hi,

in the last few days we have been started a project with regard interactive
digital television: a free java based middleware for the DM7000 (better, i shoud say for the powerpc SoC).

actually, to have a fully blown GUI is a very long term roadmap.
actually there is just the infrastructure set in place.

it's the standard kernel from the original DM7000 firmware with the busybox and, on top of it, a fairly compact package based on the GPL licensed Java VM
(PBP 1.1) from Sun

there's no room, in the flash, for the enigma GUI so we stripped it and we plan to replace it with a java based GUI, like in many other commercial STB

actually, the first (and only) Java Application working on the tv is the traditional "hello world" with the eth IP address of the box on which is running (to telnet in it easily in the DHCP world!)

that's all. there's a lot of things to be done to come to a useful firmware.

we'd like to put in place a community of hackers like STB designers (for the GUI and the navigation of the features), java programmers, graphic artists, documentation, people for the testing, system programmer to drive the hardware and so on..

lot of entertainment is forecasted!

if you want to be involved, check this web page:

http://www.cineca.tv/labs/jtv/

please read carefully the (few) informations you can find in the package

BTW register yourself to grab a copy of the build environment (it's a snapshot: only 70MB in size, but 300MB untarred, and 1.7GB after a succesfully complete compilation)
or just get the dreambox image to try it (no warranty!!) on your box.

hope you'll enjoy and keep us informed. there's a mailing list you can subscribe to:

bye

andrea venturi