TBS 6984 PCI-E DVB-S2 Quad Tuner TV Card

[Whitey]

Oddity,

Is your card tuning Channel 4 HD ok now it's 8PSK? My technotrend cards tune it ok but my FireDTV cards won't

Cheers

Whitey

[Oddity]

I can confirm Channel 4HD works fine on this card since the changes

[jamesdisco]

Originally Posted by Oddity

I can confirm Channel 4HD works fine on this card since the changes

Many Thanks, ive just ordered one.

[jaminben]

Got one of these cards today but when I run a scan it only finds about 117 channels most of which are encrypted sky channels... anyone else have any issues with tuning?

I'm running the latest Sage on WHS V1.

Cheers

Ben

EDIT

Also tried on a Win 7 PC with the same results.... well 220 channels this time but again most of them are Sky encrypted. If I plug my Nova HD back in I get all channels first time (scan).

What driver set is everyone else using with the TBS6984?

My guess is the TBS isn't as sensative as the Nova HD

[jamesdisco]

Originally Posted by jaminben

Got one of these cards today but when I run a scan it only finds about 117 channels most of which are encrypted sky channels... anyone else have any issues with tuning?

I'm running the latest Sage on WHS V1.

Cheers

Ben

EDIT

Also tried on a Win 7 PC with the same results.... well 220 channels this time but again most of them are Sky encrypted. If I plug my Nova HD back in I get all channels first time (scan).

What driver set is everyone else using with the TBS6984?

My guess is the TBS isn't as sensative as the Nova HD

Im using mine on WHS v1 with no problems when i scan i get over 1000 channels. Its definitely the fastest tuning card i own, im using x86 driver with no probs.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by jamesdisco

Im using mine on WHS v1 with no problems when i scan i get over 1000 channels. Its definitely the fastest tuning card i own, im using x86 driver with no probs.

And your running it natively? Would you mind taking a look at the date of your drivers?

Even if I scan with my Nova HD to get all 1010 channels, use the same lineup as the Nova HD with the TBS, swap the cables over so its using the same wire as I scanned the Nova with the channels still won't work on the TBS.... I can get BBCHD, BBC One HD, Channel4HD ok but nothing else seems to work including normal BBC channels, ITV HD etc.

Well gutted

EDIT

Do you also have the power lead connected? I don't think this is needed but thought I'd check (I don't).

[jamesdisco]

Originally Posted by jaminben

And your running it natively? Would you mind taking a look at the date of your drivers?

Even if I scan with my Nova HD to get all 1010 channels, use the same lineup as the Nova HD with the TBS, swap the cables over so its using the same wire as I scanned the Nova with the channels still won't work on the TBS.... I can get BBCHD, BBC One HD, Channel4HD ok but nothing else seems to work including normal BBC channels, ITV HD etc.

Well gutted

EDIT

Do you also have the power lead connected? I don't think this is needed but thought I'd check (I don't).

Yup im using it natively, dont have power lead connected, im using the latest driver from the website . Cant check the exact version as server is down doing a disk check.

[jaminben]

Ok, Thanks

Time to call a man out as I don't think my dish is right... one of my LNB's doesn't scan correctly with my Nova HD and I need another wire put in so I'll kill two birds with one stone... hopefully.

[bunch92]

Originally Posted by jaminben

Ok, Thanks

Time to call a man out as I don't think my dish is right... one of my LNB's doesn't scan correctly with my Nova HD and I need another wire put in so I'll kill two birds with one stone... hopefully.

Any news on that tuning issue ?
I am considering buying one of these so would be thankful for some feedback.

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by bunch92

Any news on that tuning issue ?
I am considering buying one of these so would be thankful for some feedback.

No, I still can't tune all channels... I get around 320 channels now tho (mostly sky subsription). I'm guessing my dish is off but I'm waiting for a friend of a friend to come take a look before I send the card back.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by jaminben

No, I still can't tune all channels... I get around 320 channels now tho (mostly sky subsription). I'm guessing my dish is off but I'm waiting for a friend of a friend to come take a look before I send the card back.

I know it has been a few months now, but have you sorted out the alleged alignment issues? Does it work now, please?

I'm considering to upgrade to the TBS 6984 and to run the card natively, now the price is good and a new driver version has been released recently...any luck? Also, are the drivers WHQL by any chance?

TA
Eddy

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by routerunner

I know it has been a few months now, but have you sorted out the alleged alignment issues? Does it work now, please?

I'm considering to upgrade to the TBS 6984 and to run the card natively, now the price is good and a new driver version has been released recently...any luck? Also, are the drivers WHQL by any chance?

