Being able to add a DVB Network

Phil Mordecai

Over the past few days I have been trying to put together a TVHeadend server which will then be accessed using Raspbmc on my Raspberry Pi.

I'm neither a complete novice, nor am I an expert with Linux. In my line of work I've used numerous *nix systems, so general familiarity isn't an issue. However, it is clear from what I have read, that the major hurdle in getting this solution to work lies in getting the O/S to recognise the hardware - and that is way out of my comfort zone.

I've started with a reclaimed Dell Dimension 3100 chassis, into which I've installed 2Gb RAM and an old SATA hard drive. The TV card is a PCI device donated by my brother. It is a KWorld PlusTV Hybrid card, and on the box there is the model designation "DVB-T 210SE". The analogue side is all but useless in the UK, but it does include DVB-T. As it had been languishing in a box for a while, I first installed Windows XP and used the included CD to test the card out. Connecting it to my roof aerial (pointing at Crystal Palace) it successfully scanned a decent number of freeview channels. So far so good.

I then wiped the HDD and installed a copy of Ubuntu Server 12.04 LTS. At first I was struggling to install the TVHeadend component I had downloaded as a zip file (it seemed my stock Ubuntu installation was missing too many bits), but then I found instructions to access the PPA and using this element (and apt-get install) the process was far simpler. Before I knew it I was able to access the web front end and log in. Following the instructions in the XMBC Wiki pages I went about configuring TVHeadend.

It would seem that the TV card hardware has been identified as "Philips TDA10046H DVB-T".

I configured the access control element with initial settings allow access to everything and then went back to Configuration -> TV Adapters -> General, selected the TV card from the drop-down list box and then clicked on "Add DVB Network by Location". I selected "uk_CrystalPalace" from the list of locations under "United Kingdom". It identified 7 muxes and then appeared to go about performing a scan (with, as the instructions in the Wiki indicating, the number of muxes "Awaiting initial scan" gradually counting down. However at the end of all this I was left with "0" services found, which hs left me scratching my head.

Possibly I have been fooled by the fact that the underlying o/s and TVHeadend both appearing to recognise the card.

I'd be grateful for any pointers/assistance to help me move forward.

Many thanks in anticipation.

-Phil.

ProfYaffle

Check the mux frequencies - I'm like a stuck record on this topic, but I'm yet to see "add by location" get anything right, the data is far too much out of date.

http://www.ukfree.tv/txdetail.php?a=TQ339712

I've always added them manually, specifying the frequency (kHz, not MHz), bandwidth of 8MHz, everything else to Auto.

Post your current mux settings here if you like and I'll check them: Web UI, Configuration -> <your tuner> -> Multiplexes

Phil Mordecai

Many thanks for your response. Don't worry about being like a stuck record - I am like you on other forums and for other subjects, but I always remember that I was a novice once. In this case and this subject matter I very much am and am therefore grateful for any help. One day I can pass that knowledge on to someone else.

Having selected uk_CrystalPalace as my chosen location, I've taken a look at the Multiplexes tab. I have 7 entires, in each case the "Network" and "MuxID" columns are empty and the "Quality" column is registering 100% For the "Frequency" and "Modulation" columns I have the following:-

561,833kHz QAM64, 8MHz, 2k-mode
578,166kHz QAM16, 8MHz, 2k-mode
554,000kHz AUTO, 8MHz, AUTO-mode
505,833kHz QAM16, 8MHz, 2k-mode
481,833kHz QAM64, 8MHz, 2k-mode
529,833kHz QAM16, 8MHz, 2k-mode

537,833kHz QAM16, 8MHz, 2k-mode

-Phil

ProfYaffle

Yup, those aren't the right muxes - when everything changed around after digital switchover, the mux information (wherever tvheadend gets it from) wasn't updated, so you're looking at the old digital-alongside-analogue channel frequencies, not the new carriers.

Delete those muxes, and add these instead from the link above ("Add muxes manually" above the mux list):

490000
514000
545800 - only if your card supports DVB-T2 for HD channels (I don't think it does)
506000
482000

529800

For each one, put the frequency in the first box, set the next to 8MHz, set all the others to Auto and click "Add". You should hopefully see the muxid and Network populate in the background, and then scanning should pick up services. Once you have services, you can map them to channels, and you're in business...

Phil Mordecai

Many thanks - I'll give those a try when I get a chance (hopefully this evening, though possibly tomorrow).

Just to clarify:-

* There are only 6 muxes listed here (compared to the 7 I got when I added uk_Crystal Palace), so I just add them in order?
* You are correct, the TV card I have isn't DVB-T2 compatible, so I assume I simply omit this mux when I add them?
* So that I can better understand, can you point out where you got this information from regarding Crystal Palace? I work with two colleagues who may well take a run at TVHeadend, depending on my degree of success, but based on where they live they will be using Sudbury. If I can interpret the CP information, I should hopefully be able to advise them accordingly regarding Sudbury.
One pre-emptive question; while the main switch-over has now occurred, it seems that we may still be in for some more re-tune exercises at some point in the future. Is there an equivalent function/exercise within TVHeadend?

ProfYaffle

1. Order doesn't matter - that's merely how I found them, presumably the order in which they're named

2. Yes to the number - I think they consolidated the muxes during switchover

3. You can add that mux or omit it - it won't work either way, unless it's carrying DVB-T signals. Probably safer to add it just in case (e.g. radio)

4. The information comes from the uktvfree web site. If you look up a specific transmitter, you'll see the individual mux information; as well as listing the channels carried, the site tells you the config information such as frequency, encoding, and so on. Start here with the guys at work, and ask if they get stuck.

5. Re-tune (unless one of the automatic scans picks it up) should happen when you restart, I think, but I'm not sure. The step you would have to do by hand is the "map services to channels".

Good luck!

Phil Mordecai

Thank you. Very much appreciated.

In the hour or so since your last reply, I've returned back to the TVHeadend GUI and it is now showing 117 services - so I guess I have me some channels!

I will also take a look at the uktvfree site. As you have said I will be able to match the CP transmitter details to those you kindly supplied and will then know what to look for when it comes to other transmitters.

I can now revert back to the XBMC Wiki for configuring and using this application. If you can point me in the direction of any other HOWTOs or walk-throughs, that would be great.

-Phil.

ProfYaffle

117 sounds about right - I get 119 on my DVB-T tuner, 123 on DVB-T2 (i.e. the same list plus the four HD channels). If you've nothing to do, you can check individual services on uktvfree as well, since it tells you precisely what's carried on each mux.

The key information for each mux is the frequency. If you look at the CP page I linked to, you'll see it at the bottom of each mux description: if we look at the first one (PSB1/BBCA), it says "... as a digital multiplex transmitted on frequency C23 (490.0MHz)". So that's where I got the 490,000 kHz as the first entry in the list above. You can also see that this mux carries 21 services, which is where you can then check your 117 total.

I'm not really up on how-tos, I'm afraid, but the XBMC forum is very active, and you can always get good help over there. Once you have the tvheadend addon installed, though, configuring it is straightforward enough.