Tvheadend

Just a heads up that if you are currently (as of early July) trying to buy an August T210 in the UK - they've sold out on Amazon UK. (The reseller is Daffodil and their UK store won't be getting more until August they advise). They also appear to have disappeared from eBay.

For some reason although Daffodil's German amazon store has stock they don't ship to UK addresses. HOWEVER their French Amazon store DOES have stock and will ship to the UK.

http://www.amazon.fr/August-DVB-T210-Clé-USB-Enregistreur/dp/B008D8K50Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404554878&sr=8-1&keywords=august+t210 (Showing 13 in stock on Saturday morning)

Price is pretty similar to the UK price. You can use your UK amazon login, but have to cope with the French instructions. I ordered 2 on Wednesday (late afternoon) and they arrived this morning (Saturday). P&P was less than €6.

Apologies if this is seen as undue plugging - but I know that quite a few people are trying to source this tuner as it's probably the best value T2 USB solution for OpenElec+TVHeadend at the moment, short of importing from China. With the media_build patch or a current build of OpenElec it works fine for the UK HD (and 4K!) DVB-T2 stuff (and the couple of SD channels like Al Jazeera Arabic on T2)

Hi,

I'm running the patched module built via linuxtv but have a strange issue. If I reboot my machine (Acer Revo), the drivers dont load correctly and the device is not found by TVHeadend. If I unplug and re-plug the USB cable to the DVB dongle, things work properly. Running Ubuntu 14.04. Any tips on how I can solve this?

Thanks!

What happens if you don't unplug/replug, but simply try sudo service tvheadend restart?

It might be a timing issue - tvheadend is loading before the firmware of the device is ready, something like that.

Nope that's not helping either. If I run lsusb the stick is not showing up there. Most odd. It does appear to be a race condition as it sometimes works with a restart...

I think I'll reinstall a clean Ubuntu and see where that gets me.

I've noticed something similar, but not frequently. (14.04 x64 on an Asus Chromebox 2955U-based box)

Apart from the August and the Geniatech variants of this device, does we know yet of any other variants that could work with Crazy Cat's patch?

I have seen these on eBay

I wonder if they're all the same?

cab guy - those look like these : http://blog.palosaari.fi/2013/10/naked-hardware-14-dvb-t2-usb-tv-stick.html

They use a Panasonic DVB-T2 demodulator that is currently unsupported in Linux (and according to Antti they don't have decent BDA drivers under Windows so only work with the supplied app?)

Hi Guys
Noobie here, having a real headache with my August DVB-T210. I'm wanting to instal it on my android set top box which has the Linux OS but can't figure out how to either apply crazycats patch or the 3.14 kernel. Also do I do it to the usb stick or the set top box itself. Cant get into the usb config so I'm assuming its the box. Sorry if this seems pretty basic I am really struggling and I don't want to mess up. I appreciate any advice you can give.

Not basic at all. Android isn't quite the same as Linux, and their kernels differ. I don't know how you apply patches for the Linux kernel to the Android one, nor how I'd install it. If you aren't an experienced Android kernel hacker this may be a bit tricky.

Under Linux you can patch the media_build stuff from the V4L project and build it on the target machine (using standard Linux build tools) but not sure you can do this easily under Android. Significantly different eco systems. If you have an android build environment for your platform it might be quite straightforward.

It seems CrazyCat's patch has just gone into the media tree, which means it's likely included in 3.17 kernel, not the soon to be ready 3.16.

<shameless plug>
There's probably also support in 3.17 for another cheapish DVB-T2/C USB tuner that I wrote the driver for - TechnoTrend CT2-4400.
</shameless plug>

So no need to patch media_build any more if you follow these instructions ? : http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/How_to_Obtain,_Build_and_Install_V4L-DVB_Device_Drivers

Geniatech T230 - another Si2148/2168 based stick.
http://geniatech.com/pa/t230.asp

I make support similar to TechnoTrend CT2-4400 (look like this is DVBSky T330 OEM - http://dvbsky.net/Products_T330.html).
cxusb: Geniatech T230 support - https://github.com/crazycat69/linux_media/commit/f075bd63f8505e2bd15549f21f97cd0bc5fc9870
si2157: experimental support for si2148 - https://github.com/crazycat69/linux_media/commit/41015066edf4cc54c08c4f85dcbcbae2b36bd6f0

My friend from Russia have this device, but look like device brocken (not work under windows also). But driver initialized, no errors in log - but no lock, no stram

Olli Salonen wrote:

There's probably also support in 3.17 for another cheapish DVB-T2/C USB tuner that I wrote the driver for - TechnoTrend CT2-4400.

