science

Unibox

Unibox is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Unibox rather than just read about it. In short: Unibox is a satellite, cable and terrestrial digital receiver (set-top box). It has been distributed widely for use with Pay TV.

Key takeaways

Unibox belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Unibox to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Unibox from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Unibox is a satellite, cable and terrestrial digital receiver (set-top box). It has been distributed widely for use with Pay TV. It also enables the receiver to store digital copies of MPEG TS on internal harddisk or networked filesystems.

Linux on the Uni-box Unibox was based on the Linux operating system. Originally Unibox was developed in Korea and sold in Europe, CIS, the Middle East and so on. Enthusiast groups in all over the world have developed localized software versions for the Unibox.

Unibox models There have been a number of different models of Unibox available. The numbers are suffixed with -S for Satellite, -T for Terrestrial and -C for Cable:

UD-Combo This is essentially a full high definition(1080p) version of the UD Combo(S2+T) PVR, a 450 MHz MIPS processor, 32 MB of Flash memory, 256 MB of RAM. It also features one HDMI, two USB 2.0, one e-SATA and one 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet interfaces. It has a VFD display.

UD-1000HD(180 x 145 x 40) This is full high definition(1080p) USB PVR. It also features one HDMI, two USB 2.0, one 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet interfaces. It has and touchpad on front.

UD-1100HD(180 x 145 x 40) This is essentially a full high definition(1080p) version of the UD-1000HD(S2/T/C) USB PVR, a 450 MHz MIPS processor, 32 MB of Flash memory, 256 MB of RAM. It also features one HDMI, one USB 2.0, one 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet interfaces. It has and touchpad on front. The main differences of the UD-1100HD compared to the UD-1000HD are one USB port.

UD-2000HD(280 x 180 x 58) This is full high definition(1080p) USB PVR. It supports one fixed tuner and one detachable tuner module (S2, T, C). It also features one HDMI, two USB 2.0, one eSATA, two Common Interface, two Smart card, one Optical and one 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet interfaces.

Plug-ins Source: There are also many 3rd party plugins available. Plugins such as Weather forecast, YouTube, IRC chatting, WebCam, youporn, torrent are available. In addition, unofficial third-party conditional access software modules (CAMs or emulators) are widely circulated on the Internet that emulate the CA systems developed by NDS (VideoGuard), Irdeto, Conax, Nagravision, Viaccess and other proprietary vendors. Some Uni-box owners use these softcams in conjunction with card sharing software to access pay TV services without a subscription card inserted in every connected box. This practice may be illegal in some jurisdictions and third-party software for this purpose is neither officially endorsed nor supported by UNIDIS and voids the official warranty.

See also Dreambox Slingbox Vu+ DBox2 TV2Me - the original placeshifting device, developed by Ken Schaffer LocationFree Player HDHomeRun Monsoon HAVA Hauppauge MediaMVP - another connected device based on the IBM STB02500 chip Home theater PC Moxi Telly (home entertainment server)

References

External links Linux DVB API ST Linux DVB ETSI

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Unibox

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Unibox claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Unibox before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Unibox ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Unibox

In research: Unibox appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Unibox in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Unibox is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Digital video recorders, Linux-based devices, Satellite television, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Unibox outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Unibox in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Unibox means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Unibox out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Unibox in simple terms?

Unibox is a satellite, cable and terrestrial digital receiver (set-top box). It has been distributed widely for use with Pay TV.

Why does Unibox matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Unibox?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Unibox.