Looking for DVB-S USB Stick Tuner

[KenW6HHC]

Hello....I am really new to the technology of D-ATV.

I am looking for a web site to buy a DVB-S USB Tuner Stick that I can run with a WinXP-based notebook computer for my (soon-to-be) D-ATV station on 1.2 GHz band. Most links for this item I have seen on internet are old and can no longer be purchased. I would like someone to recommend a manufacturer and model that has been used with good results ....not with lots of software problems.

I just published an article for my local radio club, OCARC, on D-ATV that is intended to be an introduction to digital-ATV for analog-ATV-ers (with a focus for US hams).

The title of the article is

TechTalk #74 - - Amateur Television – the Digital Fork in the Road

The article can be found at:

http://www.W6ZE.org/DATV/TechTalk74-DATV.pdf

73...de Ken W6HHC (W6HHC@ARRL.net)

[M0DTS]

Hi Ken

Interesting to hear about teh D-ATV activities over there.
I dont know of a USB dongle that does DVB-s but i know there is a USB version of the popular Skystar 2 (normally PCI card) receiver and from what i have heard gives good results, that maybe worth a look.

My updated version of the F4DAY transmitter is here http://www.m0dts.co.uk/datv.htm
It is 90% working with live video over usb interface, some software is in the pipeline to make it work 100% at 1000 or 2000 symbol rate.

73

Rob
M0DTS

[KenW6HHC]

Hi Rob M0DTS,

Thank you very much for your reply....the SkyStar USB2 box for DVB-S looks like it will do the D-ATV job I have in mind for my notebook computer. Looks like I can buy one new on the interent for about US$100.

Does anyone know if I will need any additional software for my WindowsXP environment?

BTW...Rob you have a very informative D-ATV site. I enjoyed following the technical progress you have been making on the F4DAY transmitter design improvements.

73....de Ken W6HHC

[KenW6HHC]

Hi Rob M0DTS,

Just a quick update. I ended up buying a DVB-S SetTopBox (e-Bay) and also a Composite-Video-to-USB converter (Amazon). A friend talked me into the DVB-S STB as probably more capability and flexibility than a DVB-S USB Stick-Tuner. So I spent under US$125 for the two of them. The Composite-Video-to-USB was a Startech.com USB 2.0 converter.

BTW, I just published an article for my local radio club, OCARC, on the initial test results of my DVB-S DATV station.

The title of the article is

TechTalk77 - DATV - Testing Report - Part 1

The article can be found at:

http://www.W6ZE.org/DATV/DATV.html


I still have work to be done to raise the power above 1 mWatt, now.

73...de Ken W6HHC (W6HHC@ARRL.net)

[Denny1]

Good, have a look

[KenW6HHC]

I have an update report on my video capture card that I use to send DVB-S STB composite video to my notebook USB2 port. Not all video capture cards have equal latency!!

My old video capture card (Startech.com USB2) worked well but did not send the audio along to the USB port.

I bought a new video capture card (actually a NTSC/ATSC USB tuner stick), the WinTV-HVR-1950 from Hauppauge that had the nice feature of having a download available that is Windows7-approved, plus the unit delivers audio to the USB port.

It turns out that the latency was as much as 1.6 additional seconds for the WinTV-HVR-1950 as compared to the Startech unit. Below are my measured test times. The test latency times include the latency of the SR-Systems MinMod DVB-S board + the receiving latency.

1) To Analog NTSC TV (chan 3 RF antenna connector from STB) - 1.1 sec

2) To Dell Inspirion Notebook (WinXP) with GrabBee S/W - 1.2 sec
Intel 2.4 GHz and Startech USB2 hardware
3) To Dell Precision Notebook (Win7) with GrabBee S/W - 1.2 sec
Intel 3.1 GHz and Startech USB2 hardware
4) To Dell Precision Notebook (Win7) with WinTV V6 S/W - 2.47 sec
Intel 3.1 GHz and Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1950 hardware
5) To Dell Precision Notebook (Win7) with WinTV V7 S/W - 2.8 sec
Intel 3.1 GHz and Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1950 hardware

This Hauppauge product was quite a disappointment for a DATV application, but OK for recording off-the-air TV broadcasts.

73...de Ken W6HHC