Re: Advice on DVB-S/S2 card and CAM support

["P. van Gaans" <w3ird_n3rd@gmx.net>]

On 08/28/2014 04:44 PM, Kaya Saman wrote:
> On 08/28/2014 04:47 AM, P. van Gaans wrote:
>> On 07/28/2014 01:44 AM, Kaya Saman wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I'm wondering what the best solution for getting satellite working on
>>> Linux is?
>>>
>>>
>>> Currently I have a satellite box with CAM module branded by the
>>> Satellite TV provider we are with.
>>>
>>>
>>> As I am now migrating everything including TV through my HTPC
>>> environment I would also like to link the satellite box up to the HTPC
>>> too to take advantage of the PVR and streaming capabilities.
>>>
>>>
>>> I run XBMC as my frontend so I was looking into TV Headend to take care
>>> of PVR side of things.
>>>
>>>
>>> My greatest issue though is what is the best solution for getting the
>>> satellite system into the HTPC?
>>>
>>>
>>> After some research my first idea was to use a satellite tuner card;
>>> models are available for Hauppauge and other vendors so really it was
>>> about which was going to offer best compatibility with Linux? (distro is
>>> Arch Linux with 3.15 kernel)
>>>
>>> The model of card I was looking was from DVB-Sky:
>>>
>>> http://www.dvbsky.net/Products_S950C.html
>>>
>>> something like that, which has CAM module slot and is DVB-S/S2
>>> compatible and claims to have drivers supported by the Linuxtv project.
>>>
>>>
>>> Or alternately going for something like this:
>>>
>>> http://www.dvbsky.net/Products_T9580.html
>>>
>>> as it has a combined DVB-T tuner, then using a USB card reader for the
>>> CAM "smart card".
>>>
>>>
>>> Has anyone used the cards above, what are the opinions relating to them?
>>> Also would they work with motorized dishes?
>>>
>>>
>>> Since I'm not sure if "all" CAM's are supported as apparently our
>>> satellite tv provider wanted to lock out other receivers so they force
>>> people to use their own product;
>>>
>>> my second idea was to perhaps use a capture card with RCA inputs.
>>>
>>> Something like this:
>>>
>>> http://www.c21video.com/viewcast/osprey-210.html
>>>
>>> perhaps or a Hauppauge HD-PVR mk I edition:
>>>
>>> which according to the wiki is supported.
>>>
>>>
>>> Looking forward to hearing advice.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> Kaya
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>>
>> Hi Kaya,
>
> Hi,
>
> many thanks for the response!
>
>>
>> RCA inputs is probably the last thing you want. Less quality, more of
>> a pain to set up.
>
> Unfortunately I need the composite inputs due to a set-top box which is
> used to watch (non-English) sports with; and they are paid channels. The
> box is non-HD so only RCA (Phono) or SCART output.
>
>>
>> You may or may not be able to use that CAM - but even if it's
>> supported, a CAM has downsides. It generally only supports one channel
>> at a time - and surely not multiple channels from different
>> frequencies (if you have more tuners). And it's more expensive, both
>> the tuner (that needs a CI slot) and the CAM you need. Also, I'm not
>> sure if tvheadend nowadays supports a CAM - it used not to, but
>> support may have been added.
>>
>> The main downside of a phoenix-mode cardreader is that it's harder to
>> set up, but if you can find a guide for your provider it's generally
>> doable. It's cheaper, more flexible and allows for faster channel
>> switching.
>
> I doubt the provider will have a guide as they "claim" to want to lock
> everybody into their own set-top box - the non-HD one described above.
>
>>
>> As for a tuner, I personally suggest going for a USB-tuner. You never
>> know if you want to connect you tuner to a notebook or NAS or anything
>> in the future, with USB you're more flexible. If you do go for PCI-e,
>> Tevii appears to have some supported products that are also available.
>>
>> If you go for USB, support is somewhat problematic (problematic
>> because many supported tuners are no longer available in stores),
>> you'll have to see what's locally available. (perhaps also check
>> second-hand) Be careful, some devices have various revisions. Always
>> check http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Hardware_Device_Information
>
> I did go this route eventually (since writing my initial post) :-)
> currently - though this was supposed to be my "last resort" route.
>
> I grabbed a Hauppauge WinTV PVR-1900 EU version.
>
> According to these guides:
>
> http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Pvrusb2
>
> http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-HVR-1950
>
> http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Hauppauge_WinTV-HVR-1900
>
> It is supported.
>
> I will need to write a separate posting for it though as I'm a little
> stuck with it. The BER is quite high and also I can't switch to the
> 'composite' input most of the time though on rare occasion it does work?
>
> The PCI/ or PCI-E card is still an option for me as it will go into a
> rather large HTPC case which I can also use as a server for distributed
> TV around the network.
>
>>
>> Very recently, Antti reviewed a patch from nibble.max to support the
>> DVBsky S960. (and presumably it's direct clones from Mystique) This is
>> a pretty cheap tuner that can still be found in shops. It would appear
>> that as soon as this patch gets merged, this device will be supported
>> if you compile v4l-dvb yourself, and in time support will make it into
>> the kernel.
>>
>> In any case, you want something with in-kernel support - something
>> that's only supported by s2-liplianin or vendor drivers (like many
>> dvbsky and TBS products) will only break in the long term. Only
>> exception to this is Sundtek, but I personally have mixed feelings
>> about closed source userspace drivers. I wouldn't recommend them
>> personally.
>
> In my research I got suggested the Digital Devices line of products:
>
> http://www.digitaldevices.de/
>
> They are German so hopefully the quality will be extremely good and they
> all seem natively supported.
>
>>
>> Good luck,
>
> Many thanks.
>
>>
>> P. van Gaans
>
> Kaya
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>


Hi Kaya,

"I doubt the provider will have a guide as they "claim" to want to lock 
everybody into their own set-top box - the non-HD one described above."

No, I mean a guide written by somebody on the internet on how to 
configure a cardserver (like OScam). If your provider is well known 
chances are somebody has already written a guide for that.

"I grabbed a Hauppauge WinTV PVR-1900 EU version."

I don't understand. That's an analog+DVB-T hybrid device. So you'll keep 
using the settopbox?

Well, it's your choice - there are dozens of supported analog cards for 
Linux. I don't think TVheadend is going to like this, because while 
TVheadend can probably work with that card, that's usually by using the 
analog tuner on an analog TV network and some internet feed to replace 
the EPG. You however are using a settopbox and the composite input, so I 
don't know how you're going to switch channels. I'm sure it's 
technically possible, but I couldn't tell you how. So good luck.

Best regards,

P. van Gaans