DVB-T2 tuner dismantled: PCTV Nanostick T2 290e

[Steve Kerrison]

Hello everyone,

One of these arrived at my door today, the world's first USB DVB-T2
tuner. So PCs can finally receive Freeview HD here in the UK... but only
on Windows.

My experience with Linux kernel development is more or less zilch - more
of a spectator sport for me, although I've been subscribed to
linux-media for a couple of months now. I will help how I can, but I
expect that by myself, this would take an awful long time and never make
it into the kernel. So everyone's help is appreciated.

Pics to follow once my camera battery is recharged, but here is
preliminary info:

dmesg
-----

[27892.030018] usb 2-2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and
address 54

lsusb
-----

Bus 002 Device 054: ID 2013:024f Unknown (Pinnacle?)
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
bDeviceSubClass 0
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
idVendor 0x2013 Unknown (Pinnacle?)
idProduct 0x024f
bcdDevice 1.00
iManufacturer 1 PCTV Systems
iProduct 2 PCTV 290e
iSerial 3 00000006LL9R
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 55
bNumInterfaces 1
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 0
bmAttributes 0x80
(Bus Powered)
MaxPower 500mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 2
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 0
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x84 EP 4 IN
bmAttributes 1
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0000 1x 0 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x85 EP 5 IN
bmAttributes 1
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0000 1x 0 bytes
bInterval 1
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 1
bNumEndpoints 2
bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
bInterfaceSubClass 0
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x84 EP 4 IN
bmAttributes 1
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x03ac 1x 940 bytes
bInterval 1
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x85 EP 5 IN
bmAttributes 1
Transfer Type Isochronous
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x03ac 1x 940 bytes
bInterval 1
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
bLength 10
bDescriptorType 6
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
bDeviceSubClass 0
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
bNumConfigurations 1
Device Status: 0x0000
(Bus Powered)

PCB
---

It's a very small (smaller than most USB-stick tuners) device,
implemented on two PCBs sandwiched together.

Tuner: NXP TDA18271HDA2
USB IC: Empia em28174 (is this part of the 2874 family, the 2871, or
something else?
http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Em28xx_devices#em2874 )
Demod: Sony CXD2820R

The demod is no surprise given it's about the only T2 compatible demod
out there (LSI might have one too, if memory serves).

So, what's next? Any PCTV Linux driver contributors active here? I will
next attempt to find a datasheet for the Sony demod, then grab some
usbsnoop data, although the only Windows machine I have that can get
near a fixed antenna is Atom powered... so it ain't great.

Questions, requests, demands and insults are all welcomed.

Regards,

[Steve Kerrison]

Quick correction: The tuner is TDA18271HDC2 not TDA18271HDA2; it's dark
and I'm tired.

Photos are now available at http://www.stevekerrison.com/290e/pics.html

The most interesting are the two PCB shots.

Tuner: Loading Image...
Controller/Demod: Loading Image...

I'll put this information into the wiki when I have a chance, and when I
can take some better photos in daylight.

Regards,

[Anca Emanuel]

Hi Steve Kerrison !

There are no developers available, sorry.
Mauro can not keep up with the mails. Just look at the last merge window.

[s***@stevekerrison.com]

Post by Anca Emanuel
Hi Steve Kerrison !
There are no developers available, sorry.
Mauro can not keep up with the mails. Just look at the last merge window.

Hi Anca,

That's a shame, but I will not be disheartened. I will see what I can
piece together in my spare time and do my best to make it easy to merge in
- it looks like the demod is the only new piece of hardware to deal with
so it might not be too bad (such is the optimist in me).

If anyone discovers this thread and wants to work with me to the same goal
then do please get in touch with me via stevekerrison.com.

Regards,
Steve.

[Konstantin Dimitrov]

Post by s***@stevekerrison.com
- it looks like the demod is the only new piece of hardware to deal with

and actually it makes DVB-T2 performance of that device very
questionable (at least in my opinion), because NXP silicon tuner
TDA18271 is old model and not DVB-T2 ready:

http://www.nxp.com/#/pip/pip=[pip=TDA18271HD]|pp=[t=pip,i=TDA18271HD]

like the new DVB-T2 ready NXP silicon tuner TDA18272:

http://www.nxp.com/#/pip/pip=[pip=TDA18272HN_SDS]|pp=[t=pip,i=TDA18272HN_SDS]

and so it's quite reasonable to assume that old silicon tuner designed
for DVB-T such as TDA18271 is not capable to provide optimal
performance for DVB-T2, which has high requirements for sure.

--konstantin

[Steve Kerrison]

Hi Konstantin,

That's an interesting observation, and a valid one given, for example,
the addition of QAM-256. I don't know enough about T or T2 to know how
the difference impact the tuner requirements.

Nevertheless, I can receive the T2 mux that is broadcast in my area. It
has to be through my roof antenna, and even when digital switchover is
complete here, I doubt that portable antennas will work particularly
well here then.

If PCTV had the option of using the better tuner, maybe they decided not
to because the cost of the Sony demod pushed up the BoM too far already.
Impossible to say for sure.

I guess we'll have to wait and see if somebody brings out a solution
with TDA18272/Sony demod combo before we can compare reception quality.

Regards,
--
Steve Kerrison MEng Hons.
http://www.stevekerrison.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: Konstantin Dimitrov <***@gmail.com>
To: ***@stevekerrison.com
Cc: Anca Emanuel <***@gmail.com>, linux-***@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: DVB-T2 tuner dismantled: PCTV Nanostick T2 290e
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:11:07 +0200

Post by s***@stevekerrison.com
- it looks like the demod is the only new piece of hardware to deal with

and actually it makes DVB-T2 performance of that device very
questionable (at least in my opinion), because NXP silicon tuner
TDA18271 is old model and not DVB-T2 ready:

http://www.nxp.com/#/pip/pip=[pip=TDA18271HD]|pp=[t=pip,i=TDA18271HD]

like the new DVB-T2 ready NXP silicon tuner TDA18272:

http://www.nxp.com/#/pip/pip=[pip=TDA18272HN_SDS]|pp=[t=pip,i=TDA18272HN_SDS]

and so it's quite reasonable to assume that old silicon tuner designed
for DVB-T such as TDA18271 is not capable to provide optimal
performance for DVB-T2, which has high requirements for sure.

--konstantin
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