DVB-S2 card for MediaPortal with proper Diseqc 1.2 support (2 Viewers)

[gurabli]

Got it in one.

Move the dish, Store the position, Scan the channels and repeat.

It's hard to get signal sometimes however a little patience and it works.

Like I say there are 2 of us working on the diseqc solution for TV Server and it will become a lot more simpler.

Like the dreambox you will put in your lat and long. Then search for channels on the Satellites you want and the dish will automatically move.

DJBlue, thanks for the explanation!
This might be a little tricky, as the dish will be on the top of the building, 3 storeys from me I'm about to get channels from 4 satellites, so I will position the first, then scan it in Setup, then go upstairs, move manually the dish to the next position, scan again, and so on. for four times. Is it possible to move the dish from one sat to another with DVBViewer or other software? I mean, got the first sat, scan for channels in MP, then exit MP, move the dish with another software to the next sat, enter MP Setup, scan the sat - this way I might be able to skip the manually turning the dish?
Anyway, how is MP able to instruct the motor to turn the dish after I have scanned the channels on each sat? I mean after when watching liveTV I change a channel from one sat to another then MP will be able to instruct the motor to move the dish to the correct position?
If my motor doesn't support USALS, just diseqc 1.2, is it also simple to find the sats?
I know it is a work in progress, but when do you think you will have the support for diseqc implemented? Is this something we might have this year or a longer period?

Many thanks and keep up with the excellent job!

 

[mm1352000]

I think you may have misunderstood a little.
DiSEqC is supported - we can control switches and motors.
USALs is not supported.

Is it possible to move the dish from one sat to another with DVBViewer or other software?

Yes, MediaPortal can even do it.
I suggest you have a read of the wiki to help you see what is possible.
-->link<--

I mean, got the first sat, scan for channels in MP, then exit MP, move the dish with another software to the next sat, enter MP Setup, scan the sat - this way I might be able to skip the manually turning the dish?

You can do it all in MP.
1. Go to the "DiSEqC motor" tab.
2. Position the dish using the available controls (no need to use other software or go up to the roof).
3. Click "store position".
4. Go to the "scanning" tab and scan.
5. Repeat steps 1..4 for all satellites.

Anyway, how is MP able to instruct the motor to turn the dish after I have scanned the channels?

DiSEqC 1.0 and 1.2 are supported.
When you scan the channels, MP remembers where the dish should be in order to tune the channels later.

If my motor doesn't support USALS, just diseqc 1.2, is it also simple to find the sats?

I think it should be, but I don't have a motor.
You have up/down/left/right controls to drive the motor, and a signal meter to tell you when it signal is locked. That should be enough.

I know it is a work in progress, but when do you think you will have the support for diseqc implemented? Is this something we might have this year or a longer period?

We are adding support for USALs (and hopefully unicable).
Not sure how long it will take, but I don't think as long as a year - at least I hope not.

 

[gurabli]

Many thanks! Then it looks that it should be quite easy to find the appropriate channels. Looking forward to give this a try!

A n00b question! If I position my dish at Astra where Sky UK is and I run a full scan, will I get all the available channels Sky UK offers including the ones that are encrypted? Of course, I'm aware that I will not be able to watch them, but will they appear under the channel lists?

 

[lost]

Many thanks! Then it looks that it should be quite easy to find the appropriate channels. Looking forward to give this a try!

A n00b question! If I position my dish at Astra where Sky UK is and I run a full scan, will I get all the available channels Sky UK offers including the ones that are encrypted? Of course, I'm aware that I will not be able to watch them, but will they appear under the channel lists?

Yeah you will see all channels that are on whatever satellite you scan for including pay ones

 

[gurabli]

Thanks!

BTW, does anybody has some experience with the SkyStar 2 eXpress HD PCIe card in MediaPortal? Is this card working 100% and completely supported by MP? I know that it is not on the list in Wiki, but if anybody has already used it might be able to tell me? Also, does Diseqc works normally and without any problems with this cards?

 

[gurabli]

long time since I been here. I wonder if there were any news regarding the USALs support? When do you think it will be fully supported?

Thanks!

 

[gurabli]

I hope you can help me in this! I have my dish with a motor mounted. I have also received my DVB-S2 card (DVBSky S950). I will install the card tonight and see if MP supports diseqc motor functions on this card (fingers crossed).
We have checked the setup with a dreambox, the dish is properly aligned, all the satellites are precisely configured. The question is, if I connect the dish to my card, and the dish will be positioned on lets say 28.2E, I scan the channels there, I believe it will work without any problems.
But if I start to move the dish with the diseqc motor tab left or right (West or East), how will I know where the dish is located at the moment? For example, the dish is positioned at 28.2E and I want to move it to 39.0E (HellasSat2), how will I know when I have reached 39.0E? Or I just select the 39.0E satellite from the drop down menu and click GOTO, the dish will move to the correct position? The same with moving to 0.8W (Thor), or any other satellite?

Also, how can I see from the log files if MP is able to control the diseqc of DVBSky or not? The dish is on the top of the building and I can not see it if it is actually moving or not.

Many thanks!

