USB DVB-C dongles that work with VU+
- Thread starter ALPA
- Start date
but you must keep in mind, that the using external sticks is have the issues with the watching pay-tv programs when Common Interface used.
At least in my case I have experienced problems.
I have two dvb-c tuners which i have tried on my vu+duo.
The first stick is known as an aldi stick with agk brand. It is a combined dvb-t and dvb-c tuner. It has a maxim max 3543 tuner and realtek rtl2840 demodulator for cable reception. More detailed information and pictures on this usb stick can be found on this thread.
For a long while the aldi stick wasnt interesting for the average linux user since no linux drivers where available. This changed when a user on the openpli.org forums received source code from realtek and made the drivers compatible with newer linux kernels. This driver is quite extensive and supports about 10 tuners and 3 different demodulators.
For people interested in trying out the driver they are present in the blackpole image.
I installed the newest blackpole and put in the stick. and it was recognized as a new tuner c under tuner configuration.
So far so good. What i however found out later on was that my usb stick had been recognized as a dvb-t tuner. I connected an aerial antenna and searched for some of the public channels to test the stick. The channels showed up and were viewed without a problem.
To test dvb-c i had to make my vuo+duo recognize it as is. After a long while screwing around with linux and learning some basic linux knowledge i came to a solution.
The driver for the aldi stick has different parameters determining if the dvb-c or dvb-t demodulater is used. The command "modprobe dvb-usb-rtl2832u demod=2" in terminal makes the driver use the dvb-c demodulator. I had a problem though. The parameter wasnt changed, I think this is caused be that fact that modules loaded into the kernel cant have their parameters changed (Modules means drivers in linux world). I had to remove the module and then type "modprobe dvb-usb-rtl2832u demod=2" again.
But doing this at every restart is annoying and i fixed this by creating a "dvb-usb-rtl2832u.conf" file. Inside this file i wrote "options dvb-usb-rtl2832u demod=2" and placed the file in "/etc/modprobe.d". This means that whenever my vu+duo is restarted and the modules/drivers are loaded into the kernel the module parameter will be for a dvb-c stick.
My stick was now recognized as a dvb-c tuner and i went ahead and tried searching for some channels. Automatic scan and fast scan failed with the following error "ERROR - failed to scan (error starting scanning)!".
Instead i had to use manual scan with network scan enabled. My initial scans at different frequencies showed no channels even though i was sure of the frequency and the other parameters. After a couple of more tries my usb stick suddenly worked and 200 new channels was found.
I thought this was the end of it but i soon learned that the signal % with this stick was always shown as 0%. That in itself is not a problem as long as the rest of the driver functions are programmed.
Channel change from fta to fta channel took from 3 second to 6 seconds. I never tested encrypted channels since i dont have extra channels.
What i learned the next day was that whenever i watched satellite channels and changed over to cable channels most of the time I would end up with a black screen and 10 seconds later a message telling me "timed out waiting for PMT".
I now had a usb stick which would decide to work 5% of the time, but when it started to work it had no problem opening channels.
A way to make the stick show a channel would be to continually change between a satellite and cable channel until i had a picture on cable channels. This procedure sometimes worked on the first try or mostly after several tries for 5-10 minutes.
After one week of coping with the stick i decided enough was enough and got myself another stick.
The first stick is known as an aldi stick with agk brand. It is a combined dvb-t and dvb-c tuner. It has a maxim max 3543 tuner and realtek rtl2840 demodulator for cable reception. More detailed information and pictures on this usb stick can be found on this thread.
For a long while the aldi stick wasnt interesting for the average linux user since no linux drivers where available. This changed when a user on the openpli.org forums received source code from realtek and made the drivers compatible with newer linux kernels. This driver is quite extensive and supports about 10 tuners and 3 different demodulators.
For people interested in trying out the driver they are present in the blackpole image.
I installed the newest blackpole and put in the stick. and it was recognized as a new tuner c under tuner configuration.
So far so good. What i however found out later on was that my usb stick had been recognized as a dvb-t tuner. I connected an aerial antenna and searched for some of the public channels to test the stick. The channels showed up and were viewed without a problem.
