Dreambox Blog

some unsorted tricks and hints about the Dreambox satellite receiver.
First of all:

A Dreambox never acts predictably

keep that in mind before you waste too many nights. It's a challenge but not always a logical one. For those who just want to watch TV: never change a running system. For all others: Here we go...

The zapTo-path syntax

You can access channels like (zapTo is case sensitive):
http://192.168.0.5/cgi-bin/zapTo?path=1:0:Type:SID:TransponderID:NetworkID:Namespace:0:0:0:

Example:

http://192.168.0.5/cgi-bin/zapTo?path=1:0:2:f20e:421:1:c00000:0:0:0:

Type	1 for TV 2 for TV 84 maybe crypting info 87 data 8d EPG
SID	Station ID
Namespace	Satellite Position in Degrees * 10 as Word (Hex) + 4 digit (hex) Example: Astra 19.2°E = c00000 (19.2 * 10 = 192 = 0xC0) Example: Telecom 5°W = ffce0000 (-5 * 10 = -50 = 0xFFCE ) 4 digit: usually 0000, only sometimes neccessary, does anyone know how to calculate this?

If anyone knows about the other values (1:0 ... 0:0:0) please let me know.

Accessing the dreambox via PHP

Just don't forget to send login and password. Example:

include "http://root:dreambox@192.168.0.5/channels/getcurrent";

Here are some other commands, most of them unfortunately without documentation:

/addTimerEvent
/audio.m3u
/blank
/body
/body?mode=zap&zapmode=0&zapsubmode=4
/cgi-bin/admin?command=shutdown
/cgi-bin/admin?command=reboot
/cgi-bin/admin?command=restart
/cgi-bin/admin?command=standby
/cgi-bin/admin?command=wakeup
/cgi-bin/audio, gives out Volume and Mute-Value
/cgi-bin/channelinfo, Station name and 2-line EPG, all in HTML
/cgi-bin/currentService?...
/cgi-bin/currentTransponderServices, list in TXT-format, representing paths (as above in ZAPTO syntax) 
/cgi-bin/deleteMovie
/cgi-bin/getcurrentepg
/cgi-bin/getEIT
/cgi-bin/getPMT
/cgi-bin/getServices?...
/cgi-bin/ln, createSymlink
/cgi-bin/ls, listDirectory
/cgi-bin/message
/cgi-bin/mkdir, makeDirectory
/cgi-bin/mv, moveFile
/cgi-bin/osdshot, PNG-graphic with On Screen Display (not the TV picture)
/cgi-bin/pause
/cgi-bin/play
/cgi-bin/record
/cgi-bin/recoverRecordings
/cgi-bin/reloadPlaylist
/cgi-bin/reloadRecordings
/cgi-bin/reloadSettings
/cgi-bin/reloadTimerList
/cgi-bin/reloadUserBouquets
/cgi-bin/rm, removeFile
/cgi-bin/rmdir, removeDirectory
/cgi-bin/savePlaylist
/cgi-bin/saveRecordings
/cgi-bin/saveTimerList
/cgi-bin/saveUserBouquets
/cgi-bin/selectAudio
/cgi-bin/selectSubChannel
/cgi-bin/setAudio
/cgi-bin/startPlugin
/cgi-bin/status, Streaminfo-Screen in HTML
/cgi-bin/stop
/cgi-bin/stopPlugin
/cgi-bin/streaminfo
/cgi-bin/switchService
/cgi-bin/videocontrol
/cgi-bin/xmessage
/cgi-bin/zapTo
/changeTimerEvent
/channels/getcurrent
/cleanupTimerList
/clearTimerList
/control/channellist
/control/getonidsid
/control/message?msg=hallo
/control/zapto
/deleteTimerEvent
/editTimerEvent
/EPGDetails
/getcurrentepg?type=extended
/getcurrentepg2
/getMultiEPG?ref=4097:7:0:dbe00:0:0:0:0:0:0:%2fvar%2ftuxbox%2fconfig%2fenigma%2fuserbouquet%2edbe00%2etv
(4097 would be VPID)
/header
/leftnavi?mode=control, shows various web-screens
/leftnavi?mode=zap
/leftnavi?mode=help
/leftnavi?mode=updates
/msgWindow
/pda, very narrow control in HTML
/setVideo
/setVolume
/showAddTimerEventWindow
/TVBrowserTimerEvent
/tvMessageWindow
/version

Screenshots via Telnet

Start the telnet by clicking on "start", then "run" and type in "command" (98SE).
When the DOS-prompt appears type telnet 192.168.0.5 or whatever your dreambox IP is and now you can send direct commands to the dreambox.

Example: cat /dev/grabber > tmp/screenshot.bmp

This will execute the "grabber" in the dev directory and put out the result in the tmp-directory of your dreambox. This helps if the grabpic tool in the web interface doesn't work.