TA
Eddy

I nerver got around to sorting it out... so it still doesn't work. I guess I should stop being so tight and pay someone to come out rather than wait for a friend of a friend.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by jaminben

I nerver got around to sorting it out... so it still doesn't work. I guess I should stop being so tight and pay someone to come out rather than wait for a friend of a friend.

Shame you're living that far away from Swindon, otherwise I'll be more than happy to fix it for you for free. I have all the equipment as I did install my Wave Frontier Toroidal dish with three LNBs and trust me, that is a challenge

Thanks for your update, and I do hope for the best.

Eddy

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by jaminben

I nerver got around to sorting it out... so it still doesn't work. I guess I should stop being so tight and pay someone to come out rather than wait for a friend of a friend.

Sorry to bother you again on this, but I'm really, really, really, interested to know you experience with this tuner card...

Take care
Eddy

[jaminben]

Originally Posted by routerunner

Sorry to bother you again on this, but I'm really, really, really, interested to know you experience with this tuner card...

Take care
Eddy

I never bothered doing anything with the card and ended up letting a mate use it (not with Sage). I guess by all accounts it should work but I just couldn't get mine to so I just use Freeview tuners now.

[routerunner]

Well, I decided to buy two of those to expand my system as I currently have 4 Hauppauge Nova HD DVB-S2, but because I run a multi-satellite setup, in reality I have only two tuners for UK channels and two tuners for Italian-German-French channels (we speak many languages in our household).

I started to fit one card with the aim to configure all four tuners to UK channels. Sage did recognize the four tuners, however first oddity is that I could add the same tuner to the lineup an infinite number of times, it shouldn't do that, it should only show the source which hasn't been added already...Has one of you guys noticed this?

Second step was to add the second card and here is where the trouble starts. The whole 8 tuners were available as sources to add (odd again, as the first four where added already), any way I added and configured the extra four. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make the second card to tune any channel at all, but also even the first card stopped tuning, I had to physically remove the second card and power cycle the server in order to have my first card able to tune again.

I started my debug procedure by using the TBS IP utility which allows you to tune and test every single tuner, which proved to be successful, so the cards are both working as expected on the server is only Sage that seems to be confused by having to many tuners?

Any suggestions? (not using extra software like DVBeSageTV please)

Should I clear the Sage properties and start from scratch?

Is the "wiz.bin" containing any information about lineups?

Thanks
Eddy

[doc]

I don't know anything about these cards, but...

Originally Posted by routerunner

Should I clear the Sage properties and start from scratch?

I'd give it a shot. As long as you back up your old one first just to be safe it can't do any harm. This would be the first thing I'd try.

Is the "wiz.bin" containing any information about lineups?

No, there's no lineup info at all, just the recordings history, favourites etc.

Dave

[Oddity]

Routerunner, I take it you are using a pc client to add the tuner?
Try using an extender ( eg HD300), as there is a bug in the pc client that repeats the tuners in the add tuner screen for certain devices. It works correctly on the extenders.

Suggest you remove the configured tuners for these cards.
Install the cards in the pc. Reboot, then add the tuners using an extender. You should be able to see a single entry for each of the tuners only ( ie. just see all 8 ).
I would advise adding the additional power cables for both cards as this will ensure that enough power is supplied to the cards, your PCIe bus may not be able to supply the required power.

Let me know how you get on.
Oddity.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by Oddity

Routerunner, I take it you are using a pc client to add the tuner?
Try using an extender ( eg HD300), as there is a bug in the pc client that repeats the tuners in the add tuner screen for certain devices. It works correctly on the extenders.

Yes, it was from a PC client, I tried from an extender (HD200) and it did exactly the same thing, but not a problem I reckon, as long as you're careful...

I would advise adding the additional power cables for both cards as this will ensure that enough power is supplied to the cards, your PCIe bus may not be able to supply the required power.

That's interesting because the manufacturer clearly states that it is not necessary as long as you don't have to control motor-dish as such.

Eventually, I got the two cards working properly (well nearly, will explain later).
Basically, I reckon you have to follow a different procedure depending on whether you had already some cards you want to replace or new one, in particular:

- Stop the sageTV service
- Remove all drivers of the previous tuners.
- Manually edit the Sagetv.properties and remove any reference of the previous tuners, remove the "mmc/" section completely.
- Start the sage TV service with the log enabled.
- Pay attention to all messages related to your new tuners card, in particular the PCI slot number where the cards are found, and the order sage founds it and enumerates internally, this is critical to know in advance which tuner is which in particular when you have mixed lineups like me.

Tricky part #1...

