SkyStar2, DVBViewer Pro, and DiSEQc 1.2

[linuxman]

Can't stand to see you talk to yourself like this

That's ok! I like to hear an intelligent man talk.

From what I can gather, you are now trying to get MT to work?

I have been trying but have only had modest success. I can't get the channels to display longer than a couple of minutes, and when I change channels, the satellite changes because the signals vary, but the new channel won't display. I see good signal, just no picture or sound.

I've used all the others, but always MT is the one I use daily. It is rock solid.

Maybe you can help me with whatever I am doing wrong! I don't mind spend the money, I spent it for DVBViewer, but I need to get it working before I spend it.

As for channel lists, you can blind scan with any stb and easily dump that list into MT from Channelmaster. I've never found a need to use a template but may have been lucky with the stb's I'ved used being supported.

The latest version of Channel Master would not export my Pansat list to the MT fomat, that's why I looked it up on the MT forum, and the advice from Saar was to first scan in a few channels from MT, pull them into Channel Master which you can then create a template from that, and then the export should work.

My card is the 2.6d card which could account for the difference.

I have had DVBDream loaded for about 15 minutes prior to this post and using the Raw Diseqc commands from JerryT, The C-Band LNB on port 2 of my switch works great.

BTW, here are the Raw Diseqc commands as written by JerryT if anyone here needs them:

Committed lnb1 raw command E0 10 38 F0
Committed lnb2 raw command E0 10 38 F4
Committed lnb3 raw command E0 10 38 F8
Committed lnb4 raw command E0 10 38 FC
(Uncommitted lnb 1 to 16 in Mytheatre)
Uncommitted CMD 0 raw command E0 10 39 F0
Uncommitted CMD 1 raw command E0 10 39 F1
Uncommitted CMD 2 raw command E0 10 39 F2
Uncommitted CMD 3 raw command E0 10 39 F3
Uncommitted CMD 4 raw command E0 10 39 F4
Uncommitted CMD 5 raw command E0 10 39 F5
Uncommitted CMD 6 raw command E0 10 39 F6
Uncommitted CMD 7 raw command E0 10 39 F7
Uncommitted CMD 8 raw command E0 10 39 F8
Uncommitted CMD 9 raw command E0 10 39 F9
Uncommitted CMD A raw command E0 10 39 FA
Uncommitted CMD B raw command E0 10 39 FB
Uncommitted CMD C raw command E0 10 39 FC
Uncommitted CMD D raw command E0 10 39 FD
Uncommitted CMD E raw command E0 10 39 FE
Uncommitted CMD F raw command E0 10 39 FF

Information from Eutelsat; Bus Functional Specification Version 4.2 Section 8 Definition of Diseqc Bus Commands. Page 13.

E0 is the frame bite, first transmission.

10 is the address bite, any switcher.

38 is Committed switch command "Write to port group 0"
39 is uncommitted switch command "Write to port group 1"

F? is the data bite. This has to be the command for each port.

Thanks Jerryt, and thanks to you Starman for not letting me talk to myself.

 

[starman345]

That's ok! I like to hear an intelligent man talk.

I have been trying but have only had modest success. I can't get the channels to display longer than a couple of minutes, and when I change channels, the satellite changes because the signals vary, but the new channel won't display. I see good signal, just no picture or sound.

Maybe you can help me with whatever I am doing wrong! I don't mind spend the money, I spent it for DVBViewer, but I need to get it working before I spend it.


The latest version of Channel Master would not export my Pansat list to the MT fomat, that's why I looked it up on the MT forum, and the advice from Saar was to first scan in a few channels from MT, pull them into Channel Master which you can then create a template from that, and then the export should work.

My card is the 2.6d card which could account for the difference.

I have had DVBDream loaded for about 15 minutes prior to this post and using the Raw Diseqc commands from JerryT, The C-Band LNB on port 2 of my switch works great.

BTW, here are the Raw Diseqc commands as written by JerryT if anyone here needs them:


Thanks Jerryt, and thanks to you Starman for not letting me talk to myself.

In settings-general settings-miscellaneous uncheck "switch to last channel upon starting" also, check "fast channel switch" ,"change channel with single click"(avoids the dreaded double startups) and "turn lnb power off upon exit". Under settings-general settings-expert make sure "signal watchdog" is checked.
If it would be helpful to you I can send you a channels.mdb file that has about 60 satellites already scanned in, might save you some time and head scratching. You may have to edit switch settings as we may be using different setups but that is easy to do in settings-Lnb/Diseqc settings & scan screen.

