Boxee Box
Encyclopedia
Boxee Box by D-Link
(officially "D-Link Boxee Box DSM-380") is a Linux-based set-top device and media extender that first began shipping in 33 countries worldwide on the 10th of November 2010. Designed to easily bring internet television and other video to the television via Boxee
's software, it comes pre-installed with Boxee media center software and the hardware is based on Intel CE4110 system-on-a-chip
platform (that has a 1.2Ghz Intel Atom
CPU with a PowerVR SGX535
Integrated graphics processor), 1GB of RAM
, and 1GB of NAND Flash Memory. The DM-380 features output ports for HDMI
(version 1.3), optical digital audio (S/PDIF
) connector, and RCA connector
for analog stereo audio
, two USB ports, an SD card slot, wired 100Mbps
(100BASE-T) ethernet
, and built-in 802.11n WiFi.
The Boxee Box also ships with a small two-sided RF
remote control
with 4-way D-pad
navigation and a full QWERTY
keypad
as standard, and this remote is also being sold separately with an USB-receiver as "D-Link Boxee Box Remote DSM-22" that one can use with Boxee installed on a computer so that one can use this remote without owning D-Link's Boxee Box The look of both the case and remote prototype
s for the Boxee Box was designed by San Francisco based Astro Studios, which is the same designer
company that designed the look of Xbox 360
and the Microsoft Zune.
development changes that took place between the beta version and the version 1.0 software shipped with the Boxee Box, with very little public user testing or input. These interface changes place greater emphasis on streaming content versus local downloaded content. Coupled with the removal of the BitTorrent
client that was present in the beta version, these changes have led users to believe there is an active shift towards subscription/pay content. As well, there are allegations from the open source community that D-Link has gone the way of tivoization
on the Boxee Box on purpose, implementing hardware restrictions
to prevent users from running modified versions of the software on the D-Link hardware, and these restrictions raise questions if they are allowed under Boxee's, XBMC's, and the Linux based operating system or the open source licenses of dependent software used by the Boxee Box. Some people claim that D-Link and Boxee violates the GPLv3 license of parts of the source code with this tivoization
of the Boxee Box.
D-Link
D-Link Corporation was founded in June 1986 in Taipei as Datex Systems Inc. It began as a network adapter vendor and has gone on to become a designer, developer, and manufacturer of networking solutions for both the consumer and business markets.In 2007, it was the leading networking company in...
(officially "D-Link Boxee Box DSM-380") is a Linux-based set-top device and media extender that first began shipping in 33 countries worldwide on the 10th of November 2010. Designed to easily bring internet television and other video to the television via Boxee
BOXEE
Boxee is a cross-platform freeware HTPC software application with a 10-foot user interface and social networking features designed for the living-room TV...
's software, it comes pre-installed with Boxee media center software and the hardware is based on Intel CE4110 system-on-a-chip
System-on-a-chip
A system on a chip or system on chip is an integrated circuit that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system into a single chip. It may contain digital, analog, mixed-signal, and often radio-frequency functions—all on a single chip substrate...
platform (that has a 1.2Ghz Intel Atom
Intel Atom
Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of ultra-low-voltage x86 and x86-64 CPUs from Intel, designed in 45 nm CMOS and used mainly in netbooks, nettops, embedded application ranging from health care to advanced robotics and Mobile Internet devices...
CPU with a PowerVR SGX535
PowerVR
PowerVR is a division of Imagination Technologies that develops hardware and software for 2D and 3D rendering, and for video encoding, decoding, associated image processing and Direct X, OpenGL ES, OpenVG, and OpenCL acceleration....
Integrated graphics processor), 1GB of RAM
Random-access memory
Random access memory is a form of computer data storage. Today, it takes the form of integrated circuits that allow stored data to be accessed in any order with a worst case performance of constant time. Strictly speaking, modern types of DRAM are therefore not random access, as data is read in...
, and 1GB of NAND Flash Memory. The DM-380 features output ports for HDMI
HDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
(version 1.3), optical digital audio (S/PDIF
S/PDIF
S/PDIF is a digital audio interconnect used in consumer audio equipment over relatively short distances. The signal is transmitted over either a coaxial cable with RCA connectors or a fiber optic cable with TOSLINK connectors. S/PDIF interconnects components in home theaters and other digital high...
) connector, and RCA connector
RCA connector
An RCA connector, sometimes called a phono connector or cinch connector, is a type of electrical connector commonly used to carry audio and video signals...
for analog stereo audio
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
, two USB ports, an SD card slot, wired 100Mbps
Megabit
The megabit is a multiple of the unit bit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix mega is defined in the International System of Units as a multiplier of 106 , and therefore...
(100BASE-T) ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
, and built-in 802.11n WiFi.
The Boxee Box also ships with a small two-sided RF
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
with 4-way D-pad
D-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
navigation and a full QWERTY
QWERTY
QWERTY is the most common modern-day keyboard layout. The name comes from the first six letters appearing in the topleft letter row of the keyboard, read left to right: Q-W-E-R-T-Y. The QWERTY design is based on a layout created for the Sholes and Glidden typewriter and sold to Remington in the...
keypad
Keypad
A keypad is a set of buttons arranged in a block or "pad" which usually bear digits, symbols and usually a complete set of alphabetical letters. If it mostly contains numbers then it can also be called a numeric keypad...
as standard, and this remote is also being sold separately with an USB-receiver as "D-Link Boxee Box Remote DSM-22" that one can use with Boxee installed on a computer so that one can use this remote without owning D-Link's Boxee Box The look of both the case and remote prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s for the Boxee Box was designed by San Francisco based Astro Studios, which is the same designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
company that designed the look of Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and the Microsoft Zune.
Reception
There have been complaints regarding the Boxee Box by D-Link in several aspects. As of the current version it does not provide support for Hulu or Hulu Plus subscription. Also that the Boxee Box software / firmware is not production ready but rather behaves like an Alpha or Beta version, especially when compared to the older desktop version of Boxee which can be freely downloaded and installed on commodity PCs. This viewpoint is furthered by the user interfaceUser interface
The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
development changes that took place between the beta version and the version 1.0 software shipped with the Boxee Box, with very little public user testing or input. These interface changes place greater emphasis on streaming content versus local downloaded content. Coupled with the removal of the BitTorrent
BitTorrent
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol used for distributing large amounts of data over the Internet. BitTorrent is one of the most common protocols for transferring large files, and it has been estimated that it accounted for roughly 43% to 70% of all Internet traffic .Programmer...
client that was present in the beta version, these changes have led users to believe there is an active shift towards subscription/pay content. As well, there are allegations from the open source community that D-Link has gone the way of tivoization
Tivoization
Tivoization is a coined term to describe the creation of a system that incorporates software under the terms of a copyleft software license , but uses hardware restrictions to prevent users from running modified versions of the software on that hardware...
on the Boxee Box on purpose, implementing hardware restrictions
Hardware restrictions
Hardware restrictions refers to restrictions in any device that places technical restrictions on what content can run/play on said device or what users can do with certain content. Hardware restrictions can be used with software DRM and digital signatures...
to prevent users from running modified versions of the software on the D-Link hardware, and these restrictions raise questions if they are allowed under Boxee's, XBMC's, and the Linux based operating system or the open source licenses of dependent software used by the Boxee Box. Some people claim that D-Link and Boxee violates the GPLv3 license of parts of the source code with this tivoization
Tivoization
Tivoization is a coined term to describe the creation of a system that incorporates software under the terms of a copyleft software license , but uses hardware restrictions to prevent users from running modified versions of the software on that hardware...
of the Boxee Box.