How to monitor Signal Strength???

[mixedup]

Any suggested guys re how best to monitor signal strength? (e.g. a lightweight software tool?)

In particular for particular channels I'd like to monitor signal strength as I move an indoor aerial around. See my signature for my gear. I'd like to use the BDA drivers as the basis for measuring as this is what GBPVR uses (i.e. with my BDA drivers in place the out-of-the-box Twinhan software doesn't run).

Thanks in advance

PS. Background re my problem http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=18473

[Chris.Day]

Here:
http://www.dayc.vispa.com/files/ScanChan...A_2-3a.exe

You can either do a full scan, or use it to monitor a single frequency. Of course, readings depend entirely on the quality of data provided by the card's driver.

[mixedup]

thanks Chris - excellent

How do these signal levels seem to you? Is this a reasonable set of readings?


============================================================================
# locked on 177500KHz, please wait for network information...

# Network Information...

Network_1("Seven Network", 177500, 7, 1)
Program_ 1("7 Digital" , 1344, 1025, 1026, 1024) # LCN=7 Teletext=1028
Program_ 2("7 Digital 1" , 1345, 1025, 1026, 32) # LCN=71 Teletext=1028
Program_ 3("7 Digital 2" , 1346, 1025, 1026, 1056) # LCN=72 Teletext=1028
Program_ 4("7 Digital 3" , 1347, 1025, 1026, 1072) # LCN=73 Teletext=1028
Program_ 5("7 HD Digital" , 1348, 1089, A1091, 1088) # LCN=70 Teletext=1028
Program_ 6("7 Guide" , 1350, 1121, 1122, 1120) # LCN=77


# Signal Statistics...

# 177500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 177500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 177500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 177500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 177500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%

============================================================================


# Nothing found on 184500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found



============================================================================
# locked on 191500KHz, please wait for network information...

# Network Information...

Network_2("Nine Network Australia", 191625, 7, 1)
Program_ 1("Nine Digital" , 1025, 513, 660, 257) # LCN=9 Teletext=577
Program_ 2("Nine Digital AC3" , 1025, 513, A661, 257) #
Program_ 3("Nine Guide" , 1030, 517, 700, 256) # LCN=99 Teletext=577
Program_ 4("Nine High Definition", 1152, 512, A651, 258) # LCN=90 Teletext=576


# Signal Statistics...

# 191500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 83, quality = 95%
# 191500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 83, quality = 98%
# 191500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 83, quality = 98%
# 191500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 83, quality = 96%
# 191500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 83, quality = 98%

============================================================================


# Nothing found on 198500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 205500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 212500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found



============================================================================
# locked on 219500KHz, please wait for network information...

# Network Information...

Network_3("Network TEN", 219500, 7, 1)
#Alternate frequencies
#Network_3("Network TEN", 725625, 7, 1)
#Network_3("Network TEN", 725500, 7, 1)
Program_ 1("TEN Digital" , 1601, 512, 650, 258) # LCN=1 Teletext=576
Program_ 2("TEN Digital AC3" , 1601, 512, A651, 258) #
Program_ 3("TEN Digital 1" , 1602, 512, 650, 259) # LCN=13 Teletext=576
Program_ 4("TEN Digital 1 AC3" , 1602, 512, A651, 259) #
Program_ 5("TEN Digital 2" , 1603, 512, 650, 260) # LCN=14 Teletext=576
Program_ 6("TEN Digital 2 AC3" , 1603, 512, A651, 260) #
Program_ 7("TEN Digital 3" , 1604, 512, 650, 261) # LCN=15 Teletext=576
Program_ 8("TEN Digital 3 AC3" , 1604, 512, A651, 261) #
Program_ 9("TEN Digital" , 1605, 512, 650, 257) # LCN=10 Teletext=576
Program_10("TEN Digital AC3" , 1605, 512, A651, 257) #
Program_11("TEN Guide" , 1607, 513, 660, 262) # LCN=11
Program_12("TEN HD" , 1608, 514, A672, 263) # LCN=12 Teletext=576
Program_13("TEN Guide" , 1609, 513, 660, 264) # LCN=100


# Signal Statistics...

# 219500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 84, quality = 98%
# 219500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 84, quality = 98%
# 219500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 84, quality = 98%
# 219500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 84, quality = 98%
# 219500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 84, quality = 98%

============================================================================





============================================================================
# locked on 226500KHz, please wait for network information...

