Abcom Enigma

TEST REPORT Software for ABCom Receiver

Enigma Alternative Firmware
for AB IPBox HD Family
Hot or Not?
Nickolas Ovsyadovskiy

Why would someone consider installing an alternative firmare to a satellite receiver
nowadays? If we take a look in the past, some 10 or 15 years ago it really made sence.
When mass public satellite television started to appear in Europe, satellite DXers and
enthusiasts who wanted to see “almost everything”, had not much choice in receivers.
Being seriously limited with its original firmware, a receiver fully unlocked its potential
only after being upgraded with an alternative image file. Although its interface couldn’t
be called user friendly, alternative firmware in the old days made possible the SCPC
reception, PID entering and much more. It was a real revolution back then.

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Available online starting from 2 October 2009

36 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 10-1
1/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com

www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-1
1/2009 — TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic 37

But enough nostalgia, we live in the stick, which should be formatted in FAT
21st century now. Not just digital satel- or FAT32 just before the image file is
lite television, but also HDTV made its transferred to it. Next step is to rename
way into all parts of the world. There are the image file to usb_update.img, and
lots and lots of different receivers avail- “safely” remove the USB stick from your
able, which would perfectly fit the needs PC, stopping it in the OS you use. Now
of almost any user already with its origi- plug it into your IPBox HD receiver, and
nal firmware. So does it make sense to for some time put the remote control
“think alternative” today? away - now all the operations need to
be done with the buttons on the front
Especially if we are talking about pow- panel.
erful Linux-based HD PVR receivers.
ABCom, one of the market leaders in this Simultaneously press “Standby” and
segment, even with the original firmware “OK” buttons to reboot your box, then
could reach such flexibility, that hardly hold “Standby” and “Up” for a few sec-
anything was left to be desired. And once onds, releasing first the “Standby”, then
we learned that even ABCom itself is the “Up” button. The front display should
releasing an alternative firmware for its clearly read “USB Upgrade” now, and if
IPBox HD receiver family, we decided to the receiver finds the usb_update.img
have a look and find out, what made them file on the USB stick and no extra files
do so. We decided to carry out the tests were left there by the user, the process
on AB IPBox 910HD, although, Enigma1 should start. In some cases it might
is already available also for 91HD, 900HD say “ER 10”, nothing is wrong, it could
and 9000HD as well. happen sometimes with earlier versions
of bootloaders. Just try it couple of more
Installation times, and soon you’ll have the job done.
The most comfortable and worry-free Upgrading this way is safe enough, just
way could be an Online Update, which make sure that the power is not shut
normally would allow us to download the off until the new image file successfully
image right into the box’s memory from lands in the box’s memory and it’s front
the Internet, however, we didn’t find display says “Done”.
Enigma1 in the list of available updates.
So we had to download the image from Following an upgrade, you’ll first see
http://download.abcom.sk and upload it “Booting”, then “Loading”, then “Load
via USB. To do so, first you need a USB Enigma HD”. Then just a black screen.


