Guide - How to Record from your Dreambox to your PC Hard Disk using Ngrab

[DeepDiver]

If your Dreambox is not equipped with an Hard Disk or DVD burner, and you would like to record your favourite TV programs, here is a guide that explains how to do it using Ngrab.
Please try it and, should you have any questions and/or comments, post them in this thread. I can then update it, till it is idiot-proof

[EssBee]

Thanks DeepRiver. I will try to follow this.

[terrybobs]

working a treat thanks

regards terrybobs

[T_G]

What is the difference between ngrab and cifs?

[billnot]

I have a 7025, which doesn't have any Expert Menu. I can't find where to set up Ngrab on it.

The PC end of Ngrab is seeing the Dreambox OK.

[mhku]

I think ngrab is a plugin.

[DeepDiver]

I would'nt say that ngrab is a plugin, as you actually install it on your PC rather than your DB. It is an application that communicates with your Dreambox, and records on your PC hard disk.
The application can be downloaded here
h**p://www.dbox2.info/download.php?catid=5

Most images offer the possibility to record via Ngrab, CIFS or NFS.
For the guide, I used the Nabilo v0.8 for 7020.
Some images like Gemini include a plugin to start/stop ngrab without using the timers. Other images do not.
For this reason, I have provided the steps to time a recording via webinterface. The webinterface applies to almost all images.

[PCD]

Has anybody tried this with a 5620 or 500 ?

I found (of course a long time ago) that recording from both ngrab and cifs was very poor with a lot of pixellation on many channels with films and music.

[billnot]

I would'nt say that ngrab is a plugin, as you actually install it on your PC rather than your DB.

So how does the ngrab menu appear on the DB, then? This is where I'm confused. I've installed NGrab on the PC, pointed it at the DB IP and it has found the DB - at least that's what my very limited knowledge of German leads me to believe (verbunden mit 172.26.0.xx).

But there is no mention of Ngrab in any of the Gemini menus on the DB. Do I have to install a plugin on the DB, and if so, what and from where?

[DeepDiver]

So how does the ngrab menu appear on the DB, then? This is where I'm confused. I've installed NGrab on the PC, pointed it at the DB IP and it has found the DB - at least that's what my very limited knowledge of German leads me to believe (verbunden mit 172.26.0.xx).

The IP address must be edited in the Ngrab. You should not leave the one you find written there. Ngrab does not detect your DB Ip address.
The DB IP address is the same you use to transfer files with DCC for example. It is set in Communication Setup.

But there is no mention of Ngrab in any of the Gemini menus on the DB. Do I have to install a plugin on the DB, and if so, what and from where?

It should be in the Blue Paner, else, it is possible that Gemini images for 7025 do not support it yet. It works perfectly on 70x0.

[billnot]

OK. It's obvious that the Gemini for the 7025 (currently at 2.3.0) doesn't support Ngrab.

As I said. Ngrab can see the DB - I have the correct IP address. It's just that there's nothing in Gemini to make use of it.

All part of life's rich tapestry!

[entouch]

OK. It's obvious that the Gemini for the 7025 (currently at 2.3.0) doesn't support Ngrab.

As I said. Ngrab can see the DB - I have the correct IP address. It's just that there's nothing in Gemini to make use of it.

All part of life's rich tapestry!

I confirm that it's in the Gemini (2.69) - hit yellow button and you will see it together with G-b-o-x center (in case you've *g*b*o*x installed of course).

My mate has a dm7025, will check if he has it or not.

Could anyone confirm that this works with the dm500s? Because atm it doesn't work if I hit the button in my dm500s.........it freezes.
Will try yours btw.

Regards.
entouch

[entouch]

Nice docu DeepDiver.
I think I finally will have that Ngrab be working after all.

Btw, is the svr port 4000 the one it should point to, or can you change that? I've some other prog pointed at that port atm.

Cheers.
entouch

[DeepDiver]

Nice docu DeepDiver.
I think I finally will have that Ngrab be working after all.

Btw, is the svr port 4000 the one it should point to, or can you change that? I've some other prog pointed at that port atm.

Cheers.
entouch

The default port is 4000, and that is usually set by default at both ends, PC and DB.
Should you wish to change, again, it must be done at both ends, both PC and DB.
At the PC side, the server listen port is set in the dBox Einstellungen step
At the DB side, the server port is set in the Ngrab Streaming Setup menu.

Hope it helps.

[billnot]

I confirm that it's in the Gemini (2.69) - hit yellow button and you will see it together with G-b-o-x center (in case you've *g*b*o*x installed of course).



Regards.
entouch

Now you have me confused. Hitting yellow in the main menu does nothing. The yellow button in the blue panel selects and deselects autocamd.

It's no big deal - I have a PC hard disk share mounted in /etc/fstab - but I like to try out all the alternatives.

[DeepDiver]

It's no big deal - I have a PC hard disk share mounted in /etc/fstab - but I like to try out all the alternatives.

I'll install Gemini on multiboot, and let you know

[DeepDiver]

What is the difference between ngrab and cifs?

