Raspberri Pi and Outernet

Status
Please reply by conversation.

goaliebob99

SatelliteGuys Master
Original poster
Supporting Founder
Aug 5, 2004
14,486
520
-.-. .... .. -.-. .- --. ---
I am thinking about building my PI for outernet and was wondering if there is a way to connect the pi via network ports to my HTPC that has my TBS 6903 in it. Basically, I would tune the card to the outernet frequencies, and push the data via network to the pi. Can this be done? or is there some sort of other setup I may need. I would like to continue to use the 6903 for feed hunting and tune to outernet when not watching anything.
 
I am thinking about building my PI for outernet and was wondering if there is a way to connect the pi via network ports to my HTPC that has my TBS 6903 in it. Basically, I would tune the card to the outernet frequencies, and push the data via network to the pi. Can this be done? or is there some sort of other setup I may need. I would like to continue to use the 6903 for feed hunting and tune to outernet when not watching anything.
They have switched from KU to L-Band using proprietary modulation developed by Viasat. So a tuner card will no longer receive the Outernet data.

There is a thread about building your own PI based receiver for L-Band here: http://discuss.outernet.is/t/l-band-do-it-yourself-diy-receiver/1719/6

Unfortunately, the modulation scheme is proprietary and the much of the code is not open source. According to Syed several months ago in the "diy" thread:
"For L-band, the modulation scheme is highly proprietary (not by our choice; it belongs to ViaSat) and so they need to release a software-based demodulator. ..."

You need a PI running Raspian, an SDR, an LNA, a patch or helical antenna for circular polarity, an SD card with Raspian and the Outernet software. Details are here: https://outernet-project.github.io/outernet-rpi-lband/index.html

While I like the switch from KU to L-band, I am disappointed by their choice of Viasat's proprietary modulation.
 
Where did you see they were going switch from Ku to L-band? I thought they were planning to do both. Also you can buy the HDStar USB receiver for your Pi on Amazon for less than $20. The Outernet signal is still up on G19.
 
Where did you see they were going switch from Ku to L-band? I thought they were planning to do both. Also you can buy the HDStar USB receiver for your Pi on Amazon for less than $20. The Outernet signal is still up on G19.
At the motorsports website I read that the video billboard on 97W KU was still there, but the data PIDs disappeared. That was about 2 weeks ago. I did not check it myself. Maybe it was just a temporary outage?

I had assumed (possibly in error) that they were planning to drop the KU data stream since the Lantern is changing to L-Band due to poor sales of the KU based device.

Are you currently receiving the Outernet data stream on 97W KU?
 
I know that Outernet shutdown the Ku feed on 113w due to poor sales of the Lighthouse in Latin American, the 97w data feed was out for awhile but it is back up last I checked. I don't know if they intend to drop all Ku band service, if they do the data stream being sent will drop from about 1Gb a day to 20Mb. Outernet is selling parts to build the L-band receiver on Amazon.
The Ku data stream has been Kahn Academy videos.

I would ask over at the Outernet forum if you want to be sure of their plans.
 
I know that Outernet shutdown the Ku feed on 113w due to poor sales of the Lighthouse in Latin American, the 97w data feed was out for awhile but it is back up last I checked. I don't know if they intend to drop all Ku band service, if they do the data stream being sent will drop from about 1Gb a day to 20Mb. Outernet is selling parts to build the L-band receiver on Amazon.
The Ku data stream has been Kahn Academy videos.

I would ask over at the Outernet forum if you want to be sure of their plans.

Going from 1GB to 20MB, that's a huge difference. A webpage or some documents transmitted would easily take up the 20MB!. Looks like they are not even selling the Lighthouse on their website, just the L-Band receivers. The only place I have seen sat receivers that Outernet recommends is the one at Amazon they link to. No reference to the Lighthouse on Outernet's site to even buy from them direct. So my guess is that they will eventually dump the 97W Ku feed and use L-Band only. The one on Amazon is the "Geniatech HD Star DVB-S2/DVB-S USB Tuner Digital Satellite Receiver TV Box" priced at $14.90 a piece. Even if they could transmit 200-300MB a day it would be a whole lot more stuff rather then the big 20MB of stuff on the L-Band sat. So come on Outernet, external storage is large and cheap these days so send more down the pipeline. Otherwise the service looks pretty neat.
 
I see Syed just posted a couple hours ago that they are going to give up on the Ku feeds, said nobody wanted to setup a dish so it wasn't commercially viable. I guess that is why they are blowing out the stock of those HDStar receivers so cheaply.

They have the L-band parts available on Amazon.
 
I see Syed just posted a couple hours ago that they are going to give up on the Ku feeds, said nobody wanted to setup a dish so it wasn't commercially viable. I guess that is why they are blowing out the stock of those HDStar receivers so cheaply.

They have the L-band parts available on Amazon.

Yep, I just read that. Satellite distribution will be discontinued very soon as it makes financial sense and as we all know, transponder space ain't cheap. It's kind of too bad for us that can dedicate a 90cm on Galaxy 19Ku and have the higher data rate. The L-band setup is perfect for people that cannot have a dish, but there is no way unless it's gets major funding to operate on Ku satellite and L-band. Another great use for SDR sticks and the Rasberry Pi. Need to build one for EMWIN and Outernet, two great projects to accomplish.
 
The bandwidth that they were running on KU satellites was likely only $1-2k per month (higher on G-19). Not that expensive.

The main issue with FSS KU was getting an average Joe to properly install and aim the dish. We know how difficult that can be each time we assist a SatelliteGuys newbie!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The main issue with FSS KU was getting an average Joe to properly install and aim the dish. We know how difficult that can be each time we assist a SatelliteGuys newbie!

And yet, you look at pictures from other countries and see dishes all over the place. Somebody is installing them...
 
In my opinion, folks will go to much more effort to watch TV than to receive a playout service of unknown data. With the majority of the world population carrying a cell phone with most capable of two way data, I have a pretty good guess what technology is favored and why... :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)