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Technisat Skystar2 DVB card - working
http://forums.linhes.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14685		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  neutron68 [ Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:57 am ]
Post subject:  Technisat Skystar2 DVB card - working
In R5E50, I'm trying to configure a Technisat Skystar2 DVB pci card (aka Sky2pc pci card) for reception of free to air (unencrypted, in-the-clear, etc) satellite channels. It has the Flexcop interface chip on it made by b2c2.

The Mythtv graphic setup doesn't seem to be able to talk to the card - the Myth setup can't scan satellite transponders, etc. I set it as a generic DVB card and the Myth setup sees a DVB card at dvb0 (VP310 DVB-S subtype), but the channel/transponder scan just sits there doing nothing.

I have tested the dish, LNB and DVB card in the same PC running under Windows XP, so I know the hardware all works fine.

I looked in the dmesg file and here is the section related to the dvb card.
Code:
b2c2-flexcop: B2C2 FlexcopII/II(b)/III digital TV receiver chip loaded successfully
flexcop-pci: will use the HW PID filter.
flexcop-pci: card revision 1
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] enabled at IRQ 17
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:04:08.0[A] -> Link [LNKA] -> GSI 17 (level, low) -> IRQ 22
DVB: registering new adapter (FlexCop Digital TV device).
b2c2-flexcop: MAC address = 00:d0:d7:03:ee:25
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
mt352_read_register: readreg error (reg=127, ret==-121)
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
nxt200x: nxt200x_readbytes: i2c read error (addr 0x0a, err == -121)
Unknown/Unsupported NXT chip: 00 00 00 00 00
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
lgdt330x: i2c_read_demod_bytes: addr 0x59 select 0x02 error (ret == -121)
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
b2c2-flexcop: i2c master_xfer failed
stv0297_readreg: readreg error (reg == 0x80, ret == -121)
b2c2-flexcop: found the vp310 (aka mt312) at i2c address: 0x0e
DVB: registering frontend 0 (Zarlink VP310 DVB-S)...
b2c2-flexcop: initialization of 'Sky2PC/SkyStar 2 DVB-S (old version)' at the 'PCI' bus controlled by a '
FlexCopII' complete

Does this feedback provide any useful clues?
Author:  neutron68 [ Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  some progress...
I have been able to scan for satellite channels if I use the command line "scan" command, but I can't get Mythtv to scan anything.
Code:
scan -a 0 /usr/share/doc/dvb-utils/examples/scan/dvb-s/AMC3 > /home/mythtv/channels.conf

I have then used the "import channels from file" function and imported my /home/mythtv/channels.conf file into the channel list. That seemed to work because the channels appeared in the list. When I go back into Mythtv, I can tune to those channels but no signal comes up.

So, for me, the command line "scan" command works to talk to the card, but Mythtv's interface doesn't talk.

Any pointers are welcome.
Author:  mihanson [ Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
My gut tells me you actually have one of the ATSC cards, not DVB (although it needs to be configured as a DVB card). What does

Code:
$ lspci | grep DVB
output?

I have the ATSC version (several of them) and they produce this:

Code:
mythtv@mythbox:~$ lspci | grep DVB
01:02.0 Network controller: Techsan Electronics Co Ltd B2C2 FlexCopII DVB chip / Technisat SkyStar2 DVB card (rev 02)
01:05.0 Network controller: Techsan Electronics Co Ltd B2C2 FlexCopII DVB chip / Technisat SkyStar2 DVB card (rev 02)


but they only receive over-the-air ATSC signals.

http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/ATSC_PCI_Cards#Supported_ATSC_PCI_Cards

EDIT: Upon further inspection, it looks like you do indeed have an ATSC card, but their is a problem with the firmware (not loading?), as evidenced by
Quote:
nxt200x: nxt200x_readbytes: i2c read error (addr 0x0a, err == -121)
Unknown/Unsupported NXT chip: 00 00 00 00 00


