[mythtv-users] Unicable problems

[Klaas de Waal]

On Sun, 29 May 2022 at 12:34, Piotr Oniszczuk <piotr.oniszczuk at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
>
> > Wiadomość napisana przez Matthias Thyroff <matthias at thyroff.net> w dniu
> 28.05.2022, o godz. 21:09:
> >
> > Am 28.05.22 um 16:24 schrieb Piotr Oniszczuk:
> >> Klaas, Matthias,
> >>
> >> I have unicable system @my home working perfectly last 6 years (4
> tuners, 35-50 recordings per day; usually 3..8 concurrent recordings tested
> 16 w/o any problems; months without failed recording)
> >>
> >> IIRC unicable setup is very simple:
> >>
> >> in mythtv-setup
> >> 1. select "2. capture cards"
> >> 2. select "new capture card" then press Enter
> >> 3. go by arrow keys to "New Capture Card"
> >> 4. press right arrow
> >> 5. select DVB-T/S/C...., press enter
> >> 6. press right arrow
> >> 7. go down by arrow keys to "DiSEqC...", press right arrow
> >> 8. in Device type select "Unicable", press enter
> >> 9. press right arrow, you should see "Unicable configuration"
> >> 10. press right arrow to enter Unicable config
> >> 11. set "Userband" to 0 (for your first tuner, 1 for second etc) (*)
> >> 12. set "Frequency" to 1210 for your first tuner (1420 for second, 1680
> for third; 2040 for 4th)
> >> 13. leave "pincode" to -1
> >> 14. "Repeat Count" - start with 3 (**)
> >> 15. Set "Device Type" to LNB
> >> 16. press Esc, then select "save"
> >>
> >> You can repeat steeps 2...15 for rest of yours tuners - but remember
> set appropriate values in steeps: 11 and 12
> >>
> >> (*)
> >> Some unicable vendors are using enumeration starting from 0, some
> others starting from 1
> >> Try first with 0 and if your first tuner will not work ok - try
> starting with 1
> >>
> >>
> >> (**)
> >> Some unicable vendors - for reliable operation - requiring multiple
> resending tune commands to get reliable each userband PLL setting in
> unicable unit at myth tuning time.
> >> This is case i.e. with mine Inverto unicable unit: when myth BE sends
> single tune command - i have 5-10% of failed tunings.
> >> But when I do 3 sends (send + 2 resends) - then failed tunings are
> goinf down to approx 0.01%.
> >> Some time ago - i addeed to mythv capability of resends: when you set
> repeat count in steep 14 to value above 10, myth will enter resending mode
> with N-10 resends. So i.e. setting to 13 will cause 3 sends of tune command
> at tuning stage
> >>
> >> Happy watching!
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>
> > Hi Piotr,
> >
> > that gives me hope! :-)
> >
> > I have done all as you say and man I have a hard time getting it to
> work. I have tried back and forth a million things and times, and still I
> can't rule out (1) failing cards (2) failing antenna (3) failing cables (4)
> failing drivers (5) failing mythtv
> >
> > because it is so inconsistent. When it works, as you say, tuning fails
> frequently especially at the first tune,  but resending 9 or 15 times has
> not done anything, it seems I need to change channel back and forth to get
> a lock.
> >
> > What cards are you using?
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Matthias
> >
> >
>
> Matthias,
>
> Ok - then indeed we have checklist to do:
> (1) failing antenna
> (2) failing cables
> (3) failing cards
> (4) failing drivers
> (5) failing mythtv DVB subsys
> (6) failing LNB unicable implementation
> (7) failing mythtv unicable implementation
>
>
> Without steep-by-steep elimination we will not able to find root case and
> fix.
>
> Lest start with list+order like i'm proposing
>
> (1) failing antena/ (2)failing cables:
> can yo go for test with no Unicable and make sure LNB+dish are positioned
> ok?
> Ideally will be i.e. with borrowed SAT receiver and: tune to SAT channel +
> verify signal strength + S/N are good enough for reliable reception?
> (borrow receiver from friend, neighbourhood, etc)
>
> If above will show you all is ok - the we can go with (3)
> Install on you BE software to watch SAT TV.
> best will be sw. provided by card vendor eventually any well known SAT
> watching software.
> Alternatively You can try with tools scanning SAT transponders:
>
> https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Frequency_scan#Comparison_of_DVB_frequency_scanning_commandline_utilities
> https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Scan
> https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Dvbscan
>
> If above will be ok - we already know: (1)/(2)/(3) are ok.
> If in above test you will use target kernel+target card drivers - then
> steep (4) also can be marked as ok.
>
> So we can go with (5):
> configure mythtv to use standard LNB (no any Unicable) and try tune to
> some FTA channels.
>
> If (5) will go ok - then we can try (7): setup myth to use unicable and
> try.
>
> If it will fail then:
>
> -borrow somewhere SAT receiver capable to do Unicable, configure Unicable
> and verify is it working OK.
>
> If such SAT receiver will work - then out root cause is (7)
> If such SAT receiver will now work - then out root cause is (6)
>
> let me know how it goes for you!
>
>
> I have my setup with a "DUR-line UK 124-3L dCSS - Unicable LNB" working
correctly! I can now make a perfect channel scan with mythtv-setup.
The difference is that I replaced the single tuner DVBSky S950-C card with
a dual tuner DVBSky S952 V3.
At this moment I only use one tuner of the two available; when the new
splitter arrives (special for Unicable, DC coupled and 5-2400MHz) I will
test with both tuners.
For now it looks that the card does make the difference.

Klaas.
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