Enigma (DVB)

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For other uses of Enigma, see Enigma.
Enigma2
Developer(s)about 20 development teams, originally Dream Service GmbH
Initial release2006
Written inC++, modules in language Python
Operating systemLinux
Platform
Available inEnglish, German and other languages depending particular distribution
TypeFirmware, API
Licensedifferent, partially proprietary software
Websitewww.enigma2.net

Enigma2 is an application used in Linux-based Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-S, DVB-C, DVB-T) receivers or TV set-top boxes and Internet Protocol television receivers. It creates graphical user interface to control such devices using a remote control and provides features known from TV sets or smart TVs like tuning available satellite transponders, cable channels and terrestrial television transmitters (according to available tuners), watching a TV or listening a radio program, time shifting, Digital video recorder, streaming media program to other devices (personal computer, mobile phone), etc. Other features are available as plugins – for example Electronic program guide (EPG), Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV), access to TV archives and movie databases, playback of multimedia files, viewing photos, etc.

The name Enigma2 is often used for the whole Linux distribution designed for TV receivers containing Enigma2 application. Sometimes is the distribution called Linux E2 or , but usually it is called by the specific project or development team – OpenATV, OpenPLi, OpenViX, EGAMI, OpenEight, Black Hole, OpenDroid, etc. The distribution was originally developed for Dreambox receivers, but after 2010 a number of manufacturers of similar equipment appeared, such as , , , , Unibox, Vu+, , etc.

The devices[]

Devices designed for Enigma2 (i.e. satellite receivers, set-top boxes and IPTV receivers, often simply called as boxes) are equipped with one or more DVB-S, DVB-C and DVB-T tuner(s) (unless they are pure IPTV receivers), a Remote control receiver and an Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi network adapter. To receive coded/scrambled programs the box is equipped with one or more slots for decoding cards. The operating system is usually stored on built-in flash memory, to record programs or to play multimedia files a larger hard disk, SSD, USB flash disk or memory card can be used. The device may use Network Attached Storage or disk volume on a personal computer using Samba or NFS protocol as well. The system is designed to be controlled Remote control similar to those used for TV receivers. The TV set usually connected with a HDMI (or SCART) cable works as a . The device may connect to a home audio system.

The box can be accessed with a terminal emulation protocol telnet or ssh. The OpenWebif module implements a web server that allows to control the box from a PC using a web browser. The box may act as a streaming server.

History[]

Enigma was one of the Graphical user interfaces developed for digital satellite receivers DBox-2 during the project[1] in 2000-2001. The development was then continued by Dream Multimedia for their receivers Dreambox. Dream Multimedia came in 2006 with a new version of software called enigma2. At that time occurred many receiver manufacturers who made use software developed by Dream Multimedia, did not contribute to system development, but represented competitors to Dream Multimedia. Dream Multimedia therefore decided not to continue system development as free software and introduced its own Dreambox OS. Currently, there are about 20 teams that develop enigma2 application, control and maintains own version of distribution for dozens types of devices.

Features[]

The main feature is displaying of the received TV program on the TV screen connected usually using HDMI cable transferring sound as well. At the same time Enigma2 creates graphical user interface designed to control using an infrared remote control, that displays on the TV screen in the form of menu, dialogues and forms allowing to control all basic settings of the set-top box or the receiver.

Plugins[]

Enigma2 features can be extended by various plugins.

Some plugins offers specific features of smart TVs, like

The behaviour of the plugins can be customized in the Plugins menu. Other plugins that implement other extension features, can be activated from Plugins menu.

Disk[]

To use Enigma2 box as a Digital video recorder, to use time shifting and some other features like system backup and setup it is possible to connect an external hard disk or USB flash drive. Some receivers contains a builtin disk or has a slot to install an internal hard disk drive. Also using of a network-attached storage or shared disk from a computer is possible.

Network interface[]

For Internet access, access to network disk storages or to shared folders on computer, streaming program to computer, mobile phone or other receiver and for control receiver from and computer using web browser, or other purposes most receivers have builtin interface Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi, or it is possible to connect an external WiFi module. The receiver uses DHCP for dynamic assignment of IP address, but when the user wants to control receiver using web browser, file transfer protocols File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or SFTP or to login interactively to the receiver using telnet or SSH, it is better to configure the receiver to use a fixed IP address.

