Pluto Plus or only Adelm Pluto - Ethernet support?

[G1INU]

Hi all,

I am active on QO-100 voice and now getting interested in DATV. I am still at the “read the wiki” stage with DATV though .

I already use 2 Pluto Plus SDR’s , one on my home station (1.2m dish) the other for portable use (90cm dish). I use the Pluto Plus as opposed to the 'normal' Adelm Pluto because they have the built in Ethernet port which is required for my setups to locate the transceiver boxes close to the dish and keep coax and losses to a minimum.

So my reason for this post is to ask if anyone is using the Pluto Plus for DATV with ethernet linking the Pluto Plus to the Pi4 running Portsdown 4. Or does the firmware update of the pluto remove the Ethernet port support on a Pluto Plus like it does if you update the Pluto plus with standard Adelm Pluto firmware?

73's Mark - G1INU

[Pa3fbx]

Hi Mark,

I have also 1 pluto plus but have installed the latest F5oeo firmware for the plus on it.
It works on the onboard Ethernet but needs the plus jumpered.
I use the datv red to control the DATV as portsdown does not support the MQTT.
But The older M0VSE firmware also worked on the plus and i was able to use the bowser controlling the pluto like Portsdown would do.
Portsdown is not evolved to later pluto datv firmwares yet.
It is kind of stuck to the old 2020 firmware (one of the first F5OEO) versions..
Also i am not convinced the network connection between portsdown and pluto plus would be good for DATV but that is something you have to try.
same as using M0VSE firmware combined to the portsdown.

Again i have used the plus with datv-easy and datv red..
so the plus side of the network seems not to be a problem.

Benno

[G1LPS Terry]

Hi Mark
I use the pluto plus with Portsdown via LAN.
As Beno mentioned with the M0VSE complied firmware.
I have a copy on my website here.
https://g1lps.com/f5oeo-pluto-firmware/
Also works with Langstone software.


Terry

[G1INU]

Thanks for the replies guys. I now have a plan moving forward. Will focus on getting RX up and running first.

Mark - G1INU

[G1INU]

Hi Terry, hi Benno,

I had forgotten all about this thread from 3 weeks ago because I have been dealing with two hardware issues on the pi4/touchscreen combo and then on the PicoTuner. Those are now sorted and I have spent 3 days trying to get Portsdown4-LAN-PlutoPlus (with F5OEO) firmware to work on TX with absolutely no success.

No matter what settings I put in Portsdown-4, the output to Pluto button remains greyed out (deactivated) and no signal is going out to the Pluto Plus.
I have resigned myself to the fact the Portsdown-4 I built is a paperweight as far as the Pluto Plus LAN port is concerned so it’s time to bin it and move on to something more PlutoPlus friendly.

What software on what platform do you recommend please?

Thanks.
Mark-G1INU

[g0mjw]

Mark,

Who sold you the Pluto Plus? If they implied it would work, you should perhaps try to get your money back.

The Pluto Plus has several variants. None are, as far as I know, supported for the PD4. It might work, perhaps, maybe, but it is not supported. If you want an easy life, you have to stick with the supported hardware, that is, the Adlam-Pluto or Lime SDR, even if it costs a bit more.

It may be there are Pluto clones like the Pluto plus available, with added extras like Ethernet ports, larger FPGAs, better performance, whatever, but unless the hardware and firmware is identical, they are not likely to work properly, as you have found out.

https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_hardware and https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_4_Pluto

It doesn't help when people who know what they are doing say something works for them. That confuses beginners who then think it will also work for them, invest time and effort and complain and criticise when it does not work. If the hardware is not supported, it is not supported. Future updates may break things and that is entirely legitimate where that hardware is not supported.

Mike

[G8GKQ]

Hi Mark

Throughout the Portsdown documentation, I have emphasised that only the "supported hardware configuration" is supported. I have never even been asked to support the Pluto Plus. If asked, my reply would have been that, if someone sends me one, I might consider it. However, I would need to be able to keep that model here for testing after every Portsdown update.

