dvb-t TV tuner as a SDR radio - interesting

[VK3BQ]

http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr

cheap wide band SDR..

rtl-sdr
DVB-T sticks based on the Realtek RTL2832U can be used as a cheap SDR, since the chip allows transferring the raw I/Q samples to the host, which is officially used for DAB/DAB+/FM demodulation. The possibility of this has been discovered by the V4L/DVB kernel developer Antti Palosaari.

Specifications

The RTL2832U outputs 8-bit I/Q-samples, and the highest theoretically possible sample-rate is 3.2 MS/s, however, the highest sample-rate without lost samples that has been tested so far is 2.8 MS/s. The frequency range is highly dependent of the used tuner, sticks that use the Elonics E4000 offer the best range (64 - 1700 MHz).

Supported Hardware

So far, the following devices are supported:

ezcap EzTV668 USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM stick (Elonics E4000 tuner) (sources: AliExpress, Dealextreme)
Terratec NOXON DAB/DAB+ USB-Stick (Fitipower FC0013 tuner)
Other sticks based on the RTL2832U might be added in the future as well.

[VK3DXE]

Looks interesting. I've been thinking about utilising one of these for this kind of thing. Time to hit Google.....

[VK6ADF]

Thats basically what the Funcube Dongle is as its specification is 64MHz to 1700MHz.

[VK5MLB]

I have been playing around with a Hama Nano DVB USB stick for a couple of days now. It uses the standard RTL 2832 chip and cost me abou $25 from an overseas EBay seller.

I am still learning the tricks to using it with HDSDR as it sometimes locks up and requires reloading the device but that only takes a couple of seconds to do, and after a short while you work out ways to avoid this.

From what I have seen so far I am very impressed, for a $20 device this thing is fantastic. It works out of the box between 64mhz and about 1.8ghz, and can monitor 3.2mhz of bandwidth at a time. So far I've just used it for poking around the bands and looking at what is out there, it is amazing seeing all this stuff going on that you didn't realise was there, you can even record 1mhz of the band using HDSDR and play it back later for further analysis which is very cool.

I've never used an SDR before, and I had this thing up and running in about ten minutes, and there is now lots and lots of info starting to appear about these things on the net, the next step for me is to start to play around with GNU Radio, then we can have a crack at some of these digital modes (P25, Tetra etc).

If you are even remotely interested in this sort of thing grab one now, the price of them is already starting to go up as the sellers can see a new untapped market starting to emerge.

[VK2EM]

If you use one of these in spectrum mode, and connect the output of an Universal LNB to the input, you will have a cheap 10GHz spectrum analyser.

I modded an LNB by removing the Ku band filter, cutting the power track from the 'F' connector and feeding the LNB with an external +12V.

With 60dB of gain, LNB's are sensitive enough to pick up LO or low level Tx signals, or even mixing products, just by waving the aperture around inside a 10GHz transverter.

The output of some of the LNB's is in the range of 950-1400MHz, but some are more. The Sharp Ku-LNBF outputs in the range of 1000-2050MHz, and they are a linear downconverter.

It may not be absolutely accurate, but if you know basic frequencies, like where your LO should be, then all other frequencies will be relative to that, regardless if the LNB LO is on frequency or not.

This makes a cheap spectrum analyser for tuning up pipecap, waveguide or stripline filters. I have used this method for (re)tuning LNB's for 10368GHZ, for use as preamplifiers, or Tx driver amplifiers.

I also have a modified 'C' band LNB with a LO on 5150MHz, which I removed the stripline filter, and used it for tuning multipliers for 3400 and 5760MHz bands.

If anyone is interested in modifying LNB's, or cheap Spectrum Analysers, send me an email.

73
Bruce VK2EM

[VK5ZD]

Hi

Has anyone managed to get one of these working http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/140742741545 ?
Works fine as a TV, but I can't get it to work with HDSDR / ExtIO.
Tried RTL vid=0x0bda pid=0x2832 in the Device Hint but just get an error message (Failed to create device: RTL vid=0x0bda pid=0x2832, Could not find a compatible device.)
The vid/pid are correct. The device uses the RTL2832U/E4000 chipset.

