Twinhan DVB-s 1025(7)

[flyswatta]

I was thinking about playing around with satellite, and was wondering if anyone has tried out the Twinhan DVB-S 1025 or 1027 PCI cards?

I have a couple of questions:
1. are these software encoder cards or hardware encoded? In other words, should I expect to kiss my CPU goodbye if I try to record with one?

2. what is the disqc switch - from what I can figure out, it merges LNB signals into one cable?

3. I was just planning on using an old dish receiver on my roof, can I just run a cable from the dish to my GBPVR server? and would I need a disqc switch?

I'm just now trying to understand this whole satellite thing and figure out if it would be doable for me BEFORE I start buying hardware .

[sub]

I have a couple of questions:
1. are these software encoder cards or hardware encoded? In other words, should I expect to kiss my CPU goodbye if I try to record with one?

There is no encoder required for DVB or ATSC cards. The encoding happens at the broadcaster's end, and GB-PVR just saves the data to disk.

2. what is the disqc switch - from what I can figure out, it merges LNB signals into one cable?

A diseqc switch is used when you have multiple dishes, or a dish with multiple LNBs.

3. I was just planning on using an old dish receiver on my roof, can I just run a cable from the dish to my GBPVR server? and would I need a disqc switch?

For simple setups with one dish and one LNB, no diseqc switch is required.

[flyswatta]

Sweet! You da man, Sub!

[soccerdad]

I have used the 1027 card. It was very nice and came with a remote and IR receiver. I learned a lesson the hard way though. I disconneced the LNB while it was still powered (some programs do not turn off the power to the LNB when you leave them) and accidently shorted the coax. This millisecond short blew the card out (it actually started to smoke and glow red and I had to pull the plug on my PC:eek: )

I have now purchased a 1025 card from ebay. It was about half the price (~40 with shipping) and seems to work just as well as the 1027. It does not support the remote control though. You may also want to look for a cheap satellite finder gauge to help find the sats. You can also try a program called DVBDream (also free) that has a built in sat finder. Once you get on the correct sat, you then should be able to set up GBPVR. Sub has done a great job support the US on this, but it is a little easier to set up on other programs first, then once you find your settings, move back to the REAL PVR software

This DVB-S stuff is fun, but there is a learning curve. Good luck!

[flyswatta]

Thanks soccerdad, i was eyeing the 1025 for the price - I found an oem version for about $40 so it caught my eye. I'm planning on using it for recording only, so I'm not too concerned about the remote. I was interested in the 1027 because it says that it supports HD. How much of the satellite stuff is HD?

[soccerdad]

HD changes every day. The 1025 also does HD (at least that is what sat-sales.com says), although I have never really tried it. I am sure more and more will add it. I have been playing with FTA stuff (NASA etc) and most of that is not HD.

[sub]

I was interested in the 1027 because it says that it supports HD. How much of the satellite stuff is HD?

Usually with digital cards, this just means the software that comes with it supports HD (charging more to recoup development costs + licensing fees for more advanced decoders bundled with software). This isnt an issue if you're not using their software.

[flyswatta]

From the picture the 1025 looks like it has 2 inputs. One is obviously SAT in, but what's the other one for? SAT2 in? Antenna in? RF out? I can't really find anything in the specs on what it's for...

[soccerdad]

It has an LNB in and out. I guess you can daisy chain it over to another card with one LNB. I got mine white box as well so I don't have any documentation. I just use the LNB in. The 1027 has an SVid and composite vid jacks on it, (no audio). I never used the Twinhan software so I am not sure what they were for. I assume they are inputs. I don't think they work with the BDA drivers and other software.

One thing to note on the Twinhan stuff, they do not have any warranty. I got my first one through Sat-Sales.com and they only have a 2 week exchange policy. A $40 card is cheap, so it may not matter, but it is worth noting. I sent both Twinhan and Sat-sales emails after I fried mine and never got a single reply.

[flyswatta]

I went ahead and ordered the 1025. I figure for $45 it'll be worth the entertainment value of figuring out how to get it working.

I have an old dish network satellite dish that I was going to put up - it looks like it's dual LNB, so I figured I'd just hook up to one of them and run it straight to the card. Any reason that you think it might not work? I figure worst case, I'd just go and get a diseqc switch and go that route - but I don't know that I'd get any extra value with both LNBs anyway.