To test dvb-c i had to make my vuo+duo recognize it as is. After a long while screwing around with linux and learning some basic linux knowledge i came to a solution.
The driver for the aldi stick has different parameters determining if the dvb-c or dvb-t demodulater is used. The command "modprobe dvb-usb-rtl2832u demod=2" in terminal makes the driver use the dvb-c demodulator. I had a problem though. The parameter wasnt changed, I think this is caused be that fact that modules loaded into the kernel cant have their parameters changed (Modules means drivers in linux world). I had to remove the module and then type "modprobe dvb-usb-rtl2832u demod=2" again.
But doing this at every restart is annoying and i fixed this by creating a "dvb-usb-rtl2832u.conf" file. Inside this file i wrote "options dvb-usb-rtl2832u demod=2" and placed the file in "/etc/modprobe.d". This means that whenever my vu+duo is restarted and the modules/drivers are loaded into the kernel the module parameter will be for a dvb-c stick.
My stick was now recognized as a dvb-c tuner and i went ahead and tried searching for some channels. Automatic scan and fast scan failed with the following error "ERROR - failed to scan (error starting scanning)!".
Instead i had to use manual scan with network scan enabled. My initial scans at different frequencies showed no channels even though i was sure of the frequency and the other parameters. After a couple of more tries my usb stick suddenly worked and 200 new channels was found.
I thought this was the end of it but i soon learned that the signal % with this stick was always shown as 0%. That in itself is not a problem as long as the rest of the driver functions are programmed.
Channel change from fta to fta channel took from 3 second to 6 seconds. I never tested encrypted channels since i dont have extra channels.
What i learned the next day was that whenever i watched satellite channels and changed over to cable channels most of the time I would end up with a black screen and 10 seconds later a message telling me "timed out waiting for PMT".
I now had a usb stick which would decide to work 5% of the time, but when it started to work it had no problem opening channels.
A way to make the stick show a channel would be to continually change between a satellite and cable channel until i had a picture on cable channels. This procedure sometimes worked on the first try or mostly after several tries for 5-10 minutes.
After one week of coping with the stick i decided enough was enough and got myself another stick.
Enter the Anysee E30 C Plus.
This usb tuner is remarkable because it has had linux drivers for a long while and the cost of this thing is 130€ from new where I am from. I however did not pay that much. I bought it second hand for around 40€. I can say that after using it for a while that 130€ is highway robbery and the only reason they can ask for that kind of money is that the competition between dvb-c tuners is appallingly nonexistent.
The anysee tuner uses the modules
dvb-usb
dvb-usb-anysee
tda10023
dvb-pll
If the tuner does not show up after the modules are loaded and the anysee plugged in, restart enigma.
Automatic scan and fast scan does not work. So manual scan with network scan enabled has to be used.
I expected the tuner to be quite slow like the aldi stick, but i was pleased to learn that the anysee was just as fast as the internal satellite tuners.
To top it all the drivers also showed signal strength. My signal across every frequency was between 93-96%.
I thought i had found my solution, but with all things linux it never is what it seems.
The tuner was fast but with some frequencies all the channels were broken.
I first changed cables since i thought that might be a problem. I went ahead and bought some quite expensive plugs and cables and hooked it up. It didn't make any difference.
After some searching on linuxtv.org i stumbled on this.
Looks like the non combo device also suffers the same problem.
In conclusion. The device is fast and has had linux support for a while, however the aforementioned problem of jittery reception makes this product a DO NOT BUY for 130€. You might want to think about it if you come across one for 40€ but even then it is a hard buy.
After these two usb tuners the writing is clear for me. Dvb-c tuners for linux boxes are cumbersome and it is better to save the money and your time. Sell your old box and buy a new box with built in dvb-c tuners. In the end it is more worthwhile since it saves you a lot of frustration and annoyance.
This usb tuner is remarkable because it has had linux drivers for a long while and the cost of this thing is 130€ from new where I am from. I however did not pay that much. I bought it second hand for around 40€. I can say that after using it for a while that 130€ is highway robbery and the only reason they can ask for that kind of money is that the competition between dvb-c tuners is appallingly nonexistent.
