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SDR radio with USB TV tuner

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Nigel Goodwin

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Hi,

Anyone played with RTL2832U based USB tuners and SDR radio?.

I've got two RTL2832U based dongles, and neither will pick up any TV channels using the software that comes with them.

The drivers install OK, and the TV software installs OK - but when you scan they find nothing. I've tried them on three Win10 computers (ensuring I've got the correct drivers in use, as Win10 can overwrite the correct drivers), and even dug out an old XP machine with the same results.

I don't see much point in trying to get them working with SDR if I can't even make then work as normal TV tuners?.

And before anyone asks, I do have a working TV aerial plugged in to them - and have even tried plugging the exact same connection in to a TV to make 110% that it's working :D

Incidentally, the latest one is from Bangood, as an SDR kit - but I'd like to confirm the dongle works before I strip it down:

www.banggood.com/100KHz-1_7GHz-Full-Band-Software-Radio-HF-FM-AM-RTL-SDR-Receiver-Radio-Frequency-Modulation-Kit-p-1120249.html
 
Hi Nigel,
I have one of these with the lbel "Peak DVB-T Code 102569AGPK2 I have just had a liik inside and it does use RTL2832U chip. I don't have it connected up at the moment but ist has worked OK in the past. (Probably with XP) Here are two pictures to compare with your boards.

Peak_DVB01 (Large).jpg



Peak_DVB02 (Large).jpg


The chip on the left in the first picture is the RTL2832U I have just connected it to an old netbook and it still works. I think you will be able to find the software for this on the web for you to try. I also have a Kworld Dual DVB-T UB499-2T that I use on a windows 7 system and that works with no problems. I have not opened that up but I suspect it uses the same chip.

Les
 
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I have a couple running as SDR receivers using the instructions found here. (click on Quick Start Guide)

Since they dont work for TV reception in the US, I never installed the drivers that came with them...

Are you sure they don't work in the USA?, I thought they worked anywhere, you just need to select the country when tuning them in.

I suppose the best idea is to try installing one as SDR and see if that works, even though the TV tuner parts doesn't.
 
Hi Nigel & MikeMl,
I had a look inside the "Kworld Dual DVB-T UB499-2T". It does not use the RTL2832U chip. It uses two IT9137FN chips (I assume one for each channel.)
It claims to support HD TV but this does not work in the UK. I have taken pictures of the board so if anyone is interested I will post them on the forum.

Les.
 
Are you sure they don't work in the USA?....

Never tried because the original ham radio articles that talk about re-purposing these to a wide-band SDR receiver said that they were specifically made for the EU TV standards, and they would not work as a TV receiver in the US.

I have used one to receive aircraft ADSB transmissions, and the other is in daily use as a panoramic (spectrum) display for my regular short-wave Ham receiver. I use a stripped-down version of SDR# running under Win7 or Win10 as the display.
 
So I shouldn't have posted it?
I dont care if you post it or not. I read your link. It has about 10% of the info that is covered in the one I posted.
 
I dont care if you post it or not. I read your link. It has about 10% of the info that is covered in the one I posted.
You obviously do care that it was posted, because you had to make a comment that the likely solution was contained in a post made by yourself, first.
You also had to point out that your link had much more information contained within. Kinda implies that any further input is unnecessary.
Why?
Are we measuring dicks here?
I remember attending a training course once, where an instructor fielded questions, but then started to talk over participants as they were trying to give answers.
Instead of affirming that the participants had pretty much given the correct answers, he wanted to show that he was the authority on the subject.
Nobody felt like continuing to try to give any input after that, asking questions etc. they just let him go and do his one-man show.
Ever wondered why a once-thriving forum can end up almost like a ghost town?
This place used to be buzzing with activity....

I'd like to know other members thoughts on this please.
 
I ordered one as well, not knowing that there do not seem to be transmissions of this type in Canada. I just recently tripped over a long series of U-Tube videos on using these as wide band communication receivers...very informative. I believe that they stated in one video that using the Bangood software was next to useless.

Mikster...you are attempting to start a battle that will get you absolutely nowhere, even if you are right.
 
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