Tvheadend

I'm currently running a TBS6981 (DVB-S with USALS, dual tuner function untested) and a TBS6905 (DVB-T) in my box. Both work fine with the new opensource drivers (officially endorsed and maintained by TBS).
They're a bit of a hassle to install though.
For another box I'm considering the digital devices, mainly due to their Octopus bridge (Only one PCIe port available, multiple tuners required).
I'd like the next DVB-S tuner I buy to support DVB-S2X, just for future-proofing...

Thanks very much for that, Martin.

I have done so much research trying to achieve what I am pretty much considering anything.

I have been looking at SAT>IP and Enigma 2 boxes but these are getting a way from what I ultimately want - a single box, containing all my tuners and storage.

Having ruled out the TBS cards, I am also considering hardware from Digital Devices - they are pricey but seem to be the only real option.

I agree that the Octopus Bridge looks very promising:

http://www.digital-devices.eu/shop/en/accessoires/bridge/35/dd-octopus-bridge-v3-4-port-bridge-for-pcie-socket

I cannot, however, work out whether it is better to go with one of those and two of these:

http://www.digital-devices.eu/shop/en/cine-series/tuner-expansion/286/dd-duoflex-s2-v4a-expansion-module-twin-tuner-expansionmodule-dvb-s/s2?c=159

or just one of these:

http://www.digital-devices.eu/shop/en/tv-cards/complete-sets-with-4-tuners/288/4-tuner-tv-card-dvb-s/s2-fuer-pcie-set-dd-cine-s2-v7a-und-duoflex-s2-v4a?c=160

What do you think would be the best option?

Do you happen to know whether these devices just work out of the box with Linux?

Do you also happen to know whether they support USALS?

What about the DVBSky tuners that I mentioned above - do they fully work with Linux out of the box?

I know how you feel, I was in the research phase 3 years ago

DVBSky cards: I have one DVBSky S950C, which I don't use. If you'd like, we could make arrangements if you want to experiment ;)
However, my experience was that it is fine for receiving Astra 19.2e, which has an extremely strong signal, but it goes downhill pretty fast from there. I haven't tried with newer kernel versions (drivers). It did work out of the box though...

To be honest, about the octopus bridge, I"m considering buying the bridge and two expansion cards only because I want to stick it into a minipcie slot. If I was putting it into a PCIe slot, I'd go with a regular tuner card and expansion cards. Mainly because it is cheaper...

If you have completely ruled out TBS cards (which, as I said, work fine in my box), then IMO you should to go for digitaldevices. With which I have no experience, ironically.

FYI:USALS is just a combination of Diseqc 1.2 and angle calculations. So if a tuner supports Diseqc 1.2, USALS is on the software. And tvheadend does it fine.

Thanks for that, Martin.

The more I think about it, the more I am tempted to go with the Digital Devices stuff (hopefully, someone on here can confirm that they also work out of the box with Linux).

Unicable would definitely be an advantage, where possible, as I am going to have to run coax from one side of my house to the other.

The other slight issue I have is that if I buy one of these:

http://www.digital-devices.eu/shop/en/tv-cards/complete-sets-with-4-tuners/288/4-tuner-tv-card-dvb-s/s2-fuer-pcie-set-dd-cine-s2-v7a-und-duoflex-s2-v4a?c=160

I might as well go the whole hog and spend another 50 Euros for one of these:

http://www.digital-devices.eu/shop/en/tv-cards/tv-cards-for-pcie/218/8-tuner-tv-karte-full-spectrum-dd-max-s8-4/8-tv-card?c=161

Eight tuners for 300 Euros seems pretty good value in the grand scheme of things and would help to avoid any potential clashes from multiple users on my system.

The question would therefore be whether I can connect an octo-unicable LNB (to use seven of the channels) and a rotor to use the final one.

Based upon the specs, it does not seem absolutely clear.

One other quick thing out of interest - what hardware are you looking at that uses a miniPCIe slot?

I have a Zotac IONITX-F-E, that I'll transform into a headless streaming source. Keeping the pcie port for something not minipcie friendly. (Maybe a HEVC-capable GPU?)
I'm also eyeing the possibility of buying an ASROCK j4205-ITX (http://asrock.com/mb/Intel/J4205-ITX/). Which has an M.2 key E slot. Combined with this : http://www.delock.de/produkte/G_62848/merkmale.html?setLanguage=en I think I could make the PCIe lanes available to do my bidding. Again, leaving the existing PCIe slot available for future use.
The final (and maybe craziest) option is buying a Turris Omnia router (https://omnia.turris.cz/en/), which has 3 minipcie slots.

As for the DD-Max. I agree it is a nice option, provided you're not PCIe-port limited and with a desire for CAM or DVB-T. I think that Unicable mode completely reconfigures the hardware, and that the other input become inactive. But this is from quickly skimming the specs. I suggest you read the manual, or contact digitaldevices directly.

I forgot to mention that this is for a physically minimal NAS/Strembox. for my parents
I have a more complete box that does NAS/Streambox/HTPC (also web server, mail server, router, firewall...) On which I gave up on small form factor, and went for mATX with enough PCIe and SATA ports. (And higher power consumption...)

Found one more thing:
https://www.digital-devices.eu/shop/en/custom/index/sCustom/102

"Currently the drivers for DVB-S/S2 cards up to Cine S2 V6 and from kernel 4.x up to Cine S2 V6.5 from Digital Devices are included in the kernel."
So, there you go...

Thanks Martin - really good of you.

Does seem that the card should work without any problem on my setup.

having done some more research, I found this manual:

https://www.digital-devices.eu/downloads-www/maxs8/MaxS8_Manual_EN.pdf

Page 10 seems to suggest that you can customise the inputs.

I am hoping that I can set it so that inputs 1-7 can be set to "slot 1" and that input 8 can be set to "slot 2".

I have written to Digital Devices for clarification - could be an expensive mistake if it does not do exactly what I am after.

Thanks.

Sorry, I read the manual differently :)
Page 7, section 9.1.
Maybe the DTV_INPUT IOCTL could be of use...

Post back how it works out! I'm curious.

Shall do, old chap - fingers crossed.