Author Topic: USB-DVB-T-DAB-FM-RTL-SDR-Realtek-RTL2832U-R820T-Tuner-Receiver-PAL-IEC-Inp (Read 27522 times)

DavePEI · « **on:** August 18, 2015, 02:41:58 PM »

Hi All:

I tried something new this morning. A couple of weeks ago, I ordered one of the above devices from China on Ebay:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/391095249092?

It arrived this morning and I have been playing with it since it came after figuring out how to configure it, etc....

A good guide to using these may be found on:
https://coderwall.com/p/roldfw/getting-started-with-sdr-with-rtl2832u

What it is is a receiver in a dongle which plugs into your USB port. It allows you to watch live SDTV and HDTV and listen to digital radio; Supports MPEG-2 / H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) video coding; Time-shifting and scheduled recording functions; EGP teletext Subtile and closed caption function; Recording format: :DVBT TV-DVD(MPEG-2) FM radio / DAB+ radio WMA convert format; Video: AVI-MPEG4 ASF MPEG4 MP4-MPEG4 (for iPod) PSP-MPEG4 3GP MPEG4 AVI DIVX AVI XVID MOV MPEG4 USB 2.0 connector; Recording format: DVBT TV-DVD(MPEG-2) FM radio / DAB+ radio WMA convert format; Video :AVI-MPEG4 ASF MPEG4 MP4-MPEG4 (for iPod) PSP-MPEG4 3GP MPEG4 AVI DIVX AVI XVID MOV MPEG4 Audio: MP3; Input: 75 Ohm IEC(Din)

TV will not work in North America, but covers radio from: 87.5~108MHz DAB+ radio: L-band: 1452960~1490624KHz; VHF-174928~239200 KHz, and I believe FM from 48.25~863.25 mhz, including police frequencies, though I have not yet had time to try it out on them...

Installation of the software is moderately difficult do not use the software which comes with it - use the software linked from the coderwall site. It is more tailored to radio reception. Just follow their instructions - they are dead on.

I have been receiving some of the local FM stations with it, and it does a great job. Later, I will try frequencies outside that band.

The dongle can be found for $8.75 USD with free shipping. It comes with an installation CD (which you don't use), the dongle itself, and with a cheap VHF antenna.

I am going to have fun with mine!

Dave

DavePEI · « **Reply #1 on:** August 18, 2015, 03:22:43 PM »

Hmm, Jeffery just showed me how to read our RF electric meters using it, and also the neighbour's using a couple of utilities!

Dave

NorthernElectric · « **Reply #2 on:** August 18, 2015, 06:19:12 PM »

If they had a version that supported ATSC instead of DVB-T I'd get one just to see if it was more sensitive than the PCI tuner card I have in my media PC. It's less sensitive than my TV it seems, so I can't always record stations that I can watch. I was doing OK until my mast mounted amplifier died.

compubit · « **Reply #3 on:** August 18, 2015, 07:46:57 PM »

Hmmm... May be a new toy!

I have a number of USB-based tuners I've used over the years. The latest chips do a better job receiving vs. earlier ones. The latest KWorld models seem to have decent sensitivity (from my tests - over earlier KWorld and Hauppauge units). The best one I've used was a Hauppauge unit that handled mobile DTV well (until the stations in the US started encrypting Mobile DTV) - the downside was that the unit had a Micro SMC (?) connector that was prone to breaking.

You may also want to consider an HD Homerun (latest versions) for over the air - they're network-based, so they connect to badly any media center software.

Jim

twocvbloke · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2015, 01:01:55 AM »

I thoroughly dislike DAB radio, in this country it's so heavily compressed that it is not worth listening to now, and the codec used (mp2) is so outdated it's ridiculous...

DavePEI · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2015, 05:17:17 AM »

Quote from: twocvbloke on August 19, 2015, 01:01:55 AM

I thoroughly dislike DAB radio, in this country it's so heavily compressed that it is not worth listening to now, and the codec used (mp2) is so outdated it's ridiculous...

Yes, but in this case, I am not using it for its DAB capabilities - I am using it for its FM ability to receive signals in out standard broadcast off the air band, as well as signals up to 1000 mhz., WFM AND NFM (wide and narrow FM). It will also receive AM, USB, LSB, DSB, CW.... And also with a couple of pieces of software as mentioned below, it will receive and decode the signals sent by RF power and water meters in the 900-930 mhz. band and print the results out on your computer screen..

