Please Help Nebie ??Dreambox

[llieno]

Hi ya, just wondering if you guys could help me, I'm just looking for some info on Dreambox. Basically Ive got sky + but would like to upgrade my viewing pleasures & have heard about Dreambox but don't really understand what it is. I have a sky subsciption but also would like to watch the premiership on art or whoever, but the wife already moans about how many gadgets i have and don't use so buying another sat & receiver would be out of the question, But getting one that could do both could be an option. In brief what is Dreambox & how does it work?

Many thanks I know its a proper newbie question but need to start somewhere!

[nanochickin]

Basically a Dreambox is just another receiver. It runs on an open source operating system (LINUX) which is constantly improved on by the many different teams that write the software for these boxes.

The operating system comes in many flavours like Gemini, Colosseum, DS Team, PLi Garnett and Nabilosat to name a few. Gemini seems to be the most popular at the moment. My current favorite is the Nabilosat image

The receiver itself is a very powerfull piece of kit which can if setup properly is capable of card sharing or decrypting scrammbled signals by the use of various softcams (EMU) and known keys (codes)

Its also as far as i know the only non sky receiver that can update and decode from a bskyb NDS card

If you are thinking of getting one please be aware that its not an easy piece of kit to get working properly without putting in a lot of hours. Mine very nearly went out of the window on quite a few occassions

You definately need a good knowledge of networking ann FTP if your considering buying one.

The unit also requires a internet connection for some functions and also to update it. In other words its just a fancy brick without one



Nano

[Jimdefruit]

Welcome llieno,

I would just add to nano's good description and say that you would need to keep the digibox for any odd occassion that the Dreambox did not update the Sly card.

Because the dreambox can receive channels from lots of satellites (if you motorise the dish) it is possible to miss an update signal from the Sly satellite. In that case you would need to put the card back into the digibox for a short while to update.

Obviously if you are thinking of having a card for other satellites you would need to motorise the dish or have a multi LNB setup.