The original Dreambox receivers were modeled on the DBox2, and the software originally developed for the Dbox2 was used for Dreambox receivers. Only one Dreambox model (Dreambox DM100) is not Linux-based.
Some Dreambox models, such as the DM800 HD act as PVRs and due to Ethernet connectivity built in, can be accessed by computers on the same network which can then retrieve recorded television content from it.
The Dreambox is a favorite among enthusiasts in the area and so is the target of widespread "cloning", with a lot of China-based websites selling clone models of Dreambox receivers for a much lower cost than they are sold in Europe or the United States. Additionally, alternative firmware images have been developed by many different groups to add features or to emulate conditional access systems such as Nagravision, Conax, Viaccess, Irdeto Access and VideoGuard, potentially allowing the unauthorized viewing of premium television content.
Some Dreambox models also come with USB connectivity and support the playback of multimedia content through hardware-based MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 decoding.