If you have an EPG lineup already and the ".frq" file already coming from your previous card, this is where you need to be careful and proceed exactly as follow otherwise it will not work:

- Make sure that the "PredefinedDVBx" file contains at least 1 frequency entry, for each satellite you want to add, that you know the scan process will find something in it, even if you're not interested.
- Using the information on the log, as above, add the very "first" tuner allocated by sage (typically the one which hasn't got the #x at the end on the name)
- Add the satellite you want to configure as requested.
- At this point Sage will ask to perform scan, this is important, say YES.
- Wait until the scan will find something as it will as you have modified the "PredefinedDVBx" file to do so.
- Stop the scan and the sage to discard the channels.
- At this point Sage has created the relevant ".frq" file that of course you will replace the content with (keeping the new name) the old one you had before.
- Now is time to associate the EPG as you had before.
- SAY NO, to the request to perform the scan again.
- Select "Done channel setup".
- Stop the SageTV service
- Replace the new ".frq" file with the content only of the old one.
- Restart the SageTV service
- You should be able to tune all channels as before.
- When adding the other three tuners of the same card, DON'T perform any scan requests and simply add the EPG part by confirming the "Use or Copy an Existing..." and you will have four perfectly functioning tuners.

Tricky part #2...

If the second tuner will have the same lineup as the first, then your life is easy as the only thing you have to do is to add the EPG by "Use or Copy an Existing..." and so on, however if, like me, you have a completely different lineup, then you need to follow exactly the same procedure in "Tricky part #1" whereby you perform the scan on the first tuner of the second card as described...failing to do so it will not work and will make your efforts on the first card useless, so that you have to start again...

In conclusion...why I said at the beginning "well nearly" working? Basically, my system has a temporary issue on recording three channels simultaneously from the same card...the issue consists on a very brief black out on two tuners which SageTV notifies in the "System Messages (yellow icon)", then the recording of the three channels continues without problem...I'm currently investigating this issue and it looks like a sort of IRQ interaction between the cards and the system...

@Oddity:
maybe adding the external power cable will help on my recording glitch? BTW, regarding the power cable supplied, I found weird that it requires three 12v rail? I couldn't find any information about it in the supplied user manual or in the TBS website...Did you connect all of them?

Many thanks for all the help and suggestion
Eddy

[routerunner]

I'm trying to understand what is wrong with the cards. I added the power cable, but nothing is changed.

I spotted this in the log:

Tue 10/9 22:39:24.472 [FSManager@147e0ba] Async encoder halt detector found a halt; kick the Seeker so it can restart the device file=MediaFile[id=7436859 A[7411194,7391528,"Lilyhammer ****",13017@1009.22:00,45] mask=TV host=iserve encodedBy=TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS #6 BBC Four format=MPEG2-PS 0:00:00 1939 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 25.0 fps 720x576 16:9 interlaced id=e0]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0 eng]#2 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps idx=2 id=c1 NAR]#3 Subpic[dvbsub id=bd-20 eng]] \\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg, Seg0[Tue 10/9 22:28:53.963-Thu 1/1 1:00:00.000]] size=271070625
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.472 [FSManager@147e0ba] Async encoder halt detector found a halt; kick the Seeker so it can restart the device file=MediaFile[id=7436863 A[7408930,7379477,"EastEnders",12730@1009.22:30,30] mask=TV host=iserve encodedBy=TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS #8 BBC Three format=MPEG2-PS 0:00:00 1939 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 25.0 fps 720x576 16:9 interlaced id=e0]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0 eng]#2 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps idx=2 id=c1 NAR]#3 Subpic[dvbsub id=bd-20 eng]] \\192.168.1.33\recording\EastEnders-7408930-0.mpg, Seg0[Tue 10/9 22:35:32.626-Thu 1/1 1:00:00.000]] size=82704150

followed by this:

Tue 10/9 22:39:24.479 [Seeker@6baa51] SEEKER HAS DETECTED A HALT IN THE ENCODER...TRYING TO RESET IT file=\\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg size=271070625
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.479 [Seeker@6baa51] VF.submitJob(VFJob[InactiveFile r=0.0 t=0 file=null ifn=\\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg])
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.480 [Seeker@6baa51] VF.submitJob(VFJob[InactiveFile r=0.0 t=0 file=null ifn=\\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg])
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.480 [VideoFrame-001d6a4cf73c@e98ff] VF processing job VFJob[InactiveFile r=0.0 t=0 file=null ifn=\\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg] nPlayin=false
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.480 [MainMsg@1290ef4] stopEncoding0 called (config:0x49000)
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.480 [VideoFrame-001d6a4cf73c@e98ff] VF discarding job VFJob[InactiveFile r=0.0 t=0 file=null ifn=\\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg]
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.480 [MainMsg@1290ef4] stopEncoding0 trace 1 0x4d199f04
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.480 [VideoFrame-001d6a4cf73c@e98ff] VF processing job null nPlayin=false
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.481 [MainMsg@1290ef4] stopEncoding0 trace 2
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.481 [VideoFrame-001d6a4cf73c@e98ff] VF thread is now waiting for 0:00:00.000
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.481 [MainMsg@1290ef4] stopEncoding0 trace 3 0x4baa3c1c
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.523 [MainMsg@1290ef4] stopEncoding0 trace 4
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.524 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Stopped graph res=0x0
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.524 [MainMsg@1290ef4] stopEncoding0 trace 5
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.626 [Seeker@6baa51] MediaFile startSegment enc=null MediaFile[id=7436859 A[7411194,7391528,"Lilyhammer ****",13017@1009.22:00,45] mask=TV host=iserve encodedBy=TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS #6 BBC Four format=MPEG2-PS 0:00:00 1939 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 25.0 fps 720x576 16:9 interlaced id=e0]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0 eng]#2 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps idx=2 id=c1 NAR]#3 Subpic[dvbsub id=bd-20 eng]] \\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg, Seg0[Tue 10/9 22:28:53.963-Tue 10/9 22:39:24.624]]
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.627 [Seeker@6baa51] MediaFile created subfile:\\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-1.mpg MediaFile[id=7436859 A[7411194,7391528,"Lilyhammer ****",13017@1009.22:00,45] mask=TV host=iserve encodedBy=TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS #6 BBC Four format=MPEG2-PS 0:00:00 1939 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 25.0 fps 720x576 16:9 interlaced id=e0]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0 eng]#2 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 256 kbps idx=2 id=c1 NAR]#3 Subpic[dvbsub id=bd-20 eng]] \\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-0.mpg, Seg0[Tue 10/9 22:28:53.963-Tue 10/9 22:39:24.624]]
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.628 [MainMsg@1290ef4] autotune0 digital tuner 'TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5' num=4 (ver 3.1)
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.628 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Splitter Filter set output mpeg2 format 
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.629 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Got capture drv info for CAM vendorID:'1131' mfg:'TBSDTV TECHNOLOGY' TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.629 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Initialize (tag:TECHNTD ) CAM/CI ctrl block (ver 1.3) TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5 0x4d1f0e78 0x4d2155c8 env:0x4972b514
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.629 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:CAM ctrl block is already initialized 
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.629 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Open CAM/CI device TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.630 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:TechnoTrend deviceid 117506561 TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.630 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM: open TechnoTrend CI on device id:117506561, tuner:'TBS 6984 Quad DVBS/S2 Tuner B', TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.630 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:TechnoTrend card type: unkown name TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:24.630 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Failed open TechnoTrend device, due to unkown device type TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.024 [MainMsg@1290ef4] DONE: autotune0 hr=0x0 locked:1
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.024 [MainMsg@1290ef4] setEncodingProperties0 1293880952 Great
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.024 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property audiooutputmode to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property audiocrc to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property gopsize to 15
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property videobitrate to 3800000
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property inversetelecine to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property closedgop to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property vbr to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property outputstreamtype to 10
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.025 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property width to 720
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property height to 576
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property audiobitrate to 384
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property audiosampling to 48000
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property disablefilter to 1
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property medianfilter to 3
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property fps to 25
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property ipb to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.026 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property deinterlace to 0
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.027 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Set encoding property aspectratio to 1
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.027 [MainMsg@1290ef4] setupEncoding0 called for 1293880952 'TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5' (ver 1.0)
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.027 [MainMsg@1290ef4] QAM:Got capture drv info for QAM mfg:'TBSDTV TECHNOLOGY' TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.027 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Got capture drv info for CAM vendorID:'1131' mfg:'TBSDTV TECHNOLOGY' TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.027 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Initialize (tag:TECHNTD ) CAM/CI ctrl block (ver 1.3) TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5 0x4d1f0e78 0x4d2155c8 env:0x4972b514
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.027 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:CAM ctrl block is already initialized 
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.028 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Open CAM/CI device TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.028 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:TechnoTrend deviceid 117506561 TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.028 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM: open TechnoTrend CI on device id:117506561, tuner:'TBS 6984 Quad DVBS/S2 Tuner B', TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.028 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:TechnoTrend card type: unkown name TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.028 [MainMsg@1290ef4] CAM:Failed open TechnoTrend device, due to unkown device type TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS-5
Tue 10/9 22:39:25.028 [MainMsg@1290ef4] Encoding to file \\192.168.1.33\recording\Lilyhammer-7411194-1.mpg

It looks like that the driver is trying to open a CAM/CI which is not there, do you see the same in your logs?

Is any of you willing to compare the TBS 6984 configuration in the Sage.properties with mine?

Which version of the TBS drivers are you running your card on?

EDIT: Also found this suspicious property in the Sage.properties, I wonder whether this is a kind of timeout?

seeker/fs_mgr_wait_period=15000

Thanks
Eddy