Strange, in case of an official firmware Some work is surely still to be done here,
a nice wizard would greet us here, offer- as well as with adding new satellites and
ing to select various options. Enigma transponders to the Enigma’s database.
also has it, but in the current version
it only appears after a “Factory Reset”. The built-in list of satellites is more
Don’t worry, just press “Menu” on the or less up-to-date for Europe, but if, for
remote control, then choose “Setup” example, you plan to receive some Asian
- “Expert Setup” - “Factory Reset”, and bird, like ABS-1 at 0750, the only way
you can configure the new firmware from now to do this is to download the satel-
zero right the way you’d like it. First the lite/transponder list from the receiver to
receiver asks you about the TV system your PC and manually edit it. The OSD
(PAL, PAL60, Multinorm and NTSC are allows adding new satellites and tran-
offered), then you can select the pre- sponders, but, unfortunately, once you
ferred OSD language (the on-screen exit the menu, even pressing “Save”, all
menus are currently available in English, entered information is “forgotten”. And
Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, since the official PCEditor does not sup-
Estonian, Finnish, French, Croatian, Hun- port Enigma (as it’s clearly stated in its
garian, Icelandic, Italian, Dutch, Nor- readme file), the only choice is to use
wegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, some text editor that would not ruin the
Russian, Slovakian, Slovenian, Serbian, Linux CR/LF in the downloaded file. Most
Swedish and Turkish). Third step is the of IPBox HD users have their receivers
time zone, with lots of sample cities to connected to the Internet and know the
select from the dropdown box. Next menu box’s IP number, if not, it’s easy to find it
brings three icons to the screen, which out - go to Setup - Expert Setup - Com-
pretty much speak for themselves - “No munication Setup menu and make note of
DiSEqC”, “Simple” and “Complex”. Yes, it, since, most likely, the receiver already
it’s the right time to select the options automatically configured the connection.
of your multi-satellite system. And once If for whatever reason it didn’t happen,
you’re done with it, nothing prevents you all the connection parameters can be
from starting the most interesting proce- entered manually in the same menu.
dure at this point - the Channel Search.
Open your favorite FTP client, then
Again, three options are offered here, enter the IP address of your IPBox HD.
“Automatic Transponder Scan”, “Auto- Once prompted for username and pass-
matic Multisat Scan” and “Manual Scan”. word, enter root and ipbox respectively.
Unfortunately, the current beta version of Go to /var/etc directory and download
Enigma1 is behind the official one here. satellites.xml file. First make a backup
Automatic Scan on a 100-transponder copy of it in case something goes wrong,
satellite position kept the receiver busy then copy one of the existing satellites,
for a long 19 minutes and 30 seconds, changing the name, position and tran-
storing 1052 TV and Radio channels. sponders to the ones you need. Note that


all the frequency values are in Hz and all tioned “Ipbox” remote control style in extended channel information screen,
the symbol rates are in sps, which means the menu, press “OK” to open the classic available at Information - Streaminfo
three extra zeros compared to values Enigma channel list. If you already had a menu. Channel name, provider, Video,
available in SatcoDX satellite chart. chance to try out the Enigma firmware on Audio, PCR, PMT, Teletext PIDs, video
Once all the changes are made, make earlier SD models of ABCom receivers, format, Transponder Stream ID, Origi-
sure there are no extra spaces, returns you would know that coloured buttons nal Network ID, Service ID, Encryption
or letters, then save and upload the file of the remote control play the key role systems, as well as transponder parame-
right to where you got the original from. here. For example, red button brings up ters are displayed here. Audio and video
If you go to Setup - Service Searching - all channels from all satellites in one list, bitrates are available from the Bitrate
now, the new satellite becomes fully vis- green one first shows satellites as direc- Viewer plugin, accessible by clicking
ible and available. tories, you can open them one by one the Yellow button and selecting “Bitrate
to find the channel you’d like to watch viewer”. Pretty helpful to find out if the
Probably this is the biggest problem tonight. Yellow one forms the directories channel is really HD or just pretending
with Enigma currently, which should be by providers, and the blue button opens to be one.
relatively easy to fix. And most Euro- the “Bouquets” mode, which actually
pean users would hardly notice it since means the favorite lists here. Differently Double-click on the EPG button makes
their favorite birds are already there with from original firmware, channel list edit- the “EPG Style” menu appear, with three
quite-up-to-date transponder lists. ing here could be reached by going to options - Channel EPG, Multi EPG and
Setup - Service Organizing menu. And EPG Search. The first one displays the
Enigma1 also has an Internet update actually editing here only means the EPG only for the currently selected chan-
function, which can be reached by favorite lists, unfortunately, it’s not pos- nel, line-by-line. Multi EPG brings to the
accessing Setup - Expert Setup - Soft- sible to delete, move or rename channels screen a grid with the current and neigh-
ware Update - Internet Update menu. in the main list. However, maintaining bouring channels. The selection that you
The updating process is as easy as with the favorite lists is absolutely easy - just make (Channel EPG/Multi EPG) is remem-
official firmware, and once the new image select the “Add Services to bouquet” bered, and next time you single-click the
sees the light, it can be in the memory of submenu, mark the needed channels EPG button, the chosen EPG type would
your box within minutes, fixing old prob- with “OK” button and voila! You always be displayed. EPG search allows looking
lems and bringing new features. have the needed channels in one place, for a specific program either in the EPG
without the need to endlessly browse of selected channel, or on all available
While we’re still at the Installation through one of the main lists. channels, even “Genre” can be selected
stage, it’s worth noticing that even here. Another serious improvement!
Enigma itself can look totally different Channel list can be displayed in three Although, it would be nice to make the
after just a few clicks. You can swtich different modes - channel names would text typing a bit more user-friendly, not
between several “skins”, the menu iself come in one column, in three columns, just by pressing “up” or “down” in the
can appear like a “wheel” which can be or, in case of “bouquets”, the left column typing field, but also in the SMS-style,
moved left and right by the cursor keys, becomes outlined, displaying the “direc- using the numerical buttons to enter let-
or can be easily switched back to a more tories”, while the rest of the screen is ters, for example.
traditional look. Even the buttons on filled with channel names. This way,
the remote control can be used for dif- reminding some popular file managers, Unfortunately, at the moment it’s not
ferent purposes by selecting a differ- channels from several different favorite possible to select specific programs for
ent “Remote style”. However, not to get lists can be quickly accessed, without the recording right in the EPG, this was men-
too lost at first we would advise to stick need to endlessly change screens and tioned in the release notes. However,
to “Ipbox (Relook)” style at first, which select different lists. Pretty convinient! manual recording timer programming is
copies almost all remote functions of the Three channel list modes can be selected there, in the “Timer” menu. Start/stop
original firmware. by repeatedly pressing the “check” (“v”) times can easily be selected, and there
button on the remote control. IS a link to EPG here that would help you
Everyday Use to get the proper values for beginning/
If you’ve selected the above men- Satellite DXers would really enjoy the end of the show you’d like to record.