Ah, interesting. The patch looks good to me. Are you sure the tuner doesn't need a firmware? Or a patch to the firmware... Too bad there's no capture available from Windows driver - I'm sure it'd be easy to get it working after that.

Cab Guy.

I think your eBAY link is the same as this: [[http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GTJU0U6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1]]
Kaffeine shows the device as an RTL2832 device on my Manjaro Linuux. The August 210/Geniatech 220 shows up as a SONY CXD2820R. I have one each.

Both show only the DVB-T Channels but do work SD.

I have not applied the patch yet. I may just wait for Kernel 3.17 I am currently on 3.14

Oliver Thomas wrote:

Crazy Cat wrote:

I will submit patches on days.
Also i have plan add support for Geniatech T220A (USB\VID_0572&PID_C686, with TDA18273 tuner).

I appear to have ordered the Geniatech T220A by mistake, when I was intending to order the (Openelec natively supported) T220.

Is there any progress on support for the T220A?

I have the Openelec output from lsusb -v | pastebinit here:

http://sprunge.us/fhKE

Is there anything else I can provide that would be helpful in implementing this tuner?

crazy XXX cat

Any news about the support of this device (incombination with dvb-c)?

When i try to compile the source from https://bitbucket.org/CrazyCat/linux-tbs-drivers/commits/branch/geniatech (17-08-2014). I get (when i put the dvb stick) the same message as before:
[ 611.977665] usb 2-1.1: new high-speed USB device number 13 using ehci-pci
[ 612.071106] usb 2-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0572, idProduct=c686
[ 612.071117] usb 2-1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 612.071123] usb 2-1.1: Product: USB Stick
[ 612.071127] usb 2-1.1: Manufacturer: Max
[ 612.071131] usb 2-1.1: SerialNumber: 080116

maybe need unload dvb-usb-dw2102 module before ?

anyway tda18273 driver not work - register definition completed, basic functions defined but not implemented.

my dmesg with T220A (enabled debug output for dvb-usb-dw2102, cxd2820r, tda18273):

17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900248] dw2102: su3000_identify_state
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900248]
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900251] dvb-usb: found a 'Geniatech T220A DVB-T/T2 USB2.0' in warm state.
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900253] dw2102: su3000_power_ctrl: 1, initialized 0
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900253]
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900400] dvb-usb: will pass the complete MPEG2 transport stream to the software demuxer.
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.900591] DVB: registering new adapter (Geniatech T220A DVB-T/T2 USB2.0)
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.901377] ff 00 00 00 00 00
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.902102] ff ff 00 00 00 00
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.902861] ff ff ff 00 00 00
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.903629] ff ff ff ff 00 00
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.904383] ff ff ff ff ff 00
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.905097] ff ff ff ff ff ff
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.905101] dvb-usb: MAC address: ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.961810] cxd2820r: cxd2820r_attach: chip id=e1
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.976473] cxd2820r: cxd2820r_i2c_gate_ctrl: 1
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.978551] cxd2820r: cxd2820r_i2c_gate_ctrl: 0
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.979677] tda18273_attach: Found TDA18273 Slave Rev:1.1
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.979680] dw2102: Attached TDA18273/CXD2820R for DVB-T/T2!
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.979680]
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.979690] cxd2820r: cxd2820r_i2c_gate_ctrl: 1
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.981681] cxd2820r: cxd2820r_i2c_gate_ctrl: 0
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.982808] tda18273_attach: Found TDA18273 Slave Rev:1.1
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.982810] dw2102: Attached TDA18273/CXD2820R for DVB-C!
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.982810]
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.982814] DVB: registering adapter 2 frontend 0 (Sony CXD2820R (DVB-T/T2))...
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.982953] DVB: registering adapter 2 frontend 1 (Sony CXD2820R (DVB-C))...
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.983349] input: IR-receiver inside an USB DVB receiver as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.5/input/input10
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.983429] dvb-usb: schedule remote query interval to 150 msecs.
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.983432] dw2102: su3000_power_ctrl: 0, initialized 1
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.983432]
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.983433] dvb-usb: Geniatech T220A DVB-T/T2 USB2.0 successfully initialized and connected.
17.08.2014 23:44:47 COMPUTER kernel [ 142.983446] usbcore: registered new interface driver dw2102

Olli Salonen wrote:

Ah, interesting. The patch looks good to me. Are you sure the tuner doesn't need a firmware? Or a patch to the firmware... Too bad there's no capture available from Windows driver - I'm sure it'd be easy to get it working after that.

