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Hacking the Boxee Box to run XBMC?
D-Link and Boxee violate the GPL by Tivoization of the Boxee Box!

The Boxee Box was shipped containing GPLv3 software, but D-Link and Boxee refuse to permit installation of custom software. Go to http://infinityoverzero.com/bbox/ for the whole story.

Open this platform and put XBMC on it!

Openboxee.
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openboxee Wrote:D-Link and Boxee violate the GPL by Tivoization of the Boxee Box!

The Boxee Box was shipped containing GPLv3 software, but D-Link and Boxee refuse to permit installation of custom software. Go to http://infinityoverzero.com/bbox/ for the whole story.

Open this platform and put XBMC on it!

Openboxee.

Please stop spamming! One thread is enough!
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erhnam Wrote:Please stop spamming! One thread is enough!

+1, One thread is enough!
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NVM didn't see the post was from 2009.
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I was hoping to revive this thread a bit, as the boxee box is now on amazon for $129 it would make a prefect HTPC system.

The latest boxee firmwares have been crappy to say the least as they have enforced more and more security measures to support the content providers. There is a really high demand for an open boxee, just look at the views of this thread over 155,000!

I gathered information and posted it on the boxee forums:

Quote:Image

As there is not that much known about actually developing on the ce4100 I decided to open up a thread to accumulate some information, so devs might come together on cracking the boxee box and we can run both xbmc and boxee by choice. Anyone with technical information that can contribute to the possible open boxee is welcome to share this here.

What is known:

To get root access to the box you first need to revert to an old firmware you can download here. Make sure you read how to disable automatic update. And read how to gain root access.

For further information on the hardware and filesystems have a look at:
http://boxeeboxwiki.org

The box at the moment is pretty tight down and all update files are signed, a possibility would be the CEFDK. As the CE4100 has no bios it uses a special CEFDK bootloader. It might be possible to adjust it and have it boot a custom image. Some devs have been looking at it for the logitech revue (same ce4100) See also:
http://www.aminocom.com/download.php?6f3...439435363/
http://forum.gtvhacker.com/search.php?ke...mit=Search

I haven't found the UART port on my boxee but something like the google tv hack might be possible:
http://www.gtvhacker.com/index.php/Steps_to_get_root


As the ce4100 is kind of a closed platform due to the licence restrictions intel has, there is no public kernel available. The SDK to build the kernel is only handed to intel partners. Still the SDK is distributed with the development devices one can buy from multiple suppliers:
https://www.videon-central.com/videon-store
http://shop.cc-e.eu/
http://www.adiengineering.com/our-work/i...et-top-box

The prices are high ($700-$900 for a single device), but it could be worth to set something up community wise, also there might be people who have such a dev box available on their work and might be able to help out.

Alright so if we can get the SDK what platform to use as for example xbmc will need some hardware acceleration.

I've done some research and it seems meego is the perfect platform to deploy on the boxee box. Meego is an opensource linux operating system which is designed to work on embedded devices.

It has already a special developement group which has been working on MeeGo TV, a special version for the CExxxx platform. They actually already have a working version with xbmc using one of the above developer boxes! But it seems they are currently struggling with the release of the kernel code due to some licence problems (again intel)

Sept 20
"MeeGo TV 1.2 Release - Status from intel No movement on open source license issues. However, all necessary components are available with reference platforms. Continue tracking, but don't expect movement any time soon."

Some general information:

Find more info how to build an image for MeeGo:
http://wiki.meego.com/Image_Creation_For_Beginners
http://wiki.meego.com/Image_Configuratio...tart_Files

Guide to get meego and xbmc on a simular tegra platform:
http://wiki.meego.com/MeeGo_Smart_TV_for_Trimslice

Usuful xbmc and meego development news:
http://www.madeo.co.uk/?tag=meego

Some work from the MeeGo TV team (packages for xbmc etc):
https://build.meego.com/project/show?pro...3Atv%3A1.2

IRC archive of the MeeGo TV team:
http://lists.meego.com/pipermail/meego-tv/


I hope this post can give a boost the development of an open boxee platform. Although I respect all the work boxee have been putting in the box I think in the end the users should have a choice what to put on it and not be dependent on a restricted platform due to content provider which he might not even use in the first place (remember boxee box owner do not all live in the US)

So please let this discussion be a technical one and lets hope more people will contribute by adding information!
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Getting root is nice - but until there is a exploit for the signed bootloader the BoxeeBox is not a viable platform. If/when that happens, Team XBMC has been very clear that they don't have any interest in supporting closed platforms (though they would take patches).
The question always comes back to: Why?
BoxeeBox is an outdated hardware platform. It can't do anything that can't be done with a cheap Ion system.
Netflix you say? Nope, XBMC on BoxeeBox still won't play Netflix unless you illegally use the signed library from the Boxee firmware.
But BoxeeBox is cheap, right? Nope. It's subsidized, which is why it's cheap. If people buy the subsidized hardware and not the services - then the hardware will disappear after one generation.
Hack the bootloader, then resurrect this topic.
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teaguecl, I have to kindly ask you... what the hell are you talking about?!?

