USB DTT Decoders

TheDriver

http://cgi.ebay.ie/DVB-T-Freeview-Digital-TV-HDTV-USB-Stick-Adapter-VISTA_W0QQitemZ220336317823QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW?hash=item220336317823&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308

I know it only does MPEG2 but i have seen elsewhere that its the software on the laptop that could matter hence if i got this or a smiliar product, could i get some free mpeg4 software and pick up DTT here?

parasite

yeah sure, I use a similar cheapo thing (bought on dealextreme)
you might already have VLC which has a built in MPEG-4 (h.264) decoder :
File -> open capture device -> DVB DirectShow -> DVB-T -> enter frequency

recyclebin

parasite, I was lookin at some of the usb dtt decoders on dealextreme. Which one did you get and what is the picture quality like? there are some that are very cheap and work out at about €15.

John Dough

TheDriver wrote: »

http://cgi.ebay.ie/DVB-T-Freeview-Digital-TV-HDTV-USB-Stick-Adapter-VISTA_W0QQitemZ220336317823QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW?hash=item220336317823&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308

I know it only does MPEG2 but i have seen elsewhere that its the software on the laptop that could matter hence if i got this or a smiliar product, could i get some free mpeg4 software and pick up DTT here?

It is supposed to work with Cyberlink power dvd 8 ,you can download a trial version from them.

parasite

I got the WandTV, it worked out at about 18 EUR at the time
The picture is perfect, you either get the picture or you don't, a good aerial signal is useful to avoid picture breakup of course

Ghost Train

parasite wrote: »

I got the WandTV, it worked out at about 18 EUR at the time
The picture is perfect, you either get the picture or you don't, a good aerial signal is useful to avoid picture breakup of course

Looks like they are trying to look like the wintv products
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_novatpci.html

spoofer

I have setup a Hauppage WinTV Nova-T.
Used stick aerial supplied (put next to window facing 3 rock) with Nova-T.
I am based near Lucan, Co Dublin.

Using MediaPortal settings:
MPEG-2 Video Decoder: MPV Decoder filter
H.264 Video Decoder: Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)
Audio Decoder: MPA Decoder filter.

Receive 4 TV channels and some radio.
TV picture and sound very good.
no EPG.
Radio good.
It took some playing with to get it this far. The H.264 codec is installed with Cyberlink Power DVD trial version. The codec is not limited on time.

watty

CoreAVC seems to work best for MPEG4.


However the main issue with USB TV is that no laptops do 25i and hardly any 50p, 75p or 100p

60 / 85 etc is terrible for display of European TV which is 100% 25i

Look at sideways scrolling captions. They will either go very very blurred or have combed edges due to the poor interlace to progressive conversion and the frame rate conversion.

One solution is to have the TV only 1/4 resolution, i.e. 288 lines instead of 576, then no deinterlacing is needed, only frame conversion. (Typically watch in a window and not full screen).

TheDriver

Lads, what software would ye recommend for running mpeg4 on laptop, free naturally. I know info is here but theres so much mentioned in the threads and does/doesn't work, just looking for definite recommendations, tried vlc but don't know where to get the frequencies to put into the boxes

slegs

TheDriver wrote: »

Lads, what software would ye recommend for running mpeg4 on laptop, free naturally. I know info is here but theres so much mentioned in the threads and does/doesn't work, just looking for definite recommendations, tried vlc but don't know where to get the frequencies to put into the boxes

Buy DVBViewer for 15eur and download Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 demo. This works although some have reported blue screens caused by the Cyberlink MPEG4 decoder

gzoladz

I have got DVBVIewer and it works great. Using CoreAVC and got a few bluescreens too, but I believe it is because of a conflict with another tv tuner software.

podrisco

I bought the EzTv USB decoder for €12 inc postage. I installed Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 for the codec and GB-PVR for recording and playback and am very pleaseed with the result. The Blaze software that came with it was rubbish.

CHW

I got one of the USB tuners off dealextreme as well, and got DVBviewer and coreavc as recommended by in the thread here, and while it works great, and has a great epg as well, I'm finding it crashing a bit too often for my liking.

Has anyone had similar experience of frequent exiting of DVBviewer? Gives no warning, it just exits.

Anyway, I updated to the latest VLC and I managed to get it working here too. If anyone is having difficulty with finding out how to get the tuner to work with VLC, here's a quick rundown: Open VLC, choose "Media>Open Capture Device", change capture mode to DVB Direct Show, select "DVB-T" for the card selection, enter "738000kHz" (if you're pointing your antenna at Three Rock) for the transponder/multiplex frequency, and then press "Play" at the bottom of the dialog.

RTE1 will probably come up by default, and it's working fine here, and if you want to change programs, on the file menu, select "Playback>Program" and under here you should find the 4 TV and 4 radio channels. However, I've found that while changing into any of the radio channels is fine, if I try to select any of the TV channels, VLC will crash out.

Has anyone else gotten VLC to fully work? It's probably a couple of settings somewhere, or maybe conflicts with codecs or other tuner software installed on my system?

EDIT: Nevermind, a restart sorted it out.

Antenna

CHW wrote: »

enter "738000kHz" for the transponder/multiplex frequency,

Might be important to mention thats for Dublin. Spur Hill Cork would be 666000kHz for example.

IrishKev

Hi, can you tell me what a USB DTT decoder?
Thanks

TheDriver

like a memory stick that picks up dtt on your laptop. Where can we find out the frequencies for various transmitters?

syboit

TheDriver wrote: »

Where can we find out the frequencies for various transmitters?

With tv programs like dvbviewer/progdvd you can do a blind scan would that not work for you ?

watty

RTENL should have the frequencies. All setboxes and PC/Laptop adaptors will autoscan.

TheDriver

vlc seems to want specific values thrown in

Antenna

TheDriver wrote: »

vlc seems to want specific values thrown in

I mentioned the frequencies for Mullaghanish in this thread.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055462123&page=2

If its kHz that is entered, just multiply MHz by 1000
i.e.
474MHz = 474000kHz

Where you are living (Bandon?) I would not hold out much hope for the supplied indoor aerial with that thing to work when Mullaghanish transmits DTT

TheDriver

Cheers Antenna, Bandon is correct but will have it plugged into red uhf aerial, presume attic with an amp will do the trick for me but we'll see, that indoor aerial will probably work whilst sitting on Kerry border only................