Raspberry Pi / TVHeadend compatible DVB-T USB stick

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mdf

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# 179016 22-Aug-2015 21:52

I've bought myself a Raspberry Pi and have had lots of fun playing with it so far (I feel like a total cyberhacker using CLI commands...)

I'm currently seeing if I can set it up as a TV server. I was aiming to use TVHeadend to replace a windows box. Not least because of the helpful instructions here.

I've got a couple of DVB-T USB sticks that I've picked up along the way (AVermedia 3D A867 and a cheapie Kmedia UB-450-T) that work well with Windows / Media Portal. But I've gotten in *well* over my head trying to get them to work in Linux/Raspbian.

Can anyone recommend a USB stick that is compatible with a Pi/TVHeadend (though I'm open to using different PVR software). I'm aiming for as cheap as possible - we never watch live TV, and hardly record anything any more post the Netflix revolution, but there are a couple of shows I like to record that aren't legitimately obtainable online. That said, Aliexpress has managed to royally annoy me the last couple of orders so something local would be good.

Shagy

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# 1375513 28-Aug-2015 08:48

I think there have been posts in here about USB sticks for rpi
If your having problems with hardware support you could try running mythtv on a pc as a backend for better/easier hardware support transcoding etc and use rpi as front ends. Mythbuntu is probibly the easiest to get up and running
http://www.mythbuntu.org/

Shagy

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# 1375520 28-Aug-2015 09:01

On reflection I think there is more info in the forums about rpi and tvheadend at the offical rpi website

I still think it's a good idea to check out mythtv, it's has a lot of features

Shagy

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# 1376140 29-Aug-2015 16:13

There are posts in geekzone htpc about using rpi,tvheadend and USB tuners

mdf

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# 1385232 10-Sep-2015 20:24

So this is probably a dumb question, but I haven't been able to find a conclusive answer anywhere else. Still trying to get TV tuners to work on the RPi (and to rule out other possibilities, I've also tried on a Ubuntu x86 build).

Using both the dmesg and lsusb commands, my two DVB USB sticks seem to be recognised even on brand new/clean builds - one pops up as AVermedia and the other as Afatech. I think therefore that the drivers for these must be in the kernel.

However, no matter how much other mucking around I do (and it has been about 2 weeks of experimenting), I can't get the DVB USBs to show in any kind of media program (TV Headend and MeTV so far).

Do I need firmware as well as the drivers to get these to work? All of the online guides I've been able to find basically stop once the drivers are installed and say everything should work from there. Are they just assuming something that should be so obvious that it doesn't need to be pointed out for anyone except me?

kama

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# 1385256 10-Sep-2015 21:15

Do the devices appear in /dev/dvb/?

Check dmesg for the loading of firmware. Neither tuner appears on the old site,

http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/AVerMedia

But recent kernels could have support. Once a device appears tzap it.

https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Tzap

mdf

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# 1387570 14-Sep-2015 21:59

kama: Do the devices appear in /dev/dvb/? Check dmesg for the loading of firmware. Neither tuner appears on the old site, http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/AVerMedia But recent kernels could have support. Once a device appears tzap it. https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Tzap

Right, I've spent a *lot* of time on this and am not making much progress. I will keep telling myself it's a "learning experience" and maybe one day I will actually believe it. I see where the inimitable Oatmeal was coming from.

I've tried this in Debian and Ubuntu, in various versions, and on a PC and the Pi. No obvious joy.