The Boxee Box being outdated... it was released last year my friend! I would hardly call that outdated. The performance is lacking, but that doesn't make it "outdated".

Yes... there is a python sandbox on it preventing you from modding it, but that never stopped real hackers before. Big Grin Time is on our side my friend and it's only a matter of that before it happens... period.

Netflix is a whole different ballgame. They introduce their own problems by simply existing... not to mention the authentication troubles their app brings.

teaguecl Wrote:But BoxeeBox is cheap, right? Nope. It's subsidized, which is why it's cheap. If people buy the subsidized hardware and not the services - then the hardware will disappear after one generation.

Uhhhh no! Where the hell did you hear this from?? Nobody is "subsidizing" the cost of the hardware whatsoever... not the customers, not D-Link, not Boxee, not Netflix... so if you have hard proof of this from a formal business announcement, please share it with us. This would be news to the world if this were the case. Cost is controlled by supply and demand and seeing as how Boxee has had alot of troubles in it's first year, price went down... plain and simple.
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google translate .. sry

I tried XBMC and lib from openelec project and result ist :

Code:
Unknown parameter encountered: "debug"
Ignoring unknown parameter "debug"
sh: lsb_release: not found
Could not init logging classes. Permission errors on ~/.xbmc?
ERROR: Unable to create application. Exiting

with strace

Code:
readlink("/proc/2087/exe", "/tmp/mnt/B270-86CC/usr/lib/xbmc/xbmc.bin", 4096) = 40
mkdir("//.xbmc/", 0755)                 = -1 EROFS (Read-only file system)
mkdir("//.xbmc/addons/", 0755)          = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("//.xbmc/addons/", 0755)          = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("//.xbmc/addons/packages/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("//.xbmc/addons/packages/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("//.xbmc/media/", 0755)           = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("//.xbmc/media/", 0755)           = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("//.xbmc/sounds/", 0755)          = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
....

and portable mode
Code:
readlink("/proc/2097/exe", "/tmp/mnt/B270-86CC/usr/lib/xbmc/xbmc.bin", 4096) = 40
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/", 0755) = -1 EROFS (Read-only file system)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/addons/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/addons/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/addons/packages/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/addons/packages/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/media/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/media/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/sounds/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/sounds/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
mkdir("/opt/boxee/portable_data/system/", 0755) = -1 ENOENT (No such file or directory)
....

I modified the following LD export:

remove /lib coz error with stdc++ and add lib dir with libs from openelec from sdcard
Code:
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH='/opt/local/lib:/opt/local/qt-4.7/lib:/opt/local/qt/lib:/usr/lib:/usr/local/lib:/opt/boxee/system/players/flashplayer:/mnt/B270-86CC/usr/lib'
(Dir in /mnt is sdcard)

This is by far all I know ...
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D-Link and Boxee violate the GPL by Tivoization of the Boxee Box!

The Boxee Box was shipped containing GPLv3 software, but D-Link and Boxee refuse to permit installation of custom software. Go to http://infinityoverzero.com/bbox/ for the whole story.

Open this platform and put XBMC on it!
Reply
A little good news.

Latest Boxee Box firmware 1.5 has been rooted: http://www.gtvhacker.com/index.php/Boxee
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(2012-04-09, 10:46)riconster Wrote: D-Link and Boxee violate the GPL by Tivoization of the Boxee Box!

The Boxee Box was shipped containing GPLv3 software, but D-Link and Boxee refuse to permit installation of custom software. Go to http://infinityoverzero.com/bbox/ for the whole story.

Open this platform and put XBMC on it!

Personally, I believe GPL v3 is a horrible cancer on the open source movement, restricts more than it frees, and needs to die in a fire. But that's just me.
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Probably old news - but here you go anyway http://boxeed.in/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=148
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I've got this for my Boxee. Works well with lighter skins. But unfortunately doesn't work with some key add-ons that I use constantly.
OSMC Vero 4K, Intel NUC Celeron 847, ODroid N2+, Raspberry Pi3 LibreELEC. Amazon Fire TV
Vizio  Atmos 7.1
LG 65" OLED
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