This step by step guide will help you setup and configure your new Boxee Box by D-Link so you’ll be watching your digital videos in no time.
Please note: Even though Boxee is no longer in development, most of the features on your Boxee box should still work. With that said, if you run into trouble you’re mostly on your own.
Now that you’ve unboxed your Boxee Box, it’s time to set it up. Here goes –
- After you’ve plugged in the power and HDMI (or other audio/video) cables, switch the input on your TV to the appropriate setting and power on your Boxee Box. The initial Loading… “boot screen” will appear.
- Boxee itself will load.
- Grab your Boxee remote. The Welcome screen will be displayed – use the remote to “click” the Start button.
- The first thing your Boxee Box will do is search for a wireless network. We’re going to assume that’s how you’re connecting your Boxee Box to the Internet for the sake of this walkthrough. If you are using Ethernet, select it from the list displayed on the screen. Otherwise, wait for Boxee to finish its scan.
- You’ll be presented with the list of available wireless networks.
- Use the remote to scroll down to the wireless network you’ll be using.
- If the Boxee Box is connecting to a wifi network that requires a password/key, you’ll be prompted to enter it once you select that network. Flip that Boxee Box remote over and use the QWERTY keyboard to enter your password. Press the Enter button on your remote, or use the arrow to highlight the Confirm on-screen button and select it.
- Your Boxee Box will connect to the network.
- Depending on when you purchased your Boxee Box, the first thing that may happen after you’re connected to the Internet is that Boxee will notify you of an available software update. If you aren’t presented with this screen, skip down to step #14 below.
Otherwise, select the Begin button.
- The Boxee software update will begin to download.
- After the download has completed successfully, you’ll be prompted to reboot your Boxee Box. Select the Reboot button to restart it.
- After it starts up again, the upgrade process will begin immediately. Don’t power off your Boxee Box during this update.
- Once the update has finished, your Boxee Box will reboot yet again.
- Now it’s time to calibrate your screen. This is an important step in the setup process because you’ll get the most out of your viewing experience by making sure it’s done correctly.
- The “1” triangle in the upper left corner of your TV screen can be ‘moved’ around the screen by using the arrow controls on your remote. Use the down arrow to move the triangle down, the right arrow to move it right etc.
As illustrated in the image below, there will be a long “blue line” that runs horizontally across the “top” of the triangle. Use the Up arrow key to align this line with the top of your TV screen.
- Using the left and right arrow keys, repeat the above process – this time for the vertical “blue line” that runs down the triangle.
- Press the Select button on your remote when both the horizontal and vertical lines for the “1” triangle have been set. Repeat the same thing you did with the “1” triangle, with the “2” triangle in the bottom right corner of your screen.
- Once you’re done, press the Select button again. If everything looks good, press it yet again (with the on-screen Done button selected).
- Now it’s time to sign in to your Boxee account. If you don’t have one already, it’s probably faster to create one online than it is using the QWERTY remote on the Boxee Box remote – so head over to the strike>>Boxee home page and create an account. It’s a painless procedure.
Once you have your login credentials (username and password) – enter them in their respective fields. Place a check in the Remember my password box if you don’t want to enter this info each time you start up your Boxee Box. Then select the Login button.
- You’ll get a little “quick tip” regarding the use of the Menu button on your Boxee Box remote. Give it a read – the Menu button is very useful – and is used a lot – while navigating the Boxee interface.
- And now – the Boxee interface! At this point you could jump right in and start watching stuff – but lets finish the setup first.
- Remember that Menu button on your Boxee Box remote? Click it now. This will bring up the “Boxee Toolbar” (for lack of a better name). Use the arrow buttons on your remote to navigate to the Settings on-screen button. It’s in the upper-left corner of the screen, as illustrated in the image below.
- Select the Settings on-screen button.
- From here you can adjust the various Settings and options for your Boxee Box. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the General on-screen button, and select it.
- One of the first things you may need/want to switch is the location. My default Weather Location was set to Chicago. Since I don’t live there, I decided to change it. Use the arrow keys on the remote to highlight the city name, and then select it.
- Using either the on-screen keyboard, or the QWERTY keyboard on the back of your Boxee Box remote, enter the city you live in. You don’t need type out the city, state and zip – just the city name will do. Select Done when you’re done.
- Now you can select the proper city, state, zip (province, territory, area code etc) from the list Boxee will display.
- With the correct Weather City now set, you may want to set the correct Timezone Country and Timezone City as well.
- Feel free to peruse and set any of the additional General settings (eg. Screensaver, Language etc. None are particularly critical, and you may in fact want to wait to set some of them until after you’ve added media to your device.
- Return to the main Settings window, and this time select System. Select Audio from the list on the left side of the window.
- From here you’ll want to make sure that you have the correct Audio output selected. For example, if you have a Dolby Digital Plus capable receiver, make sure to select it. If you’re unsure of the type of connection(s) your receiver is capable of, check with its manual or the online help section of that manufacturers web site.
- At this point you have made all the important changes needed. Of course you can check out and adjust any of the additional Settings – there are lots. But if you’re anxious to get going, you’re certainly ready!
If you’d like to continue setting up your Boxee Box and exploring some of the features, here are a few tutorials that will help –
How to Add an External Hard Drive to your Boxee Box
How to View Pictures from your SD Card on your Boxee Box
How to Connect your Facebook Account to your Boxee Box
