C Band One Cable Solution (1 Viewer)

[BGK]

I have a TBS8922 card which works perfectly with DVBDream and SmartDVB. Using Media Portal TV server (v1.3.0) I can set to NA Bandstacked C Band and it finds all of the Vertical channels but will not scan horizontal channels. Everything else including terrestrial works great.

Debug logs attached. Any ideas/thoughts solutions appreciated.

 

[mm1352000]

Don't use NA bandstacked C-band unless that is the type of LNB that you actually have. The parameters for that type of LNB are:
LOF Vertical = 5150 MHz
LOF Horizontal = 5750 MHz

I suspect that you should almost certainly be using a plain C-band LNB setting. The parameters for that type of LNB are:
LOF = 5150 MHz

 

[BGK]

Tried setting to just C Band and same result. Had similar problem with ProgDVB so I envisage problem is same for MediaPortal.

The LNB specs are attached and it is called a OCS LNB, one cable solution. As indicated in previous post it works fine in DVBDream using NA Bandstacked C Band, along with SmartDVB and tunes both V and H transponders. Does not appear that Media Portal is providing the correct switching commands to the card. Have included some screen shots of config working in DVB Dream.

Thanx for your prompt reply and hoping you might be able to shed some light on the problem. Have tried reinstalling as well to no avail.

 

[mm1352000]

The LNB specs are attached and it is called a OCS LNB, one cable solution. As indicated in previous post it works fine in DVBDream using NA Bandstacked C Band, along with SmartDVB and tunes both V and H transponders.

Okay - so looks like you were right to use the NA bandstacked C-band setting. Sorry about that.
According to the spec, the vertical transponders are received with the 5150 MHz LOF, and the horizontal transponders are received with the 5750 MHz LOF.
Vertical transponders in the range 4200 MHz..3700 MHz are translated to frequencies 950 MHz..1450 MHz in the cable.
Horizontal transponders in the range 4200 MHz..3700 MHz are translated to frequencies 1550 MHz..2050 MHz in the cable.

Does not appear that Media Portal is providing the correct switching commands to the card.

Well, bandstacked LNBs don't usually have switching commands. That is precisely the point of a bandstacked LNB!
In my opinion your LNB is quite unusual in that it seems a polarisation switching voltage has to be applied. That is normal for a non-bandstacked LNB, but not for a bandstacked LNB like yours.

MP does not specifically apply a voltage setting; the tuner driver determines what voltage to apply based on the LNB LOF frequencies, polarisation setting, and transponder frequency that you tune. Again, all of this complication is usually handled in the tuner drivers. Hence in my opinion this problem is a combination of an unusual LNB and TBS drivers not understanding the LNB preset.

Why does DVBDream and SmartDVB work I hear you ask?
They probably implement certain LNB LOF manipulation logic that MP does not in order to work around tuner drivers that do not understand how to work with bandstacked LNB presets.

Have included some screen shots of config working in DVB Dream.

I've never used DVBDream, so that is no help to me - sorry.

Have tried reinstalling as well to no avail.

Reinstalling will not help you.

Please try something for me...
1. Go to the scanning section.
2. Tick "use advanced tuning options".
3. Tick the "override default LNB frequencies".
4. Enter 5750, 5750, 0.
5. For the other parameters, enter 3829000, 13238, Horizontal, ModNotSet, 3/4. Pilot and roll-off should be disabled or set to "not set".
6. Scan.

I expect the channels for that transponder will be found, and if they are it indicates the issue is with the TBS drivers not understanding how to deal with bandstacked LNBs.

Unfortunately you can't use those LNB override settings because it will break all the vertical channels that you've already scanned in. What you'll need to do is find the tuning details file for that satellite and decrease the frequencies for all of the horizontal transponders by 600 MHz.
For example:
1. Open TV Server configuration.
2. Click "open log directory" in the top left corner, go up one level, then go down into the "TuningParameters" folder, then the "dvbs" folder.
3. Open the "166.0°E Intelsat 8.xml" file in any text editor such as notepad.
4. Update the carrier frequency value for each of the "<Polarisation>LinearH</Polarisation>" settings, subtracting 600000 to get the new frequency.
5. Save and close.
6. Restart TV Server configuration and scan, and expect to get find all your channels.

Note if you ever click "update satellite list" (which updates the tuning details files via the internet) you'll have to perform the above steps again.

 

[BGK]

You sir, are a very knowledgeable person. Works exactly how you said and modifying the transponder xml file and using C Band now works perfectly. Best explanation of the problem and solution I have seen as well.

Much thanx from a grateful hobbyist.

Looking forward to many hours of satellite around the house now.