USALS problems

[mr_chaela]

USALS - Goto Angular will not drive dish to westerly sats when longitude is near 0deg,.

My longitude is set to 0.2, if for example I set up for 30W - Hispasat the dish tries to drive to 330deg. Goto Angular is not picking up my longitude to change 330deg to -30deg

As a workaround I have set up a series of command strings for westerly sats (thanks to diseqc.exe found on this forum)

USALS - Goto Angular working fine for the easterly sats.

USALS - Command String working fine for the westerly sats.

 

Another problem, when changing channel (and sat) the dish drives to the new sat but the channel will not tune, it's as if the tuner has timed out before it receives the signal, even re-selecting the same channel on the new sat doesn't work, I have to select a different channel, then after that is tuned re-select the required channel.

 

I am using Technotrend S2-2300 with Stab HH120 motor.

 

 

[Guest Lars_MQ]

Another problem, when changing channel (and sat) the dish drives to the new sat but the channel will not tune, it's as if the tuner has timed out before it receives the signal, even re-selecting the same channel on the new sat doesn't work, I have to select a different channel, then after that is tuned re-select the required channel.

As a workaround try setting "retune on missing stream" in options|Hardware to a value of maybe 5 seconds (you have to play around a little bit with this value). Maybe it helps.

 

For the other stuff, that's something, christian has to take a look into.

[mr_chaela]

As a workaround try setting "retune on missing stream" in options|Hardware to a value of maybe 5 seconds (you have to play around a little bit with this value). Maybe it helps.

Thanks for quick response, I will play around with it.

Quick question though, is the 'retune on missing stream' a once only or a repeat every n seconds instruction. The reason I ask is that to move the dish to an adjacent sat may only take a few secs, but to move from say 60W to 60E may take up to 2 mins.

[Derrick]

it will be repeated. What I don't know is, whether this will stop after a number tries (10) or not. At least in the beginning there was a repeat_counter in the pro but not in the GE.

[Derrick]

A test showed that it will eventually time out but that was after about 6 min and more than 50 tuning attempts. The repetition time was set to 1s but the real time depends on the hardware (pinnacle PCTV 4XXe). In my case the measured attempts were not equidistant. The time varied between 1,5 s and 4,5 s. Anyway, it should be working for your arrangement. The real problem will be the (buggy ? ) USALS

 

ps.

interesting.. ..the same test with the dvbviewer_GE showed no timeout and the attempts were almost perfectly equidistant with an interval of 4s. Even after a long time the graph started again almost without any discontinuities (just 1) in contradiction to the Pro (many discontinuities and the graph remained dead when the signal reappeared after the timeout)

 

The GE is the clear winner when a heavy thunderstorm blocks the signal

[Derrick]

no pps, a new attempt

 

I've repeated the test with my firedtv and USALS (pinnacle won't work with diseqc 1.1, 1.2). I just had a look at the repetitions. It's like I said in the 1st place. 10 repetitions and stop. With each tuning attempt the USALS sequence is sent anew. With 1s set in the options the whole procedure lasted about 17s. Other intervals:

 

5s -> 56s

10s -> 1:45

 

you have to try. The timing will be probably different with your card. I don't know why the pro has this counter. IMHO it would do no harm to skip it

[mr_chaela]

Thanks for your time and effort Derrick.

 

I'm getting some strange and very quirky results with this. Generally it times out after 10 retunes, sometimes less. If the dish passes a sat with a good signal it will try to tune then stop retuning. Depending on the channel that I'm leaving the initial tune and subsequent retunes can max out my processor (AMD64 3200 o/c to 2.5gig) and make the program unuseable. For some strange reason that I cannot fathom, if I select a channel on 30W whilst viewing a channel on 19E the initial tune and subsequent retunes do not work at all, but the dish happily pans over to 30W.

 

I think christian needs to (hopefully) spend a little time on this. Certainly the 10x limit needs to go, perhaps with a 2 min timeout if deemed necessary.

[Derrick]

The main problem with diseqc mounts is the lack of any feeback from the outdoor unit. You can make the workaround as sophisticated as you want, you simply don't know, when the motor has reached the chosen position (some STBs try to measure the current as an indicator ).

 

An old trick is the use of dummy channels with parameters that won't result in a lock on any satellite. That will give you also some control over the speed. Vertical =13V slow but less current, horizontal =18V faster but higher current. After the position is reached, you can zap to the wanted channel

[mr_chaela]

An old trick is the use of dummy channels with parameters that won't result in a lock on any satellite. That will give you also some control over the speed. Vertical =13V slow but less current, horizontal =18V faster but higher current. After the position is reached, you can zap to the wanted channel

That will explain the different timings I was getting switching between sats.

 

I'm going to invest in an Opteron dual core to hopefully resolve the problem with the cpu load whilst retuning.

 

In summation, USALS problems with current latest DVBViewer (3.6.0.2):-

'Go to Angular' - does not translate a positive angle to the corresponding negative angle when necessary. eg +330=-30

'Retune on missing stream' - does not work reliably and can time out (after approx 10 iterations) before dish reaches selected sat.

 

Christian, can you please look into these problems?

Edited January 12, 2007 by mr_chaela

[Guest Lars_MQ]

and can time out (after approx 10 iterations) before dish reaches selected sat.

Does limit the retries to 10. Limit is removed. will be in next minor update.

[Derrick]

I'm going to invest in an Opteron dual core to hopefully resolve the problem with the cpu load whilst retuning.

That sounds ridiculous to me In fact nothing happens it's just waiting time that is spend but apparently without releasing the resources. I'm not a programmer and I don't know whether this can be improved in the application or it has to be done by the driver developers.