With these, you can receive the range of frequencies of 24MHz to 1850MHz and also below 24 mhz. using a translator:

http://rtlsdr.org/#history_and_discovery_of_rtlsdr

FM: both narrow band and wideband. The former is used on two way radio systems such as emergency services and private radio networks (like couriers and taxis) and UHF CB and the latter is the usual broadcast FM the likes of which you have in the kitchen and car. Aircraft and boats and ships also use narrow band FM which you can use RTLSDR to listen to. The SDR# software can receive both narrowband and wideband FM and the latter do stereo FM too!
AM: Most AM transmissions are below the bottom frequency of RTLSDR dongles. You will need a translator to get these frequency bands.
Upper/Lower Sideband (USB/LSB). See AM above.
CW: Continuous wave for morse code enthusiasts.
With GNURadio you can receive and demodulate digital modes such as pagers (POCSAG), ADS-B (aircraft positions), AIS (ship positions), AP25 and TETRA (digital trunk radio) and many others.
GPS reception is currently being worked on but should be do-able.
Satellite reception including receiving ham transmissions from the International Space Station are possible to. I have seen some screen shots of someone using RTLSDR and a 2.5m dish to track the carrier signal on deep space robots such as Voyager and the Mars missions.

Dave

DavePEI · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2015, 10:41:33 AM »

Re: Reading your power meter remotely with a RTL2832U-R820T dongle:

Download the following files:

https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr/releases/download/v0.6.2/rtlamr_windows_amd64.zip

and

http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/raw-attachment/wiki/rtl-sdr/RelWithDebInfo.zip

Unzip both files and place in a new directory. Call it meter or anything...

Then run run rtl_tcp.exe then run rtlamr.exe

You will get a readout resembling the following and it will keep adding as additional meters are read...

ID# = the ID number on the meter
Consumption = reading on each meter.

In this case, I am receiving three meters, the one on our house, the meter on the Museum, and one of our neighbours. In an urban area, you may log hundreds....

This will read electric, gas, and water meters that transmit data. Supported meters in the following list:

https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr/blob/master/meters.csv

These meters transmit in the unlicensed 900-930MHz band.

Kewl, the things you learn when you have a smart kid. Thanks, Jeffery!

Dave

twocvbloke · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:54:31 AM »

Our meters are still of the "walk up to it and read the numbers" sorts, no wireless reading of the things here...

DavePEI · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:57:05 AM »

Quote from: twocvbloke on August 19, 2015, 11:54:31 AM

Our meters are still of the "walk up to it and read the numbers" sorts, no wireless reading of the things here...

We had them until about a year and a half ago, when they changed over all meters to the new RF digital ones...

Fabius · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2015, 12:55:53 PM »

Quote from: DavePEI on August 19, 2015, 10:41:33 AM

Re: Reading your power meter remotely with a RTL2832U-R820T dongle:

This will read electric, gas, and water meters that transmit data.

These meters transmit in the unlicensed 900-930MHz band.
'll

Now set up a PC based transmitter that's programmed to transit fake data showing minimum usage. You'll save big. You'll have to install a RF shield over the outside meter.

twocvbloke · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2015, 01:27:56 PM »

Quote from: DavePEI on August 19, 2015, 11:57:05 AM

We had them until about a year and a half ago, when they changed over all meters to the new RF digital ones...

They're trying to push people onto "Smart meters" over here which can transmit their readings over mobile phone networks, and the utility companies can, if need be, remotely switch off people's power if they're behind on paying their bills, which is quite an uneasy thought really, but apparently some enterprising people found ways to block the things from transmitting or receiving somehow...

DavePEI · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2015, 02:28:13 PM »

Quote from: twocvbloke on August 19, 2015, 01:27:56 PM

Quote from: DavePEI on August 19, 2015, 11:57:05 AM
We had them until about a year and a half ago, when they changed over all meters to the new RF digital ones...

They're trying to push people onto "Smart meters" over here which can transmit their readings over mobile phone networks, and the utility companies can, if need be, remotely switch off people's power if they're behind on paying their bills, which is quite an uneasy thought really, but apparently some enterprising people found ways to block the things from transmitting or receiving somehow...

That wasn't the reason here - the old meters were getting ancient and there were many people complaining about the accuracy of them, and of course, it being a rural island, it cost them to send employees around to read all the meters on the Island, so it just made good sense to change them all gradually across the Island.

Actually, I am glad they did, as the months they didn't get someone around to read them, they estimated useage and the estimate month you would either get a very high bill, or the next month you would get a very high bill if they underestimated the month before. Now, the readings have evened out, and it is easier to budget each month....

In the entire time we have been on this property, we had only had two meters, not including the new one - that is from the time the power arrived in 1955 until they changed to this meter.

I do find it kind of neat that I can read them sitting at my office desk!

Dave

19and41 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2015, 06:09:34 PM »

I see they also have ATSC dongles also. I'm not sure of their efficacy in monitoring the electric meters, though. I use budget billing to help manage costs.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=usb+atsc+tuner&_sop=15

andre_janew · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2015, 08:23:05 PM »

We have the "Smart meters" here in Lawrence, Kansas, USA. I've been told that they are capable of alerting the electric company of power outages. I have no idea if they do or not. I just think they installed them because the meter readers didn't like going out in the country to read meters!

DavePEI · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2015, 09:43:42 PM »

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