How to watch free digital TV

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phoenix55

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I have 2 USB TV tuner sticks (PCTV 292e and Geniatech (Mygica) T230) in my Linux server.

I use MUMUDVB to stream channels to other devices (Android TV box, smart TV, smart phone, etc.) but it only does 1 stream per hardware device (i.e. SABC channels are on 1 frequency and etv is on another frequency), which is why I need 2 TV tuners.

I then use MythTV to record using the MUMUDVB stream for channel list.

I use IPTV application on Android TV boxes and smart phone to watch streaming live TV.

It works quite nicely as I can watch SABC channels streaming at present so I know that my DVB-T2 reception is ok.

My problem is that I don't know what the etv digital TV frequency is.

I can't seem to get either of the USB TV tuners to work on Windows 10 to try and figure out what the frequencies are. The PCTV device seemed to work ok on Windows 8 and I could get SABC and etv channels.

I can't seem to get the Geniatech device to work on Linux either, even though I've updated to the latest kernel

Anybody got any ideas to answer what etv digital TV frequency is? I'll try check what I got the SABC frequency as and add it here

Any ideas on how to get the Geniatech USB TV tuner to work in Linux?
 
silly question I know,

but Ive always wondered, when you brought those TV sticks, did you pay a TV licence?

or brought them online so nothing of the sort?

also, do they have a way to plug them into a external RCA antenna plug? if the signal is bad on the built in aerial
so it uses the antenna of the building, not its own very small antenna.
 
phoenix55 said:
I have 2 USB TV tuner sticks (PCTV 292e and Geniatech (Mygica) T230) in my Linux server.
Click to expand...

Informative post.. which of the 2 sticks would you say is better?

Do you need an external aerial ? If yes, is it a regular tv/bunny aerial ?
 
eg2505 said:
silly question I know,

but Ive always wondered, when you brought those TV sticks, did you pay a TV licence?

or brought them online so nothing of the sort?

also, do they have a way to plug them into a external RCA antenna plug? if the signal is bad on the built in aerial
so it uses the antenna of the building, not its own very small antenna.
Click to expand...



Default

No problem

I bought the one on Gumtree and the other device from a local importer (came from Aliexpress I think).

I didn't need a TV license but I do have a valid one anyway

The device plugs into the USB port on your computer and at the back there's a place for you to plug in an aerial. Although they both came with their own small aerials, I prefer to connect to my external house aerial as I think that will give the best signal strength.
 
element1 said:
Informative post.. which of the 2 sticks would you say is better?

Do you need an external aerial ? If yes, is it a regular tv/bunny aerial ?
Click to expand...

So far only the PCTV 292e is working. I think that the Mygica one may be faulty (waiting to hear back from supplier on getting a replacement)

Although both devices came with their own small aerials, I prefer to connect to my external house aerial as I think that will give the best signal strength.
 
I can get SABC channels fine and radio too, but can't seem to find etv.

Anyone know what the digital terrestrial TV frequency for etv is or if you can get it?

I'm on the East Rand
 
Thanks, will give that a try :)

I think that the SABC channels are on frequency 738 here

Are you able to receive digital terrestrial signals for SABC and etv channels?
 
Last edited:
Cool :cool:

What DVB-T2 TV tuner hardware and software are you using?

Are you able to tell what frequencies SABC and etv channels are on, as I found that they were on two separate frequencies? If so, what are they?
 
Ubuntu x64 with a 292e. I'm using dvblink server software. SABCs are on 738 and etv is on 770.
Tuner is connected to an external antenna with a masthead amp. Picture quality is perfect, if only we can get better shows now.
 
Last edited:
Thanks a mill, CJOliver, for the info. Great to hear that someone else has managed to get this working :)

Hee hee, yeah, tv show options not great but hopefully things will improve in the near future :D

I managed to get my PCTV 292e to pick up SABC and etv channels pretty good via the TVCenter software that TV tuner came with, on an old Windows XP box (just to get the basics working before trying it out again on Linux). Frequencies as you mentioned :)
I had to get better signal from my aerial as I split it and the signal strength wasn't good enough to pick up etv. :D

Now I'm trying to get my other tuner, MyGica T230, to just pick up any DVB-T2 channels, but seems like it can only pick up DVB-T channels. The software that it comes with, TotalMedia 3.5, doesn't seem to have a setting for DVB-T2 to force it to scan for those channels.

Thinking of returning the T230 for a refund and getting another PCTV 292.

Any ideas on Windows software that I can try with the T230 to see if I can force it to scan for DVB-T2 channels, to confirm that it doesn't do DVB-T2 before I return it?

Where did you buy your 292e from?
 
Which version of DVBLink software do you have as there seem to be quite a few options on their website?

Can you stream 1 channel to a device (e.g. tablet, phone, smart TV, etc.) while recording another channel at the same time?
Do you need multiple TV tuners or can you just have 1 do be able to stream and record at the same time?
 
phoenix55 said:
Which version of DVBLink software do you have as there seem to be quite a few options on their website?

Can you stream 1 channel to a device (e.g. tablet, phone, smart TV, etc.) while recording another channel at the same time?
Do you need multiple TV tuners or can you just have 1 do be able to stream and record at the same time?
Click to expand...

Hi phoenix55.

I recently upgraded to the 5.5 version of dvblink software. Problem is that it only supports T2 if your tuner auto tunes to T2, which the e292 doesn't. I got past this my hacking the e292 driver to swap T1 and T2 and compiling my own custom kernel.

As to your question with multiple channels and recording at the same time, the short answer is yes and no. Yes, you can watch and record as many channels as you want at the same time, as long as they are on the same frequency, which all the SABC's are. No, if you want to include etv on a different frequency. Then you will need a second tuner.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
 
Cool thanks a mill :)

I'm busy trying to get a tv aerial booster installed as I think that will help get etv on the PCTV 292e as well as helping with the signal generally.

Where did you buy your PCTV 292e from as looking at getting another one (still struggling with MyGica T230 to get it working)?

Or do you have another USB TV tuner you can recommend as I need a second tuner anyway?
 
The TV aerial booster definitely helped (plus not splitting it) and I can now get etv :D

Still can't get any channels on the Mygica unit though :(

Going to try return the Mygica and get a refund and try and buy another PCTV 292e as I know that this works.

Any suggestions as to where to buy it from locally?
 
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