USB Tuner that does S2

[Scott Greczkowski]

I just stumbled upon this USB Tuner which can do DVB S2.

Product_S650

BTW it looks like this could be the same company that makes the Matchbox Pro for DMSI Product_S600

Wonder how long it will be until we see these boxes here in the USA?

 

[SatPhreak]

It looks like a nice tuner. I read the reveiw of it in telesat magazine a few days ago.

 

[Pepper]

It ought to be nice. Are those prices in US dollars?

edit: never mind, that's the part number S600 not the price $600.

 

[guapoharry]

It looks like that website is hosted in Taiwan.

Wonder how long it will be until we see these boxes here in the USA?

Perhaps it depends on when someone ponies up the cash for a container full.

 

[mred]

dvbshop.net (based in Germany) has them and will apparently ship worldwide. I went through the motions of ordering to see how much it would be, and it came out to 90.47 euros (61.26 for the unit itself -- VAT fee removed, 27 euros shipping to US, and 2.21 euros handling for using PayPal). That translates to about $115 US total.

 

[skysurfer]

I just stumbled upon this USB Tuner which can do DVB S2.

Product_S650

BTW it looks like this could be the same company that makes the Matchbox Pro for DMSI Product_S600

Wonder how long it will be until we see these boxes here in the USA?

It's kind of hard for me to get excited about it when I don't kow what the upper symbol rate of the tuner is (it might not be high enough to get the 30,000 or higher SR ones in the U.S.).

I also have qualms about USB 2.0 transfer rates (i.e. can you reliably watch/record a DVB-S2 SR 30000 high datarate mux or is USB 2.0 too slow to transfer that much data real-time) but that's more of an ignorance issue on my part about the datarate speed of a USB 2.0 interface.

I'd rather stick with a PCI card to assure myself of the datarate issue.

 

[Anole]

It's kind of hard for me to get excited about it when . . .
I also have qualms about USB 2.0 transfer rates . . .
. . . is USB 2.0 too slow to transfer that much data real-time

I'd rather stick with a PCI card to assure myself of the datarate issue.

I've been led down this garden path before.
The problem is not so much the transfer rate of the interface spec, but the transfer rate of your computer hardware.
I ran some disk drive throughput tests about six months ago.
Was evaluating external USB drives.
My laptop and older AMD computers were poor performers.
My dual Opteron and new Core2duo machines put the others to shame.

So, for external drives, I'll be moving toward eSATA interface.
That's already been shown to outperform USB 2 in some tests of a friend of mine.
(I'm just getting around to it) -

And why was I even worrying about this problem, you ask?
Well, I'd been badly burned by USB 2 a few years back on an FTA tuner box!
It was eventually running okay for SD, but never quite made it with HD signals.
I blame the two computers I experimented with.
Also, the receiver software was not as sophisticated.
It's matured over the intervening years.

Am I condemning USB tuners?
Well, not necessarily.
But if you mate them to inadequate computers (motherboard chipsets), they may not keep up.
So, user beware. -

 

[turbosat]

USB tuners

Do they do 4.2.2? I couldn't find that mentioned on the specs for that matchbox pro. I almost bought one last week on my trip to Atlanta.

 

[Anole]

Yea, the right software, drivers, and codecs should get you both hi def and 4:2:2.
Just not S2, nor DC2. --

 

[turbosat]

Interesting. I found the new Technotrend card that does S2 has just been added on cyberestore's site, it may do all that (exc Digicipher)....

 

[Anole]

I don't play in that end of the pool, so you should ask this question in the DVB/PC forum:
"What will it do for public key* DCII?" , perhaps using that expensive tsreader software?
Doesn't suit me, but it may be attractive or useful to some.


* And I may have used the wrong term...


edit: oops, I mistook the USB Technotrends box for the one Scott mentioned.
But you're right, they do show the PCI card.

But the funny thing is,,,, they are carrying the Satpros DSR-500 set top box!
Will that thing never die?

 

[turbosat]

Anole I found the answer in another thread also, another member here has the matchbox and says he uses it for HD and 4.2.2. I may have to get one, then I can post in the computer-card section lol.

 

[guapoharry]

My DVBWorld 2102 USB2.0 does 4.2.2 and HD capably...

 

[49studebaker]

There is a pci version:

Product_S460


Edit: The product manual is located here: http://www.tevii.com/QIG_%20DVB-S.doc

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes my MatchBox Pro does 4:2:2 fine.

So one of these boxes should so DVB-S2 and 4:2:2 fine... now if it only had blindscan.

 

[Anole]

it's never enough

... now if it only had blindscan.

And if a bullfrog had wings, he wouldn't bump his butt when he landed. - :up
You've just put your finger on the problem with all DVB-S2 receivers!

And why there aren't more STBs offering 4:2:2, is beyond me.

And Off The Air digital reception... using the guide that's broadcast now...

And with a USB or eSATA hard drive, of course.

. . . if that Passion had worked as intended, we'd all be fat 'n happy, right now! -

 

[skysurfer]

There is a pci version:

Product_S460

thanks for the link.

I have to wonder what the secret about the tuner is. Why is there no spec sheet on that page (or in the DOC link) that says the specs of the tuner, what modulation modes are tunable, what FECs are supported, etc.

All we know is that it does DVB-S and DVB-S2, but nothing beyond that for some weird reason to gauge how useful the PCI card (or USB sister) is for North American usage.