Decryption card interfaces[]

Enigma 2 boxes are equipped with interfaces for popular conditional access cards like Common Interface slot and/or smart card reader to allow reception of encrypted content which may be stored or streamed after decryption.

Controlling using a web client[]

Most of the enigma2 features can be controlled by web browser using interface OpenWebif. It contains virtual remote control offering the same features as remote control supplied to the receiver. Using of this interface must be enabled in receiver settings and an access password must be generated. Connection to the receiver is usually possible only from internal network as most internet providers assignment addresses dynamically and does not allow connecting from internet to home network.

Video streaming[]

Enigma2 allows streaming received program as well as multimedia files stored on the disk.

The easiest access to streaming is with OpenWebif. By clicking to the symbol of screen or mobile phone by the selected program or multimedia file a *.m3u file is downloaded that can be opened by VLC or other application to play the selected source.

Cheaper receivers with single tuner allow streaming, recording and watching programs from only one multiplex or satellite transponder at the same time. Many boxes have two receivers which allows to stream, watch and record programs from two multiplexes or satellite transponders. The best receivers have multiple tuners allowing to stream, watch and records programs from different multiplexes and transponders at the same time (there must be a tuner for each multiplex or transponder). When there is not enough tuners, recording has a priority, so during recording a program on single-tuner box it is not possible to switch to channels from different multiplexes or transponders and even during watching of a program the receiver may switch to another program when a programmed recording starts.

Software upgrade[]

If the receiver is connected to Internet, it is possible to upgrade software from internet repositories. It is recommended to make system backup before the upgrade, to allow returning to a working system version in case of any problem. Upgrades may be limited to one or a few recent version(s) of system image.

System backup and setup[]

Enigma2 allows to backup the system to an attached disk or network-attached storage. It is possible to make backup of settings only (configuration files, their initial list can be modified), or of the whole system (internal volume, or more exactly one partition of it called slot), on Multiboot systems also a multiboot loader.

Images[]

Image is complete disk image. As a record of standard film has gigabyte size, the usual software installation method to a set-top box with enigma2 is installation of a complete disk image, which has usually size of hundreds of megabytes.

Multiboot[]

Some receivers allows to install to the internal volume a number of different system images (usually max. 4, each to separate space called slot) and determine before system restart which slot should be used to boot the system. This feature is useful to evaluate different disk images, either different versions or from different teams, and in case of problems with receiver (allows to distinguish hardware and software problems). The receiver can be also booted to a different operating system or system version using USB disk or SD/SDHC card.

Skins[]

The look of the enigma2 application in most distributions is widely configurable. Skin in this context means complete description of the look, that is placement of the menu, its contents, colors, fonts, pictures and icons in individual menu levels, as well as information displayed on information screens etc. from menu for Plugin installation an alternative look can be installed, then choose one of from installed skins and activate it by enigma2 (GUI) restart.

File transfer[]

Pro File transfer between receiver and computer in home network is possible to use protocols FTP, SFTP or shared directory trees in receiver using protocols Samba or Network File System (NFS). Downloading multimedia files from receiver to computer can be performed using OpenWebif interface as well.

Picons[]

Picons are icons of individual TV stations. They make orientation in station lists easier and faster.

Command line environment[]

It is possible to connect to the enigma2 box using terminal emulator protocol telnet or SSH. This access must be enabled and an access password must be generated. After login the user gets to the Linux Command-line interface, and therefore some knowledge this environment and some specialties of systems is necessary. This access is rather a supplement that is allowed by using system Linux, as great part of necessary features is realized by enigma2 application or by plugins.

Technical realization[]

Enigma2 application implements a Graphical user interface (GUI) to control DVB receivers; it does not use X Window System for graphic output as is usual on Linux systems, but direct access to framebuffer;[2] to run makes use the Linux kernel and environment, usually in lightweight versions (BusyBox, Dropbear (software), etc.), for software build is used OpenEmbedded (OE) environment. The configuration of the features necessary to manage the system is realized in the form of menu and text dialogues. The Enigma2 core is written in programming language C++ and creates API for plugins written in language Python (programming language). On the satsupreme.com web is available a tutorial on plugins development including source codes of simple plugins.[3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Willkommen bei TuxBoxWIKI". TuxboxWIKI (in German). 2018-06-18.
  2. ^ "Enigma2". 2010-02-14. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  3. ^ "The enigma2-plugin Tutorial". 2010-02-14. Retrieved 2020-10-06.

External links[]

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