Satellite transponders/frequencies

[milli260876]

You can add more sources

[milli260876]

It scans dvb-t(2) as a separate entity

[holidayboy]

So, I have a follow-up question. I am considering putting my DVB-T2 tuner card (6820) back in to get Freeview channels not on Freesat (Dave, Yesterday etc). I have heard from another forum that TBS say you can operate their T2 and S2 tuners side by side in the PC, and I expect WMC will simply treat these as multiple sources, BUT, would this put me back to square one with garbled S2 channels after the signal setup, or will WMC allow me to ADD the T2 setup data without destroying the S2 setup I have laboured to achieve?

You'll have to go through the whole set up process again I'm afraid (scanning necessary transponders, mapping EPG data and numbering channels etc..), your recording schedule will stay intact though so it's not all bad!

[MGilbert]

Thanks - as I feared...

[MGilbert]

...and presumably each time a Freeview frequency changes I'll need to re-setup the Freesat channels, or does WMC update DVB-T frequencies when you search for more channels?

[Wheeker]

I set up a 6982 last weekend and I had no need for the patch.

I did however need to adjust the frequencies on a few transponders.

There seems to be so something a bit off with the tbs driver as this also happened when I scanned using DVBLink.

Maybe try scanning 10848 and 10849 etc for a laugh.

I'll check the custom .ini file I made for DVBlink.

Hi there, having a similar issue myself with trying to set-up a TBS 6981, can't seem to get BBC 4 HD (or any other channel on the same transponder) working, it finds the channels but says no signal. From King of Sat the transponder frequency is:

• Frequency: 11024
  Symbol Rate: 23000
  Polarisation: H

Did you get anywhere with TBS?

From what are you saying above should I try scanning 11023 & 11025? From your custom .ini file it looks like you didn't have to do this yourself for this transponder.

[holidayboy]

I'd definitely try 11023 as lyngsat shows that, rather than 11024 for the bbc hd channels (which kingofsat shows):

http://www.lyngsat.com/Eutelsat-28A-and ... 2E-2F.html

http://en.kingofsat.net/find.php?questi ... Submit=Zap

[holidayboy]

...and presumably each time a Freeview frequency changes I'll need to re-setup the Freesat channels, or does WMC update DVB-T frequencies when you search for more channels?

You'll find that new DVB-T channels will show up on their own (MC does a background scan on a schedule) - but you'll need to keep checking sources for existing channels etc.

You can scan for more Freeview channels without danger of messing up the Freesat stuff.

DVB-T and DVB-S channels are scanned separately once you've run through TV Setup.

[Wheeker]

I'd definitely try 11023 as lyngsat shows that, rather than 11024 for the bbc hd channels (which kingofsat shows):

http://www.lyngsat.com/Eutelsat-28A-and ... 2E-2F.html

http://en.kingofsat.net/find.php?questi ... Submit=Zap

Still no joy

One thing that has occurred to me is I am installing a TBS 6981 using a PCI to PCI-Express adapter http://eu.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/S ... d~PCI1PEX1, perhaps it's not getting enough power & I need to connect one of the molex connectors supplied with the TBS card, as per the top left in this pic, would that help?.
Alternatively, what else can I do? I am only using WMC 7, tried using the TBS IP Tool, but TBH not too sure how to use it. Would DVB Link or some other software enable me to fine tune frequencies so BBC 4 HD has a signal in WMC7?

[holidayboy]

Dvblink is definitely worth a try.

Do you see full green bars in MC when you input the frequency etc?

Silly idea coming up:

Have you double checked in the edit channels menu to ensure the channels aren't already there but disabled?

[Wheeker]

Thanks Rob, yeah full-green bars. Have double-checked the edit channels menu & even gone through all of the channel names with numbers as their names (you know what I mean!). Last night I even did a MCERecoveryTask (located in Task Scheduler -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Media Centre) to start afresh & then ONLY scanned the transponders I wanted, rather than doing a full scan with the hopelessly outdated WMC datatbase of transponders. Again, BBC 4 HD is showing up but no signal (though interestingly under sources it has 11023 as the frequency). Do you think my theory on additional power to the TBS card could be my issue? Clutching at straws here, wonder if the recent storms have slightly moved my sat dish.......

[holidayboy]

Those are the exact symptoms that I had. Might be worth trying a few different frequencies ranging from 11020 to 11029 for a laugh?
I doubt that it's a power thing but plugging in a molex wouldn't hurt.
A moved dish would affect more than one transponder I think - and full green bars is plenty.

I have a tree that I have to get trimmed now and again- I only get picture breakup when the bars dip into yellow!

[Wheeker]

Hi Rob, as you suggested, I tried scanning frequencies 11020 to 11029, but still no joy. I have also now noticed I have similar problems with:

• Film4/Film4+1 etc: 10174/H/22000
  UTV HD etc: 11053/H/22000

Over the weekend I installed DVBDream & all the channels show up & are viewable without a bother, all transponders showing 90%+ Signal Strength and 80%+ Quality, so I think I can rule out any issue with my sat dish. Unfortunately I don't have any spare power connections in my HTPC case so can't easily test to see if its a power issue (though given the above, I doubt it anyhow).

So, did you get your channels all sorted, just by additionally scanning frequencies either side of the official transponder frequencies? FWIW I have posted on the TBS Forums to see if its a known driver issue (http://www.tbsdtv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=8872).