Networking

If you don't use DHCP it's essential that your PC obtains a fixed IP. That's done by
Start>Settings>Control Panel>Network>TCP/IP--Network Controller (the one connected to your dreambox)>Properties
Now obtain an IP for the PC (192.168.0.1 would be ok) and subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Power consumption

In use: 25 Watts, standby: 11 Watts (that's much). If you shutdown the dreambox the current is less than 1 Watt.

Where to put plugins?

DM7000 var/tuxbox/plugins DM7020 usr/lib/tuxbox/plugins

simply copy the .so and .cfg files there and they'll automatially appear in the Plugins menu, which can be accessed with the blue button.

Where are the important enigma files (services,bouquets,config)?

var/tuxbox/config/enigma (DM7000)
etc/enigma (DM7020)

Where is satellite.xml

var/etc (DM7000)
etc/tuxbox (DM7020 / 1.10)
software versions before 1.07 had other directories

Satellites.xml structure

example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<satellites>
	<sat name="-45,0" flags="5" position="-450">
		<transponder frequency="11510000" symbol_rate="26694000" polarization="0" fec_inner="4"/>
	</sat>
</satellites>

explains itself except the codes (note the differences to the SDX format!):

Flags
1	Network Scan
2	use BAT
4	use ONIT
8	skip NITs of known networks

and combinations of these

Pol	satellites.xml	SDX
0	horizontal	vertical
1	vertical	horizontal
2	left	left
3	right	right

FEC	satellites.xml	SDX
0	auto	no FEC
1	1/2	1/2
2	2/3	2/3
3	3/4	3/4
4	5/6	4/5
5	7/8	5/6
6	-	6/7
7	-	7/8
8	-	8/9
9	-	9/10

Be careful editing the satellite.xml! I experienced that a corrupted file can't be corrected again even if you reset all settings. The only way was to flash a new image. There might be a problem if you do not set tabs as expected but I'm not sure. So I'm still not sure what a corrupted file is. I've had bad experience with files that looked good. I've even had bad experience with files that worked before. No satellites or no transponders appeared in the lists. This happened with the DM7020. The DM7000 seems to be less complicated with this matter. The way to activate a satellite.xml for the transponder list seems to be:

send reload commands (via DCC or DreamBoxEdit)
change satellite configuration (to 1 LNB for example) and save
change back to "multiple satellites" and save

After that the rotor positions will be gone, but the transponders appear in the "motor configuration". If you don't change "satellite configuration" the satellites.xml has already effect on the satellite names in enigma.

However, usually the satellite.xml can be updated by "reloading settings" in Dreamboxedit.

My update procedure

...for keeping the settings for the rotor and using a satellite.xml with only active transponders. Satellite positions are part of the config (LNB,Orbitpos,Rotortable), satellite.xml (transponders) and services (programme lists) file. They play together in a complex way.

Upload image using DreamUp
Set language and timezone
2xEXIT till you have blank screen
Adjust IP settings (communications setup)
FTP satellite.xml to your Dreamboxedit settings directory on your PC
delete all lines between <satellite> and </satellite> and save the file
Use Dreamboxedit > Tools > Update satellite.xml
Use Dreamboxedit > FTP > Send files to dreambox, afterwards "Reload settings" and wait till it's done
FTP config to any directory
Insert your personal RotorTable line into config and save it
FTP config back
Switch off Dreambox (for config)
Restart

This only worked a few times. No guarantee on anything, and be sure that the hard disc doesn't rotate while switching the Dreambox off. I've spent some hours to work this out.
But if you wanna go save: do not update the satellite.xml. Keep it as it is... With too many transponders in it. Or use the updater from the blue panel.

The config file

...is only updated after you reboot the box.

Dreamboxedit

by Llamaware is a freeware that transfers and edits programme lists. Here is some info about the bugs I faced:

Version 1.80 did not work with Hydra images on 1.08 firmware.
SDX import: 1.80 only supports the old format (128 characters per line starting with 'SATCODX103')
Version 2.02 only supports the new SDX format (328 characters per line starting with 'SATCODX110'). Otherwise error message: "Invalid SatcoDX file was checked for processing but skipped"
At auto.satcodx.com you can automatically generate new and old SDX files for multiple satellites (selective choices did not work by March 2007, but if you choose all satellites it works with one exception: polarisation was vice versa!!)
First save settings to a file, then choose FTP transfer (if not you will receive error:"Invalid filename")

Structure of the "Services"-File

Part 1 example:

eDVB services /2/
transponders
fe3e0468:0000:0000
	s 11601000:6111000:0:3:-450:0:0
/
(...)
end

... and so on, schematically the lines have this appearance:

0xNamespace:0xTSID:0xNID
s freq(khz):symbolrate(hz):pol:fec:pol:y:z

with

namespace (aaaabbbb) with "a" as Sat position (hex) as integer. fe3e would be -450 (45 degrees west)
"b": 0xFrequency but often 0000 (depends on networkID, no idea which criteria)
tsid: transponder ID
nid: network ID
fec and pol: code as above

Part 2 example:

f1cc:00c00000:0421:0001:1:23739
Bibel TV
f:1,p:

schematically:

0xSID:0xNAMESPACE:0xTSID:0xNID:type:prognumber
Station Name (customable)
(f:1,p:) or (c:000020,c:010021,c:020031,c:030020,p:Bibel TV)

type: 1(TV) or 2(radio)
f seems to be a flag that prevents from updating
p seems to be the original program name
c starts with Video-PID (00), Audio-PID (01), Teletext (02), PCR (03), followed by 0xIDValue

Where is my position?

