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DATV-Express Project – January update report

Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 4:16 pm
by KenW6HHC
January was a quiet month for the project team.

Charles G4GUO spent some time looking at reducing the RF distortion (spectral interference) of RF amplifiers when used with DATV-Express using pre-distortion technology. He determined it is not easy to obtain much improvement in a simple way. Other pre-distortion approaches are complex and can not be implemented on the existing board.

Ken W6HHC has been working towards using the Logitech C920 web camera with the DATV-Express board. This could possibly allow the replacement of Hauppauge video-capture unit with just a web camera and some software changes. But it is a new learning experience in software for Ken. Over the last three weeks he has learned to compile the Gstreamer v1.4.5 from source code on ubuntu. It is a slow learning effort and easy to make mistakes while building in linux….”one step forward and then two steps backwards and then moving forward again”. Also Ken took delivery of a new multi-protocol SetTopBox (STB) made by Amiko. The Amiko HD Mini Combo unit receives five protocols:
• DVB-S
• DVB-S2
• DVB-T
• DVB-T2
• DVB-C
Ken will use the codecs in this STB to decode the H.264 video coming from the Logitech web camera.

Art WA8RMC is still on vacation in Florida to escape that nasty weather hitting the East Coast of U.S.

"project is set to cruise speed"....de Ken W6HHC

DATV-Express Project, DVB-T Working!

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 1:03 pm
by G8DKC
Hi Ken, Have DVB-S running on Amiko, Req Rx freq + 10600 all fine.
DVB-T running from DATV Express on a broadcast freq only to Amiko, but its a start.
Will have to make notes of settings!! and now see how 146.5 & 437Mhz goes etc.

UPDATE. Now running DVB-T on 146.5 & 437Mhz, Need some firmware for Amiko with lower BW settings!

Now there's a project for me...

73
Peter

Re: DATV-Express Project – January update report

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 5:59 pm
by G8XZD-TV
Hi peter. Would love to hear a fuller review of this receiver once you are familiarised with it.
Obviously receiving pictures generated by datv express to keep on topic :-)

Re: DATV-Express Project – January update report

Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:06 pm
by KenW6HHC
Hi peter G8DKC,

When I purchased the Amiko STB, I did not expect to be able to receive channel BW and Symbol Rates much lower than commercial transmissions. I was delighted to see DVB-S received at 2.2 MS/sec. I have not tested DVB-S down to 1.0 MS/sec (or lower) yet

Yes, that would be a great project if you could hack the Amiko STB to receive DVB-T down to 1 MHz channel BW!!

73...de Ken W6HHC