Good News,Open source code for TBS Card has been released

[crazycat]

don't work or not compiled ? now i also check with 4.4.0-75 and serial-ir compiled

[Paust55]

The compilition runs through and my TBS card TBS6205 works with the driver (with some other issues, see below), but the "serial_ir" doesn't work.

At this point:
The reason for me to test the actual driver is that I have some problems with the older version of the new open source driver by using DVB-C with the TBS6205. I will describe my problems and I hope you understand me (my first language is german )

In the past I used DVB-S2 to receive my TV-stations without any problems.
Now I live in a new flat and I can only use DVB-C or DVB-T2. With DVB-T2 I have no problems but the number of TV-stations is very low (only 17 TV-stations).

For this reason I want to use DVB-C and with DVB-C I have 2 critical problems:
1.
After start my Linux VDR (with the new open source driver) I can receive all TV-stations. After approximatly 15 minutes I've got some picture errors up to a black screen at some different TV-stations (e.g. TV-stations by 434MHz, 458MHz). So I switched to the next TV-station and the receiving is good. I switched back to the previous channel and I get no receiving! The only solution is to reboot my linux VDR.

The same hardware and software with Linux-VDR and the only difference is using the "old closed source" linux-tbs-driver _v170330 frome here:
https://www.tbsiptv.com/index.php?route=product/download/drivers&id=9
In this case I have no problems, the receiving is over many hours good with every TV-station and without errors.

So I think the issue is located in the new open source driver and this is the reason for me to test the actually drivers.
But my tests shows the same receiving problems with the actually driver from today! So I think this is a general issue of the new open source driver!

2.
An other issue by receiving DVB-C with the new open source driver:
When I switch with the femon-plugin in VDR between the 4 tuners at the same received TV-station, then I've got often receiving problems. The receiving with tuner 1 is good and when I switch from tuner 1 to tuner 2 or 3 or 4 the receiving is broken.

For these 2 receiving issues the new open source driver don't work good by using DVB-C.
For my opinion at the moment you have to use the old tbs-driver if you want receiving DVB-C. But the old driver has an other issue: You can only use DVB-C or DVB-T , but not both with the same driver compilation!

Paul
PS: I hope you could understand me!

[Paust55]

.
Additional comment:
My TBS6205 will be very hot at the IC for tuner (Si2157-30) and demodulator (Si2168-B40).
My HTPC case is not to small, but next to the TBS6205 is my passive Nvidia GT630 grafic card and the TBS6981.
The Nvidia GT630 and also the TBS6981 are not so hot like the TBS6205! I have also for testing switched the PCIe ports for TBS6205 and TBS6981 without any changes!
The measured temperature at the surface of the ICs is over 80°C after 5 minutes working time!

Is this normal or not?
For my opinion is it to hot for an IC to work good over a long time!

to Pt. 2.
When I used DVB-T2 there is no issue by using all 4 tuners and I can switch between the tuners with vdr-plugin-femon without any errors!
That's only by using DVB-C!

Paul

[steven]

Hi Paust55

For 6205 the tuner is hoter than others tuner , so need to have good heat dissipation, please have a try
using an FAN to cool

Thanks

kind Regards

steven

[Paust55]

.
@steven,

I've looked in the datasheet for the used tuner and demodulator ICs and found that these ICs have a relative high power consumption level for this small ICs.
The tuner Si2157 has app. 0.5W power consumption and the demodulator Si2168 has app. 0.2W by DVB-C and 0.4W by DVB-T2.
I think that is the reason for the high temperature, but it isn't the reason for the receiving errors by DVB-C compared to DVB-T2. See my experience with the 2 different tbs-drivers.

In the meantime I have placed a 60mm fan at my passive Nvidia grafic card and this fan also supported a little bit the TBS6205. Additionally I will look for a small heat sink to glue it on the tuner and demodulator ICs to get lower temperatures.

Paul

[Paust55]

.
@crazycat,

I've got some new results with the "new open source driver" and I think my receiving errors are not only an issue of the driver!
It seems as if that will be an issue with my used parameters in my VDR channels.conf and/or the new open source driver!

I've tested today some things and I found that my receiving issue with DVB-C is only by receiving HDTV channels.
With SDTV channels I've got no problems! The receiving is over a long time good and also I can switch between the 4 tuners of the TBS6205 without any errors.

I think this is an issue with some receiving parameters in my VDR "channels.conf" and not only an issue with the open source driver!
I will look and test to get a stabil receiving also with HDTC channels. If I get no good results with receiving HDTV channels I will report this here in the next days.


Please look at first to the issue with "serial_ir", than this issue is for me a "no go" to use this driver version in my HTPC.

Paul

[crazycat]

More important DVB-C modulation 64QAM or 256QAM . Please provide more info about DVB-C muxes and signal statistic (Signal strength, SNR).

[Paust55]

.
@crazycat,
I've made some tests with my TBS6205 and I found out that only channels with QAM256 have an receiving issue!
All channels/transponders with QAM64 have no issues or errors!
I changed some receiving parameters in my VDR channels.conf without any success and I get only errors with channels/transponders that uses QAM256!

And this regards to both drivers, to the "old closed source" and also to the "new open source" driver! My old statement, that the "old closed source" driver will be better isn't correct. Both drivers have an issue with QAM256 channels/transponders.

With QAM64 channels I havn't any errors and I can switch between Tuner 1 to 4 without any errors or receiving issues.
With QAM256 channels and I switch between the 4 tuners I get very often a receiving error with black screen. In this case SNR will be decrease from 70% to 50% or to 0% and the value for BER will be > 0000 and sometimes UNC get to ffff and the tuner loose the LOCK.

An other issue is, when I receive a QAM256 channel over a long time then I get sometimes picture erros up to a black screen. This is not always, but sometimes!

The value of STR/SNR read over the vdr-plugin-femon is the same over all transponders QAM64 and also QAM256.
Over all channels with the "new open source driver" the value is approx. STR = 50% and SNR = 70%, independet therefore this channel is with QAM64 or QAM256.

To check my hardware, my cable provider and my HTPC I have built in 2 pieces of DVB-USB-Sticks "MyGica T230" in my HTPC! I used this DVB-USB-Sticks in the past for DVB-T/T2, but for DVB-C I need more than 2 tuners and this was the reason to buy a TBS6205!
With these 2 DVB-USB-Sticks, built in my HTPC (instead of the TBS6205) I havn't had any issues or errors! I can receive channels with QAM64 and/or QAM256, I can switch between both tuners without any issues! These DVB-USB-Sticks works without any receiving problems! And for this reason I think there is a failure in the TBS DVB-C driver!

I think there is an issue with both TBS drivers for DVB-C by channels/transponders with QAM256!

If you need more information, let me know it.
Paul

[crazycat]

T230 have same Si2168 demod.
What STR/SNR with this USB sticks on same DVB-C muxes ?

[Paust55]

@crazycat,
the "MyGica T230" has for all channels (QAM64 or QAM256) approx. a STR = 70% and a SNR = 70%.
And with the "TBS6205" I get over all channels approx. a STR = 55% and a SNR = 70%.

I don't know if we can directly compare these values, but at the other side, I haven't any issues with QAM64 only with QAM256 with TBS6205!
With "MyGica T230" I haven't any errors or issues!

FYI I've checked the built in tuner and demodulator ICs:
Mygica T230: Tuner = Si 2158-A20 Demodulator = Si 2168-B40
TBS 6205 : Tuner = Si 2157-A30 Demodulator = Si 2168-B40

Paul