HOW TO RECORD DIRECTLY FROM THE DMBox TO THE HARD DISK OF YOUR DESKTOP PC (NGrab)

[arboristman]

c/p

HOW TO RECORD DIRECTLY FROM THE DMBox TO THE HARD DISK OF YOUR DESKTOP PC (NGrab)

The following tutorial concerns the owners of the DM 500/56XX/600/7000/7020 Receivers (not those of the latest DM 7025).




- Modem-Router with at least 2 ethernet ports (Desktop PC + DMBox)

- Cables RJ-45 (cat. 5 or cat. 6)

- A (Windows based) Desktop PC (NGrab SERVER) with a 10/100 MBit Compatible Ethernet Interface

- DMBox 500/56XX/600/7000/7020 (NGrab CLIENT) / Firmware's Release (Version) : GP2 v3.50

- A Windows Streaming Tool (for the Desktop PC) : "NGrab Lite v1.0.3" application (Tools for Dreambox, IPBox and Kathrein Box)

- A Linux Streaming Tool (for the DMBox) : the application is already included in the standard list of the supported for the DMBox plugins
(application already installed into the system). The User , in order to activate the DMBox's NGrab recording capabilities , has to locate and set up correctly the necessary parameters appearing in the "NGrab Server Setup Options" (Menu/Setup/Expert Setup/NGrab Streaming Setup/NGrab Server settings).





i> Go to the configuration interface of your modem and ENABLE the DHCP option. The Modem-Router is now the default Internet Gateway
which acts as a DHCP Server , in order to distribute automatically to each device of the LAN (PC , DMBox) its own Local IP Address.

ii> Connect the PC and the DMBox to the modem-router , via cables RJ-45

iii> Configurations on the DMBox (DM 500/56XX/600/7000/7020)

Go to "Menu/Mainmenu/Setup/Expert setup/Communication Setup :
*ENABLE the DHCP option and CONFIRM the option "Enable Network"
*Connection Type : LAN
*Port : 80
Green button to SAVE the above configurations

iv> Configurations on the PC :

Start/Control Panel/Network Connections/Local Area Connection/Properties/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)/Properties :
- CHECK the following options : "Obtain an IP address automatically" & "Obtain DNS server address automatically"
- Go to Advanced/Default gateways : ADD the IP address of the Modem-Router




The elements to be modified are the following :

- IP Address : Associate to the DMBoxes a Local IP address starting from 192.168.xxx.xxx , because this type of address is "private" and cannot be refound on the Network
- Nameserver : Set the Primary (Public) IP address of your ISProvider. You could also set the Local Internal <LAN> IP address of the Modem-router. It's up to you.
- Gateway : Set the Local <LAN> IP address of the Modem-router
- CHECK the option : "Enable Network"

PRESS the OK/Green button to SAVE the configutations.



Start/Control Panel/Network Connections/Local Area Connection/Properties/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)/Properties :
- CHECK the option "Use the following IP address" and set :
i> IP address : 192.168.xxx.yyy
ii> Subnetmask : BY DEFAULT , 255.255.255.0
iii> Default gateway : the Local IP address of the Modem-router (192.168.xxx.zzz)
- CHECK the option : "Use the following DNS server addresses" and set as "preferred" & "alternate" the Public IP addresses (primary and
secondary) of your ISProvider





a> Define (create) a folder named "DMBox RECORDINGS" (path of your choice) , in order to store the Data files created during the NGrab Streaming Procedure.
b> Download (Tools for Dreambox, IPBox and Kathrein Box) and install ("SetupNgrabLite.exe" file / Install Folder : C\Program Files\"NgrabLite") the "NGrab Lite v1.0.3" application.
c> Run the program (activate the application) :
Start/All Programs/"NgrabLite" Folder/"NgrabLite" Application. The program has now added a GREEN ICON on your System Tray (NgrabLite connected to your system).
d> RIGHT Click on the PROGRAM'S ICON and SELECTION of the "Setting" Option :
* "Target Folder" :
SELECT the Folder already created on the PC's Hard Disk ("c:\DMBox RECORDINGS")
* "DBox-Setting" :
- DBox IP-Address : the DMBox's LAN IP-Address = 192.168.1.3
- Port (Listen-Grab) : the NGrab (Streaming) Communication Port = 4000 (standard) OR 6000

PRESS THE "OK" Option , IN ORDER TO APPLY THE NEW CONFIGURATIONS. The Windows Streaming Tool , reactivated , is now ready to use.


