GkTV FAQ V1.0 - Last Update (Dec. 13th 2004)

General
Is the sourcecode for GkTV available ?
What does galaxis say about this project ?
Isn´t GkTV  quite a stupid name ?
What is the .PGP/.SIG file in the firmware package good for ?

Technical
On which boxes does the firmware work ?
How can I download the software into my box ?
How do I get my old software back ?
Can I watch Pay-TV with this software ?
Does my Premiere subscription work with this software ?
What does this remote-deactivation part in the license mean ?
My box does not boot anymore. I see nothing in the display.
My box does not boot anymore. I only see "----" in the display.
My box does not boot anymore. I only see "noSF" in the display.
Does this firmware support OpenTV/F.U.N./MHP/Java ?
Can I upload DVB2000 SBRs to the galaxis box ?

Developers
Where can I get hardware specifications ?
How does the serial port interface work ?
Where can I get the API from ?
I want feature X (in the API)... 

Legal
Can I offer this software for download on my own page ?
Can I link to the software download on my own page `?
Can I use this software for commercial purposes ?
Who can repair my box ?

General

Is the sourcecode for GkTV available ?
No. The BSP from TI is covered by NDAs and can not be redistributed. Some drivers are covered by copyrights of the (bankrupt) galaxis technology AG. And most of the parts we (GkWare) added on top are available for licensing to other manufacturers. If you are interested in a specific part, just ask and we may be able to help. We will however not support any kind of PayTV piracy.

What does galaxis say about this project ?
This firmware is a combination of some standard galaxis drivers that were also used in the official firmware, some completely re-engineered drivers and a portable DVB firmware engine of GkWare. Galaxis knows about this project and gave us an official permission to release this test-software to the general public under certain conditions. 

Isn´t GkTV quite a stupid name ?
Yes... if you can think of something better, please feel free to send us your proposals :-)

What is the .PGP/.SIG file in the firmware package good for ?
These are signature files that can be used to verify the integrity of the firmware binary. You will need a package like PGP or GnuPP to verify the signature. By verifying the image before installing it, you can ensure that you do not install any trojan horse that erases your bootloader or does other bad things with your box.

Technical

On which boxes does the firmware work ?
We have a separate compatibilty page about this topic.

How can I download the software into my box ?
We have a separate how to install page about this topic.

How do I get my old software back ?
Before downloading the software, you have been warned that we do not provide images to re-install your old software. For some receivers you will probably find the required .BIN files somewhere on the internet. We do not provide any backup images. Once you have a .BIN file containing your old software you can install it the same way you installed our software.

Can I watch Pay-TV with this software ?
Yes. You need a receiver with a CI slot, a CI module and your paytv smartcard. This software does not support any kind of embedded cryptosystem. The software is not intended for receivers with the label "Geeignet für Premiere" (see next topic). 

Does my Premiere subscription work with this software ?
If you have a CI module and a working smartcard... yes.
If you just have a smartcard slot and no CI slot... no. 
Premiere CI-Modules will not work... and BetaChips (inside some "Geeignet für Premiere" boxes) will not work.

What does this remote-deactivation part in the license mean ?
This way, we make it a little bit more difficult for the paytv-piracy mafia. If we find out that certain software versions are being modified illegally, this will allow us to deactivate them safely.

My box does not boot anymore. I see nothing in the display.
Then your power cable is absent, the power supply is broken or the entire box is broken. You may need a JTAG interface to reinstall a working bootloader. 

My box does not boot anymore. I only see "----" in the display.
You do not have a bootloader on your box. You will have to bring your box to a service station for repair. This might also indicate a defective flash-chip. 

My box does not boot anymore. I only see "noSF" in the display.
The firmware image somehow got deleted. You will need to reinstall a valid firmware image and the box will boot again.

Does this firmware support OpenTV/F.U.N./MHP/Java ?
No, but maybe we will integrate some debugging screens or dump-utilities for application images later.

Can I upload DVB2000 SBRs to the galaxis box ?
No. The SBRs require a Motorola 68k CPU, but the galaxis boxes are using an ARM7 core.

Developers

Where can I get hardware specifications ?
Search the net. If you need something you cant find, you can ask us, but unfortunately we can cannot provide most specifications due to legal reasons.

How does the serial port interface work ?
The serial port uses the same protocol as the DVB2000 (see next Q). 

Where can I get the API from ?
A good reference page for the serial DVB2000 API is available at no-access.de. A full specification will be provided on these pages when the API exceeds the DVB2000 features.

I want feature X (in the API)... 
Contact us... 

Legal

Can I offer this software for download on my own page ?
Only with our written permission, only the original files and not together with illegal website contents (especially paytv piracy).

Can I link to the software download on my own page ?
Please link to this page. (If you create direct file download links we will change the file locations to break your links !)

Can I use this software for commercial purposes ?
No. This software is only free for your personal entertainment. You may not use it for any kind of commercial use (Using it to just watch TV in your company is ok). Please contact us to obtain a commercial license.

Who can repair my box ?
By installing the software you lost your warranty for the flash-integrity of your box. If you deleted your bootloader/software, please do not bother us for a warranty repair (we can detect what you did... and will charge you for the repair fees if you claim this to be a warranty case). For all other problems, please contact your retailer or your favourite service station. GkWare does not offer any kind of repair service at this time.