PVR radiostations. That’s right, the receiv-
Our tests were carried out on AB IPBox ers are no longer storing just the list
910HD with a built-in HDD. The file sys- of lately accessed channels, but also of
tems of original and Enigma1 firmware all other accessed multimedia. Since we
are not compatible with each other, so are no longer talking about just a satel-
make sure you’ve backed up all the valu- lite receiver, but about a really powerful
able recordings before switching to the computer-like device - it’s just a matter
new OS. Once the Setup-System Set- of installing the right firmware.
tings-Harddisk Setup menu is accessed,
the receiver will offer you to format Web Interface
the HDD so it becomes accessible from This is also something Enigma1 can
Enigma. The process doesn’t take too be proud of. Open your favorite web
long and the experimenting spirit has no browser and type in the same IP address
chance to disappear until it’s completed. you’ve used earlier to access the box via
FTP. Being prompted for UserID/pass-
Surely the good old red circle button word, use root/ipbox again. Almost all
starts the recording right away, and the receiver features can be addressed from
files are stored properly, regardless if here, even a virtual remote control can
SD or HD channel is recorded. Fast for- be brought to the PC’s screen. Are your
warding/pausing still needs some work kids too busy watching cartoons instead
to be done, but the regular playback of doing their homework? You can send a
rises no questions. The recordings are “message” to the IPBox that will appear
easily accessed from the wonderful “File right on their TV set! Extended stream,
Mode” (Menu - File Mode), which might channel, EPG and teletext information is
look simple, but from the usability view- also available via Enigma1 Web Interface
point leaves the original firmware far in one or two mouse clicks. PVR record-
behind. Indeed it looks like a computer’s ing and playback can also be controlled,
file system with different directories for up-to-date information about remaining
photos, MP3s, PVR recordings and so on. disk space is provided in the upper right
Everything is so logically organized that part of the screen.
you’ll find the needed file within sec-
onds. But the really hot thing here is the Conclusion
Internet streaming radio, which was also Although it’s clear that the first beta
introduced in the latest original firmware version can’t be perfect from all sides,
versions. In case of Enigma1, there is no Enigma1 is really a promising project.
need to endlessly look around and edit Computer geeks at heart and hardcore
endless files, just get the m3u file from DXers would be absolutely happy with it,
your favorite station, and upload it via FTP since it really erases the borders between
to /media/mp3. Voila, the station immedi- a PC and a satellite receiver, unlocking
ately appears in the File Mode menu. Get- the full power of the Linux-based box.
ting access to Internet music outside of And now we are not talking about some
your PC has never been so easy! amateur project, but about the one fully
supported by the manufacturer. It’s defi-
Description of the glorious “File Mode” nitely worth trying out, and hopefully
would not be complete without mention- easy-to-install updates will follow soon,
ing the “Playlist”, which stores all lately making it even more flexible, powerful
accessed recordings, files or Internet and reliable.

www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-1
1/2009 — TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic 43

Abcom Enigma

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