# Network Information...

Network_4("ABC Brisbane", 226500, 7, 1)
Program_ 1("ABC HDTV" , 576, 2314, A2315, 258) # LCN=20 Teletext=2316
Program_ 2("ABC TV Brisbane" , 577, 512, 650, 256) # LCN=2 Teletext=576
Program_ 3("ABC TV Brisbane AC3" , 577, 512, A660, 256) #
Program_ 4("ABC2" , 578, 2307, 2308, 257) # LCN=21 Teletext=2310
Program_ 5("ABC TV" , 579, 512, 650, 259) # LCN=22 Teletext=576
Program_ 6("ABC DiG Radio" , 582, 0, 2317, 260) # LCN=200
Program_ 7("ABC DiG Jazz" , 583, 0, 2318, 261) # LCN=201


# Signal Statistics...

# 226500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 226500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 226500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 226500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%
# 226500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 86, quality = 98%

============================================================================


# Nothing found on 529500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 536500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 543500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 550500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 557500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 564500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 571500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 578500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found



============================================================================
# locked on 585500KHz, please wait for network information...

# Network Information...

Network_5("SBS NETWORK", 585625, 7, 1)
Program_ 1("SBS HD" , 816, 102, 103, 1024) # LCN=30
Program_ 2("SBS DIGITAL 1" , 817, 161, 81, 1025) # LCN=3 Teletext=41
Program_ 3("SBS DIGITAL 2" , 818, 162, 83, 1026) # LCN=33 Teletext=42
Program_ 4("SBS EPG" , 819, 163, 85, 1032) # LCN=31 Teletext=43
Program_ 5("SBS RADIO 1" , 830, 0, 201, 1027) # LCN=38
Program_ 6("SBS RADIO 2" , 831, 0, 202, 1028) # LCN=39


# Signal Statistics...

# 585500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 75, quality = 98%
# 585500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 77, quality = 98%
# 585500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 77, quality = 98%
# 585500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 72, quality = 98%
# 585500kHz, locked = Y, present = Y, strength = 64, quality = 98%

============================================================================


# Nothing found on 592500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 599500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 606500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 613500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 620500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 627500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 634500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 641500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 648500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 655500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 662500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 669500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 676500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 683500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 690500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 697500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 704500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 711500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 718500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 725500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 732500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 739500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 746500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 753500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 760500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 767500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 774500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 781500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 788500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 795500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 802500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 809500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found
# Nothing found on 816500kHz, trying +125, trying -125, Nothing found

[Chris.Day]

It looks like whoever wrote those drivers made the effort to actually calibrate the "strength" (or AGC gain) to the range of values supported by the card, which is good (since most manufacturers just report whatever the tuner/demod gives them, without understanding it). If that's the case, I'd say that those are about right. On most tuners, you don't want to go any higher than around 90%. That leaves a bit of headroom for signal strength variation.

Quality looks fine, although as with strength, there is no standard scale. On some cards, only values of 100% are the minimum good value to get an uninterrupted signal and values below are progressively worse levels of unusability. On others, values of 100% are perfect, and values between 50% and 100% are good (varying levels of "good"-ness) and values between 0% and 50% are bad (varying levels of "bad"-ness).

[mixedup]

Thanks Chris - I may be able to rule out signal strength as the cause of the issue I'm still having with my GB-PVR setup on my new PC. The details are at the following link if your interested in my wo's

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=18473

[mixedup]

yeah - the recording I have of Channel 9 are quite good so I'd doubt it's signal strength