Missing Channels

[Carlton]

I've just installed DVBViewer Pro and scanned for available channels . . . but unfortunately I appear to be missing quite a few, many of which are quite important.

 

As a comparison I've been using the TerraTec [very old] version of the software which shows 92 channels, however on the DVBViewer Pro I can only locate 72 regardless of which 'region' I select from the channel search 'Transponder list' dropdown.  I've also tried to select 'Search for additional frequencies' check box, but to no avail.  On the TerraTec version I've been using, it was possible to select a frequency range, but am unable to modify this in the DVBViewer Pro window.

 

I’ve tried all DVB-T’s (not DVB-T2 as my devices appears not to be compatible: "There is no matching DVB device available for this channel") namely DVB-T Australia/Europe/France/Taiwan and ISDB-T.  My location is United Kingdom.

 

I would be extremely grateful for any assistance.

 

Many thanks

 

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Carlton

[Carlton]

I’ve made progress, of sorts, in that I have copied the channels.dat and .bak files from the 'DVBViewer TerraTec Edition' into 'DVBViewer Pro' folder.  It appears to have been successful, with the missing channels now appearing.

 

However, I am still very keen to get to the bottom of this, as I am concerned that I should have detected all broadcast channels from the outset.

 

Many thanks

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Carlton

[Griga]

Some basic information:

• Scanning in DVBViewer Pro is based on transponder (frequency) lists. It scans all frequencies that are contained in the list. If frequencies are missing, the correspondig channels are not found.
• Transponder lists are INI files in the Transponders subdirectory of the configuration folder (because they are supposed to be changed/edited by users). Click TV/Radio -> Reception Settings/Channel Search -> Transponder List Directory for viewing them.
• DVBViewer installers write the default transponder lists to the program directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\DVBViewer\Default\Transponders), not to the configuration folder, in order to prevent user-modified lists from being overwritten. DVBViewer automatically copies the lists to the configuration folder, if it does not contain transponder lists yet. The current default list for the UK is DVB-T2_United_Kingdom.ini.
• Transponder lists can be modified by using the transponder list editor and scanner tool TransEdit (download from the customers area). It enables adding, changing or deleting frequencies to / in / from the lists.
• AFAIK some UK regions are using terrestrial frequencies with an offset, e.g. 474.176 or 473.833 MHz instead of plain 474 MHz. DVB-T2_United_Kingdom.ini contains instructions for TransEdit to perform a "Blind Scan", that covers all frequency/offset variations. So (in theory) selecting the list in the TransEdit main window and clicking "Blind Scan" should deliver complete results.

vor 16 Stunden schrieb Carlton:

with the missing channels now appearing.

 

It comes down to the question, on which frequencies the channels are broadcasted. Obviously they are missing in the transponder list(s) that you have used for a channel search. You can look them up in the DVBViewer Channel Editor and use TransEdit to add them to the transponder list of your choice. Or try a blind scan in order to see if there is even more missing.

 

Please let us know your results. dvbviewer.com is a small company without branches in other countries. So when it comes to DVB-T/C reception, we are dependent on user feedback, because we can't receive and test it ourselves. So maybe this is an opportunity to enhance the UK transponder list or scanning in general.

 

[Carlton]

Thank you very much for this information.

 

Over the last couple of days I’ve been trying to get to grips with it, and have been getting somewhat mixed results.  I've been struggling somewhat, and it probably doesn’t help due my lack of familiarity with the subject, and getting to grips with the TransEdit software.

 

With this in mind, I have attempted a number of combinations, two of which are outlined as follows:

 

i. As per suggestion I ran the "Blind Scan" against the DVB-T2_United_Kingdom.ini file, with the resulting file having a few extra entries, but on closer examination these were duplicates of what was already in the original file.

 

ii. As an experiment, I went to the extreme, buy creating a ‘New List’ and scanned for the frequency range: 54-64:7,177.5-226.5:7,474-999:8.  When I scanned it in DVBViewer Pro it did came back with quite a few additional channels, however, many were duplicate entries.