Both CIFS and NFS are protocols that allow the DB to share the PC hard disk. In these protocols, the PC hard disk must be also mounted.
Ngrab is a streaming application, which allows to transport streams to the location where the server is installed. In our case, this location is the PC.
Similar applications are Tuxvision or Dreamview

[billnot]

Thanks to DeepDiver for trying to help me, but since I have recording to PC working using CIFS (about which I know a lot more than specialist Dreambox stuff), I'm going to forget this for the moment.

I was trying it out as an alternative method that didn't require mounting a PC share in the Dreambox /etc/fstab.

[DeepDiver]

Thanks to DeepDiver for trying to help me, but since I have recording to PC working using CIFS (about which I know a lot more than specialist Dreambox stuff), I'm going to forget this for the moment.

I was trying it out as an alternative method that didn't require mounting a PC share in the Dreambox /etc/fstab.

More than welcome
To be honest, I have an hard disk installed in my DB , however, I just like playing with all the different solutions and alternatives.
And this is what makes it fun for me

[entouch]

Both CIFS and NFS are protocols that allow the DB to share the PC hard disk. In these protocols, the PC hard disk must be also mounted.
Ngrab is a streaming application, which allows to transport streams to the location where the server is installed. In our case, this location is the PC.
Similar applications are Tuxvision or Dreamview

I tried it, and it works partly?
It does tell me it was successful, but when I go look into the folder there is nothing in there: no recordings???
Has this to do with the mounting of your pc-hd? If so, how you do this?
Btw, I should see it recording, but I only saw it 1-2 times, the other times the icon was green all the time.

Cheers.

[billnot]

More than welcome
To be honest, I have an hard disk installed in my DB , however, I just like playing with all the different solutions and alternatives.
And this is what makes it fun for me

I'm exactly the same - my Dreambox has two functions. The more conventional one of watching satellite stations (including being able to use my Sky UK NDS card) and "playtime" - pushing the boundaries and seeing what can be done.

I also have a HDD - an old 40Gb, which works OK. However, I am concerned about how hot it gets, and I don't think it will last forever, which is why I'm also using my PC for recording.

[billnot]

I tried it, and it works partly?
It does tell me it was successful, but when I go look into the folder there is nothing in there: no recordings???
Has this to do with the mounting of your pc-hd? If so, how you do this?

Cheers.

I'm going to assume that your PC is 192.168.1.2; that you have created a share called dbox and that you have created a user on the PC with the name dream.

You'll need an empty directory on the Dreambox to mount the share on. I created /media/shares, and then /media/shares/dbox. That's just my personal preference; you can mount it where you like as long as you know where it is and it is an empty directory.

Just substitute your actual values for my example ones.

There are two ways to mount the share on the Dreambox - in a Telnet session, or permanently by editing /etc/fstab.

To mount it in a Telnet session, the command, using the values above, is

mount -t cifs -o user=dream //192.168.1.2/dbox /media/shares/dbox

No news is good news. If you don't get an error message, it has worked. Change to /media/shares/dbox, and the contents of the shared PC directory should be displayed.

Better still is a boot time mount using /etc/fstab.

If you are happy using vi (unlike me - I prefer joe which isn't included in Gemini!) you can edit this directly in the Telnet session. Otherwise, FTP it to your PC, edit it in your favorite text editor and FTP it back.

I have experimented with fstab for the last few weeks; this version is simpler than that which I posted here before, and works just as well.

Add the following line to /etc/fstab (all one line, of course)

//192.168.1.2/dbox /media/shares/dbox cifs user=dream 0 0

Now the share will be mounted at boot time (as long as your PC is turned on).

Since the execution of fstab on the Dreambox is silent, you'll need to test whether it works manually. From a Telnet session, give the command
mount
This will give you a list of your current mounts
now give the command
mount -a
No news is good news, but if anything can't mount, you'll get an error message. This is how I determined just how lean I could make the line in fstab.

Hope you understand this, and good luck.

[entouch]

Will try it later on.

However, have some Q's:

Quote: "I'm going to assume that your PC is 192.168.1.2; that you have created a share called dbox and that you have created a user on the PC with the name dream."


Where you need to create this share, and do you mean to create an user in the userlist of windows self. Or is this user created in the share or???

Thanks.
enotuch

[billnot]

You create the share on your PC. I'm going to assume you're using Windows XP.

Right click on the start menu, select Explore, and navigate to the directory you wish to share (i.e. the one you want the Dreambox to use for recording). Right click it and select Properties. One of the tabs is Sharing. Tick "share this folder on te network" and also tick "allow network users to share my files".

To create a new user, go into the Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Local Users and Groups. Then create the new user Dream. If you're following my instructions for /etc/fstab, don't give this user a password.

If you don't want the user to show at boot time, you'll need to modify a registry entry, but maybe that's a step too far at the moment


That's the basics; if you want to know more you'll need to read up on Windows shares and users for yourself - it will be well worth it.

[Saeed Khan]

wheer i can free download ngrab on my pc.