README_TBS6981

/:EADME file for TurboSight TBS 6981 Dual DVB-S/S2 PCI-Express card Linux drivers

NOTE: this document assumes that all prerequisite packages like kerner headers
and build tools are already installed in your Linux system.

Most of the steps require root access to and basic knowledge of Linux system.

Create directory, for example /root/tbs and copy the following file to it:

- linux-tbs-drivers.tar.bz2 (S2API Linix driver for TurboSight TBS 6981)
- szap-s2.tar.bz2 (szap tool compatible with new DVB-S2 aware S2 API for Linux)
- scan-s2.tar.bz2 (scan tool compatible with new DVB-S2 aware S2 API for Linux)
- astra_szap-s2.conf (example configuration file for szap-s2)
- astra_scan-s2.conf (example configuration file for scan-s2)
- v4l-cx23885-avcore-01.fw (CX23885 AV core firmware, optional)

I.1 extract linux-tbs-drivers.tar.bz2 archive:

# tar xjvf linux-tbs-drivers.tar.bz2

I.2 go to driver package directory:

# cd linux-tbs-drivers

I.3 depending on your kernel version and if the kernel is x86 or 
x86_64 (check output of 'uname -a') do:

- for x86 kernel 3.x (x86 32 bit installations of kernel 3.x):

# ./v4l/tbs-x86_r3.sh

- for x86 kernel 2.6.x (x86 32 bit installations of kernel 2.6.x):

# ./v4l/tbs-x86.sh

- for any x86_64 kernel (x86 64 bit installations of Linux):

# ./v4l/tbs-x86_64.sh

I.4 build and install the driver:

# make && make install

I.5 reboot in order to load the newly installed driver:

# shutdown -r now

I.6 after reboot check that the newly installed driver is loaded correctly:

# dmesg | grep frontend

if everything is OK, the output from the above command lists the registered
frontends for your card model and their number is equal to the number of 
tuners on the card, for example:

DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (TurboSight TBS 6981 DVBS/S2 frontend)...
DVB: registering adapter 1 frontend 0 (TurboSight TBS 6981 DVBS/S2 frontend)...

II. some basic instructions how to test locking to transponder with "szap-s2":

II.1 extract "szap-s2.tar.bz2" archive:

# tar xjvf szap-s2.tar.bz2

II.2 go to szap-s2 source code directory:

# cd szap-s2

II.3 build szap-s2:

# make

II.4 szap-s2 uses configuration files (see configuration file "astra_szap-s2.conf" 
for example) - they are simple text files and each line of them contains information 
about a channel, for example:

BBC:11597:v:0:22000:163:92:10050

this means:

- channel name is BBC, you can choose whatever you want for channel name, it's just 
a text string

- channel frequency is 11597 MHz

- transponder polarization is V(ertical)

- 0: use first LNB (if you have only one LNB, it's always 0, if you have DiSEqC switch 
and several LNBs connected to that switch it could be number greater than 0 and is showing 
which LNB to use, i.e. to which DiSEqC switch port desired LNB is connected)

- 22000: symbol rate

- 163: Video PID (VPID)

- 92: Audio PID

- 10050: Service ID (SID)

the example is for "BBC World" channel on Astra 19.2E satellite. 
you can find all those numbers for example here:

http://www.lyngsat.com/astra19.html

II.5 write your szap-s2 configuration files (or create one using S2API compatible 
version of the "scan" tool)

II.6 use szap-s2 examples:

- to lock to DVB-S transponder: ./szap-s2 -c astra_szap-s2.conf -p -r -S 0 "BBC"

- to lock to DVB-S2: ./szap-s2 -c sample.conf -p -r -S 1 -M 5 -C 23 "CHAN_NAME"

where "-S 1" is DVB-S2, "-M 5" is 8PSK modulation, "-C 23" is FEC 2/3

III. some basic instructions how to scan transponder with "scan-s2":

III.1 extract "scan-s2.tar.bz2" archive:

# tar xjvf scan-s2.tar.bz2

III.2 go to scan-s2 source code directory:

# cd scan-s2

III.3 build scan-s2:

# make

III.4 scan-s2 uses configuration files (see configuration file "astra_scan-s2.conf" 
for example) - they are simple text files and each line of them contains information 
about a transponder, for example:

S1 11778000 V 27500000 3/4 35 QPSK
S2 11362000 H 22000000 2/3 35 8PSK

where:

- "S1" or "S2" indicates the delivery system, i.e. either DVB-S or DVB-S2
- second parameter is the frequency, in our example respectively 11778000 kHz or 11362000 kHz
- "V" or "H" indicates that the polarization: V(ertical) or H(orizontal)
- 5th parameter is the FEC value, in our example respectively 3/4 or 2/3
- the next parameter is the Roll-off factor, "35" in our example
- and the last parameter is the modulation, in our example respectively QPSK or 8PSK

DVB-S supports only one Roll-off factor (0.35) and only one modulation (QPSK) and so 
for DVB-S transponders Roll-off factor is always 35 and modulation is always QPSK in
the configuration file.

DVB-S2 supports several modulation like QPSK and 8PSK and 3 Roll-off factors: 0.20, 0.25, 0.35
(respectively 20, 25, 35 in the configuration file). TBS 6981 should be able to work even if 
AUTO is specified for Roll-off factor, but that will result in slower lock. it's always 
recommended to use the correct Roll-off value if you know it.

III.5 write your scan-s2 configuration files

III.6 use scan-s2 to scan a tranposnder

IV. some general notes about using TBS 6981 Dual DVB-S/S2 card in Linux:

IV.1 TBS 6981 is dual DVB-S/S2 card and you can specify which frontend to use, for example:

- use frontend 0:
# szap-s2 -a 0 -c astra_szap-s2.conf -p -r -S 0 "BBC"
# scan-s2 -a 0 astra_scan-s2.conf

- use frontend 1:
# szap-s2 -a 1 -c astra_szap-s2.conf -p -r -S 0 "BBC"
# scan-s2 -a 0 astra_scan-s2.conf

IV.2 TBS 6981 frontends are initialized only when it's necessary - this is done for maximum
performance. after power-on of the computer, frontends are in uninitialize state and that's 
why after power-on of the computer first lock will be a little slower than ussual, all 
subsequent locks are faster. after the frontends are initialized just restarting the 
computer should keep them in initialize state.

IV. TBS 6981 frontend driver provides several options:

- reporting signal in dBm instead of percents
- reporting SNR in EsNo instead of percents
- use phase noise enhancements

for more information you can check the output of 'modinfo tbsfe.ko'

for enable/disable these options you need to create file called for example "tbsfe.conf" 
in "/etc/modprobe.d" directory with content similar to:

# cat /etc/modprobe.d/tbsfe.conf
options tbsfe dbm=1
options tbsfe esno=1
options tbsfe pne=0

respectively "1" means enabled and "0" means disabled. please, note that the new value will
take effect after reload of the kernel module - either with using 'rmmod' and 'modprobe' or
after restart of the computer.