My general experience with (pirated) clones such as the Pluto Plus is that the hardware and firmware configurations are not properly configuration controlled, so I might need an example of each variant to provide proper support.

The Portsdown is intended to be a beginner's system that works first time if built in accordance with the instructions. Hundreds of systems have successfully been built using this principle. I have added some features to support advanced users who are prepared to troubleshoot non-standard configurations on their own, but as a volunteer I cannot support edge-case configurations of non-standard hardware.

My recommendation to you would be to bin the Pluto Plus and buy a real Pluto and an Ethernet adaptor. At least there is a community of advanced users with this configuration to help you.

The problem is not in the Portsdown - it is in how you have chosen to mis-use it.

Dave, G8GKQ

[Basil]

I don't have a Pluto + so this is purely conjecture. Does it have a USB port as well as the ethernet port? What happens if you use an Ethernet to USB adaptor in the USB port? Could it in some way make it more compatible with the Portsdown 4? Just a random and probably useless thought....

As for what software alternatives there are, I personally use DATV NotSoEasy from Michael. Despite it's name even I, a PC dullard, managed to get it running in a few minutes and it has never, ever, not once, glitched or done anything bizarre. I do not use all its features but suspect that by enabling the Mosquito "stuff" (which is a mystery to me), it may work with your Pluto +.

DATV Red is also a mystery to me, a complexity I don't need, my set up is as simple and basic as it can be. But I do know people like Benno have the Pluto + running with / controlled by DATV Red or whatever it's called.

I have to say that despite the Pluto + having some tempting features its none conventional commercial status would cause me to choose the original AD Pluto, merely due to the plethora of users who can help when required, active coders for it, and an active set of forums run by Analog Devices themselves where I have sought the more esoteric help, when needed.

Good luck....!

Regards, Chris (2E0ILY)



BTW, Michael's (DL5OCD) NotSoEasy software can be downloaded here:

https://forum.amsat-dl.org/index.php?us ... 43-dl5ocd/

He's a really nice chap, speaks better English than I do, and has always been very responsive to the few queries I have raised.

[G1INU]

I don't have a Pluto + so this is purely conjecture. Does it have a USB port as well as the ethernet port? What happens if you use an Ethernet to USB adaptor in the USB port? Does it in some way make more compatible with the Portsdown 4? Just a random and probably useless thought....

As for what software alternatives there are, I personally use DATV NotSoEasy from Michael. Despite it's name even I, a PC dullard, managed to get it running in a few minutes and it has never, ever, not once, glitched or done anything bizarre. I do not use all its features but suspect that by enabling the Mosquito "stuff" (which is a mystery to me), it may work with your Pluto +.

DATV Red is also a mystery to me, a complexity I don't need, my set up is as simple and basic as it can be. But I do know people like Benno have the Pluto + running with / controlled by DATV Red or whatever it's called.

I have to say that despite the Pluto + having some tempting features its none conventional commercial status would cause me to choose the original AD Pluto, merely due to the plethora of users who can help when required, active coders for it, and an active set of forums run by Analog Devices themselves where I have sought the more esoteric help, when needed.

Good luck....!

Regards, Chris (2E0ILY)



BTW, Michael's (DL5OCD) NotSoEasy software can be downloaded here:

https://forum.amsat-dl.org/index.php?us ... 43-dl5ocd/

He's a really nice chap, speaks better English than I do, and has always been very responsive to the few queries I have raised.

Hi Chris,

Thank you for the helpful response and the link.

[G8DGR]

Hi
I need to put a Pluto in a cabinet with the PA behind the dish.
I can't seem to get the Pluto to work when not directly connected locally to a host computer via a usb cable.(DATV easy)
That is to say no matter what you put in config.txt you can not get the pluto to transmit if you use an ethernet to RJ45 adapter Pluto to LAN
I just want to connect the Pluto in the cabinet to my LAN over a long cable via RJ45 to USB to USB ethernet adapter adapter powered with a Y cable in the cabinet.
I'm sure this must have been done but I can't figure it out.
Suggestions Please
Rod G8DGR