Sniffing the ASI output

[techno935]

This is related to a previous thread about the 4422 Unity receivers I ordered (like a dumba**) without realizing they only had an ASI input and no RF. 2 questions:

#1 Is it possible the sniff out the location of the ASI output of a coolsat?

#2 Is it possible that maybe the RF module is already in the 4422 with lack of connector?

Tron, when you read this, keep in mind I have 2 of these 4422's. I may go ahead and list it on Ebay and make it a fair game for everyone.

Chime in!

 

[skysurfer]

the 4422 manual leads me to believe a RF tuner is optional (can be purchased and installed by a home user, probably, if you can find a source for it).

as for ASI, I don't know if it's something simple or complex so I am not sure if you can just tap a few points in the coolsat to get it to feed the 4422. I"m using the ASI from a commercial receiver to feed my 4422 that I snagged in that same ebay lot as you.

.

 

[badhat]

The RF inputs are definitely an add-on module. We have those exact receivers in our headend.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Have a few ASI output DVBS receivers samples laying around.... I'll let you know what we have.

 

[techno935]

Thank you Brian...I'll be standing by!

 

[Tron]

Got my six decoders yesterday, none had RF in. At least two of them are in mint, i.e., never been installed, condition. The others are very clean for used broadcast gear. I'm a very happy camper

No idea if ASI can be 'tapped' from a Coolsat, or any other consumer FTA box. The data would have to be serialized, and I doubt that it ever is in these units. I know that the Visionsat will record the transport stream of any QPSK DVB signal, including HD and 4:2:2 (just tested 4:2:2 from NBC). ASI out would be a great addition, but most consumers wouldn't have a use for it. The best solution would be a Digitrans 7100 with ASI out connected to a Unity 4422 for 4:2:2.

 

[Pittsville]

What can the ASI out be used for?

I'm planning to get a Alteia 942, and from the pictures and reading the manual (for a Standard SDR 422) it has an ASI output, so is there anything I could do with it?

From the manual: "....The receiver includes ASI-serial copper output of the transport stream with no decryption or decryption of the selected service." Could I make a cable and connect it to HDMI, or is it the wrong type of signal for that?

The receiver is supposed to arrive today but the weather is bad so it might be tomorrow. I plan to make some posts about it after I try to use it.

 

[Tron]

ASI is compressed serial digital data. The purpose of the interface is to allow the transport stream tuned by the receiver to be sent on to other processing equipment (such as multiplexers or decoders). HMDI is a completely different signal, it is an uncompressed parallel digital interface. If you could find a decoder with an ASI input and HDMI output, that would work for you. However, most commercial equipment uses SDI (uncompressed serial digital) and not HDMI for output. This is because HDMI has a very limited cable run distance, whereas SDI can be run for hundreds of feet. Long cable runs are necessary in commercial installations.

 

[Pittsville]

Thanks, Tron

ASI is compressed serial digital data. The purpose of the interface is to allow the transport stream tuned by the receiver to be sent on to other processing equipment (such as multiplexers or decoders). HMDI is a completely different signal, it is an uncompressed parallel digital interface. If you could find a decoder with an ASI input and HDMI output, that would work for you. However, most commercial equipment uses SDI (uncompressed serial digital) and not HDMI for output. This is because HDMI has a very limited cable run distance, whereas SDI can be run for hundreds of feet. Long cable runs are necessary in commercial installations.

Upon closer examination of the auction pictures it appears that there is no ASI on the unit I'm getting. I couldn't find the manual for a Tandberg, but the Standard SDR-422 looks like the same receiver. The place for the ASI jack on the one I bought is blanked, and the jack shown in the manual for optional frame sync, is labeled analog video 2 in the auction pictures. So I won't be needing to know what to do with ASI since I don't have it. Thanks again for the information.

My systems have been down for a while but I finally got the dish pointed correctly again and I'm starting to get back into FTA as much as I can.

 

[Pittsville]

Uh oh.

I knew that there could be a huge variation of features and capabilities for commercial receivers with the same "model number".

The Alteia looks identical to the Standard, but there are a lot of differences between the Alteia I have, and the manal I have for the Standard, and they're not good.

I think this thing may have come from Sky New Zealand. Someone probably knows but I think that means it isn't going to work for any FTA channels. I'm still fooling around with it. I can get it to read a signal level or something, but that's all. I hooked it directly to the dish and also fed it from the loop out so I could move the dish, and tried different known good transponders.

I tried entering some transponder info but it never did say it was locked. For it's options it says it has VG. I guess that's videoguard and I think that means what I'm trying to do is the same thing as trying to use a D* receiver for FTA. It also says DSNG option not purchased. I think that's another problem for me but I'm not sure why. The receiver looks really cool but it will look a lot better if I can ever get that green lock light to come on!