73
Iain

[VK5ZD]

That one should work, looks my 2. Crack it open and check that those are the chips in it.
If all looks good remove all the drivers that it installed for TV. Then run VK2FUNK's installer, Zadig will install the driver for you and you should be away.
All you need in the "Device Hint" 1st up "RTL" just to make sure it's working. After your happy you can play with the other options in Device hint like mine is "RTL Tuner=E4K xtalfreq=28800480"

No joy...

The tuner chip is definitely an E4000 but I can't read the part number on the other chip even under magnification (fuzzy blue printing).
However, it does have a Realtek logo and appears in the Windows device manager list as RTL2832U with vid=0bda and pid=2832.
I installed the driver using Zadig.

When I run rtl_test.exe (from http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr ) it reports:
Found 1 device(s):
0: Generic RTL2832U (e.g. hama nano)

Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U (e.g. hama nano)
usb_open error -12
Failed to open rtlsdr device #0.

Iain

[VK6XLR]

Has anyone managed to get one of these working http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/140742741545 ?
Works fine as a TV, but I can't get it to work with HDSDR / ExtIO.
Tried RTL vid=0x0bda pid=0x2832 in the Device Hint but just get an error message (Failed to create device: RTL vid=0x0bda pid=0x2832, Could not find a compatible device.)

I bought the same unit and initially had the same problem. After a few re-installs etc, I got it to work.
However, being over 400km away from home and not in front of my main PC at the moment, I can't remember exactly how I got it to run. In the end, I do recall it was something simple.
I'll be home on the weekend so I'll have a look then.

73,

[VK5ZD]

What does "Device Manager" report? It should show a "Bulk Interface 0" under "Libsub (WinUSB) devices" after Zadig has done it's thing.

I'm using Windows XP SP3. The device shows as RTL2832U.

Iain

[VK5ZD]

Hi

I've discovered it works when I select the WinUSB driver in Zadig.
I previously used libusb0 because the web site said it was more stable
However, it still shows as RTL2832U in the device manager.

Iain

[VK4TJ]

What did you get for VID & PID, Iain? Zadig isn't finding/doing anything in my case.
Thanks!
John VK4TJ

[VK2JDS]

with the gain setting to maximum mine is giving similar results on receive to a icq7a sitting on the windowsill where the antenna for the hdsdr unit is. thats on 78 MHz..
it really needs a good discone and a wideband preamp , but works well as is even with the little antenna its supplied with. mine is one of the white cased RTl2832 devices off one of the ebay links. while the software was a bit fiddly to install first time its working fine , just dont install the dvbt software it comes with

clicking on the audio streams you can see on the waterfall its playing ok in the speakers on the laptop here, good audio. to make the squelch work you just click into the S meter display and a red line appears to show you the mute level. clicking on the level when there is no signal will mute the rx at that level
73 from Dave vk2jds

[MM0KJG]

Hello there.
Could someone on this board be so kind to to give me complete details on how to install the ezcap dvbt tuner as an sdr on a windows 7 machine or xp please. What software and drivers required. Its on its way from China now so want to be able to play as soon as it arrives.


Cheers 73's Kev De MM0KJG

[MM0KJG]

Thanks will re-read topic. I had got in to my head for some reason that the topic was about linux


Cheers Kev

[VK4CRO]

Hi All , I took a punt and ordered a dongle from HK $12 posted
Receives from 48-865 mhz
Cheap to play with - will post progress when received
ciao Ron

[VK4CRO]

hi Matt , Colin vk4mil is back from china next week so we will have a play
would be nice to see if it works at 50 mhz -- 8 el yagi here
ciao Ron

[VK4CDI]

Got my hardware today, tried to get VK2FUNK EXTIO software, but website down.....
Anywhere else I can get it?

Cheers
Phil VK4CDI

[VK3ALB]

Got my hardware today, tried to get VK2FUNK EXTIO software, but website down.....
Anywhere else I can get it?

Cheers
Phil VK4CDI

I opened this site without issue. http://wiki.spench.net/wiki/USRP_Interf ... on_history

[VK4CDI]

Tnx, working now, very odd........

[VK4APN]

Tnx, working now, very odd........

If you cant get the HDSDR version working - try this http://rtlsdr.org/softwarewindows
It is not as finessed as HDSDR but works well. Follow install instructions exactly.
Paul vk4apn