 

[linuxman]

In settings-general settings-miscellaneous uncheck "switch to last channel upon starting" also, check "fast channel switch" ,"change channel with single click"(avoids the dreaded double startups) and "turn lnb power off upon exit". Under settings-general settings-expert make sure "signal watchdog" is checked.
If it would be helpful to you I can send you a channels.mdb file that has about 60 satellites already scanned in, might save you some time and head scratching. You may have to edit switch settings as we may be using different setups but that is easy to do in settings-Lnb/Diseqc settings & scan screen.

I'll try out your settings, and the channel list would be great.

PM sent to you with my email address.

 

[starman345]

I forgot to mention, in settings-general settings-expert, uncheck cpu 2,3 and 4. Skystar 2 didn't handle multi-processor setups in the past very well. This may be changed now but to be safe until you get things going, uncheck all except cpu #1

 

[linuxman]

I forgot to mention, in settings-general settings-expert, uncheck cpu 2,3 and 4. Skystar 2 didn't handle multi-processor setups in the past very well. This may be changed now but to be safe until you get things going, uncheck all except cpu #1

Just starting to change the settings now.

 

[linuxman]

Changing the settings has certainly helped keep the display alive and does change the channels and actually displays them now.

I am going to try your channel list.

 

[linuxman]

The channels certainly will save me a lot of time.

Thank you very much!!!

It seems to be working pretty well after I changed the settings.

Just have to figure out how to tweak it now and get my USB Technisat remote to work with it.

 

[linuxman]

Well with Brian's help I now have MT working and a nice channel list.

The culprit was the multiple CPUs. It doesn't seem to like that.

Another tip from Brian was to use the 4.4.0 drivers but to use standard and not enhanced. That is allowing the diseqc and 22Khz to work.

I have not been able to add in a channel manually even importing the list that Brian sent me into the latest version of Channel Master. It will not export back to MT without crashing.

That was the biggest drawback I had with DVBDream last year. I have been able to add a channel manually in DVBDream with their latest version by selecting a channel that I won't watch, and manually inputting the PIDs and renaming it. That is a big plus for DVBDream in my book.

Now if I can get either one of the two programs to move the dish and still pass the 22Khz tone through the GBox, I will have it made.

I am going to make a new coax from the card to the GBox out of a solid copper piece I have here and see if that works.

 

[starman345]

To add a channel in Mytheatre, go to settings-lnb/diseqc settings & scan. Highlight the satellite in the left pane that you would like to add a freq to. In the right pane at the bottom, enter the freq of the new channel, select polarity, and input the sr. Click add and you should see that freq appear in the right pane. Now highlight that and click scan. After scanning back out of that screen and the new channel should appear in your channel list....providing all info was entered correctly.
Right click on that entry in the channel list and you can see/edit more info from there.
Its odd that Channelmaster is crashing. I am using v1.18.3 Before sending you the channels.mdb, I ran it through channelmaster and exported it to MyTheatre to make sure it worked ok. It went smoothly, no crashing. I imported it directly from MyTheatre into channelmaster, did a couple of edits, saved it, then exported using the MyTheatre format(from the dropdown box) back into the MyTheatre root dir as channels.mdb.

 

[linuxman]

To add a channel in Mytheatre, go to settings-lnb/diseqc settings & scan. Highlight the satellite in the left pane that you would like to add a freq to. In the right pane at the bottom, enter the freq of the new channel, select polarity, and input the sr. Click add and you should see that freq appear in the right pane. Now highlight that and click scan. After scanning back out of that screen and the new channel should appear in your channel list....providing all info was entered correctly.

There isn't a problem adding a new transponder. There are some channels that have "manual PID entry required for them to work" at all. That is the problem, I can't find a way in MT to add a channel to a TP that doesn't scan something in. If I try to do it on another channel tied to a different TP, I can rename the channel, input the PIDS, but it is tied to the old TP and therefore useless.

I imported it directly from MyTheatre into channelmaster, did a couple of edits, saved it, then exported using the MyTheatre format(from the dropdown box) back into the MyTheatre root dir as channels.mdb.

How are you saving the file in Channel Master prior to exporting it?

That may be a step I am missing.