Menu / Setup / Expert Setup / Ngrab Streaming Setup / "Ngrab Server" Options :
- Srv IP : the PC's LAN IPAddress = 192.168.1.2
- Srv Port : the NGrab (Streaming) Communication Port = 4000 (standard) OR 6000
ATTENTION : Server Port <PC> & Client Port <DMBox> must be the SAME <4000/4000 OR 6000/6000>
- Srv MAC : the PC's MAC Address. PRESS the BLUE BUTTON ("detect MAC Address") and the DMBox will AUTOMATICALLY recognize the PC's
"Physical Address".ALTERNATIVELY , YOU CAN GET THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FROM THE PC'S LOCAL AREA CONNECTION STATUS :
* Start / Control Panel / Network Connections / Local Network Connection / "Local Area Connection Status"
* Click on the "Support" tab / Click on "Details" / " Network Connection Details" : "Physical Address" (MAC Address)
After having got the information , YOU CAN MANUALLY ENTER (via THE DMBox's TELECOMMANDER) THE SERVER'S (the PC's) MAC ("Physical") ADDRESS.

GREEN BUTTON , IN ORDER TO SAVE AND APPLY THE NEW SETTINGS. The Linux Streaming Tool , reactivated , is now ready to use.


GENERAL REMARK : THE 2 SYSTEMS -SERVER (PC) & CLIENT (DM 500)- AFTER HAVING BEEN PROPERLY CONFIGURED (Steps I & II) , ARE FULLY FUNCTIONNAL AND COMMUNICATE THE ONE TO THE OTHER. THE "NGrab CLIENT" (the DM 500) , FROM NOW ON , DETECTS THE PC'S HARD DISK (c:/) AND CONSIDERS IT AS IF IT WAS "A DISK OF ITS OWN".


* GO TO DMBox and SELECT the Channel you want to record from.
* PRESS THE YELLOW BUTTON (Plugins) OR PRESS THE BLUE BUTTON (Blue-Panel / Plugins <Tools>) AND SELECT "Start Ngrab recording".

The "NGrab Streaming" process has been activated. The data file created (file's extention ".mpg") during the process is stored on the PC's Hard Disk
right into the "NgrabLite folder" (c:\"DMBox RECORDINGS").

If you wish to TERMINATE the process , PRESS THE YELLOW BUTTON (Plugins) OR PRESS THE BLUE BUTTON (Blue-Panel / Plugins <Tools>) AND
SELECT "Stop Ngrab recording".


* GO TO DMBox and SELECT the Channel you want to record from.
* PRESS , via the telecommander , THE "Menu" Option" : SELECT "Timer" , PRESS the "OK" Button ("Timer List").
* PRESS THE "Add" (GREEN) Button , in order to DEFINE the " Year/Month/Date/Time (Beginning & Stop) & Channel" for the desired recording.
* SELECT the appropriate "Timer Type".
There are 3 Timer types : i> Switch , ii> Record DVR & iii> Ngrab. YOU MUST DEFINE the "Ngrab" as the DEFAULT "Timer type" , in order to activate the DMBox's "Ngrab streaming" capabilities. PRESS THE GREEN ("Apply") BUTTON , IN ORDER TO SAVE THE ABOVE SETTINGS and CLOSE THE Timer Edit Window.

YOU ARE NOW READY TO SAVE YOUR RECORDINGS DIRECTLY FROM THE DMBox TO THE HARD DISK OF YOUR DESKTOP PC.




MY REGARDS :
- TO THE FORUM ADMIN TEAM
- TO MY COMPATRIOTS IN GREECE

[arboristman]

playback:
c/p

1> Windows Media Payer 11
2> Nero ShowTime 3 (Ahead Nero Burning Rom 7.x.x.x. Premium Edition + Nero Mega Plugin pack 1.0)
3> InterVideo WinDVD 8 Platinum

The sound is stable and synchronised. NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM.
I didn't test the tutorial with RealPlayer or QuickTime or any other Media Player , cause I'm not interested in using them.
My suggestion :
- For every Media Player you use , in case of no sound , try to find , download and install the official supported Audio Codecs (Plugins).
- In case of no picture , do the same thing : check on the net for the official supported Video Codecs.
You'll resolve all your problems.

IMPORTANT : If you need one of the 3 prementioned Media Players (or all of them) , ask for it. Just give me instructions on how to attach and send you the relevant files. I have already compressed (WinRar) them and I'm ready to upload them.