[milli260876]

Have you used mcl or guidetool? One of those two used to randomly make channels disappear in my set up. I think it was mcl and call sign related but couldn't be 100%...

[Wheeker]

Have you used mcl or guidetool? One of those two used to randomly make channels disappear in my set up. I think it was mcl and call sign related but couldn't be 100%...

Thanks for the reply. I do indeed use MCL & GuideTool, though my issue isn't really with channels disppearing but that the channels are listed ok but when I go to view them I get a "No Signal" message. Is this what you are referring to? Should I uninstall MCL & GuideTool?

Last night I thought I was onto something when I noticed that the MCERecoveryTask I had run reported a "Last Run Report" of "0x80040154" in Task Scheduler. On googling it looked like this is an error. So I then reverted to the Hack7mc method to clear the Guide & Tuner Set Up (http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/09/clearing ... enter.html). However even after resetting MC with this method, on running setup once again I still get no signal on all channels on Transponder 11024/23000/H.

I also tried un/reinstalling the TBS 6981 drivers once again in Safe Mode, but no change. No reply on my TBS Forum thread...

I think I'll give it one last go reinstalling driver/resetting MC/re-runningTV set-up. I could actually live without some HD channels if I can still view SD versions but not being able to get any Film 4 (10174/22000/H) is a deal-breaker really. I'll just have to re-install my PCTV Dual-Sat Pro 4000i, which never gave me any issues at all (just no BBC HD channels as it's DVB-S rather than DVB-S2).

[sorethumbs]

I have the same kit as you (TBS6981 and an older PCTV 4000i). I think your best bet is to run a setup with the 4000i and see what you get, obviously won't get the HD channels you were after but if it confirms Film 4 is all ok then you can at least discard the satellite signal/dish issue and narrow it down to either a dodgy card or maybe its caused by that pci adapter you have.

Is the card new and under warranty? Can someone else test if on another pc?

What is your location? If it turns out you are down the road from me i'll test it for you!!

[Wheeker]

Thanks. I had the 4000i installed before I installed the TBS6981 & it got Film 4 no bother (+ ITV HD, UTV HD & Channel 4 HD). I think I can discard the satellite signal/dish issue as ALL channels work fine in both TBS Viewer & DVBDream, reporting strong signal & good quality.

I got the TBS6981 2nd hand & doesn't owe me a lot, so could easily stick it on eBay, they seem to still sell well.

I think you're right, the elephant in the corner is the fact that I am using a PCI->PCI-Express Adapter, maybe this is what is causing the issues..... just stubbornly holding out for a resolution..... one last thing I might try is turning WMC off & on again ( )in Windows Features, as this seems to be another way to reset WMC.

[Wheeker]

Just to update that I'm not much further on. Here's a summary of what I've tried to-date:

I got a cable like http://m0.dmlimg.com/N2EyNjg2ZjU3YzMwMW ... pwZ3w=.jpg & manged to hook-up one of the molex connectors on the TBS supplied power cable. Bingo- for the first time I got a signal on the previous "No Signal" channels ...... for a while.... then the "No signal" message came back..... then I tried a restart & then no channels worked

Even more confusingly, I then discovered that all channels work fine in other software (DVB Dream & TBS Viewer), that channels could be recorded fine but reported "No Signal" in Live TV & that when in "Edit Channels" the "show preview" displayed all channels fine!

I was convinced that I must have a corrupt MC TV Set-up, so I tried a MCERecoveryTask, which reported a "Last Run Report" error of "0x80040154" in Task Scheduler. So then I tried the Hack7mc method to clear the Guide & Tuner Set Up. Then I tried turning WMC off & on again under Windows Features. None of these attempts have produced solid TV.

My last thought is to go back to the power issue- perhaps all 3 of the molex connectors on the TBS power cable need to be connected? Perhaps the pci to pci-e convertor is not passing through enough power? But don't really want to buy/connect up another 2 of the cables I bought, maybe just use one of http://i.ebayimg.com/t/4-Pin-Molex-to-6 ... ~60_12.JPG instead of the TBS power cable? Maybe the card itself is faulty? Hmmmm.....

However, needless to say the WAF is now through the floor, so I may have to just admit defeat & go back to my PCI DVB-S card.....

[holidayboy]

Any other machines you could try the card in maybe?

[Wheeker]

Sorry to drag up an old thread. Just wondering if anyone has any idea as to what's going on here. I decided to take another attempt at installing the TBS 6981 DVB-S2 card again, as TBH I wasn't 100% sure I had properly uninstalled my previous PCTV Dual Sat Pro 4000i at the last attempt. So went through the installation very carefully this time. However - same again BBC 4 HD is found but reports No Signal. Tried scanning 11023 & 11024- no joy. However, interestingly when I enter the Single Transponder Scan details the polarization switches about between Horizontal/Vertical as usual but also randomly Left/Right!

Would this be anything to do with the LNB Type I select at Set-up? I always assumed I should select Universal (recommended), but perhaps I should be selecting Custom Single Oscillator or Custom Dual Osciallator? I just have a plain Quad LNB, not really sure of the spec TBH.

As an aside- I decided to install MediaPortal just to check it out- pretty impressed. Also all channels work absolutely fine (incl BBC 4 HD) with the TBS 6981. Now thinking about switching from WMC to MediaPortal due to my hassles above, though there does seem to be a lot of set-up involved.....