VMA Stream Reader

[vma]

Hello,

I am in the process of developing the VMA Stream Reader, based on CrazyCat's Streamreader DLL.

The way it is implemented, you do a SPECTRUM SCAN and then you double click any frequency. It will run a blind scan and render the Constellation Monitor. You can then double click on a different transponder and it updates. The red line is only drawn for the currently analyzed transponder.
I never liked the way EBSpro and CrazyScan work by leaving previous lines, since it clutters the graph and makes it unsuitable to post a finding (just my opinion).

Once the signal is locked, the START STREAMING can be clicked to stream the locked transponder over UDP (to any application like VMA Transport Stream Analyser, VLC, TSReader, etc.).

Another alternative is to manually enter the Freq and Pol and then click BLINDSCAN FREQ. This will directly run the blindscan and constellation diagram on the entered frequency. This is useful when you know a frequency and its polarity, but you don't know the tuning parameters. Instead of having to wait for a spectrum scan, you just enter both and analyze them directly. This was done with my VMA Simple Spectrum Analyser in mind: now I could add a button to go from live spectrum (using the versions for R&S CMU200/CRTU, HP859x, Siglent SSA3000X/XP/XR, TinySA/TinySA Ultra, SMA/NWT/D6/LTDZ) to directly blind scan and process a satellite transponder... (will take time to implement, though).

Still a lot missing, but I am pretty happy about the current state. I find it quicker and more direct to use.

Todo:

- Add DiSEqC support
- Add Satellite selector (and the respective DiSEqC configuration handling)
- Add signal level/quality indication
- Report output? I am wondering if it would make sense to have a button to output a complete report, properly formatted
- ...

I don't want to replicate CrazyScan or EBSpro - they are great tools and have their own strengths. What I want to achieve is to have a good TS input solution for VMA Transport Stream, which is quick and easy to use, yet provides all relevant information.

The current beta version can be downloaded here: https://vma-broadcast.com/wp-content/upl…am%20Reader.zip

Make sure to read the included "VMA Stream Reader - Readme.txt" to understand the current limitations.

Any feedback and suggestions are welcome.

Regards,
Vitor

 

[vma]

 

[satesco]

Thanks, @vma, for thinking of and developing your version of Stream Reader.
Until you implement card selection, I've been able to use your application.

 

[vma]

Many new features:


New download link: https://vma-broadcast.com/wp-content/upl…er_20250714.zip

 

[satesco]

Indeed, it's great that you're thinking about improving your application.
With VMA Stream Reader, there was no spectrum with the 6909x card, but that didn't prevent VMA Transport Analyzer and VMA Mosaic from working well.
I'm also adding the spectrum with this card obtained with EBSpro.

 

[EnoSat]

 

[dreamsat]

Hello VMA,
thank you very much for your work. I've got it running now, but I haven't managed to connect to the Video Analyzer yet. Should it start automatically when you click "Start Streaming"?

 

[satesco]

Hello VMA,
thank you very much for your work. I've got it running now, but I haven't managed to connect to the Video Analyzer yet. Should it start automatically when you click "Start Streaming"?

No, after you click "Start Streaming", the next step is 2, "VMA Transport Stream Analyzer". After you see the TV/Radio Services on it, launch 3, "VMA Mosaic".

 

[vma]

New version: https://vma-broadcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VMA_Stream_Reader_20250715.zip

The workflow is:
VMA Stream Reader (START STREAMING) --> VMA Transport Stream Analyser (Launch VMA Mosaic) --> VMA Mosaic (Click on the magnifying glass icon) --> VMA Video Analyser

 

[vma]

Some info:

1) After doing a spectrum scan, you can double click in the chart to run the blind scan on the respective frequency.

2) With the Constellation Diagram checkbox set, a constellation diagram will be rendered, which takes time (depending on the settings configured in the Settings tab). You may want to uncheck this, for fast result.

3) At any time any of the buttons can be clicked and it normally works, as long as it makes sense. I have not yet decided which buttons have to be disabled, while a different function is running. I do like the fact that you can double click the spectrum while it is still being scanned and you get the blind scan results. But there are some issues, for instance if you have streaming going on, it might break it (you then need to stop the streaming, click blind scan and start streaming again).

4) After doing a spectrum scan, you can do a blind scan on the blind scan tab. When it finishes, you can double click any entry in the list-box to open that frequency in the Stream Reader tab and start the blind scan. It will automatically switch tab and press the Blindscan Freq button.

5) The results of the blind scan can be exported as an *.ini file in DVBViewer format.

 

[anto@]

Even though I'm not at your level, I managed to get it to start,
but I can't see the TS analyzer.

 

[satesco]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see the option to choose both polarities in the
Settings, and in Tuning Parameters, only one can be selected.
Why not both, H/V or R/L? For Blindscan, it's a must.

 

[anto@]

Even though I'm not at your level, I managed to get it to start,
but I can't see the TS analyzer.

 

[vma]

Have you tried this?

 

[vma]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see the option to choose both polarities in the
Settings, and in Tuning Parameters, only one can be selected.
Why not both, H/V or R/L? For Blindscan, it's a must.

You select the polarity here.

 

[anto@]

View attachment 163829

Have you tried this?

I meant this image.
Yes, I saw what you reported.

 

[satesco]

Perhaps I didn't express myself correctly, but I'm interested in Blindscan so that I can choose both polarities simultaneously, just like in Crazyscan or EBSpro.

 

[cirio70]

Hi,
everythings works fine with both TBS 6903 and 6522H. Blindscan works and double clicking works too.
unfortunately when i push "Start Streaming" nothing happens (i tested it with transedit and TSreader since i've got no license for your VMA Transport Stream Analyser.)
I tried sniffing my network too but no udp packets on 127.0.0.1:1234

Did i miss something?

 

[EnoSat]

I meant this image.
Yes, I saw what you reported.

This streaming not automaticaly call TransEdit (must manual run TE)

 

[vma]

Once you did a blindscan (by entering a frequency manually or double clicking on the spectrum), so that all text fields are filled with tuning parameters, clicking on START STREAMING should work. But you cannot use the constellation diagram simultaneously (hardware/streamreader.dll do not support it).

Blindscan: it works only on the current spectrum. You cannot automatically do both polarities. I have not thought about that, to be honest. Right now the workflow is to be on first tab, do a spectrum scan and then go to blindscan tab and have the spectrum analyzed.

I understand that it would make sense to have both scanned... Have to think about this (but not a top priority).

The top priority is to add satellite management with DiSEqC support. But this will be a lot of work and I am procrastinating it... In fact I did the blindscan today, because I was not in the mood and mentally fit to tackle DiSEqC support. It will require lots of reading to understand how to implement it. Crcj did an outstanding work with EBSpro...