Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Discussion about the MiniTiouner board and the MiniTiouner Digital ATV Receive Software. See also http://www.vivadatv.org/index.php
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Tony Jaques
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 2:18 pm

Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by Tony Jaques » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:14 am

Hi there,
I was all fired up about the MiniTioune project, but am now rapidly going off the idea.
The first step is to get the software of course - just register with Viva DATV. Yeh right!
After completing the process, no matter how many times I ask for the activation code to be sent nothing happens.
And of course, because I can't log in I can't ask anyone there about it. There are suggestions to contact the administrator. What administrator? (I did see the earrlier reply to this problem, but the email address doesn't work.)
I have been looking at the Viva DATV forum messages about the project though, and it would appear that there are so many potential problems that - like Topsy - it begins to look like a very hairy prospect anyway.
Because the software will only run on god-awful Win 7 or later I would have to replace my whole computer system as well so it really begins to seem just not on.
I apologise for being so negative, but I really did set out with high hopes.
Tony
G3PTD...

g0mjw
Posts: 2311
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by g0mjw » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:31 am

Look at Ryde as an alternative

Pa3fbx
Posts: 175
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2020 1:08 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by Pa3fbx » Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:18 am

whoooo really short answer Mike...

But i'll try to make things more clear..

The french site is made and monitored by 1 family and they stopped due to some private problems whitch is the reason you hardly get into the site anymore..
Its just there because nobody sumpled over the power plug yet...

Same with the development op de minitiouner software for the PC whitch is nearly dead at the moment. Nobody knows the future in this so yes Ryde and Portsdown are still a life development and a great future..

Howevere if you still like to connect a minitiouner to a PC with has its advantages as a newbee you need help for a online guy with remote desktop and loading the drivers and codecs to get it running.


Don't be negative about non paid project as we all do it for free and make DATV available AS-IT-IS.....
Feel free to ask for help on a forum like this one witch is also free of charge and AS-IT-IS...

Best regards
Benno, PA3FBX

g0mjw
Posts: 2311
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by g0mjw » Mon Jan 31, 2022 12:18 pm

Hi Benno, Tony

I was in a hurry...

Tony's post suggests the software isn't usable in his system anyway, even if he could download it. I assume Tony is either running XP or Linux. Hopefully not XP.

This is why I suggest the Ryde, at a minimum it is just a Raspberry PI4 and a Monitor and a surplus remote control or a button board. If Tony wants to go further, a Portsdown 4 with a touch screen would also work as a stand alone system which can control a Pluto or a Lime. Unfortunately it's had to get Limes at the moment due to the chip shortage, but Plutos are still available.

Meanwhile, if Minitioune development really has stalled, I suppose it is time to start working on an alternative windows minitiouner app based on the existing Linux code that drives the Ryde, Portsdown and Winter Hill. It won't do the really low SRs, though I understand that might be something that can be done in software in future.

Mike

Tony Jaques
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 2:18 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by Tony Jaques » Wed Feb 16, 2022 9:28 am

Hi there,
My apologies to you both for the long delay in this reply. I did not look again after the first reply until a couple of days ago.
Thank you very much for the information, none of which I knew. It may have been in the magazine, but as I have just joined I am well behind in my reading, or even downloading.
"just joined" is a a bit misleading. I joined the BATC at about issue 40 of the magazine and quite happily used "proper" TV on 70cms for years using some wonderful CQ-TV projects. However, but I must admit that I bailed out of the BATC when it went digitally overboard. I wrote it off as to difficult, too complicated and too expensive. (And I couldn't see the point.) But recently I read (in DATV magazine) about the modern way of doing things in amateur TV and thought "that sounds better". Hence my interest in the Minitiourner.
I have looked at the Ryde, but it needs the Minitiouner anyway, so I might as well start with that. The Ryde also uses one of those raspberry things about which I know nothing. (I am an Arduino user, and so far that has been quite enough.)
Anyway, that is quite enough burbling from me, so thank you both again.
Tony...

G4HTZ
Posts: 217
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 4:21 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by G4HTZ » Thu Feb 17, 2022 7:12 pm

Hi Tony

I personally wouldn’t bother with the minitoune software …I can’t access it either and password reset requests get no response .

Speaking as someone whose dog has more computing skills than me I would just go for the ryde …you have to build the minitoune board either way .

Just get the PI4 with the BATC pre programmed SD card …plug in minitouner that’s it …oh and a screen helps…. obviously if you wish to put in different parameters you need to connect it to a pc of some kind and input the information you want ….I’ve never felt the need personally.

Similarly with the portsdown …pi4 ..pi screen …BATC card …I use a PLUTO and even I managed to load the DATV software onto it ..again that’s it …good to go …..also you can use the portsdown with minitouner ….although I use the ryde for RX .

There’s some excellent videos by Martin on you tube …which are worth watching a few times ….if like me you don’t really know what your doing

Hopefully that helps but probably not
Steve G4HTZ

ASHEN nr Sudbury JO02GB52 90m ASL

70cms DATV portsdown 4 + RYDE rx …14 or 18 ele yagi …LNA …hopefully 100w amp at some point

Tony Jaques
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 2:18 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by Tony Jaques » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:15 am

Thank you Steve.
That is really useful.
As an analogue man (so far) I come into the same category, but I am pretty sure with less knowledge that you. I really must find the time to go through my earlier CQ-TV magazines. And I will look for those U-Tube presentations.
I did work for GTV for 30 years, but it was still analogue, but with digital rumours, when I left.
And as this is getting of the topic I must stop this.
Thank you
Tony...

Pa3fbx
Posts: 175
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2020 1:08 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by Pa3fbx » Fri Feb 18, 2022 8:49 pm

Ryde is a good and reliable system.
I use it but Minitiouner software on a PC has still his benefits and i use that also on a daily base..
Same goes for Winterhill witch is installed and used here..

But than again not all are crazy to have 7 datv RX connected to 1 dish.

If you have a Minitiouner hardware and a Dish pointed to the QO100 and still just need a bit of help i would be happy to easy login you PC and help you install all software you may need...
I would surly go for a ryde system is a reliable system but also try the minitiouner as its really better capable in analyzing the received signal..

Benno

ON1RC
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 5:45 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by ON1RC » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:15 pm

I am outraged by some answers and insinuations
To be very clear, I see there a total lack of respect towards Jean-Pierre and Evariste. They lost a wife and a mother. So things are clear.....and respect for mourning still exists but obviously not for everyone.
I believe that Jean-Pierre and Evariste have given a lot of their time and knowledge for the D-ATV community and here is the "thanks" they receive.

Chris

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g7kpm
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:00 pm

Re: Can't get anywhere with even step 1!

Post by g7kpm » Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:50 pm

Hi Tony,

I have private messaged you.

73s,

Jason G7KPM

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