Blind scan on PCI

[techboss]

We all know that a DVB PCI could not do blind scan, except for Nexus 2.3. What I am after is all possible combination of frequencies and SR add that to a transponder file and have the PCI do a "fake" blind scan. Does anyone know if this is possible? (i.e. a transponder file with thousands of frequencies listed).

IA 6 Example:

[SATTYPE]
1=2670
2=Telstar 6
[DVB]
0=73
1=11728,H, 4000,34
2=11737,H, 3979,34
3=11772,H, 3979,34
4=11777,H, 3979,34
5=11782,H, 3979,34
6=11787,H, 3979,34
7=11793,H, 3979,34
8=11800,H, 3979,34
9=11811,H, 3979,34
....

I hope I am making sense here.

 

[FordPrefect]

techboss,

The answer is yes…via C programming and Linux or Windows and C,Visual Basic…most all the DVB cards are able to do blind scan via software, but some have hardware blind scan capabilities…but I am not sure why pay twice as much for something you can do via software, especially on PC’s that are available today, very fast (I can’t believe that it would take longer then 10 minutes to do a full scan, I will be able to tell you more once I get my receiver which has hardware blind scan) or on old slow PC’s and at night when you are not using your PC…who cares if it is slow as long as you get your list of channels…see link below…

http://www.vetrun.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2409

 

[timmy1376]

I would care how slow, because what I look for would be over in a few hours. I would scan for a ballgame, but by the time the scan is done, so is the game. The is the only downfall of PC cards that I can see.

 

[FordPrefect]

I would care how slow, because what I look for would be over in a few hours. I would scan for a ballgame, but by the time the scan is done, so is the game. The is the only downfall of PC cards that I can see.

Well Timmy you have two options one is to build/buy a fast computer, either a single 64 bit processor or even two 64 bit processors with about 2GB of SDRAM, and raid with 15,000 RPM hard drives for extra speed…then the software blind scan would take few seconds on any operating system. The second option is to use zap2it to find a program/channel you want to view for that day in your area and then do a manual search for the satellite that the channel/program is on…

http://www.zap2it.com/

The way I see it you have some options, notice I did not recommend that you go out and buy the Cadillac of all DVB cards…that has hardware “blind scan”, just a thought a $168.00 DVB card is not a big expense as a cost of a super home pc.

My opinion on DVB cards is there are no downfalls when it comes to DVB cards, except the initial cost in time and money of buying the best DVB card that has all the features that you would need/want, knowing or finding the best DVB card is knowledge, and to get knowledge one must learn, read, ask questions. There is a learning curve for everything; I just spent some serious money on FTA equipment that I know fully well I will modify, just look at anyone of the members, almost all of them have more then one dish, and or receiver.

I found this last night reading about MythTV/Linux forum…$125.00 and it has “blind scan”, it lists it as one of its features.

http://www.i-tech.com.au/products/235_AVerMedia_Studio_303_Internal_Tuner.asp

 

[digiblur]

I've always preferred the simple method.. Cheap Fortec box to blind scan with the DVB card slaved to it for HD and 4:2:2 viewing.

 

[FordPrefect]

I've always preferred the simple method.. Cheap Fortec box to blind scan with the DVB card slaved to it for HD and 4:2:2 viewing.

What I found in my experience dealing with people in computer and telecommunication industries is that most people make decisions based on subjective preference instead of objective preference.

I like your idea…very simple yet easy to use…that is the reason I purchased a Coolsat 6000 Premium receiver so that I can use the “blind scan” feature to quickly setup my dish and start to use equipment related to FTA, accelerate the learning curve. A friend from work said he will let me have (if I remove it from his property, it is a pole mounted system) a Primestar dish so that I can quickly start to work…

Then I can finish my own project, building a Dreambox Reality I dual tuner PVR receiver based on Linux for my own home entertainment system. I will be able to tell you how fast I can do a blind scan on my home built receiver box vs. Coolsat 6000 Premium receiver…coming soon in the appropriate thread…

 

[mastermesh]

Do the pci cards have a max number of tps/channels like normal fta boxes? If not, techboss's suggesstion might work if you load in every tp listed in lyngsat or on Mike Kohl's list, but the problem would be if it does have a max, like other boxes... I don't personally have a pci card that does this stuff, so don't have a clue if you get tp overload or not?...

 

[timmy1376]

The list is just a text type of file, so I would imagine it woudn't have a limit per say.

I don't think the comuter has much to do with the speed of a blind scan with a card. I think it just takes a bit of time for the card to change frequences and symbol rates.