The anysee tuner uses the modules
dvb-usb
dvb-usb-anysee
tda10023
dvb-pll
If the tuner does not show up after the modules are loaded and the anysee plugged in, restart enigma.
Automatic scan and fast scan does not work. So manual scan with network scan enabled has to be used.
I expected the tuner to be quite slow like the aldi stick, but i was pleased to learn that the anysee was just as fast as the internal satellite tuners.
To top it all the drivers also showed signal strength. My signal across every frequency was between 93-96%.
I thought i had found my solution, but with all things linux it never is what it seems.
The tuner was fast but with some frequencies all the channels were broken.
I first changed cables since i thought that might be a problem. I went ahead and bought some quite expensive plugs and cables and hooked it up. It didn't make any difference.
After some searching on linuxtv.org i stumbled on this.
Looks like the non combo device also suffers the same problem.
In conclusion. The device is fast and has had linux support for a while, however the aforementioned problem of jittery reception makes this product a DO NOT BUY for 130€. You might want to think about it if you come across one for 40€ but even then it is a hard buy.
After these two usb tuners the writing is clear for me. Dvb-c tuners for linux boxes are cumbersome and it is better to save the money and your time. Sell your old box and buy a new box with built in dvb-c tuners. In the end it is more worthwhile since it saves you a lot of frustration and annoyance.
I found this one
and i wonder if i can watch in solo2 .
This is a mini size digital cable TV stick with USB connection for watching and recording clear/unecrypted digital cable TV on PC. Windows BDA driver are provided
The price is 80 dollar.
I can't find more about chip and tuner type.
except
Main Features:
TBS USB DVB-C TV for Window /Linux
and i wonder if i can watch in solo2 .
This is a mini size digital cable TV stick with USB connection for watching and recording clear/unecrypted digital cable TV on PC. Windows BDA driver are provided
The price is 80 dollar.
I can't find more about chip and tuner type.
except
Main Features:
- Compliant with DVB standard EN 300 429.
- USB connection suitable for desktop and laptop PC
- Real Time and Scheduled Program Recording(PVR)
- Time Shifting to Pause Live TV
- Supports MPEG4 H.264 HDTV
- Supported by DVBDream, ProgDVB, Mytheater
TBS Linux Driver is updated to v130127, which improves Linux kernel version 3.7.x compatibility
angelofsky1980
BlackHole Driver Specialist
Not all TBS devices are the same ... and also most of them uses binary parts on their drivers that doesen't exist for MIPSel arc and cannot be used on Vu+ boxes
hi.I bought a sundtek dvb-c/t2 and after i install the drivers to vu solo everything was ok and i could see the device in the tuner list .All the FTA channels are working ok.
the main problem is that this device doesn't use my ci+ module that was the main reason i bought it.this ci+ module works ok with my
internal tuner on my uno.is there any solution with usb tuner and ci+?Thanks a lot
the main problem is that this device doesn't use my ci+ module that was the main reason i bought it.this ci+ module works ok with my
internal tuner on my uno.is there any solution with usb tuner and ci+?Thanks a lot
angelofsky1980
BlackHole Driver Specialist
I suppose @sundtek can help you.
CAM Modules are not supported by Broadcom settopboxes with the virtual tuner interface (which usb tuners or network tuners are using).
That is because the CAM interface is hardwired with the internal tuner slots and the video data only passes from internal tuners through those modules.
The Hardware layer looks like this:
[ INTERNAL TUNER ] -- [ Conditional Access Module Interface ] -- [ Broadcom CPU ]
[ Virtual Tuner Interface ] -- [ Broadcom CPU ]
That is because the CAM interface is hardwired with the internal tuner slots and the video data only passes from internal tuners through those modules.
The Hardware layer looks like this:
[ INTERNAL TUNER ] -- [ Conditional Access Module Interface ] -- [ Broadcom CPU ]
[ Virtual Tuner Interface ] -- [ Broadcom CPU ]