The closest I've got to the Kworld stick was following these instructions: http://www.dfragos.me/2011/11/installation-of-the-rt2832u-driver-in-linux.html

Dmesg:

[ 679.095541] usb 2-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 8 using ehci_hcd
[ 679.198493] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=1b80, idProduct=d397
[ 679.198499] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 679.198504] usb 2-1.2: Product: usbtv
[ 679.198507] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: realtek
[ 679.238187] IR NEC protocol handler initialized
[ 679.240681] IR RC5(x) protocol handler initialized
[ 679.242761] IR RC6 protocol handler initialized
[ 679.245149] IR JVC protocol handler initialized
[ 679.247634] IR Sony protocol handler initialized
[ 679.250018] IR MCE Keyboard/mouse protocol handler initialized
[ 679.252723] lirc_dev: IR Remote Control driver registered, major 250
[ 679.252937] IR LIRC bridge handler initialized
[ 679.253255] usbcore: registered new interface driver dvb_usb_rtl2832u
[ 1950.261286] usb 2-1.2: USB disconnect, device number 8
[ 1953.272625] usb 2-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 9 using ehci_hcd
[ 1953.375577] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=1b80, idProduct=d397
[ 1953.375582] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 1953.375586] usb 2-1.2: Product: usbtv
[ 1953.375588] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: realtek

But it doesn't show up in TVHeadEnd or Kaffeine.

I don't seem to have a /dev/dvb folder, so that can't be a good sign. I installed dvbapps and have looked through tzaps help, but can't figure out the commands to make it do anything.

The AVermedia A867 seems even further from working. I worked my way through most of these instructions but without much success.

If I was having absolutely zero luck, I would toss them and just buy something known to be compatible with the Pi (open to suggestions here, by the way). I feel as though I am close though and it is just a final step I am missing. Makes it even more frustrating but think I should probably commit the time. Learning experience and all that.

Little

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# 1387599 15-Sep-2015 06:59

I set up a rpi 2 with a powered usb hub and bought 3 of these:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Digital-TV-Stick-USB-DVB-T-for-Laptop-PC-RTL2832U-R820T-USB-DVB-Support-SDR/1449073720.html

Installed openelec 5.0.8, enabled TVHeadEnd and it all works out of the box.

PANiCnz

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# 1387600 15-Sep-2015 07:09

You'll likely need to install the firmware for the stick. You can either figure out the specific firmware required and load it individually or look for the non free Linux firmware package. I can't remember it's specific name but it's something similar to that and can be installed with APT.

mdf

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# 1387658 15-Sep-2015 09:28

Little: I set up a rpi 2 with a powered usb hub and bought 3 of these:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Digital-TV-Stick-USB-DVB-T-for-Laptop-PC-RTL2832U-R820T-USB-DVB-Support-SDR/1449073720.html

Installed openelec 5.0.8, enabled TVHeadEnd and it all works out of the box.

Ironically, one of the sticks I am trying to get to work now has the same realtek rtl2832u chipset.

Thanks for the suggestion though. If they work out of the box, my time (and lack of frustration) is worth way more than the ten bucks Ali express is charging.

Little

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# 1387916 15-Sep-2015 15:19

Yeah I tried to get these working on an older kernel with an odroid u2 and failed miserably.
Usb DVB support is so much better with a newer kernel (3.18.10).

richms

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# 1387964 15-Sep-2015 16:32

I had a play in the past.

Pi had issues powering the tuners I tried. Took an external hub. Otherwise they kept just resetting and re-detecting instead of actually tuning.

Richard rich.ms

mdf

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# 1389071 17-Sep-2015 14:25

Nuts to this. Days later (and multiple distros, kernels, variations, hacks and patches) I've given up and ordered one of the tuners @Little suggested.

MattR

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# 1389147 17-Sep-2015 16:02

I use Nooelec usb tuners (left over from RPi ADS-B projects) on an ubuntu VM for tvheadend. I'm about to replace it with my old HDHomeRun.

http://www.nooelec.com/store/sdr/nesdr-mini2-rtl2832u-r820t2.html

my TVHeadEnd is in Sydney, we watch in Auckland on a Pi running OpenElec. It works surprisingly well.

MattR

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# 1389148 17-Sep-2015 16:03

richms: Pi had issues powering the tuners I tried. Took an external hub. Otherwise they kept just resetting and re-detecting instead of actually tuning.

The original RPi had trouble powering USB devices. The new ones (B+ and 2B) have no problem as long as you feed the Pi enough power.