Tvheadend

/*
this is a repost from another forum, so it might look familiar to some... :-)
*/

some background:

i am trying to set up a pvr for fta, using arch linux (b/c has a fairly recent kernel supporting my fta hardware),
and arch's "tvheadend-git" ("about" displays: HTS Tvheadend 3.9.2662~ge4cdd3c).
arch installed from march 2015 .iso image.
my fta hardware is a dvbsky s960 usb dvb-s2 fta receiver.

...and the "repost" itself:

so i located, downloaded and then copied the firmware files required by the '960
into the appropriate directory. rebooted the machine with the dvbsky plugged in
and checked if everything was loading as it was supposed to do.

it was, see below:

[bruno@localhost ~]$ ls -lF /lib/firmware/*3103*.*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8192 Apr  2 21:24 /lib/firmware/dvb-demod-m88ds3103.fw
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 8192 Apr  2 21:01 /lib/firmware/dvb-fe-ds3103.fw
[bruno@localhost ~]$ 
[bruno@localhost ~]$ dmesg | grep m88d
[    8.583470] i2c i2c-2: m88ds3103_attach: chip_id=70
[   97.120406] i2c i2c-2: m88ds3103: found a 'Montage M88DS3103' in cold state
[   97.174050] i2c i2c-2: m88ds3103: downloading firmware from file 'dvb-demod-m88ds3103.fw'
[   98.188055] i2c i2c-2: m88ds3103: found a 'Montage M88DS3103' in warm state
[   98.188073] i2c i2c-2: m88ds3103: firmware version 3.B
[bruno@localhost ~]$ 
[bruno@localhost ~]$ ps ax | grep tvheadend
  532 ?        Ssl    0:00 /usr/bin/tvheadend -f -p /run/tvheadend.pid -C -u hts -g video
  568 pts/0    S+     0:00 grep tvheadend
[bruno@localhost ~]$ 

tried to scan a single transponder (the one for lpb, on 87w) in tvheadend.
it is configured like so:

this information is based on what my geosatpro microhd has on said transponder:

obviously, i don't have the error messages i had before (unable to set voltage, etc.)
in tvheadend. but still no success. below are the messages i get in the "system log":

2015-04-04 13:24:49.381 mpegts: 11812H in 87w (pbs et al) - tuning on Montage
M88DS3103 : DVB-S #0

2015-04-04 13:24:49.736 subscription: 0004: "scan" subscribing on "none", weight: 
6, adapter: "Montage M88DS3103 : DVB-S #0", network: "87w (pbs et al)", mux: 
"11812H", provider: "", service: "Raw PID Subscription" 

2015-04-04 13:24:59.000 mpegts: 11812H in 87w (pbs et al) - scan no data, failed

2015-04-04 13:24:59.000 subscription: 0004: "scan" unsubscribing

tried to scan using scan-s2, no success there either:

[bruno@localhost tmp.test]$ sudo ps ax | grep tvheadend
  532 ?        Ssl    0:41 /usr/bin/tvheadend -f -p /run/tvheadend.pid -C -u hts -g video
 6297 pts/0    S+     0:00 grep tvheadend
[bruno@localhost tmp.test]$ sudo systemctl stop tvheadend
[bruno@localhost tmp.test]$ sudo ps ax | grep tvheadend
 6309 pts/0    S+     0:00 grep tvheadend
[bruno@localhost tmp.test]
[bruno@localhost tmp.test]$ cat 87w.conf
S2 11812000 H 11149000 3/5 AUTO 8PSK

[bruno@localhost tmp.test]
[bruno@localhost tmp.test]$ scan-s2 -a 0 -f 0 -s 2 -l UNIVERSAL ./87w.conf
API major 5, minor 10
ERROR: Cannot open rotor configuration file 'rotor.conf'.
scanning ./87w.conf
using '/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0' and '/dev/dvb/adapter0/demux0'
initial transponder DVB-S2 11812000 H 11149000 3/5 AUTO 8PSK
----------------------------------> Using DVB-S2
>>> tune to: 11812:hC35M5S1:S0.0W:11149:
DVB-S IF freq is 1212000
WARNING: >>> tuning failed!!!
>>> tune to: 11812:hC35M5S1:S0.0W:11149: (tuning failed)
DVB-S IF freq is 1212000
WARNING: >>> tuning failed!!!
ERROR: initial tuning failed
dumping lists (0 services)
Done.

[bruno@localhost tmp.test]$ 

am at a loss, right now.
still think i made a silly & obvious mistake, i just can't see it, even though
it is staring me in the face.

help, please?

thanks.