TDA10071 based DVB-S2 receivers

[tester239]

Has anybody seen a DVB-S2 receiver in the wild that has a TDA10071 based demodulator? It appears that NXP (Philips) released info on the chip back in May of 2009.. but I can't find the part at distributors yet, or any devices that make use of it. I'm trying to get a development sample to make a DVB-S2 tuner with hardware blind-scan support (the TDA10071 has built-in blind-scan support, S2 style).

For that matter, does anybody know of ANY receivers/PC tuners that have S2 hardware blind-scan support? If so, please let me know of the brands/models

This is more of a "for fun" project, don't expect me to start mass-producing such a device

 

[Anole]

blind scan receivers:

The Pansat 9200 has a new add-on tuner that does blind scan S2.
And, the Vantage set top box does blind scan S2.
If there are others, I'm sure someone will say, but that's all I can think of.

 

[tester239]

I contacted Pansat directly and they told me it uses the stv0903 chip, but I know this isn't true because that doesn't have blind-scan. That may be the initial/onboard demodulator that comes stock with the 9200. I'm going to query them again and clarify that I'm talking about the add-on board.

I'd ask somebody to take a picture of the demodulator, but it's integrated into the tuner module, and is hidden by the way it is attached to the daughterboard. It would require desoldering the module, and I don't expect anybody to risk damaging their system

 

[Smith P.]

I could do it for you - just give me the receiver. I promise it will works as before me.

 

[tester239]

From Pansat:

Got more information from sactory for the S-2 Plus tuner modeule.
Tuner name: Seritt platform tuner.
Tuner PLL Chip: STB 61110
FEC Demod : STV0903.

If this information is correct, the Prof 7301 PCI S2 tuner card for a computer should theoretically be able to do blind scan. I'm trying to order a sample/test card from Prof to see what kind of poking I can do, as well as more information from STMicro on the demodulator chip. If this can actually do hardware assisted S2 blind scan... oh boy

Prof tuner: Prof Revolution DVB-S2 7301 PCI

Smith, P. - I am capable of doing it myself, but do not own (and do not intend to own) a Pansat 9200HD. Thanks though

 

[Smith P.]

I can't find any bit of info what is support your statement "should theoretically be able to do blind scan". I would be glad to follow your hints in the direction.

 

[tester239]

I can't find any bit of info what is support your statement "should theoretically be able to do blind scan". I would be glad to follow your hints in the direction.

That's the crazy part.. according to all of the information that I've been able to find, it shouldn't be able to do blind scan in hardware.

 

[tester239]

The STV0903 does in fact do blind scan. I noticed this in some bugfix notes for the linux driver. I'll be going over the driver code when I get a chance in order to see how to take advantage of this feature. So, the Prof tuner I listed above is capable of blind-scan apparently. I'll be ordering one soon enough to test and confirm that it does in fact do DVB-S and S2 blind scanning. More details to come... stay tuned..

 

[pendragon]

Nice find! The driver code seems to have a lot of capabilities in this regard, including search loops for the carrier and SRs. It probably doesn't hurt that the driver is copyright ST Microelectronics.

 

[tester239]

Yeah, I'm reading over the frontend driver now. Pretty freaking sweet what this bugger can do. Definitely buying one of these cards! If a blind-scan userland application hasn't been written, I'll put one together and share, otherwise link to one if I find it... or if somebody else knows of one.. Gentlemen, welcome to flavor country


Edit: Card has been ordered. You'll hear from me in a week or so, hopefully with wonderful news

 

[qwert1515]

I received the WorldDVB USB BOX2104(D or C?).

I have read that the C version does not have auto FEC , and that the D version has auto FEC.

The version I received has auto FEC.

If I have the D version it should have: RF Tuner: M88TS2020 and the Demodulator: M88DS3000

The Demodulator has blind scan listed as one of its features and it looks like this card has some kind
of blind scan because I have locked known DVB-S2 8PSK signals with symbol rates of 3200 (2/3) by
entering a symbol rate between 2000 - 4500 and any FEC. I have also locked a DVB-S2 8PSK symbol
rate of 16666 (3/5) by entering a symbol rate between 11000 - 24000 and any FEC.