 

[jerryt]

I have done blind scans with my Skystar 2 version 2.3 with both Altxro's Blindscanner and BXS's Transponder finder softwares. A couple of points to note!!!


The Skystar2 v 2.3 card cost me the same as a new PCI card, not twice as much.

The V 2.3 can blind scan a whole satellite in 60 seconds. Say WOW. The software only solutions with any card has taken me days for one satellite. Say OH NO!!

What makes the V2.3 special is a SR chip which the blind scan software controls during scans.

 

[Trevorm7]

Does the Skystar2 2.3p have the same capabilities of 2.3?

 

[jerryt]

Does the Skystar2 2.3p have the same capabilities of 2.3?

Yes, I have only seen the 2.3p and it has the SR chip.

 

[FordPrefect]

Well let me see, skystar2 can capture HDTV but average PC may be too weak for real-time playback on your monitor because skystar2 does not have hardware decoding. But ss1 with hardware decoder can not receive HDTV...So ss1 can do hardware blind scan but can’t capture HDTV…and ss2 can capture HDTV but does not have hardware blind scan…

 

[updatelee]

I havent seen any dvb cards that will let you use the built on hardware mpeg decoder for HDTV, just SD. what ones do ?

Ive used my twinhan vp-1020 to tune HDTV channels, in conjunction with my nvidia's hardware assisted mpeg decoding on my amd64 3400+ cpu usage is less then 10%

so as long as your computer is reasonably fast and setup correctly I dont see much need for hardware decoders.

 

[Tron]

The nice thing about the Nexus-S is the inclusion of a video out and AC-3 capable SPDIF out, useful if one is using this card in an older computer or one without the ability to upgrade/add a video or sound card.

I will be installing NEXUS-S cards into a couple of PIII-1Ghz single-board PCs in 1RU cases. The sole purpose of these computers will be capture of DVB-S.

Is the 2.3 hardware revision of the Nexus-S truly capable of REAL blind scan?

 

[updatelee]

The nice thing about the Nexus-S is the inclusion of a video out and AC-3 capable SPDIF out, useful if one is using this card in an older computer or one without the ability to upgrade/add a video or sound card.

I will be installing NEXUS-S cards into a couple of PIII-1Ghz single-board PCs in 1RU cases. The sole purpose of these computers will be capture of DVB-S.

Is the 2.3 hardware revision of the Nexus-S truly capable of REAL blind scan?

skystar v2.3

 

[Trevorm7]

I've had the skystar2 2.3p for about 2 weeks. It beats the hell out of the starbox, the starbox had trouble with pbs-hd but the skystar works without a glitch on the same signal.

But I have a couple problems,

First, I'm having trouble with blindscan, it does not find everything that is there.
Edit: turning up the delay to 1000ms made it better.

Second, mytheatre will not work properly, it will work for a few seconds when the program starts and then stop, or just not work at all. If i'm lucky it will work and let me switch channels without stopping.

Using the bda driver fixes that, but I can't use blindscan with them.

 

[jerryt]

Second, mytheatre will not work properly, it will work for a few seconds when the program starts and then stop, or just not work at all. If i'm lucky it will work and let me switch channels without stopping.

Using the bda driver fixes that, but I can't use blindscan with them.

Have you tried a different program to see if it is the card or software?

 

[Trevorm7]

Yes I have, Dvbdream, progdvb and Tsreader both work fine. But with Dvbdream I get this annoying stutter in the video, progdvb is a pain to get the codec I want working (mainconcept has annoying pixelation in red colors) and tsreader only allows 30s to play unless I pay 100$.

With mytheatre the picture looks much better compared to the rest. I use nvidia purevideo on generic renderer, all the other programs/renderer's make it too bright and won't let me adjust it.

And like I said it runs perfectly with the bda drivers, but I can't blindscan with them.

Here is what mytheatre reports it as,


I tried drivers 4.3 enhanced 4.4 and 4.4.1, they all worked the same.

 

[jerryt]

I've had the skystar2 2.3p for about 2 weeks. It beats the hell out of the starbox, the starbox had trouble with pbs-hd but the skystar works without a glitch on the same signal.

But I have a couple problems,

First, I'm having trouble with blindscan, it does not find everything that is there.
Edit: turning up the delay to 1000ms made it better.

Second, mytheatre will not work properly, it will work for a few seconds when the program starts and then stop, or just not work at all. If i'm lucky it will work and let me switch channels without stopping.

Using the bda driver fixes that, but I can't use blindscan with them.

Once had this problem where Skystar 2 would play for a few seconds and then stop with Mytheatre. It was after a fresh reinstall of everything. Fixed the problem by selecting use "First CPU only" or something like that.