Guide - how to create a sky channel lineup

[rhinoman]

Originally Posted by Bacon2002

Hi,

Just for the record DVBE4SAGE is definately not the only way to receive subscription channels.

I use a semi native method using hardware cams, I have previously also used DVBLogic which I found to work well.

David

Could you expand a little on the "semi native method using hardware cams"m please?

I am currently using DVBlogic with a dm500 but am shortly going to be replacing my server having just ordered a TBS6984 so am exploring options.

[Bacon2002]

Hi,

SageTV provides hardware cam support for FireDTV-S2, TT-S1600 and Anysee E7 S2 tuners. As far as I am aware these are the only tuner where SageTV supports common access modules.

In my set up (as well as other tuners I have 2 x FireDTV-S2's and 2 x Anysee E7 S2's) each of the subscription tuners has a hardware cam inserted, in my case I use 4 Diablo Wifi cams, one in each of these tuners, these are in turn connected wirelessly to my router and subsequently access my OSCAM server using either newcamd or cccam.

I have used hardware cams in SageTV for years, previously I used a Dragon/Diablo cam with the subscription card physically inside the cam.

If you only want one tuner for subscription channel then you can simply put the subscription card in the Diablo cam, that way you do not need to use OSCAM and it is really reliable.

I think you can use a Diablo Wifi as a server and/or as a client although I have not tried this method as I also use OSCAM with DVBLogic.

For information I have found the Anysee E7 S2 tuners to be brilliant as well as being totally reliable, with the latest driver they work even better than the FireDTV tuners which are also very good. It is however worth noting that you are limited to a maximum of 2 x FireDTV-S2 tuners (they start to have Firewire problems when you connect more than 2 although I expect you could connect a load of Anysee tuners).

I hope this helps,

David

[rhinoman]

David,

Thanks for the info.

[willplaice]

Hi, Kinda off topic but you guys are using a similar setup to me...

I have a TBS 6981 (Dual tuner card) and am using DVBE4Sage to handle the decryption..

i try each new driver as it comes out, but i get breakup of any HD channel - i don't see that on my TT card - is anyone else seeing this ?

Will

[rhinoman]

I now have a TBS6984 and am trying to set it up with dvbe4sage and SkyTV UK and am struggling with the initial setup of the configuration file, I've copied settings from Damian Flynns guide but I'm getting a catastrophic error. Could someone post a working .ini file please or point me in the direction of what is wrong here.

Configuration file dump:

[General]
LogLevel=2
NumberOfVirtualTuners=1

[Plugins]
DCWTimeout=10
IsVGCam=0
MaxNumberOfResets=1
ServedCAIDs=
ServedPROVIds=

[Tuning]
LNBSW=11700000
LNBLOF1=9750000
LNBLOF2=10600000
InitialFrequency=10714000
InitialSymbolRate=22000
InitialPolarization=H
InitialModulation=QPSK (DVB-S2)
InitialFEC=5/6
DVBS2Tuners=1
TSPacketsPerBuffer=1024
NumberOfBuffers=400
TuningTimeout=20
TuningLockTimeout=10
InitialRunningTime=30
UseSidForTuning=0
UseNewTuningMethod=0
ScanAllTransponders=0
ExcludeTuners=
ExcludeTunersMAC=
IncludeTuners=
IncludeTunersMAC=

[Output]
TSPacketsPerOutputBuffer=160000
TSPacketsOutputThreshold=135
DisableWriteBuffering=0

[Encoder]
ListeningPort=6969

[Recording]
PreferredAudioLanguage=eng
PreferredAudioFormat=ac3
PreferredSubtitlesLanguage=eng

[Advanced]
PMTDilutionFactor=1
PATDilutionFactor=1
PMTThreshold=100
PSIMaturityTime=40
MaxECMCacheSize=3000
EnableECMCache=1
ECMCacheAutodeleteChunkSize=300
BouquetName=BSkyB Bouquet 4 – DTH Other
PreferSDOverHD=0

