DVB-S/S2 Card for a linux-based dish pointer

[jsveiga]

Hello TBS guys,

We're developing an automatic satellite dish pointer controller (for Satellite News Gathering vehicles and other applications), and it will be based on a mini-itx Atom motherboard running debian.

I'm looking for options for measuring the received signal strength and quality for the auto-track and signal lock confirmation, and would like to use an off-the-shelf dvb-s card, supported by a vanilla kernel if possible. (the expected volumes are low, so everything possible is off-the-shelf).

The card can be PCI or USB2 (the mini-itx board also has a very useful mini-pcie).

I have posted this in the linux-media list, and was recommended your hardware. As far as I understood from the site, the TBS cards do need TBS drivers, so they are not supported directly by the mainstream kernel. Is that right?

I've never used a DVB card, so I'd like to please ask you guys if the TBS dvb-s support under linux can be used in this situation:

- no X running
- send tuning/cps/etc configuration/commands via command line or api
- get signal strength (dBm?) and quality (BER?), signal lock, and other sat info via command line or api or somewhere in /proc/ for example

Thank you!
Joao S Veiga

[cody]

hello Joao,

The card can be PCI or USB2 (the mini-itx board also has a very useful mini-pcie).

in my opinion in your case PCI or PCI-Express card will be more convenient, because USB boxes use external power adapter. also, there is mini-PCIe to PCIe x1 adapters like those:

https://shop.tbsdtv.com/pm2-pcie-mini-pci ... r_p16.html

https://shop.tbsdtv.com/pm2c-pcie-mini-pc ... r_p17.html

that can be used to install PCIe x1 DVB-S2 card in mini-PCIe slot.

As far as I understood from the site, the TBS cards do need TBS drivers, so they are not supported directly by the mainstream kernel. Is that right?

older models of TBS hardware are supported by the mainstream kernel, but for newer models we provide our own driver package. however, there is no problem to add support for those new models to the mainstream kernel with patching it - that is not complicated and what most of our customers of embedded systems or IPTV servers do

I've never used a DVB card, so I'd like to please ask you guys if the TBS dvb-s support under linux can be used in this situation:

- no X running
- send tuning/cps/etc configuration/commands via command line or api
- get signal strength (dBm?) and quality (BER?), signal lock, and other sat info via command line or api or somewhere in /proc/ for example

the answers for all of the above is positive. actually, i believe that there is other DVB-S2 hardware supported in Linux that reports "dBm", etc. we added such advanced signal statistics due to request from some of our customers using TBS hardware in some specialized systems like the one you're developing.

[jsveiga]

Thank you for your responses!

I'll have to use PCI then - the the mini-itx board I intended to use which has mini-PCIe is currently unavailable from the mfg, so I turned to one with PCI only.

We'll puchase a TBS-8921 for the prototype (it looks like the 8920 is taller, and I only have 2 rack units ~85mm available for the motherboard and the card).

(you'll probably see me again here when we get the card...)

Best regards!

Joao S Veiga

[jsveiga]

It seems the TBS-8921 is not available yet. Is there a forecast for its release?

A TBS-8920 + right angle PCI riser would do, but if it's going to be replaced by the 8921 soon, we could wait.

Thanks again,

Joao S Veiga

[cody]

Joao, as far as i know TBS 8921 is going to be released at the end of this week or at the beginning of the next week.

[jsveiga]

That's great news, and the timing could not be better. I'll keep an eye on the TBS website!

Thank you again!

Joao