 

A faster cpu is always useful e.g. for hdtv but not for a movable dish. You could use a bigger car when having problems towing a trailer but 1st one should look whether the brakes are released

[mr_chaela]

I'm going to invest in an Opteron dual core to hopefully resolve the problem with the cpu load whilst retuning.

That sounds ridiculous to me In fact nothing happens it's just waiting time that is spend but apparently without releasing the resources. I'm not a programmer and I don't know whether this can be improved in the application or it has to be done by the driver developers.

 

A faster cpu is always useful e.g. for hdtv but not for a movable dish. You could use a bigger car when having problems towing a trailer but 1st one should look whether the brakes are released

My typo there, read that as "I'm going to invest in an Opteron dual core that will hopefully resolve the problem with the cpu load whilst retuning."

The dual core is part of a planned upgrade primarily for other reasons.

 

With regard to the high cpu load, it occurs during tuning, retuning and scanning (lasting for as much as 5-10 secs), but only if there is no signal. I would have thought it relatively easy to create a piece of code which basically amounts to 'no signal, stop trying, next instruction', but I know very little about the programming requirements for tuning.

It would certainly reduce the cpu load problem (I'm assuming here that it is a common problem and not just specific to my setup) and have the additional benefit of reducing scanning time, if, of course, it were possible.

[dk1]

I have dual core AMD 4600 and during tuning CPU load is 50%

 

as for USALS it is working fine now, the only I had to enter Longitude: -14 instead of 14

Lattitude is 49. I believe that can be easily fixed by some new version.

 

For motor moving progress I suggest taking same approach as other programs/plugins do.

Speed for motor moving:

13V - 50 degrees/ 38 seconds (low speed)

18V - 50 degrees/ 26 seconds (high speed)

 

Making these settings fully adjustable for users depending on their measured speed of their motor.

LNB voltage can be also set during moving ( user configurable preferably)

 

After dish is moved i.e. 25 degrees in 19 seconds (low speed), then attempt to tune channel is made.

 

[andrewsm66]

That will explain the different timings I was getting switching between sats.

 

I'm going to invest in an Opteron dual core to hopefully resolve the problem with the cpu load whilst retuning.

 

In summation, USALS problems with current latest DVBViewer (3.6.0.2):-

'Go to Angular' - does not translate a positive angle to the corresponding negative angle when necessary. eg +330=-30

'Retune on missing stream' - does not work reliably and can time out (after approx 10 iterations) before dish reaches selected sat.

 

Christian, can you please look into these problems?

 

I noticed that the problem with satellites to the West was flagged as being fixed in V3.6.1 (released 12th Feb). It still does not seem to work for me, has anybody else tried this?

If I were to edit the West satellites to minus values (eg Hispasat = -30), where would I edit the value? I tried changing the first entry in the [sATTYPE] section within the transponder .ini file but this seems to make no difference to the driven position of the motor.

 

Thanks in advance.

[mr_chaela]

I noticed that the problem with satellites to the West was flagged as being fixed in V3.6.1 (released 12th Feb). It still does not seem to work for me, has anybody else tried this?

If I were to edit the West satellites to minus values (eg Hispasat = -30), where would I edit the value? I tried changing the first entry in the [sATTYPE] section within the transponder .ini file but this seems to make no difference to the driven position of the motor.

 

Thanks in advance.

I can confirm the problem still exists in v3.6.1

The workaround is to use the attached diseqc.exe and set up a series of command strings for the westerly sats that require a negative angle.

 

 

(Thanks to the original poster of diseqc.exe, couldn't find the original post so have re-upped it).

[tjf]

I can confirm the problem still exists in v3.6.1

The workaround is to use the attached diseqc.exe and set up a series of command strings for the westerly sats that require a negative angle.

 

 

(Thanks to the original poster of diseqc.exe, couldn't find the original post so have re-upped it).

 

I also have this problem. I have v3.6.1.20. No Hispasat for me. It drives the dish to the opposite direction. I have SkyStar HD.

[lastclass]

I also have this problem. I have v3.6.1.20. No Hispasat for me. It drives the dish to the opposite direction. I have SkyStar HD.

 

i have the 3.8.1 beta .. problem still not fixed

 

hvr-4000 / with hh120 stab

 

when will this be fixed ?!

 

lastclass.. (and thx for a great program)

[Dadag]

Are you shure that the TT 3200 S2 (or Skystar HD) can drive correctly USALS (or Diseqc 1.2), it seem to me that the DC/DC converter can drive only switch and LNB (100mA to 200mA) Diseqc 1.0 or 1.1 , Stab motor need 300mA at the minimum.

I am looking for the KNC 1 S2 who is specified for Diseqc 1.3 and the converter seem more robust.

[lastclass]

USALS - Goto Angular will not drive dish to westerly sats when longitude is near 0deg,.

My longitude is set to 0.2, if for example I set up for 30W - Hispasat the dish tries to drive to 330deg. Goto Angular is not picking up my longitude to change 330deg to -30deg

As a workaround I have set up a series of command strings for westerly sats (thanks to diseqc.exe found on this forum)

USALS - Goto Angular working fine for the easterly sats.

USALS - Command String working fine for the westerly sats.

 

Another problem, when changing channel (and sat) the dish drives to the new sat but the channel will not tune, it's as if the tuner has timed out before it receives the signal, even re-selecting the same channel on the new sat doesn't work, I have to select a different channel, then after that is tuned re-select the required channel.

 

I am using Technotrend S2-2300 with Stab HH120 motor.

 

 

i have the same problem here .. when will this be fixed ??