PCI DVB-S card

[global0]

I would like to build a PC as a sat finder/tuner, antenna peaker. This hobby is going all over the place right now, but I guess that's all the fun
So, at any rate, what is a good PCI DVB-S card to get that can do blind scans and provides a good signal quality/strength and BER meter?

 

[WyrTwister]

I would like to build a PC as a sat finder/tuner, antenna peaker. This hobby is going all over the place right now, but I guess that's all the fun
So, at any rate, what is a good PCI DVB-S card to get that can do blind scans and provides a good signal quality/strength and BER meter?

All this is a software issue .

Progfinder is clunky , but with patience , will give signal strength & quality .

Blind scan is almost a no go .

As far as I know , the rest is over my head .

Wyr

 

[jerryt]

The only blind scan PCI card I know of is the Skystar2, but only version 2.3

You would need one of the two program which enable the blind scan on that card.

Software signal meter does not work until you lock the freq, so these card are not like handheld signal meters.

 

[WildeComputers]

I have the Hauppauge Nexus-S ver. 2.3 DVB card. I use MyTheatre for everything with this card. It scans very well. I also use ProgFinder and a SF-95 satellite finder. These two together work very well too.

I have not gotten much (if any) luck regarding HD though. It kinda picks up the HD Promo on N82 (Symbol Rate 20000) but does not on the HDTV demo on DN61.5 (Symbol Rate 21500). I am pretty sure this card is not HD capable, so I think the reason I get somewhat of a picture from the HD Promo is due to the codecs I use on my PC for Windows Media Player and DivX.

Based on postings and reviews, I am leaning toward purchasing a DVB World USB card. This way I can use it for HD, plus have a portable satellite finder using a laptop.

 

[genpix]

There is no HDTV capabele on uncapable soft-DVB-s cards.
They don't do the decoding in hardware anyway.
And SR=21500 is still below the maximum possible for average card. So, symbol rate is not a show stopper.
The reason why you can't get HD from DN is inability of your card to decode 8PSK Turbo code modulation (Bev uses QPSK modulation for all channels, SD and HD; that's why you can get it).

PS: DVB World USB does not do 8PSK also. So, it's useless for DN HD

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Besides Dish Network and ExpressVu are scrambled. And we don't discuss hacking here.

 

[WyrTwister]

I have the Hauppauge Nexus-S ver. 2.3 DVB card. I use MyTheatre for everything with this card. It scans very well. I also use ProgFinder and a SF-95 satellite finder. These two together work very well too.

I have not gotten much (if any) luck regarding HD though. It kinda picks up the HD Promo on N82 (Symbol Rate 20000) but does not on the HDTV demo on DN61.5 (Symbol Rate 21500). I am pretty sure this card is not HD capable, so I think the reason I get somewhat of a picture from the HD Promo is due to the codecs I use on my PC for Windows Media Player and DivX.

Based on postings and reviews, I am leaning toward purchasing a DVB World USB card. This way I can use it for HD, plus have a portable satellite finder using a laptop.

I am playing around with C band HD on a Nexus-S . It will only do HD in software mode . The computer I am using does not quite have enough " horsepower " to do HD well .

I have a Twinhan card in a faster computer & it does HD fine .

Both using MT .

As far as the USB boxes , I would read every review I could find before making a decision , paying particular attention to how fast the computer needs to be to do HD & if the box is supported by the popular software , such as MT .


Wyr

 

[digiblur]

FYI... Last time I checked on Nimiq 82W the promo HD channel was ITC.

 

[WyrTwister]

FYI... Last time I checked on Nimiq 82W the promo HD channel was ITC.

ITC ?????????????

Wyr

 

[partyharty]

ITC ?????????????

Wyr

I am guessing here but I bet

ITC = In the Clear (unencrypted)

 

[WildeComputers]

Sorry if my update looked like I was heading down the "dark alley". According to Lyngsat, there are two channels (on separate satellites) listed as HD/clear. Those were the only two I was referring to.

 

[scottc98]

I do believe the HD promo channel on N82w is FTA (or ITC ) Can't verify but someone here should be able to.
Other than that, you've basically got PBS HD at 87w when it comes to KU.

If you jump over to C-band, you can get a few more (which in that case, you might as well get a 4dtv system)

If it could fit in my yard, a C-band dish and a 4dtv system is where i'd go!!

 

[WyrTwister]

I am guessing here but I bet

ITC = In the Clear (unencrypted)

Yes , there is one In The Clear promo channel on 82 .

Wyr

 

[global0]

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Based on postings and reviews, I am leaning toward purchasing a DVB World USB card. This way I can use it for HD, plus have a portable satellite finder using a laptop.

Have you tried your idea above? Does it work? the laptop option is intriguing!

 

[WyrTwister]

I have the Hauppauge Nexus-S ver. 2.3 DVB card. I use MyTheatre for everything with this card. It scans very well. I also use ProgFinder and a SF-95 satellite finder. These two together work very well too.

I have not gotten much (if any) luck regarding HD though. It kinda picks up the HD Promo on N82 (Symbol Rate 20000) but does not on the HDTV demo on DN61.5 (Symbol Rate 21500). I am pretty sure this card is not HD capable, so I think the reason I get somewhat of a picture from the HD Promo is due to the codecs I use on my PC for Windows Media Player and DivX.

Based on postings and reviews, I am leaning toward purchasing a DVB World USB card. This way I can use it for HD, plus have a portable satellite finder using a laptop.

do not know of any cards that do HD in hardware mode .

wyr

 

[hwh]

Have you tried your idea above? Does it work? the laptop option is intriguing!

It works fine with a laptop. It would work fine for for antenna alignment since it has both strength and quality meters.

The biggest drawback of the DVBWorld usb device is the lack of a blind scan function. Another is I can't find any way to import/export channel lists. Since it doesn't have blind scan it would be really nice to be able to import the lists from my Fortec into the DVBWorld.

Overall I like the device. I haven't got a dish pointed at anything with HD on it but the DVBWorld does show the 4:2:2 video feeds fine.

 

[greyskies]

SDX Files with AltDVB if compatible with DVBWorld

The biggest drawback of the DVBWorld usb device is the lack of a blind scan function. Another is I can't find any way to import/export channel lists. Since it doesn't have blind scan it would be really nice to be able to import the lists from my Fortec into the DVBWorld.

If you could use AltDVB with this device, then you could import SDX files from your Fortec receiver using SharpC's Channel Master software. Just a thought.

greyskies in sunny South Florida