New to DVB-S PCI Cards? Start right here!

[grynner]

c&p from anoter site,thanks goes to Crazycnuk





New to DVB-S PCI Cards? Start right here!



Compliments of wag...

Here are a few FAQs about DVB-S (the S stands for satellite) PCI cards, DVB-S set top receivers, FTA (free-to-air) & other satellite programming, satellite dishes, LNBs, Diseqc switches, and Horizon-to-Horizon motor systems.

A DVB-S PCI card is a complete satellite receiver built onto a PCI card that you can install in an open PCI slot in your computer. They do work and they work quite well once you get the software set up properly. The currently available software is still in it's developmental stages and is a little crude in some ways. Also, at this point the available software is not very intuitive and the setup is not at all self-explanatory, but things are improving rapidly. A plus is that most of the available software is freeware, but as such, none of them are very well documented. Also be advised that at this point, a computer/Windows/DVB-S card setup does not perfectly emulate the functions of an IRD.
Inexperienced computer/software users should stay away from DVB-S PCI cards. DBV-S cards are more useful to the satellite hobbiest/tester than the casual free TV viewer. Anyone interested in DVB-S PCI cards needs to do a lot of reading and should include the "DVBn forums" at //http://www.dvbn.net/ in their research. People who don't like to read should also stay away from DVB-S cards.

DVB-S satellite PCI cards fall into two basic categories;

SS1 (or hardware) type cards (SkyStar-1 & Nexus-S...currently $170 to $290US) which HAS a built-in high quality TV video output, an audio output, and on-board hardware MPEG2 decompression (so you will NOT need a TV output on your computer's video card or even a sound card in your computer).
CPU usage is very low with the SS1 so it only requires a minimum 400mhz computer but you must have a minimum 250 watt p/s because the DVB-S PCI cards use a lot of power (so this eliminates a lot of old PII Dells, H.P.s, IBMs, and Compaqs because many of them came with only a 150 watt p/s). Other requirements include an 8mb video card with DX/DD capability and at least 128mb of memory. SS1 type cards are the easiest to set up and get working properly and output a high quality picture but they are more expensive to purchase.

and...

SS2 (or software) type cards (SkyStar-2, VP(or TH)-1020(a), VP(or TH)-1030(a), Nova, & others...currently $80 to $165US) which DOES NOT have an on-board TV Video Output or an audio output and uses the computer's CPU for software MPEG2 decompression. The SS2 requires that your computer have a 32mb or better video card that has a TV video output and DX8.1/DD capability, and you will also need a sound card. The SS2 also requires a minimum 1000mhz computer because of the CPU's software MPEG2 decompression but experienced users recommend a 1.3ghz or above (a 3ghz Athlon XP or better will be required for HDTV reception, there are currently some issues with the P4's hyper-threading). I also recommend a minimum 350 watt p/s, 256mb of memory, and a video card that has an on-board hardware MPEG2 decoder chip (reduces the CPU load) and a high quality TV video output decoder (most video cards with TV outputs are not so good in this area). The video output quality with the SS2 is completely dependent on the video card itself, not the DVB-S card. HDTV setups will require an HDTV output capable video card or expensive HDTV decoder card. SS2 type cards are cheaper to purchase but a lot harder to set up and get working properly. Also keep in mind that this lower cost is offset by the higher computer requirements and the associated higher cost.

A word of advice, purchase the remote control when you buy a Skystar-1 or Skystar-2. Other manufacturers include the remote with their DVB-S cards.

D*sh HDTV will require a different type of software DVB-S card altogether, an 8PSK type card. The 8PSK cards are not yet available for sale.

One BIG advantage to running a DVB-S/computer setup is that you can record with it and schedule the recordings (like TIVO). You are only limited by the size of your hard drive as to how much time you can record, figure roughly 1gb per hour of recording time. The files saved are the unadulterated (but decrypted) digital data stream as it comes off of the satellite and unlike TIVO you can burn your own DVDs, SVCDs, or VCDs using these files. Since not all MPEG2/PVA files are created equal, you will need to convert the file into either a DVD compliant form (with a program like DVD Patcher) or SVCD/VCD compliant form (with a program like TMPGEnc Plus) before burning them to a disk.

Most traditional DVB-S set top receivers will only receive the FTA satellite channels, not D*sh or B*V, because most of these boxes are not capable of decrypting the encrypted data stream. I don't know how the new pre-hacked set top boxes like the BlackBird will work out in the long run because the decryption software that it is using is programmed into the box's firmware, boxes like this could soon become a major headache to keep running (if not completely unusable for some people). It is also rumored that the code that is being used in these boxes could be easily ECM'd (Update; this already has happened). There are also a couple of other cheaper set top DVB-S boxes available (Fortec Lifetime, Pansat) that have recently been hacked for D*sh, but you will have to reprogram the firmware in these boxes yourself and they have the same drawbacks as the BlackBird as well as a few other drawbacks of their own. Also, you need to keep in mind that you are leaving yourself wide open for potential legal action by D*sh/B*V if you purchase a pre-hacked set top receiver like the Blackbird and the selling dealer gets busted, just like what has been happening with D*V.
I personally recommend that you save your money and invest instead in a DVB-S PCI card/computer setup. They are 100% legal to purchase and you will be much better off in the long run.

