your television.

  1. Select Language (English)
  2. Start Wizard
  3. Configure tuners
    • Tuner A: Simple, Mode: DiSEqC A/B, Port A: 19.2 East (Astra) Port B: 23.5 East (Astra 3A) Set Voltage and 22KHz: yes, Send DiSEqC only on satellite change: no
    • Tuner B: Simple, Mode: Single, Satellite: Astra/Eurobird (28,2 East) / 28,4 East Send DiSEqC: no
  4. Do you want to install default sat lists: No
  5. Do you want to do a service scan: No
  6. Do you want to enable the parental control feauture on your dreambox: No
  7. Press OK to start configuring your network: OK
    • Use interface: Yes
    • Use DHCP: Yes

Customize Dreambox by changing some extra settings

After this step every timed record of a television program is started 10 minutes before start as announced in the electronic program guide (EPG) and stopped 10 minutes after the planned end of the program. You can also browse through more than one bouquet and the clock at the hardware display of your Dreambox is blinking during recording.

Change some settings using the settings menu:
@Dreambox: Menu->Setup->System->Customize

  • Setup Mode: Expert
  • Enable multiple bouquets: Yes
  • Margin before record (minutes): 10
  • Margin after record: 10
  • Show blinking clock in display during recording: Yes

Make Dreambox accessible via console (SSH)

After this step you can login at your Dreambox using SSH as a normal user. When logged in you can use the command ‘switch user’ (su) to become root-user at the Dreambox.

  1. Change some settings using the telnet-login (console):
    Warning: Using a telnet-connection is insecure, so reduce operations to a minimum and use as soon as possible SSH. Initial telnet-access is possible without root-password, so set as soon as possible the root-password.

    1. @Workstation: Login to your Dreambox via telnet:
      Find IP of dreambox via: Menu->Setup->System->Network->Adapter settings
      telnet 192.168.178.21
      Username: root, no password needed.
    2. Set root-password: 
      passwd
    3. Create user: 
      adduser vincent
    4. Make the command switch user (su) available: 
      ln -s /bin/busybox /bin/su
chmod u+s /bin/su
    5. Quit telnet: 
      exit
  2. Change some settings using the SSH-login (console):
    1. @Workstation: Login to your Dreambox via SSH:
      ssh vincent@192.168.178.21
    2. Become root: 
      su
    3. Make some space:
      The Dreambox 7025+ has not much space left on the flash memory after installing a new image. So move some files to the harddisk.

      mv /usr/lib/* /mnt/hdd/usr/lib/
ln -s /mnt/hdd/usr/lib /usr/lib
reboot

Install Gemini3 Wizard

After this step the Gemini3 Wizard is installed.

Install Gemini3 Wizard:

  1. @Workstation/ssh (as root): 
    opkg install http://download.blue-panel.com/gemini3/g3_wizard
  2. @Dreambox: Menu->Standby / Restart -> Restart GUI
  3. @Dreambox: Blue button -> Gemini3 Wizard -> Install Gemini Plugin

Softcam

For the Dreambox you don’t need to buy a hardware conditional-access module (CAM) which can read your smartcard to view encrypted content. There are some software cams (softcams) available which reads your smartcard directly and decrypt the content. These softcams can also help you to share your smartcard to use it for viewing encrypted content at a second or third television-set in your house. So when you want to view at two televisions in your house encrypted content, you only need one smartcard! At the other receiver with a softcam (i.e. a second Dreambox) you can use the card of the first receiver. This so called cardsharing is also possible via the Internet which makes encrypted content also accessible outside of your household. This is illegal! Also using one card for more television-sets in the same house is doubtful. So installation of such a softcam is not covered in this article. For educational purposes only you can read in the next section how to configure your Dreambox to use a softcam. In this case the ‘dccamd’. Please search the Internet yourself for a good softcam like: ‘CCcam’. I will not answer any question regarding installation nor configuration of a softcam.

@Dreambox: Configure Softcam:

  1. Press Blue Button (short)
  2. Addons
    Select Gemini SoftCamd->gp-cam-dccamd
  3. Green Button (start)
  4. Select CI-Softcam
  5. Select dccamd (left-right buttons)
  6. Green button (Save)

Install Henksat bouquets

After this step preconfigured bouquets are installed at your Dreambox. In this case for the satellites: Astra 1, 2 and 3 and Hotbird.

  1. Configure Bouquets
    1. @Workstation/browser: Download https://github.com/OpenPLi/HenksatSettings/archive/master.zip
    2. Transfer file to Dreambox:
      1. @Workstation/ssh (as root): 
        mkdir /mnt/hdd/opt/henksat
      2. @Workstation: 
        scp master.zip root@192.168.178.21:/mnt/hdd/opt/henksat/
    3. Put bouquets in place:
      1. @Workstation/ssh (as root): Execute some commands to put bouquets in place: 
        cd /mnt/hdd/opt/henksat
unzip master.zip
cp -rp HenksatSettings-master/e2_henksat_astra_1_2_3_hb/* /etc/enigma2/
      2. Restart Enigma (GUI):
        @Dreambox: Menu->Standby / Restart -> Restart GUI
    4. @Dreambox: Make ‘Favorieten SD’ primary bouquet (7025+ does not support HD):
      1. Press Bouquet Up-button on remote control
      2. Press blue button (Favourites)
      3. Press menu->enable move mode
      4. Select ‘Favorieten SD’
      5. Press Up button on remote
      6. Press Ok
      7. Menu->disable move mode
  2. Scan for services:
    @Dreambox: Menu->Setup->Service Searching->Automatic Scan

    • Clear before scan: yes
    • Scan Tuner A (DVB-S): yes
    • Scan Tuner B (DVB-S): yes
    • Press OK, grab a beer and wait a while…

Some miscellaneous settings

After this step the radio frequency modulator (RF modulator) is switched on, the picture aspect ratio is set to 16:9 and after a recorded movie has reached the end, the Dreambox will switch back to the last selected service.

@Dreambox: Menu->Setup->Customize

  • Behaviour when a movie reaches the end: Return to previous service
  • ->A/V Settings
    Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • ->RF output
    Modulator: on

Extra configuration

To access your Dreambox from the Internet, make a forward from your router to SSH (port 22) and HTTP (port 80) at your Dreambox.

Backup Enigma2 configuration files

In this paragraph you will learn how to backup and restore the Enigma2-configuration files to and from hard disk.

@Workstation/ssh: Create backup:

mkdir /media/hdd/backup
cp -rp /etc/enigma2 /media/hdd/backup/

@Workstation/ssh: Restore backup:

cp /media/hdd/backup/enigma2/userbouquet.* /etc/enigma2/
cp /media/hdd/backup/enigma2/bouquet.* /etc/enigma2/

Further reading

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