This section discusses the support of DVBStreamExplorer for the various hardware devices.

DVBStreamExplorer was primarily designed to work with devices supporting the BDA (Broadcast Device Architecture) interface. The BDA interface is a device architecture specified by Microsoft so that manufactures of Digital TV devices can make their hardware compatible with the DirectX VA Video Acceleration API and DDI, so as to have a common interface between Digital TV devices.

Unfortunately many of the older devices do not implement BDA. Furthermore, some modern devices do implement BDA, but are restricted in functionality because of limitations in BDA to support specific features, such as DiSEqC and CI. In such cases, manufacturers provide their own APIs to access their hardware besides implementing the basic BDA interface.

Because of this, DVBStreamExplorer provides specific-vendor support for the following BDA devices:

This does not mean that DVBStreamExplorer supports only the above devices. Native support for non-BDA devices is also provided for TechniSat SkyStar2. However, if you wish to use the BDA driver for your device and you intend to use of vendor-specific features, then support is only available for the above.

BDA Driver

If your hardware (PCI/USB) is not one of the natively supported types, then your device must support BDA. To determine whether your device supports BDA, check out the device's User Manual, or else check out its specifications on the manufacturer's website.

Using BDA for the first time

When running DVBStreamExplorer for the first time with BDA driver, the dialog below will be shown.

Select the tuner and capture device applicable for your device.

Note

In some cases the tuner and capture devices are in the same filter. In that case this filter must be specified in both tuner and capture fields.

Select the network type applicable for your device.

• If your device supports Satellite reception, choose DVB-S.
• If your device supports Digital Terrestrial reception, choose DVB-T.
• If your device supports Digital Cable reception, choose DVB-C.

If your device is DVB-S then you will now be presented with the Tuning Spaces Configuration dialog. The first time you must add one Satellite in the Satellites box. You must then configure the satellites you are going to use in DVB-S MUX list. Finally you must go to Tuning Spaces Configuration to configure LNB/DiSEqC options. After that you are now ready to start using DVBStreamExplorer.

Vendor specific support

Some features, like DiSEqC and CI are currently not that well supported by BDA standard. Many vendors have opted to support these features in a proprietary manner.

Currently DVBStreamExplorer BDA have vendor specific support for following devices:

• DVBWorld USB 2102 (DiSEqC 1.2).
• TechnoTrend (DiSEqC 1.2 and CI).
• TechnoTrend (DiSEqC 1.0 via InputRange).

BDA Configuration

To activate BDA configuration dialog box, select Device -> Settings menu.

Device Configuration

On device configuration you can review the current applicable device settings. In case you have multiple BDA devices installed on your system, you can also configure a new device that becomes applicable on next application startup. See Using BDA for the first time for details on configuring BDA device.

Tuning Spaces Configuration

On tuning spaces page you can configure all parameters required for tuning spaces.

If your device is DVB-C or DVB-T, then there will only be one tuning space to configure.

On the other hand, if your device is DVB-S, there will be a tuning space to configure for each satellite configured in DVB-S MUX list. The satellites are listed in satellites box. Click on one satellite at a time to configure tuning space parameters for that satellite. Most importantly this would be DiSEqC if you have configured Vendor specific support

BDA Tuning

To activate BDA tuning dialog box, select Device -> Tuning menu.

In the tuning dialog enter the tuner and modulation parameters required by your card and press apply button. Signal box will show if tuner was able to lock a signal.

Note

The tuning dialog will allow you to enter values for almost all parameters supported by BDA. In most cases only a few parameters need to be set in order to tune. You can check the tuning dialog in the software that was bundled with your card to get an idea of which parameters are required.