DVB Reader¶

Overview¶

DVB Reader is a module within mcaster that allows receiving video directly from DVB capture cards. The module supports various DVB standards (DVB-S/S2, DVB-T/T2, DVB-C) and provides reliable reception of FTA (Free-to-Air) channels or descrambled content.

Supported Standards¶

DVB-S/S2 (Satellite Broadcasting)¶

• Frequency range: 950-2150 MHz
• Modulations: QPSK, 8PSK, 16APSK, 32APSK
• Polarization: Horizontal (H) and Vertical (V)
• Symbol rates: 1000-45000 KS/s

DVB-T/T2 (Terrestrial Broadcasting)¶

• Frequency range: 174-862 MHz
• Modulations: QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM, 256QAM
• Bandwidths: 6, 7, 8 MHz
• Modes: 2K, 4K, 8K

DVB-C (Cable Broadcasting)¶

• Frequency range: 47-862 MHz
• Modulations: 16QAM, 32QAM, 64QAM, 128QAM, 256QAM
• Symbol rates: 1000-7000 KS/s

DVB Card Configuration¶

Basic Configuration Structure¶

dvb_card card_name {
    system standard;
    adapter adapter_number;
    frontend frontend_number;
    frequency frequency;
    symbol_rate symbol_rate;
    polarization polarization;
    modulation modulation;
    bandwidth bandwidth;
    plp_stream_id stream_id;
    disabled;
    comment "description";
}

Configuration Parameters¶

DVB-S2 Configuration Example¶

dvb_card a0 {
    system dvbs2;
    adapter 1;
    frontend 3;
    frequency 195028615;
    symbol_rate 29500;
    polarization v;
    modulation qam256;
    bandwidth 5000000;
    plp_stream_id 4;
    comment "13E high vertical";
}

DVB-T2 Configuration Example¶

dvb_card terrestrial {
    system dvbt2;
    adapter 0;
    frontend 0;
    frequency 474000000;
    bandwidth 8000000;
    modulation qam256;
    comment "DVB-T2 multiplex";
}

DVB-C Configuration Example¶

dvb_card cable {
    system dvbc;
    adapter 0;
    frontend 0;
    frequency 474000000;
    symbol_rate 6875;
    modulation qam256;
    comment "Cable network";
}

Stream Configuration¶

Basic Stream¶

stream ort {
  input mpts-dvb://a0?program=15;
}

Stream Parameters¶

Advanced Stream Configuration¶

stream hd_channel {
  input mpts-dvb://a0?program=15;

  transcoder {
    video {
      codec h264;
      bitrate 5000k;
    }
    audio {
      codec aac;
      bitrate 128k;
    }
  }
}

Multiple Streams¶

# Main channel
stream main_channel {
  input mpts-dvb://a0?program=15;
}

# Secondary channel
stream secondary_channel {
  input mpts-dvb://a0?program=16;
}

Supported Capture Cards¶

DVB-S/S2 Cards¶

• TBS — satellite reception card series
• DekTec — professional capture cards
• Hauppauge — home use cards
• TechnoTrend — budget solutions

DVB-T/T2 Cards¶

• Hauppauge — terrestrial reception cards
• PCTV — USB tuners
• AverMedia — digital TV cards

DVB-C Cards¶

• Hauppauge — cable TV cards
• PCTV — cable USB tuners
• TechnoTrend — cable network cards

Troubleshooting¶

Signal Issues¶

No Signal¶

1. Check connection of antenna/cable
2. Ensure correctness of frequency and parameters
3. Check polarization (for DVB-S)
4. Check capture card drivers

Weak Signal¶

1. Check quality of antenna and cables
2. Ensure correctness of antenna direction
3. Check interference from other devices
4. Consider signal amplifier

Poor Quality¶

1. Check modulation settings
2. Ensure correctness of symbol rate
3. Check interference and reflections
4. Optimize antenna placement

Capture Card Issues¶

Card Not Detected¶

1. Check card connection
2. Ensure compatibility with system
3. Check drivers and firmware
4. Check device access permissions

Driver Errors¶

1. Update card drivers
2. Check compatibility with Linux kernel
3. Reboot system
4. Check conflicts with other devices

Diagnostic Commands¶

# Check available DVB devices
ls /dev/dvb/

# Card information
dvbv5-scan -a 0 -f 195028615 -s 29500 -p v -m qam256

# Signal check
dvbv5-zap -a 0 -f 195028615 -s 29500 -p v -m qam256

# Statistics monitoring
cat /proc/dvb/adapter0/frontend0/statistics

Configuration Recommendations¶

Reception Optimization¶

DVB-S/S2¶

• Use quality antenna of appropriate size
• Properly configure polarization and frequency
• Check symbol rate of transponder
• Use quality cables with minimal losses

DVB-T/T2¶

• Check coverage in your region
• Use directional antenna for better reception
• Properly configure bandwidth
• Check multiplex modulation

DVB-C¶

• Ensure compatibility with cable network
• Check symbol rate of provider
• Configure correct modulation
• Check quality of cable connection

Security and Stability¶

• Regularly update drivers of capture cards
• Monitor signal quality in real-time
• Use backup cards for critical channels
• Maintain logs for problem diagnosis

Performance¶

• Optimize settings for specific content
• Use hardware acceleration when possible
• Monitor system load with multiple streams
• Plan redundancy for important channels

Conclusion¶

DVB Reader provides reliable and efficient video reception from DVB capture cards. Support for various DVB standards, flexible configuration, and built-in monitoring make the module an ideal solution for professional broadcasting. Proper parameter configuration and regular signal quality monitoring ensure stable operation in complex reception conditions.