 

I would therefore be grateful for further guidance.

 

Many thanks

 

[Carlton]

One additional question if I may, which is related to this topic . . . is that if there is a broadcast [carrier] signal, but either there is no image; or there is a static information page, then this is only added to the channel list when a ‘live’ programme broadcast is detected.

 

For example, there is a channels which only starts broadcasting ‘live’ programme at 19:00, but during the remainder of the time it is broadcasting a 'splash' screen informing the viewer what the channel name is, and the times when the programme starts.  I’ve noticed that when I perform a scan before this time it doesn’t show up on the channel list, but after this time, it does.  This also appears to apply to channels which are broadcasting a carrier, but no image.

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Carlton

[Griga]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb Carlton:

As per suggestion I ran the "Blind Scan" against the DVB-T2_United_Kingdom.ini file, with the resulting file having a few extra entries, but on closer examination these were duplicates of what was already in the original file.

 

It depends on the catch range of your tuner.  Tuners may receive something on 474.176 MHz, even if DVBViewer/TransEdit tunes plain 474 MHz, which means, you get the same results on 474.000 and 474.176 MHz.

 

vor 12 Stunden schrieb Carlton:

One additional question if I may, which is related to this topic . . . is that if there is a broadcast [carrier] signal, but either there is no image; or there is a static information page, then this is only added to the channel list when a ‘live’ programme broadcast is detected.

 

Did you perform the scan with DVBViewer or TransEdit? The TransEdit scanner collects all channels, but there are filter options in the scanner window that determine which results are shown, particularly:

• Video Only Channels: Channels without audio, mostly with a static information page. The APID (Audio PID) column of the TransEdit scanner window contains 0 in this case, the VPID (Video PID) column a value greater than 0.
• Inactive Channels: Channels that are currently not broadcasting, but only during a certain time period, like CBeebies or BBC Four on Freesat. They have no video and audio stream while they are inactive, but still an entry in the broadcasted service information (SI) tables, which are a kind of  "table of contents" for the frequency. The scanner reads these SI tables and solely relies on the contained information. It doesn't look for video and audio streams.
• Data Services: Channels that are broadcasting data, but no video and audio, e.g. EPG service channels.

Just tick the ones that you want to get listed.... the TransEdit Manual tells you more about it.

 

[Carlton]

Quote

Did you perform the scan with DVBViewer or TransEdit?

 

As recommended, I used the TransEdit to scan for all channels, and then used the resulting .ini file in DVBViewer.

 

Quote

filter options in the scanner window that determine which results are shown

 

Will give it another try.

[Carlton]

If I may, in the mean time, I would like to add some more background information.  As the beginning of this year I moved to DVBViewer TerraTec Edition as the TerraTec software I was using the EPG stopped working.

 

As per the channel issue I am having with DVBViewer Pro, I also had with the TerraTec Edition, in that when I selected the various default Transponder Lists, I also found missing channels.

 

To overcome this I used the manual frequency overrides, and as can bee seen in the screen capture below, the chosen frequencies were somewhat excessive, but as it worked I was unconcerned.  One thing that this did achieve was that it added ‘all’ channels expected, including ones that were not broadcasting ‘live programmes at the time (see above post entry).

 

As mentioned in my second post above, I have used the channels.dat and .bak files from the 'DVBViewer TerraTec Edition' for the DVBViewer Pro.

I was therefore wondering what I would need within the .ini to reproduce my TerraTec Edition actions.

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Carlton

[Carlton]

Just an update.  I went out and purchased a more 'up-to-date' receiver and now getting the channel I was missing, so progress, and now much happier.  When I have a bit more time I will revisit the receiver I was having issues with.

 

I do however have a question regarding viewing channels that are inactive channels, in this case BBC FOUR.

 

Outside of the programme broadcast times, I run a scan, and it correctly places BBC FOUR in the Video section, however when I then select it to view, from the channels list, it is automatically removed from there and is placed it in the Audio list.  Is there a way to have it stay 'lock in place' in the Video list at all times ?

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Carlton