DBV-S2 tuner for media server?

[SpiffWilkie]

I'm putting together a linux media server, and am considering adding a satellite tuner to the mix. I'm new to satellite tuners for the PC and am a little overwhelmed trying to find a card that I can use with Ubuntu Server/MythTV and that can get DVB-S2 signals (PBS on AMC 21!!).
Anyone around here have some experience they'd like to share?

Thanks!

 

[updatelee]

I'd recommend any tuner that uses the stb6100 & stv0903/stv0900 tuner demod combo. The Prof 7500 is an excellent choice for the money.
I've done a fair bit of Linux development on cards based on those chipsets and they perform very well

UDL

 

[SpiffWilkie]

Thanks for the info. The price is pretty good, too. Although, I would prefer a PCI/PCI-E solution just to keep things clean. Do you have experience/knowledge of the 7301? It looks to be running the same chipsets that you mentioned. Also, I'm not terribly in love with MythTV. Are there other good apps for recording? I just need something to schedule recordings. This box won't be for viewing (well, maybe the occasional feed), just for recording of OTA, FTA, and storage of my exisiting DVD/Blu-Ray collection. I'm experimenting with a raspi on the front end.

Thanks again,
Steve

 

[northgeorgia]

I'm silently following this thread. I like the idea of a Linux based media center. In addition to the Prof satellite tuner, are there good choices for OTA tuners and radio tuners (I'd love a shortwave tuner, although it's a dying hobby -- but the few I saw out by WinRadio would cost loads of money)? Anyway, don't mean to hijack. Still wondering about the OP's question about the 7301, and other apps for recording FTA and OTA in Linux.

 

[SatelliteAV]

I prefer the 7301 over the 7500 for my test bench and home systems due to the form factor. Had both models and did not notice any operational differences for either unit. The Silicon Dust Home Run has earned my vote for the best OTA solution. Have used one daily for about 4 years and love it!

 

[Anole]

I too have been running a Silicon Dust HD Home Run (dual OTA tuner) for several years.
Has a LAN interface.
After bad experiences (years ago) with early cards & USB, finally something that works!

 

[updatelee]

Some people use tvheadend in Linux. I've never really tried as is not really what I use my tuners for. I'm an odd creature in that I'm more interested in analyzing the signal then watching anything lol. The only applications I use are dvbsnoop and applications ice written myself.

UDL

 

[SpiffWilkie]

I'll take a look at the Silicon Dust Home Run HD. I have an internal tuner that was given to me (in fact, the whole PC was a gift because it was broken. Two PS capacitors later, it's running fine!). Unfortunately, the tuner I have doesn't seem to play well with linux. I'll probably give up on it and stick it in a windows box and get something else for this machine.

 

[SpiffWilkie]

Some people use tvheadend in Linux. I've never really tried as is not really what I use my tuners for. I'm an odd creature in that I'm more interested in analyzing the signal then watching anything lol. The only applications I use are dvbsnoop and applications ice written myself.

UDL

Do you ever look at hackaday.com? Not sure if this is what you dabble in, but if you search for "Software Defined Radio" there are some good articles.

 

[updatelee]

I do follow hackaday, is a neat site. I have played with SDR a bit but am more of a user then a developer.

The development I've done is on the stv0900, stv0903, and Genpix kernel modules adding new functionality, improving performance, and fixing bugs. I've written a few dvb apps as well. I find the analyzing of signals more fun then watching though so most are centered around that.

If you use a stv0900/stv0903 card you may be interested in my app for blindscan and spectrum scan functionality

UDL

 

[northgeorgia]

Just out of curiosity, in the event that one day I build a Media Center PC and also luck out and get C-band, how would a recommended setup look like? The Profs and TBS PCI and USB versions only seem to have a single tuner, and I would hope to have both dishes motorized: Ku-band (universal LNB) through the HH motor, and C-band I'm guessing through an actuator and V/GBox of some sort. I know it's only marginally related to the topic, but I wondered if it would be better to have two separate tuners installed, or if through a combination of switches you could hook it up to the one input. I feel a bit of a fool asking this very newbie-type question, and I probably overlooked a FAQ somewhere in the process, but I remember somewhere that you have to use a different type switch for universal compared to standard Ku-band because of the 22k signal...then combining all that with an actuator -- yikes.

 

[Anole]

good question

I might consider multiple tuners for user convience.

But technically I don't see any problem with one tuner:
- receiver/tuner to Ku motor; send it USALS commands
- Ku motor to Vbox; send it diseqc positioning commands
- Vbox to diseqc switch; choose any of 4 (8) lnbfs
the above path will pass along diseqc selection commands to the switch
and also pass along 22khz for your Universal LNBF

Did I overlook anything?

 

[SatelliteAV]

I might suggest to modify avoiding the compounding signal loss while looping through motors and controllers:

Receiver to a two way all power port passing 3ghz splitter.
Splitter Port 1 to V-box and loop through to KU motor
Splitter Port 2 to switches and LNB(f)s

If you want to add additional tuners select the correct switches and LNBs with either dual outputs or bandstacking.

 

[northgeorgia]

Thanks! I still haven't had time to digest all of this -- we lost power at 10:30 last night due to the big storms in the area and it just came back on at 7:30 this morning. I'm more of a visual person, and I'm trying to picture the loop between the V-box and the Ku motor in both descriptions. Totally new concept for me

 

[Anole]

Feel free to reverse the order of the Ku motor & Gbox.
What I listed IS a bit awkward!

 

[northgeorgia]

Oh, I think I understand .... so where it says "To LNB" on the V/GBox, it should just connect to the Ku band motor, which in turn should work with USALS commands and the V/Gbox would move the big dish with the actuator using the diseqc positioning commands? Then, if I'm understanding right, I'd connect the two lnb(f)s on the C-band and Ku-band dishes to a diseqc switch...and that connects to...oops, confused again....to the "To LNB" on the Ku band motor or to the power port, or both somehow? I know it's all academic for me now, as I don't even have a BUD, but one day!!

By the way, is there an example of the "two way all power port passing 3ghz splitter"? I'm not familiar with that.

 

[SatelliteAV]

anything above 2.2ghz will work fine. Here is an example:
http://satelliteav.com/p/shop/?ws_pid=646&ws_cat=429

The Daisy Chain V-box>>> Motor>>> Switch>>> LNBFs as Anole suggests will lose many of the weaker signals. It will work fine for stronger services.