I've often observed that the neighbouring motor positions just disappear out of the list and others take their wrong place. It was often not possible to create different positions for 28.2/28.5° or 0.8/1°W

How to install a rotor

Following these steps in this order might help with this difficult matter

Use the Satellite Finder to find the maximum elevation: Type in identical values for satellite orbit and site longitude and enter your latitude. Now look at the calculated values:
Set the main axis of the rotor to your polar mount main axis (usually it has a scale) f.e. 55°
Set the dish elevation to "Dish elevation" minus "Polar mount dish offset tilt" (or plus, depending on your axis) f.e. 27°-7°=20°
Rotate manually to a strong satellite position near the center. If your position is 10°E I'd recommend you let it point 3° left of the middle- this would be the setting for Hotbird.
You can also use GotoXY for that purpose - but in this case you won't be able to fine tune for weaker satellites
The whole construction should point south of course. Now choose a valid transponder and move the whole construction (rotor+dish) a bit to the left and right and watch the SNR scale: 50% means nothing, 60% is a weak signal, 70% sufficient, 80% good, 90% is very strong. Try to get the maximum
It should be possible now to find neighbouring satellites
The satellites on the extreme west and east are most difficult. If only one of the axises is a bit out of track, reception gets impossible. Here you can only get further with logic: do you point too low in the east and too high in the west? Then the whole construction might need to be shoved a bit to the west. East and west too high and mid to low? Then put the dish a bit up and the polarmount a bit down. This is a procedure where you need patience. It's relatively easy to get sufficient signals from 42°E to 30°W in Europe but if you also want 75°E and 45°W it will be hard.
Of course not all the satellites and transponders can be received in any place. Look at the footprints at Lyngsat

Signal levels

If you focus a satellite, you probably want to know what maximum signal levels you can expect. These values are for my home near Flensburg, North Germany. The transponders chosen are related to my Mini-Sat-XML. The first value is for my DM7020 with 1m dish, the second for my DM7000 with 80cm dish (incomplete). The values may locally vary of course. And other transponders will almost certainly have different values. These observations are from March 2006.

	DM7020	DM7000
no signal	0-50
signal detected but too weak	50-60
reception possible	>60

Sat position/name	Frequency	DM7020 / 1m	DM7000 / 80cm
W45 Panamsat 1R	11510H	85
W43 Panamsat 3R/6B	12651H	89
W34 Intelsat 903	11132V	73
W31.5 Intelsat 801	10999V
W30 Hispasat	11731V	80+
W27.5 Intelsat 907	11665V	84
W24.5 Intelsat 905	11674V	91
W22 NSS7	12735H	87	59
W18 Intelsat 901	11677H	86	78
W15 Telstar 12	12608H	76	77
W12.5 Atlantic Bird 1	11426H	86	72
W11 Express A3	11516V	73
W08 Atlantic Bird 2	10970H	77+
W07 Nilesat	11823V	(62)	-
W05 Atlantic Bird 3	12543H	92	86
W04 Amos	10722H	73	63
W01 Intelsat 10-02	12643H	74[90]
W00.8 Thor	11216V	86	84
E05 Sirius	11823V	87	85
E07 Eutelsat W3A	11575V	86	78
E10 Eutelsat W1	11144H	77+
E13 Hotbird	10719V	85	79
E16 Eutelsat W2	11554V	86	79
E19.2 Astra 1	10787V	91
E21.6 Eutelsat W6	10972V	-
E23.5 Astra 3	10757V	87
E26 Arabsat	11727H	68	-
E28.2 Astra 2	10729V	87
E28.5 Eurobird 1	11222V	88
E33 Eurobird 3 Intelsat 802	12721V	65+
E36 Eutelsat Sesat/W4	12532H	70[75]
E39 HellasSat	12606H	77[82]
E40 Express AM1	11097H	82	-
E42 Turksat	12652H	82	71
E45 Intelsat 12	11499V	96	84
E53 Express AM22	11043V	80
E57 NSS703	12551V	63[70]
E60 Intelsat 904	11101V	64	-
E62 Intelsat 902	11152H	85
E68.5 Intelsat 7/10	12722V	75	69
E70.5 Eutelsat W5	11640H	(60)	-
E72 Intelsat 4	12518V	71
E75 ABS1	12670V	80

(60)= not enough for decoding
70[82]= latest SNR: 70, some months/years ago: 82 (probably reduced signal)
60+ = probably a better SNR would be possible with exact allignment

Questions? Corrections? Ideas? Comments? Mail me:
PeerAxel@aol.com

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