High band does not (always) work (1 Viewer)

[GregorV]

slightly better with Nove-HD-S2

I changed my TV-card to Nova-HD-S2.
The problem still exists, but I need only 2-4 restarts of TVServer until it is running in a working mode.
In the other cases it only can tune low band channels.

Nobody else experiencing this ?
Note: with the software coming with the card there is no problem and Transedit also works fine.

Gregor

 

[paulchen2k7]

so. mine is working fine now. just some freeze problems while changing channels (between hd channels or hd to sd). then mediaportal freezes, but tv is working in the background.

 

[GregorV]

still the same with TVS Rev16742

No changes with latest release.
Still several restarts of TVServer required to be able to tune high band channels.
GregorV

 

[sebp]

Hi GregorV
I'm facing exactly the same problems with my Hauppauge Nova S2. Did you find any solution yet?
sebp

 

[flintstone99]

Hi sebp

Could you solve the problem?
I have a terratec DVB-S PCI card and the same problem too...

regards

 

[GregorV]

no, not solved

flintstone99

No, still the same problem.
Since the last 4-5 SVNs I can reliably tune a High Band channel immediately after reboot, but only once.
After restarting TVService several times it comes up in a working mode that allows to tune all channels.

Gregor

 

[GregorV]

some notes about the 22KHz issue (high-band)

Issue: high-band does not work, no german stations, Hauppauge Nova-SE2 not supported any more?, Nova-SE2 users: Is anyone able to scan Astra above 11700MHz?......

After doing a lot of research and tests in the last months I come to the following results:
The issue is caused by a combination of three components 1st LNB, 2nd Software, 3rd TV-card.
Also the problem comes in various levels - some never can receive a high-band channel, some can receive it sometimes, others could fix the issue by a specific combination of drivers and TVServer releases.

The core of the problem is the 22KHz switching signal, which apparently is not strong enough for some LNBs.
This can be proved by connecting another receiver to the same SAT cable and tune it to any high-band channel. As long as the receiver is running the PC also will be able to receive high-band channels, even, if it never did it before.

Also the problem was in nearly all cases reported from users who use a LNB with integrated switch.
Nevertheless there are such LNB switches existing that work.
Also the used TV-Card is important. The issue is mostly reported with Hauppauge PCI cards (mainly all NOVAs) and Skystar 2, also KNC but very rare with other cards - from what I can see never with USB devices. Also my cheap DigiBox never has that problem.

From the software there are several others where the issue appears. Often reported is DVB-Dream together with this problem and of course TVServer and even some old reports about the old Mediaportal TV engine. Other software seems not to be affected like ProgDVB and the testing application TransEdit.
On my PCs the problem appears with TVServer (often) but never with the above mentioned TransEdit.
Also here one can do an interesting test. Try to tune to a high-band channel and while TVServer is trying to get the pmt do a scan with TransEdit on the same transponder and viola TVServer can tune the channel. I am quite sure that this works because the 22KHz signal is switched from TransEdit also and probably in a better way.
Also interesting: the software that comes with the card usually has no problem.
I can also say that the issue apparently is NOT related to the PC or its components. I saw very different configurations and and also my two PCs are very different one AMD and one Intel. Reports about suspect graphic adapters (like NIVIDIA) seems to be false.

It is surely possible to change TVServer code to make things better - not sure if it can be solved for all but it could be better.
A hint may be that with the new 'preload' option in TVServer things are much worse if it is switched on.

But the component that is mainly responsible for that issue is the LNB itself.
Believe me it cannot be something else. One user found the cable causing that issue, OK the cable surely has an influence here too and it makes things probably better but it does not really remove the issue. Also the dish position and exact adjustment has surely only a slight influence. I recently moved and in my new house I use professional quality cable but I could not see a big difference.
Also I found reports from a user where the same issue started after he replaced his LNB.

So no doubt the LNB is the responsible part. For me it was hard to come to that conclusion, because I suspected the LNB as bad component already 4 month ago and replaced my very old one by a new one. It did not change anything. But finally all researches point to the LNB.

This is why I would like to have some details from you (DVB-S users):
For those who have/had the problem:
1. What type of LNB are you using (integrated - separate switch) exact brand, type.
2. Which TV card
For those who never had that problem:
1. What type of LNB are you using (integrated - separate switch) exact brand, type.
2. Which Hauppauge card or a SkyStar 2

Hopefully we can find some brands that reliably work with Hauppauge/Skystar2 cards.

I am using a quad switch LNB (integrated) STL UQS3B from Vivanco with a Nova-S and a NOVA-S2 and both do not work.
Main issue: I need to restart TVServer several times until I can tune high-band channel.

 

[milagroso]

Hi GregorV,

very interesting study, I agree and can follow to most of Your analysis. I would be glad to contribute with some facts and some thoughts.

First the facts:
I have problems when trying to use current svns of TVS. I'm behind a multiswitch which - electronically speaking - encapsulates the LNB which has been installed in our row houses (Reihenhaus). I use the Nova-SE2. I can receive perfectly well with a normal sat-receiver and also with an older SW configurazion (see my specs).

Now my thoughts:
How is it possible that the same receving configuration (PC+card+LNB) is able to send the 22kHz signal strong enough with one SW and not with the other? I'm no SW developer any more, but I would assume that there are different ways of triggering the HW layer of a TV card. I assume that Transedit uses one method and the current TVS uses another. And I also assume that within TVS this method has been changed in some svn after 17378, because I can reproduce that.

Maybe it would be worth to:

1. isolate the latest svn where this still worked and the first one where it didn't (I could do that)
2. look into the relevant portion of code and into the differences between both versions (I would need support to do that)

Summarizing I see the clou deep in the SW, not in the HW.

regards from Stuttgart

 

[Ragendorf]

Nice work, interesting Study.

Now, where you say it... Yes, this could be really possible.

I´m together with my Father on the same LNB. My Father uses a normal Satellite-Receiver, i use the Hauppauge WinTV Nova SE-2.

I re-installed MediaPortal (now RC2) and had problems with the High-Band (above 11700 MHz), but i thought that the Problem iss my Switch (i use a 3/4 Multiswitch which is not integrated in the LNB). After removing the Switch, it all works fine and i can tune Programs above 11700 MHz.

Hm, so if Milagroso can take a look at the code (maybe the Developers would help?) it will be very nice.

Sorry for my bad English, hope you understand all what i wrote...

Best regards

--Jens--

 

[flintstone99]

My config

Hi GregorV,

yes indeed a very good analysis and it does meet my situation.

Here is my config:
LNB: BAUCKHAGE SAT BW23QS Universal Quad Switch LNB (Reichelt.de, integrated Switch)
TV card: Terratec Cinergy S PCI
This does still (RC2) not work

Very interesting is that I bought this terratec card only because the old one, a Hauppauge WinTV Nova PCI, had no BDA drivers available...and obviously did not work with MediaPortal.

In the meantime somebody in the forum (thanks to Tron) found out that the technotrend budget 2_5.0.0.19 BDA driver is compatibel to the Hauppauge card and enables this one with BDA drivers and therefore MP!!!

So working for me is:
LNB: BAUCKHAGE SAT BW23QS Universal Quad Switch LNB (Reichelt.de)
TV card: Hauppauge WinTv Nova PCI with Technotrend budget BDA driver (Very, very, very old TV card!)

regards

Dietmar