BTW, There are two other kinds of DVB PCI cards and set top receivers, DVB-T (terrestrial) and DVB-C (cable). These are not used for satellite reception.

For fixed dish DVB-S setups you will need either a 2-into-1 or 4-into-1 Diseqc switch to access multiple satellites using multiple fixed dishes and/or LNBs, this switch is what you use to tie the multiple LNB's together.
To receive D*sh/B*V with a DVB-S PCI card or set top receiver, for most satellites and locations you can use any D*V (except the oval HDTV dish), B*V, D*shNet 300, or compatible satellite dish and single or dual LNB. You can also use a D*shNet 500 dish if you use two early style legacy separate LNBs (the two individual LNBs that use an external switch, not the type with two LNBs built into the same housing with an internal switch, SW21 switches are not compatable with DVB-S).
To receive FTA (free-to-air) satellites and channels, in many cases you can use these same satellite dishes themselves, but you will need to use a different type of LNB, a linear polarization type LNB. D*sh/B*V/D*V use a circular polarization type LNB.
Also, depending on where you live, you may need a larger 24" (60cm) dish to get a good enough signal. You may need an even larger 36" (90cm) dish to receive some FTA satellites because a few satellites use lower power transponders or because you may be living on the fringe of a particular satellite's signal footprint.

The motorized dish systems (Horizon-to-Horizon or H-H motors) are much more complicated to set up (hardware and software), more expensive, can freeze up in cold weather, need regular maintenance, and are more aggravating to use (slow) when switching from one satellite to another while channel surfing. The big plus is that you can pick up all of the satellites with one single dish, but you will still need different type LNBs for FTA (linear) and D*sh/B*V (circular). I suspect that an inventive individual could figure out a way to mount a couple of different type LNBs to a single feed arm on a larger dish to solve this problem. Also, the H-H motor system will need to be Diseq compatible (most large C-band dishes did not use this type of motor system). I definitely recommend that you use a Diseqc H-H motor system if you will be using a 36" (90cm) dish with FTA because the FTA channels are spread accross a number of different satellites.

There are many FTA (free-to-air) channels available on the various satellites that are free, not encrypted, and 100% legal to view. You can find information on all of the available satellites and channels here; //http://www.lyngsat.com/. Also, at this point you can decrypt D*sh and B*V wide open with a DVB-S card using the appropriate software (and D*sh with a couple of the set top receivers) without the need for an access card, and, you never have to worry about ECMs. But, keep one VERY important thing in mind, B*V and D*sh are pay satellite services, not "Free-To-Air", it is illegal to decrypt their programming! Having said that, you need to know that another fly in the ointment with D*sh and B*V is that when the card swaps that are currently underway are completed, you will loose the encrypted channels until the new encryption scheme is hacked, if ever. The new encryption is Nagra2 and has been in use in other parts of the world since last summer. It is already being worked on but it has not as yet been hacked and you need to be prepared for the possibility that it might never be. The best part about owning a DVB-S setup is that you will always have the FTA channels to watch so you will never be without satellite TV again!
DVB-S cards and set top boxes will NOT work with D*V, D*V is not DVB standard compliant.

For DVB-S PCI card/computer setups there are several different programs available to control the DVB-S card, programming, recording/scheduling, satellites/channels/LNBs, Diseqc switches and H-H dish motors, etc. Most are freeware, some work better than others, and some are easier to use than others. Some of these programs do not support all of the different DVB-S PCI cards and some are OS dependent. All of the different DVB-S PCI cards will pick up all of the satellites and programming, your choice of which DBV-S PCI card to purchase will be partially dependent on which program you decide to use but will be much more dependent on the computer you will be using it in.
For B*V/D*sh, decryption is done through a software plugin call Yankse (no cam needed), all the different programs use this plugin. A DVB-S card can't be updated or ECM'd but it is possible for the provider to change the encryption scheme so that Yankse doesn't work. If this happens Yankse will probably be fixed pretty quickly and it is an easy matter to update a software plugin on a computer. I think that you will soon see B*V and/or D*sh try to do this sort of thing to try and take down the BlackBird and other set top receivers (Update; this has already happened). The only other thing that will occur from time to time is a key change, another software plugin called Fenrir will autoroll the keys for you when this occurs (but you can also enter the keys manually). Both of these plugins are charityware but free to use.