End of configuration file dump
=========================================================
2012-01-19 16:44:14.012 Working with MDAPI plugins
2012-01-19 16:44:14.137 #1: Loading filter "TBS 6984 Quad DVBS/S2 Tuner A" - succeeded!
2012-01-19 16:44:14.137 #1: Tuner Filter Info = "TBS 6984 Quad DVBS/S2 Tuner A"
2012-01-19 16:44:14.153 #1: Loading filter "TBS 6984 Quad BDA Digital Capture DVBS" - succeeded!
2012-01-19 16:44:14.153 #1: Loaded our transport stream filter
2012-01-19 16:44:14.184 #1: Added demux filter to the graph
2012-01-19 16:44:14.184 #1: Connected demux to our filter output pin
2012-01-19 16:44:14.199 #1: Loading filter "BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter" - succeeded!
2012-01-19 16:44:14.199 #1: Using tuning request-based tuning method...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.786 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.802 #1: Starting initial run for autodiscovery, transponder data: Frequency=10714000, Symbol Rate=22000, Polarization=H, Modulation=Not defined, FEC=5/6
2012-01-19 16:44:18.802 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.833 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.833 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.833 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.833 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...
2012-01-19 16:44:18.833 #1: Catastrophic error - TS packet has wrong sync_byte, dropping the buffer...

[Oddity]

; This is a sample configuration file for dvbe4sage
; There are several categories of settings, for each setting the value here is the default one

[General]
LogLevel=2
NumberOfVirtualTuners=3
;DECSADllName=FFDeCSA_32_INT.dll

[Plugins]
DCWTimeout=5
IsVGCam=0
MaxNumberOfResets=1
ServedCAIDs=963
ServedPROVIds=

[Tuning]
AutoDiscoverONID=1
InitialFrequency=10714000
InitialSymbolRate=22000
InitialPolarization=H
InitialModulation=QPSK
InitialFEC=5/6
LNB_SW=11700000
LNB_LOF1=9750000
LNB_LOF2=10600000
InitialRunningTime=20
NumberOfBuffers=400
TuningTimeout=20
TSPacketsPerBuffer=1024
UseSidForTuning=1
ExcludeTuners=5,6,7,8
DVBS2Tuners=1,2,3,4

[Output]
TSPacketsPerOutputBuffer=160000
TSPacketsOutputThreshold=135
DisableWriteBuffering=0

[Encoder]
ListeningPort=6969

[Recording]
PreferredAudioLanguage=eng
PreferredAudioFormat=ac3

[Advanced]
PMTDilutionFactor=1
PATDilutionFactor=1
PMTThreshold=60
PSIMaturityTime=10
MaxECMCacheSize=3000
EnableECMCache=1
ECMCacheAutodeleteChunkSize=300
BouquetName=BSkyB Bouquet 1 - DTH England
PreferSDOverHD=0


Can you record from DVBe4Sage itself? Check the following settings ( these are mine and will depend on your tuners installed
ExcludeTuners=5,6,7,8
DVBS2Tuners=1,2,3,4


If you can it is more likely your sage properties file settings

[rhinoman]

Not tried sage yet as this is a new clean install to another server with same mobo as my other one, so just trying to set it up with a view to using two of these cards eventually.

This is stage one, install dvbe4sage and then get the softcam configured. I'll try your file tomorrow and no doubt come back with some more questions if that ok.

Thanks for your help.

[Oddity]

I'd suggest getting it to work with the FTA channels first then add in the soft cam later.

The only plug in that I have got to reliably work is the newcs csc.dll

[rhinoman]

Ok, finally got this working bar the encrypted channels, loving the speed of channel changes, any chance of an idiots guide for added the plugin please?

[Oddity]

download csc.dll and put it in the plugins directory.
put the csc config file in the dvbe4sage directory

If you start dvbe4sage in interactive mode rather than service mode you can set up the plugin from the menu.

[pukka]

Hi Just wondering if someone can help.

i ahve used the excel sheet to generate the long SID, but they dont work for some of the channels,
example
SKY1 HD

<channel id="Sky1HD.GBR" name="Sky1 HD" call-sign="Sky1HD" number="12053" user-number="170" time-offset="0" xmltv-id="3861" allow-hd="True" />

if i type 12053 in DVBE4SAGE it just comes back with:

2012-08-28 20:51:22.802 A short SID was specified, but no ONID could be auto discovered. Will try default ONID.
2012-08-28 20:51:22.802 A short SID specified, assuming default ONID=32
2012-08-28 20:51:22.802 Service SID=12053 on ONID=32 has Name=""
2012-08-28 20:51:22.802 Autodiscovery requested, but cannot find the transponder for SID=12053 on ONID=32 (""), no recording done!

any ideas

Thanks
Paul

[Oddity]

It should read:-
<channel id="Sky1HD.GBR" name="Sky1 HD" call-sign="Sky1HD" number="134933" user-number="170" time-offset="0" xmltv-id="3861" allow-hd="True" />

There is a quicker way to calculate it take the onid * 655636 + SID

ie. 2 * 65536 + 3861 = 134933

Hope this helps.
Checked the spreadsheet and the formula looks okay.

Regards
Oddity