 

[mm1352000]

The question is, if I connect the dish to my card, and the dish will be positioned on lets say 28.2E, I scan the channels there, I believe it will work without any problems.
But if I start to move the dish with the diseqc motor tab left or right (West or East), how will I know where the dish is located at the moment? For example, the dish is positioned at 28.2E and I want to move it to 39.0E (HellasSat2), how will I know when I have reached 39.0E?

I expect by the signal level and quality indicators for the selected satellite/transponder. Have you looked at the the DiSEqC motor tab?

Or I just select the 39.0E satellite from the drop down menu and click GOTO, the dish will move to the correct position? The same with moving to 0.8W (Thor), or any other satellite?

I doubt that will work. MP's motor support works by storing positions in the motor and in TV Server's database. It sounds like you've stored positions in the motor memory, but TV Server doesn't know about them so it can't say "go to position 1" and know that the dish is at 28.2E.

Here is an example. Keep in mind I've never used a motor and I did not create the motor support so I could be wrong.
Say you receive two satellite positions: 28.2E and 39E. In the initial setup, you use the controls in TV Server configuration to align the dish to 28.2E. Once you're satisfied with the alignment (by looking at the signal strength/quality and performing test scans) you click "store position". This will store 28.2E as position A in TV Server and the motor memory. Then you align for 39E. Again, when you're satisfied with alignment you store this position as well. This will store 39E as position B. The same applies for any number of additional positions. In this way you build up a link between the positions that TV Server knows about and the position that the motor knows about.

Since you've already stored positions in the motor you probably want to use some other software to tell the motor to go to each position then simply store that position in TV Server configuration (ie. no need to use TV Server to align).

Also, how can I see from the log files if MP is able to control the diseqc of DVBSky or not? The dish is on the top of the building and I can not see it if it is actually moving or not.

For a start you would post the log files so I could check them.
Then it would be a case of trial and error to see whether using the movement controls is changing the signal strength/quality.

 

[gurabli]

The question is, if I connect the dish to my card, and the dish will be positioned on lets say 28.2E, I scan the channels there, I believe it will work without any problems.
But if I start to move the dish with the diseqc motor tab left or right (West or East), how will I know where the dish is located at the moment? For example, the dish is positioned at 28.2E and I want to move it to 39.0E (HellasSat2), how will I know when I have reached 39.0E?

I expect by the signal level and quality indicators for the selected satellite/transponder. Have you looked at the the DiSEqC motor tab?

Or I just select the 39.0E satellite from the drop down menu and click GOTO, the dish will move to the correct position? The same with moving to 0.8W (Thor), or any other satellite?

I doubt that will work. MP's motor support works by storing positions in the motor and in TV Server's database. It sounds like you've stored positions in the motor memory, but TV Server doesn't know about them so it can't say "go to position 1" and know that the dish is at 28.2E.

Here is an example. Keep in mind I've never used a motor and I did not create the motor support so I could be wrong.
Say you receive two satellite positions: 28.2E and 39E. In the initial setup, you use the controls in TV Server configuration to align the dish to 28.2E. Once you're satisfied with the alignment (by looking at the signal strength/quality and performing test scans) you click "store position". This will store 28.2E as position A in TV Server and the motor memory. Then you align for 39E. Again, when you're satisfied with alignment you store this position as well. This will store 39E as position B. The same applies for any number of additional positions. In this way you build up a link between the positions that TV Server knows about and the position that the motor knows about.

Since you've already stored positions in the motor you probably want to use some other software to tell the motor to go to each position then simply store that position in TV Server configuration (ie. no need to use TV Server to align).

Also, how can I see from the log files if MP is able to control the diseqc of DVBSky or not? The dish is on the top of the building and I can not see it if it is actually moving or not.

For a start you would post the log files so I could check them.
Then it would be a case of trial and error to see whether using the movement controls is changing the signal strength/quality.

Many thanks mm for your quick reply! I just can wait to get home from work and try all this out
As far as I understand, my best option will be to align the satellites with a set top box that supports usals, that way I can be sure that I will have the correct position. Then I connect the dish to the HTPC and store that position as A. Then back to the stb, align the dish to the next sat, then again back to HTPC and store that sat as B, and so with all the satellites I need. It does take some time, but has to be done once only.
I'm sure that I would be able to do this inside of MP but it is quite hard to find the correct satellite by moving manually and by looking at the signal level. It is hard to identify exactly which sat I have aligned at. I can do this by selecting a known frequency and move the dish until I see the signal quality, but USALS is much easier.

The most important thing is that MP should be able to move the motor using the DVBSky card. I hope it will work. I will post logs for sure!
Could you please contact me in PM, to discuss the remote access to my HTPC, as we have discussed this in another thread already. Thanks again!

 

[mm1352000]

As far as I understand, my best option will be to align the satellites with a set top box that supports usals, that way I can be sure that I will have the correct position. ...but USALS is much easier.

I agree.

Could you please contact me in PM, to discuss the remote access to my HTPC, as we have discussed this in another thread already.

I think let's wait and see your log files first. If DiSEqC just works then there is probably no reason for me to get access. Note I don't have a lot of time at the moment as I'm working on other projects.