I am still playing around with the receiver and I plan on writing a review once I fully understand the device.

 

[madmadworld]

Yeah, I'm reading over the frontend driver now. Pretty freaking sweet what this bugger can do. Definitely buying one of these cards! If a blind-scan userland application hasn't been written, I'll put one together and share, otherwise link to one if I find it... or if somebody else knows of one.. Gentlemen, welcome to flavor country


Edit: Card has been ordered. You'll hear from me in a week or so, hopefully with wonderful news

good luck
will be waiting to hear about your testing
thanks for sharing your findings.
sounds cool

 

[pendragon]

I received the WorldDVB USB BOX2104(D or C?).

I have read that the C version does not have auto FEC , and that the D version has auto FEC.

The version I received has auto FEC.

The C version has done plain DVB with auto-FEC for as long as I've owned mine (about a year). Not that long ago I believe they added auto-FEC for DVB-S2 in the driver, but this is a software search rather than hardware based. Still it seems to work for me.

 

[pendragon]

good luck will be waiting to hear about your testing
thanks for sharing your findings. sounds cool

I ordered the PCI and USB versions of this unit; both arrived today. I've got the USB device working on a Windows system very nicely, but it was a virgin Windows install. I've not had the same success on the non-virgin XP and Vista machines I've tried. The problem may be mine, but I'm concerned that the Windows drivers may still be in a sensitive state. The real payoff will be on Linux, but I figured it was easier to run through a standard set of tests using a GUI. The basic performance seems excellent.

Since this is becoming a PC-oriented thread, should this be moved to the appropriate sub-forum?

 

[qwert1515]

The C version has done plain DVB with auto-FEC for as long as I've owned mine (about a year). Not that long ago I believe they added auto-FEC for DVB-S2 in the driver, but this is a software search rather than hardware based. Still it seems to work for me.

Pendragon, if you enter an "close" symbol rate for a transponder will it lock for you?
Example: I can enter a symbol rate between 11000 - 24000 for a transponder that is actually 16666 and it will lock.

With my other receivers I have to be much closer than that, that's why it looks like the 2104D has some sort of blind search (auto symbol rate) capabilities.

 

[pendragon]

Pendragon, if you enter an "close" symbol rate for a transponder will it lock for you?
Example: I can enter a symbol rate between 11000 - 24000 for a transponder that is actually 16666 and it will lock.

With my other receivers I have to be much closer than that, that's why it looks like the 2104D has some sort of blind search (auto symbol rate) capabilities.

Yes, my 2104s do the same and also have a fairly broad carrier frequency lock range. I haven't looked at the Linux driver code specifically in this regard, so I can't say whether one can query the unit to find what values it 'locked on'. My recollection is one cannot.

 

[pendragon]

I did some further testing with the 7500 USB tuner and it seems the DVB Dream bda.dev module supplied by the Prof tuner vendor will not work if I have DVB World 2104 drivers installed on the same machine. It will fail even if the DVB World tuner is not connected. However the latest bda.dev module from DVB Dream can tune both the 7500 and the 2104 with both drivers installed.

Unfortunately only the Prof bda.dev module can send DiSEqC commands through the the 7500, and the standard bda.dev can only send DiSEqC commands through the 2104. This isn't going to stop testing, but it does prevent me from running a 2104 and 7500 together on Windows. I've alerted the support organization for Prof to see what they have to say.

 

[SatelliteAV]

We are working with the manufacturer RD to implement native hardware based blind scan starting with the 7301 PCI. Will update SatelliteGuys when beta testing is available.

Moderators, maybe move or split this thread into the PCI forum for the Prof products?

 

[tester239]

Yeah, this thread is really starting to get into the PC tuner talk.. I'd change the thread title too, but it won't let me.

Whenever my 7301 "sample" arrives from hong kong I'll be testing/working on a linux blind-scan utility that should theoretically work for any stv0903 based card... I'm also going to try and get more documentation from STMicro, rather than interpreting driver code only. also waiting on a PLL Ku LNB so I can actually lock S2 feeds. (and not have an 8MHz drift) Still very excited for when it gets here

 

[pedrogarcia]

Here's one distributor
Seltech international - TDA10071 | NXP C.D. | Channel Decoders | Seltech