SDR via a TV tuner dongel

[VK5PJ]

Hello,
following on from the ADS-B on a TV tuner dongle, I have taken the next logical step and used the TV tuner as part of an SDR receiver. As I already had the hardware connected and the software driver installed, it was just a case of finding a software package. My first port of call was SDR# (SDR sharp) which is where the ADS-B decoder software came from. [all written in Microsoft's C-sharp language]

On his web page you can either down load the packages your self and fumble through getting it to go (I tried and failed) or using a script from one of the WIKI sites that does it ALL for you (works like a treat)

The parent web site where it all starts is here: http://sdrsharp.com/ and is worth a look to see what he has on offer.

Community web site about using the RTL series of TV tuners is here: [url]http://rtlsdr.org Help on installing SDR# is here: [url ... arewindows

In this doco it refers you back to a ZIP file on the main site http://sdrsharp.com/downloads/sdr-install.zip, this ZIP contains a small batch file and two utilities which do all the hard work for you. (worked first time for me, when my earlier attempts all failed)

Automated Installer
Download sdr-install.zip and unzip it. Double click on the install.bat file in the newly created sdr-install directory to have the script download everything you need including Zadig.

Once the script has completed it will have downloaded the latest SDR#, the latest RTL driver from Osmocom (and enabled use of RTL-USB) and Zadig and put them in a new sdrsharp directory.

If you haven't already run Zadig to set up your RTLSDR dongle for use with SDR# for the first time follow the Zadig instructions above (skipping the step to download Zadig) to configure the correct USB driver.

Once the the WinUSB driver is installed you are ready to run SDR# with the RTL-SDR/USB input device.

While some of the concepts in the package take a few moments to get to terms with, a bit of old fashioned "fiddling to see what I can break" soon showed that it is a quite capable software package and worthy of more time.

If others have suggestions on other software packages that might work with the TV tuner, I would be happy to hear from you.

In a nutshell, I have not had this much fun in one week for ages, thankyou to Silicon Chip magazine for publishing the series on using these USB TV tuners.

Regards,
Peter Sumner, vk5pj

[VK4MIL]

Hello Peter

Yes they are great fun have a look at http://sdrnuke.wces.net/

Cheers VK4MIL Colin

[VK3BQ]

My $11 rtl USB HDTV stick from eBay seller below

http://bit.ly/15Nn4V8

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewi ... 0456993331

Arrived in 8 days from honkers.

Next to do the above!!

[VK2ZQ]

Been playing with one of these dongles for about 6 months great little toy.
If you get a stick that has the T803 chip it will tune down to about 22mhz
I use mine now for the sole purpose of monitoring 6m beacons
Setup is Dongle to rx preamp to ant switch to 6m ant
Best software I have found is SDR Console V2 by Simon Brown (from HRD fame)
http://v2.sdr-radio.com/


Mike VK2ZQ

[VK2TS]

Been playing with one of these dongles for about 6 months great little toy.
If you get a stick that has the T803 chip it will tune down to about 22mhz
I use mine now for the sole purpose of monitoring 6m beacons
Setup is Dongle to rx preamp to ant switch to 6m ant
Best software I have found is SDR Console V2 by Simon Brown (from HRD fame)
http://v2.sdr-radio.com/


Mike VK2ZQ

So whats it like compared to the FT2000 mate

[VK5PJ]

Mike, any hints on how to get SDR-radio.com's software to work with a TV dongle, nothing I try seems to give me an option to select a USB device. It looks pretty but is not cooperating.... have tried to follow his instructions but they all seem to relate to a much older version.

Peter.

Been playing with one of these dongles for about 6 months great little toy.
If you get a stick that has the T803 chip it will tune down to about 22mhz
I use mine now for the sole purpose of monitoring 6m beacons
Setup is Dongle to rx preamp to ant switch to 6m ant
Best software I have found is SDR Console V2 by Simon Brown (from HRD fame)
http://v2.sdr-radio.com/
Mike VK2ZQ

[VK2ZQ]

Peter,I had on problem with it,make sure you are using V2 as V1.5 does not support the dongle.
Did you download the 3 add-on DLL files and paste them into the program
There is a pdf file in the program if you have not seen it.
Open program click radio button
In select radio box click Definitions
In Radio definitions box go down the list and select RTL SDR (USB)
This should put the dongle into the select radio box with a green tick in front of it
then click start in the select radio box and it will start

I was using SDR Sharp so I know the Zadig driver was ok, I then did the above steps and it worked.
maybe just lucky hi hi.

Every time you run the program you have to click Radio and click Start from within the Select Radio Box

Hope this is of some help

Mike

[VK5PJ]

Hi Mike,
that was my error, I grabbed v1.5 as I did not realise that RTL support only started with V2.

Peter,I had on problem with it,make sure you are using V2 as V1.5 does not support the dongle.
Hope this is of some help
Mike

I am really surprised how sensitive it is, happily hearing the Mt Lofty beacon here on 144.450 (usually about S5 on the main radio with a yagi)

Regards,
Peter

[VK2ZQ]

Good to see you got it going Peter.
Have fun with it.
Mike

[VK3BQ]

had a chance to play with the HDSDR mac version last night with my tuner.

details at my blog http://www.vk3bq.com/2013/08/14/tv-tuner-sdr-on-a-mac/

[VK2KPK]

Any Linux users successfully using this dongle? If so details please.

[VK3BQ]

The Linux package is recompiled for bsd/mac. Should be no issues.

I had a play with some ADS-B software on the weekend. And could rx using this USB stick.

[VK5IR]

Expecting my stick to arrive sometime this week.

One question though, once I have it setup and working as an SDR, can I still use it to watch TV when not being used as a radio?

[VK3BQ]

yep, only a SDR when the software is taking over the USB port, when software is stopped, its a tv tuner dongle.

[VK2CSW]

Ok, so a happy co-incidence.

I thought I would give this a go. Might even learn something

So I ordered a tuner dongle from the eBay store mentioned above.

Same day I got called into a planning meeting at work and was given a Rasberry Pi with the instructions to learn a bit about it as we may be going to trial them (or something similar) as controllers for some non-critical gear and displays.

Which leads me to the logical questions about Pi's, SDR and Dongles.

Has it been done and does anyone have any pointers or URL's where I might find some rtl compatible SDR software compiled for Pi?

I've done a bit of searching and it was all a bit circular...

[VK5IR]

yep, only a SDR when the software is taking over the USB port, when software is stopped, its a tv tuner dongle.

I tried to watch TV through Windows Media Center after closing SDR # but Windows hasn't detected my stick as a TV tuner. I'm hesitant to use the installation disk that came with my stick. Can you offer any advice?

[VK4FAKE]

I found using Zadig 'bricked' my usb ports,,, however, after resetting my PC, all was good and it returns to normal. But to use SDR again, i need to rerun the Zadig process....


Hope this helps.

[VK3BQ]

i installed the tv watching software, and have windows xp? on that laptop, so no media centre to drive the device. im not sure, it worked for me?

[VK5IR]

OK, I will see what software is on the disk.

Cheers.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[VK2KPK]

The Linux package is recompiled for bsd/mac. Should be no issues.

URL please. This one http://www.linuxwolfpack.com/RTL-SDR.php is only 34 steps!

Compare that with this thread viewtopic.php?f=24&t=11595&p=35889&hili ... oid#p35889