See http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/TechniSat_Air2PC-ATSC-PCI#Air2PC-ATSC-PCI_.282nd_rev.29 and check your hotplug directory for dvb-fe-nxt2002.fw
Author:  neutron68 [ Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:  not ATSC card
This is a satellite DVB card. It came bundled together with a satellite dish and LNB.
The silkscreen on the back of the card says:
"Sky2PC / Skystar2"
"ver. 2.3"

Also, I have tested it with a satellite dish, and LNB using the same PC running under Windows XP, so I know the hardware all works fine for receiving and recording both standard definition and high definition satellite video.

Lastly, satellite DVB video uses a different modulation standard (QPSK) from terrestrial ATSC signals (8VSB).

So, based on all this evidence, I'm sure this is a satellite card.
Author:  mihanson [ Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ok, no problem. Sorry I was not more help.
Author:  neutron68 [ Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:51 am ]
Post subject:  the thought is appreciated
Thanks for the thought. It is appreciated. It is good to know how the differnet versions of the Technisat cards look to Linux.

I'm going to poke at this a little more this weekend. We have a weekend weather forcast for rain, rain, and more rain - perfect Linux weather. :)

I am encouraged by the fact that I can talk to the Technisat card via the command line. Next, I just have to find out if the Mythtv graphic setup controls work properly.

Cheers!
Author:  neutron68 [ Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:20 am ]
Post subject:  got Techisat DVB-S card working
I've got the Techinisat card working in KM R5E50. I can "Watch TV" from unencrypted satellite channels and record programs to the hard drive.

The key to getting Mythtv to connect with the Technisat DVB-S card and LNB is a hidden LNB configuration screen! The biggest problem with the arrangement of the LNB screen is that it is hidden behind a button for DiSEqC. In my case, I don't have any DiSEqC switches in my system, so there was no sense in looking at the DiSEqC button. Anyone familiar with satellite reception would not expect to find an LNB configuration connected with DiSEqC controls. So, that LNB configuration screen should be pulled out from behind the DiSEqC button and given it's own button in the setup.

After I configured the LNB for "Universal (Europe)" I was able to connect to the Technisat card and LNB. My LNB is a Fortec Star linear LNB. These are very common among the satellite enthusiasts in both Europe and the USA, so don't let the "Europe" name in the Mythtv setup fool you. This is what you want for a "standard" linear LNB.

Even after getting the LNB set correctly. I found that Mythtv setup still would not scan satellite transponders. They only way I could get Mythtv to scan satellite frequencies was if I manually created a satellite transponder file, used the command line "scan" program to create a channels.conf. After the channels.conf file was created, I could feed it in by the Import channels.conf mechanism (in the Scan Type screen). After the channels were loaded into Mythtv, I could use the Watch TV button and look at each of the satellite channels.

I have edited the the KnoppMyth wiki article on DVB and precisely document what I did. Look for the heading "DVB in the USA".
http://knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=DVBHowTo

Good luck!
Author:  Das Hammer [ Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
That sounds like a lot of work to add channels...especially when a guy with a motorized system would be looking at many many many TP's to scan and add channels to.
Author:  neutron68 [ Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:08 am ]
Post subject:  lots of work - I agree
Das Hammer, yes, I agree! It is a lot of work just to get DVB satellite channels into Mythtv. If there is a better way, I would LOVE to know it!
Hopefully there will be full support for scanning the birds in the GUI interface, someday soon. I'm not sure how satellite saavy the Mythtv folks are, so it may take some colaboration with satellite guys such as yourself.

Thus far I've only tried Mythtv with my Techinisat sky2pc (aka skystar2) DVB-S card. I also have a Twinhan 1020a DVB-S card but have not even plugged it into a pc yet!

I took down my 76cm dish and have a 100cm dish waiting for install. Until then, I'm blind to the signals from the sky...

I hope to be experimenting more with DVB-S before winter comes!

Eric
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