Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Discussions about the Ryde "Set-top Box" Style Digital ATV Receiver. See https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Ryde_Receiver
MW0RUD
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:09 pm

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by MW0RUD » Mon Jun 29, 2020 6:00 pm

Thought I'd post an update on progress so far as there was some interest after the quick demo on the net last Thursday. It went a bit quiet as "wrote some code" and "more debugging required" aren't very interesting updates :D

First thing first: it lives!!

I managed to fix enough video stability bugs during the net that I could cut together a quick video of it working: https://youtu.be/hgtnhD2mjmk
Thanks to Dave for his help with testing, VLC configs and for the Pi4 which is making my testing much less painful.

The todo list before beta release is something like:
  • Finish commenting the code (probably 80-90% done)
  • Write basic getting started docs for beta testers
  • Finish config files (probably 80-90%)
  • Testing of "autoplay" fix
  • Testing decode on common signals and transitions between them.
My future feature wishlist in no particular order now looks like:
  • Integration:
    • Auto start on boot script
    • Install and update scripts
    • SD card image
  • LNB IF Config
  • On screen display of station id, signal parameters etc
  • Presets/favourites
  • Raspberry Pi GPIO status flag output
  • Raspberry Pi GPIO input buttons
  • UDP control (for quicktune and the like)
  • IR driver setup
  • Tool for setting up IR remote
  • BATC Streamer receive
  • Raspberry Pi 4 dual screen
  • Things I haven't thought of
Tim

G7JTT
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Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:05 pm

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by G7JTT » Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:19 pm

Excellent, looking great 👍

g0mjw
Posts: 2329
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by g0mjw » Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:33 pm

Very good. Will all the monitors need to be upside down :) ?

What's inside ? Minitiouner, PI4, IR receiver?

Mike

G8GKQ
Site Admin
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Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:21 pm

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by G8GKQ » Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:52 pm

Mike

The current experimental hardware standard is:
  • RPi 4 (currently testing with 2GB vesion)
  • SD Card with Raspios Buster Lite and BATC Ryde software
  • HDMI Monitor (initially supporting 1280x720 and 1920x1080) with audio on HDMI
  • BATC Serit MiniTiouner connected by USB
  • IR Sensor (currently using one salvaged from an old Sat RX) connected to RPi GPIO pin
  • Remote Control tbd, but configurable to use most recent models (RC5 or NEC codes).
But, it could all change, so don't rush out and buy anything yet!

Dave

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

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by g0mjw » Mon Jun 29, 2020 10:16 pm

Thanks - I will hold off ordering another PI. I have the rest. I also have the Langsdown and struggling to see why it can't do the same thing, at least for testing purposes, it probably can with a different SD card.

Assume there is no requirement for the Serit hat we were talking about initially to eliminate the USB module. I will have to find another PCB design project to keep up my Kicad skills.

Mike

MW0RUD
Posts: 97
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:09 pm

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by MW0RUD » Mon Jun 29, 2020 10:47 pm

Hi Mike,
Advantage of using a cheap reversing camera as a screen, they are light and easy to mount in silly ways :D

As Dave said the hardware is currently fairly standard stuff that people may have laying around but there are some potential "nice to have" hardware upgrades and some "officially supported" decisions we haven't made yet. I may post a photo of my development setup if I can clear enough space on my desk so its all in one place, Daves probably looks better though.

In terms of future hardware, it's using virtually 100% stock longmynd, so any hardware that might be developed that works with longmynd should work with this. Since when did things not being required ever stop us doing them anyway? :D
Tim

YL3AKC
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 8:42 am

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by YL3AKC » Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:09 am

Hello Tim!

Great work!

I am waiting for Altera Max II CPLD (192 macrocells) from Aliexpress for experiments with Serit TS out and RPi GPIO. Development will take some time, because my las experience with FPGA was 10 years ago and I made only BlinkenLights.

Looks like with CPLD there is no need for additional components. Only PSU part for Serit.

I have 2 ideas with CPLD:
1) Use CPLD as fifo buffer. Not best design but easy to implement.
2) Use CPLD + high speed SRAM to make bigger FIFO and get dual channel TS output at full speed (270 MBit/s).

Dev board: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32917542932.html
Planned CPLD for final design: EPM240T100C5N Cost ~ 1.15 EUR/PC

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i2NDT
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Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by i2NDT » Fri Jul 17, 2020 12:28 pm

I came across this monitor:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000445 ... af7428952e

with a proper frame/box could be a good "all-in-one" solution!
i2NDT Claudio
Dalmine, Italia

radiogareth
Posts: 1215
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2016 9:46 am

Re: Potential DATV settop box project (aka the Ryde project)

Post by radiogareth » Fri Jul 17, 2020 2:27 pm

You can do something very similar with old laptop screens, probably worth finding one with LED backlight these days. Plenty of 'old' laptops around for the asking. I found one free on my local Facebook sales page. Driver board £20 delivered. I use it as a large monitor for my Portsdown - connect after booting and it gives duplicate full-screen. No touch control of course....
Gareth

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