BATC Forum

Hello everyone,

New version V2.17 compatible with LimeSDR mini, PlutoSDR with manufacturer firmware and Pluto with F5OEO firmware.
New compared to version 2.16:

- Switch to ffmpeg version 6.0
- Added old firmware versions F5OEO (ex 2908)
- Added Rolloff 0.10
- Added visualization encoding speed must be > 99% to avoid drops

- Added H266 VVC Experimental codec only soft coding is available: monitor CPU load!
>> don't forget to switch with soft encoder and in non-automatic settings
>> BEWARE experimental only start with small bitrate and low fsp 66KS or 125KS and 8fps then gradually increase
>> The newer your CPU, the better your results will be

To receive the H266 >> supply "DecodeH266" file for h266 decoding in UDP with ffplay or VVCeasy

good test http://www.vivadatv.org/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=1004

73 Dominique F1EJP

Dear Dominique. Thank you for all the hard work on this nice piece of software.

I have two easy feature requests for you:

1. Add the possibility to receive a transport stream from a IP UDP stream and use DATV Easy only to control the SDR and not do the encoding. This should be a nice solution when using an external hardware encoder or a rebroadcasting situation.

2. Add an option to disable the video encoder, this is helpfull for hams who wants to experiment with audio only.

Dear Dominique,

I have used DATV-Easy v2.17 for some time now on QO-100. I have a Win 11 PC with Nvidia graphics and a Pluto with AD firmware v0.38. I generate the video with OBS, It works well.

I have just been trying to Tx DATV on terrestrial frequencies. Using DVBS2 QPSK 333ks, H265 with Nvidia encoder.
It transmits fine on 437MHz and 1260MHz. However, it will not Tx on 146.5MHz. Nothing at all.

Can you assist, please?
Best wishes,
Russ, G4SAQ

Hello Russ,

Maybe this problem:
PlutoSDR uses the AD9363 chip which is limited to a frequency range of 325 to 3800 MHz
However, the high-end AD9364 chip which can support 70 MHz to 6000 MHz and 56 MHz bandwidth is claimed to be almost identical to the AD9363 chip. It is possible to simply modify the software of the Pluto SDR to make it see an AD9364 chip, but it is not guaranteed to give the full tuning range and bandwidth for each unit.

You can see some publications on Internet like this :
Procedure

Connect to Pluto via SSH at the IP address: 192.168.2.1 (Bitwise software under Windows and Pluto connected via USB).
– user:root
– password: analog

To extend the frequency, simply set environment variables. Before modification, a first visualization of these variables is possible with the command: fw_printenv

Then to modify the frequency band, type the 3 commands below:
# fw_setenv attr_name compatible
# fw_setenv attr_val “ad9364”
# reboot

73 Dominique F1EJP

Hi Dominique,

Thank you for explaining this. I was aware of the facility to extend the Pluto frequency range and I did this a couple of years ago. Since then I have updated the firmware to v0.38. I wonder if this update removed the frequency extension? Interesting. I know how to check this and I will do so when I get home this evening. Then I will report back to you.

Thanks for your helpful reply and for your excellent software.

73
Russ

Hi Dominique,

I checked my Pluto and it had indeed reverted to the restricted frequency range. I re-enabled the extended frequency range and tried again. This time I used your latest software v3.05. I could not get the Pluto to output below 225MHz.
I wanted to update you but I have no time to do more testing until later this week. I plan to run some more tests using SDR Console as I am now reasonably sure this is a Pluto issue. I will report back later this week.

Thanks again.
73,
Russ.

Yes, please add, if possible, those two features:

1. Add the possibility to receive a transport stream from a IP UDP stream and use DATV Easy only to control the SDR and not do the encoding. This should be a nice solution when using an external hardware encoder or a rebroadcasting situation.
(I am using an external HW encoder.)

2. Add an option to disable the video encoder, this is helpfull for hams who wants to experiment with audio only.
maybe as second option : Encode a black screen at low level.

Thanks
Rainer

Hi Dominique,

I have resolved my problem now (unable to Tx on 2m). It was nothing to do with DATV-Easy. I had updated my Pluto firmware from 0.36 to 0.38. I did not realise that this would revert all the settings to 'factory'. The extended frequency range had been removed, the two processor extension had been removed and the change to an external frequency source had also been removed! I have reinstated all my original changes and everything now works well. Thanks for your help and for DATV-Easy.

73,
Russ.