Difference between revisions 117482177 and 117482178 on dewiki

The '''Freebox''' is an [[Asymmetric digital subscriber line|ADSL]] [[modem]] that the French [[Internet service provider]] named [[Free (ISP)|Free]] (part of the Iliad group) provides to its [[Asymmetric digital subscriber line|ADSL]] subscribers.

Its main use is as a high-end fixed and wireless modem (802.11g MIMO), but it also allows Free to offer additional services over ADSL, such as [[IPTV]] including [[High-definition television|high definition]] (1080p), Video recording with timeshifting capabilities, [[digital radio]] and VoIP [[telephone]] service via one [[Registered jack|RJ]]-11 connector (the first version came with 2 such jacks but only one was ever activated)

The Freebox is provided free to the subscribers, its value being 190 [[Euro]]s, according to the operator. It is delivered with a remote control, a multimedia box equipped with a 250 GB hard drive, and accessories (cables and filters). According to [http://www.vnunet.fr/actualite/telecommunications/services_et_contenus/20050908005 this article], at the end of Q2 2005, more than 1.1 million subscribers were equipped with the Freebox. According to company official's results publication, the 2 million level of Freeboxes were reached in September 2006.

== V6 generation, Freebox Revolution ==
The sixth generation of the boxdevice is called the Freebox Revolution or V6 (Version 6). It was launched oin the market in the beginning ofearly 2011. It is composed of a pair of devices: the ADSL modem/router and the IPTV set top box/media centplayer. The design of the boxes isboxes were designed by [[Philippe Starck]].

[[File:1280pxFreeboxRevolutionAndFreeboxTV.jpg|thumb|The Freebox Server on top and the Freebox Player]]

===The Freebox Server device===
The Freebox server is at the same time the DSL modem, a router, a Wi-Fi hot spot, a [[Network-attached storage|NAS]] (250 GB hard drive), a DECT base with up to 8 connected [[DECT]] phone sets, and a [[digital video recorder]] for [[Télévision Numérique Terrestre|TNT]] also known as [[DVB-T]] and [[IPTV]]. As the firmware is updated, its functionalities increase. Most notably:
* An external hard drive can be connected to its USB and/or [[eSATA]] port. However, some TV channels cannot be recorded to an external hard drive due to copyright policy limitations. Such limitations do not apply to channels recorded from [[Télévision Numérique Terrestre|TNT]].
* The video formats supported are quite wide in range, including mp4, H264, mp2, mkv, avi and others. Some formats are not supported, although firmware updates may increase the number of readable file formats.
* The server automatically detects local network file shares through [[UPnP]] and can read videos from any computer on the local network.
* The server's hard drive is available from the local network to Macintosh, Linux, and Windows computers. It can be made available from the WAN. <!-- if the password is strong enough. -->
* IPTV is available in real-time to any computer on the local network, if the bandwidth is large enoughsufficient and the number of simultaneous channels does not exceed 2. However, some channels are not available (most of those that cannot be recorded on an external hard drive).
* The DSL modem router can be configured either as an Ethernet router or a simple DSL modem (bridge mode).
* The server handles 3 [[Wi-Fi]] networks: a private Wi-Fi network (possibly hidden) and a so-called "FreeWifi" network which creates a [[Hotspot (Wi-Fi)|hotspot]] and allows any other Freebox customer in proximity to connect to the Internet using a notebook, smartphone or similar, after entering their Free user name and password, and onea hidden network dedicated to IPTV for the Freebox HD (v5) video box if you choose to link throughis via Wi-Fi.
* The server can be managed through its built-in Web server. Also, TV recordings can be managed from the WAN.
* Because of the changes in the hardware and capabilities, the monthly fee (initially 29.99€ including the XDSL line) is now only for the services, a separate cost of 6€ is added as for XDSL line access, free if you have ADSL over an active POTS (monthly fee 16€), but this increase includes modifications in the services fee (see below). It now includes:
** Free calls to any mobile phone in France.
** Calls to landline phones in France and 104 countries, as it was already included before.
** Free calls to any phone in France from any Internet connection worldwide.
** Renting the Freebox Revolution Server and its TV box.
** IPTV is now an option (1.99€) not to letso people who are not eligible for such services (i.e. their home is too far away from the [[Digital subscriber line access multiplexer|DSLAM]]) do not pay for it, but, as a legal twist, after an increase of thein VAT in order to reduce the basis of taxes for artistic creation.
* The server can act as a [[DECT]] base station for up to 8 DECT handsets.
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* The server supports [[Session Initiation Protocol|SIP]] for [[VoIP]] phone calls. It allows subscribers to use their smartphone or a dedicated VoIP phone to make calls at Freebox rates instead of using the cellular network.
* The server can use a optical fiber network where available.
* The server is now compatible with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s [[AirPlay]] and [[Time Machine (Mac OS)|Time Machine]] technologies (firmware 1.1.0, August 2011).
* A [[Catch up TV|catch-up TV]] service which covers 33 channels over the lpast 7 days. This service is proposed in high quality compared to its internet-based counterpart.

===The Freebox Player===
The Freebox Player is the second part of the "Freebox Revolution" offer. It is connected to the Freebox Server via [[Power line communication|PLC]] or by a direct Ethernet cable if both devices are close enough. It is possible to rent another Freebox Player if one wants to connect another TV set in another room.

The Freebox Player device has:
* One Blu-ray/DVD player (Blu-ray playback requires HDMI connection) and an optical sound output.
* One USB (on the front) and one eSata plugs to connect hard drives (or a joystick or keyboard for the USB part).
* One [[DVB-T]] plug. By contrast with TV over DSL, DNV programs can be recorded to the Freebox Server or to a local hard drive with no restriction about accessing it from a computer.

* One remote control. By contrast with most concurrent devices, the remote control uses [[ZigBee]] (standardized power saving low rate low power radio wave)  instead of infrared  .
* The Freebox player can be controlled from a smartphone or a computer (specifications are available on the Internet), or an iPad app.
* Every external device connected to the Freebox player is available to that device only but the devices connected to the Freebox Server are available to every Freebox player connected.

* The player can access Internet and e-mail with no computer connected, using either the remote control (which includes gyroscopic control) or from a USB keyboard (not included).
* Games are available from the Free-Store. (from the name of the company but it's a store) A USB gamepad is included.
* You can plug in a USB memory stick with photos or music files and watch/play them.

=== Serving Files to the Freebox Player ===
The Freebox Player can access audio/video files on any local computer through [[Universal Plug and Play|UPnP AV]]. [[Universal Plug and Play|UPnP]] is native to [[Windows]] computers but there is software to implement such protocols on [[Mac OS X]] and [[Linux]]. External subtitle files (.srt) should be first be merged with the video file in [[Matroska]] format, e.g. with ''mkvmerge''.

== V5 generation ==
(contracted; show full)* [http://floss.freebox.fr Source code of the GPL software ran by the Freebox]

{{CATV}}

[[Category:Modems]]
[[Category:Digital video recorders]]

[[fr:Freebox]]