I decompile windows driver and extract loadable Si2148-A20 firmware (included in https://bitbucket.org/CrazyCat/v4l-updatelee/downloads/dvb-firmwares.tar.bz2)
And implement firmware loading in si2157.c - https://github.com/crazycat69/linux_media/commit/ceff60e0aae32d5ee3628dd04bfe796bb48be6fe

Anyway device not lock anything Look like brocken

Tnx for the fast response!

There is already a recent product with the same chipset. Maybe that you can use some code...
https://github.com/Pivosgroup/buildroot-linux-kernel/blob/master/drivers/amlogic/demod/tuner_func.c

menno klein wrote:

Tnx for the fast response!

There is already a recent product with the same chipset. Maybe that you can use some code...
https://github.com/Pivosgroup/buildroot-linux-kernel/blob/master/drivers/amlogic/demod/tuner_func.c

You're pointing to an old Amlogic kernel release.
The most updated release that includes SilliconLabs drivers is 3.0.50 kernel which is 2014-03-14-73442db911 , see http://openlinux.amlogic.com:8000/download/ARM/kernel/
(look also at drivers/amlogic/dvb and drivers/amlogic/dvb-tv)

But from what I've heard the drivers are incomplete and not fully support the dvb-api specifications.

Crazy Cat wrote:

I decompile windows driver and extract loadable Si2148-A20 firmware (included in https://bitbucket.org/CrazyCat/v4l-updatelee/downloads/dvb-firmwares.tar.bz2)
And implement firmware loading in si2157.c - https://github.com/crazycat69/linux_media/commit/ceff60e0aae32d5ee3628dd04bfe796bb48be6fe

I looked at the GOTView MasterHD 3 driver binary (it has Si2148 as well) and could find the probable location of the firmware in the same format it's for si2158 in the driver (ie. 17 bytes, 1st byte is . I don't know if there's any reason to load the firmware in varying length pieces instead of just 8 bytes at a time, but since the Windows driver does it, I implemented it for si2158... Not sure if that would make any difference for si2148. And if it doesn't work even in Windows it's probably broken as you say.

Not only binary Some time ago gotview publish some outdated media_build with refrence Relatek RTL2832U driver (+ specific model with RTL2832P + Si2146(8)+2168).
http://gotview.ru/olimp/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=12479

Some similar device availble from Delok (diffrent usb id, but support by rtl2832u driver). Look like both devices is OEM from Max Media - http://www.maxmediatek.com

So i review si2168 code from this driver and found firmware loading for si2148. Chip identified also by rom_id and look like T230 have si2148-A20 with rom_id 0x33 and require 100% same firmware as for si2158-A20

Olli Salonen wrote:

I looked at the GOTView MasterHD 3 driver binary (it has Si2148 as well) and could find the probable location of the firmware in the same format it's for si2158 in the driver (ie. 17 bytes, 1st byte is . I don't know if there's any reason to load the firmware in varying length pieces instead of just 8 bytes at a time, but since the Windows driver does it, I implemented it for si2158... Not sure if that would make any difference for si2148.

Look like diffrent chip revision have initial firmware in on-chip rom, but possible load updated firmware to mcu ram. Complete firmware or patch (see firmware for si2148-a20 with rom_id=0x20 and 0x33).

P.S. I make rtl2832u driver as patch for current v4l media_tree - http://crazycat69.narod.ru/sattelite/linux/rtl2832u.zip (moved to separate dir, si2168 renamed to si2168rtl + PLP selection support).

si2148-a20 firmware updated in https://bitbucket.org/CrazyCat/v4l-updatelee/downloads/dvb-firmwares.tar.bz2
and si2148-a20 firmware loading reverted - https://github.com/crazycat69/linux_media/commit/d1430122b897313287f78e30d0ba33d4f143cca4

So tda18273 silicon tuner driver ready (but "dirty" for submission to official media_tree).
And Geniatech T220A support completed and tested with local DVB-T2 256QAM,3/5

P.S. Same patches included in my linux-tbs-drivers mod (master branch) - https://bitbucket.org/CrazyCat/linux-tbs-drivers

look like need test with VHF

P.S. T220A sale in Geniatech shop @Aliexpress - just 23.45$ (free shipping)
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/dvb-t2-receiver-GENIATECH-Mygica-USB-TV-Stick-T220-DVB-T2-Tuner-DVB-C-DVB-T/616485_699124717.html

Nice work and a nice price! Ordered one. I can report on how VHF works (we've got UHF and VHF DVB-T2 here) when I get it.

Will you clean it for media_tree submission?