 

[starman345]

Ok, try this. In MyTheatre, open a satellite in the channel list and select a channel, right click and select properties. Fill in the info for your new channel and at the bottom click "add as new".
You might have to click apply as well, havent' done this for a long time..

 

[linuxman]

I figured out the problem on the channel list export. I had scanned in a couple of satellites and had in-advertently added a couple of duplicate channels myself, after I fixed that, I could export ok.

Then I created a new single channel on a new transponder inside of CM to get the CW on G11. I was able to export that and it works now.

Just have to figure out how to do Central and West without duplicating.

MT is looking better all the time.

Ok, try this. In MyTheatre, open a satellite in the channel list and select a channel, right click and select properties. Fill in the info for your new channel and at the bottom click "add as new".
You might have to click apply as well, havent' done this for a long time..

I have tried that, and it does create a new channel, but it is on the wrong frequency and doesn't work. There is not an option to edit the frequency in the properties box.

 

[starman345]

Aha! Now I see what you are asking....and the answer is no. You can't do that in MyTheatre. I'm not sure why you would want to? If the channel you want to tune has its frequency in the ini file to be scanned, then it should scan in if the sat card is sensitive enough to detect it. If it doesn't, you can increase the scan time to give MyTheatre more time to do a more thorough search for channels.

 

[linuxman]

If the channel you want to tune has its frequency in the ini file to be scanned, then it should scan in if the sat card is sensitive enough to detect it. If it doesn't, you can increase the scan time to give MyTheatre more time to do a more thorough search for channels.

Trust me, there are channels that the stream is mal-formed and you could sit on the frequency and the correct SR all day and it still won't come in until you manually add the PIDs.

Then you hope and pray it will come in.

 

[linuxman]

Ho-Chi-MAMMA!!!! : :haha :clap @party

Linuxman is very happy camper today!

I made up two new cables out of my solid copper coax.

One to run from the SS2 card to the GBox, and one to run from the GBox to the Ecoda switch. From there one cable goes to the 0Khz off side diseqc switch, and the other cable goes to the 22Khz on side diseqc switch.

I made sure all my Universal LNBFs worked on the 22Khz on side and they all do.

Then I setup G26 which is the next satellite to my West. Set the LNB to port 2, and put in the position number already stored in the GBox and clicked "Do Now".

BAM!!! the GBox took off, and moved the Birdview to that position.

I was jumping up and down, laughing, and dancing all at the same time.

WOOHOO!!!

It all works and using the Saar 4.4.0 drivers choosing "Use Standard" in the card setup screen. Thank you again Starman for that tip. :

The GBox is a wonderful positioner and I am so glad it works with the SS2.

Now just have to get the remote to work, or buy a different one that will work, and I am all set.

 

[starman345]

That's great it all works for you! Your review of the G-Box on Sadoun's site has pushed me over the edge and I ordered one a few minutes ago. Can't let you have all the fun Now I've got to get my thinking cap on and figure out how I'm going to re-do switches to make this all work. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[linuxman]

That's great it all works for you! Your review of the G-Box on Sadoun's site has pushed me over the edge and I ordered one a few minutes ago. Can't let you have all the fun Now I've got to get my thinking cap on and figure out how I'm going to re-do switches to make this all work. Thanks for the inspiration.

Thank you for pointing out the "use standard" for the 4.4.0 drivers.

I don't know whether it was the solid copper coax, or just settling down on which drivers and how to use them that did, I'm just thankful it did.

 

[scopx]

I will be watching this thread also as the SS2 is "in the mail." And will be going over these posts again and again until gain some understanding as to all the terms etc. My primary use is for sat internet feed-1way.
Concerning multiple feeds thru the SS2, could one not use an outside device to drive the dish movement?
Tom
Duh!! I am little slow too. Now see discussion is thru 1 only dish and multiple LNBs.
Solly.

 

[starman345]

Concerning multiple feeds thru the SS2, could one not use an outside device to drive the dish movement?
Tom

Tom, you could use a stb to move the dish, then tune the channels with your SS2. I am impatient and the fewer steps I have to do is more to my liking, but to each his own.

 

[Behruz]

I need help you

Hi evryone my name is behruz and glad to see you.
I can't good speak english please for this excuse me .
I have a question about dvb card skystar 2 tv 2.8a PCI.
Do you know this card made in country ?
is it quality of card good ?
who is that use this card ?
Thank you