Want to resurrect your D/D2 MAC kit?

[fsphil]

Indeed, the channel names are in the firmware. It's why I was wondering if Sky where able to change the name displayed by the decoders when they started replacing the BSB channels.

 

[BSBSquarial]

From memory the correct channel names were displayed on our Ferguson BSB box that was installed and activated by BSkyB after the merger.
Channels were:
Sky One
Sky News
Sky Movies
The Movie Channel
Sky Sports

fsphil, it sounds like the box you have still has the original BSB channel names in its memory. Maybe don't loose those? for history sake.

I really need to get a HackRF and start playing with this.
How do I install your software? Ive looked at your github pages but for the life of me cant understand how it works.
How do i use the files? Do I need a program to run the files on github?
Excited.
Chris

 

[DMAC 405]

I'm keeping the original BSB channel names, I want it to be as if BSB was back on air!! I would even like to use my Squarial- any ideas? Any suggestions welcome.

As Chris says it would be really helpful if we could have a guide on here with required kit, software and description of how to get an SD video/audio source "received" on an original (unmolested as much as possible) BSB or other DMAC receiver for those of use not familiar with HackRF/GNUradio etc. Well done everyone for the good work so far. Also excited.

Thanks

Tim

 

[Captain Jack]

If you want to use original unmolested BSB box, you need HackRF or Limesdr, though the latter hasn't been tested.

Next you ideally need a decently specced machine with some sort of Linux installed, either natively or in a VM. I use an Apple Mac, which is essentially Unix underneath and it should also work under Windows with something like Mingw installed too.

Next you need to clone the GutHub code and compile it. It's as simple as installing the required libraries using apt or yum (or brew) and running make command. Most are at the bottom of the readme at the bottom of that page along with examples to run it.

I am typing this on a phone but can provide more detailed commands if needed.

I want to do a proper write up of hacktv as it does far more than just MAC but haven't really had time...

You can also use a much cheaper fl2k device for MAC instead of hackrf if you just want to use a standalone decoder. Will also work for PAL but without audio.

 

[BSBSquarial]

This is brilliant!
I am gonna need some more detailed help with the software side though. sorry.
So I have a windows PC with intel i7 processor 16gb ram. should this be fast enough?
So if i install mingw will this allow me to open and use the files on github/hacktv?
Which files do I need to use to replicate this with my BSB boxes?
Like Tim I am hoping to be able to transmit to a squarial connected to the receiver, but I realise this a whole other technical issue.
Hopefully there is a way to transmit in the 10ghz range to the squarial from a HackRF.

 

[Captain Jack]

You need all the files in order to compile. When you clone the repository, it pulls down all the files. There's a windows build script that can be used but I haven't tried it myself...

HackRF cannot transmit at 10GHz. Upper limit is 6GHz for it but could be different for limesdr. I have a coax running directly from hackrf to the receiver - makes it a bit easier to get a good signal into the receiver.

 

[BSBSquarial]

Go I need to use the GNUradio software or just the Hacktv files?
I really am lost with this. sorry

 

[fsphil]

No GNU Radio needed. I can compile a windows binary if needed. Just be aware that the program runs from the command line, there's no GUI. It's not too hard to get going.

On the squarial, as Captain Jack says the hackrf won't transmit on the frequencies needed. We're using the intermediate frequencies (IF) as would have been output by the squarial, feeding it straight into the receiver (with a DC block to protect the hackrf from the receiver's LNB power). I've a frequency list here: BSB Frequency List

If you have an FM modulator that can transmit at 12GHz then it might be possible to feed it the baseband from an fl2k adaptor. This would be a fun experiment!

 

[DMAC 405]

Thanks all, yep this is brilliant! I will look into getting a HackRF for transmitting on IF, quite happy to get started doing it this way first.....one step at a time.

My understanding is limited on the whole fl2k thing- it's a Fresco Logic FL2000 chipset commonly used for USB 3.0 to VGA adaptors? So running Linux this can output DMAC?

Lots to take in here, I need to do more research on GutHub & Limesdr.....oh and get Linux installed on my Mac or Windoze machines. Yes, I'm sure more details will be needed Captain. Well done all!

 

[fsphil]

Yeah, the fl2k developers figured out how to use the FL2000 to output any kind of signal. The VGA p-p voltage is 0.7v which isn't quite enough for composite video but the MAC decoders are able to compensate.

 

[fsphil]

The D/D2-MAC encoder has finally been added to hacktv. It took much longer to get it right than I had originally expected. It's been re-written about three or four times and there are still parts I'm not happy with :-) The R&S signal generator that started all this turned out to be very useful, especially for some of the D-MAC parts. The official documentation for MAC is detailed but not always helpful, so having a real signal to look at was invaluable.

Shout out to Captain Jack for the assistance, hardware and moral support while developing this :-)

 

[Captain Jack]

Truly excellent work, Phil! Glad to have been of moral support

 

[DMAC 405]

Brilliant work, well done all!! Really looking forward to giving this a try.

I was looking at HackRF units and prices. I notice on fleabay there are many for sale at a range of prices. Does anyone know if the Chinese sourced ones are likely to be copies? There must be a reason why they're quite a bit cheaper. Surely the market is limited for such specialist kit, would they really go to the bother of developing knock off's?

 

[Captain Jack]

I am fairly sure mine is a knock-off as well and general reports have it that they work OK.

Don't know about reliability. Mine is still OK but Phil blew an amp on his (though not sure which version he has).

 

[fsphil]

I have the original version, from Great Scott Gadgets. It's open hardware so it's easy for others to clone it, but I believe they use all the same components so it should perform as well.

The amplifiers are known to fail if they are overloaded, especially the input amp. I'm not sure how I broke the output one to be honest. It works fine without them, just with less power and/or sensitivity.

 

[fsphil]

One thing to keep in mind, you'll need a reasonably modern machine to run this. Anything made in the last 5 years is probably fine.

 

[BSBSquarial]

No GNU Radio needed. I can compile a windows binary if needed. Just be aware that the program runs from the command line, there's no GUI. It's not too hard to get going.

On the squarial, as Captain Jack says the hackrf won't transmit on the frequencies needed. We're using the intermediate frequencies (IF) as would have been output by the squarial, feeding it straight into the receiver (with a DC block to protect the hackrf from the receiver's LNB power). I've a frequency list here: BSB Frequency List

If you have an FM modulator that can transmit at 12GHz then it might be possible to feed it the baseband from an fl2k adaptor. This would be a fun experiment!

Hi Phil,
Fantastic work with this!.
Would it be possible for you to compile the windows binary for this. I'm probably way out of my depth trying to install linux and get this to work.

I have read some pages on the web about amature radio people converting LNBs into transmitters.
The Marconi blue cap from the 90s seemd to be favorite.
I was wondering if we could use one of these to transmit to the Squarial? fed from the HackRF.

 

[fsphil]

Ah good timing, I've just this second uploaded a windows binary here: https://www.sanslogic.co.uk/hacktv/hacktv-20191030-win64.zip
I don't have a windows machine so this is completely untested.

 

[BSBSquarial]

Another demo...

Hi Capatain,
was this a video file or were you feeding live TV to the BSB box?

 

[Captain Jack]

was this a video file or were you feeding live TV to the BSB box?

It was a live Sky News broadcast from my Enigma2 box (using http stream).