DVB2000 technical info

This page is devoted to users who want to get some technical information about digital TV receiving focused to Nokia DVB9600 satellite receiver. I want to publish here some fundamental information on DVB9600 hardware, MPEG-2 data coding, DiSEqC switching, video recording on PC harddisk, etc.

DiSEqC switch and Nokia receivers
What is it a DiSEqC switch?
The DiSEqC abbreviation means "Digital Satellite Equipment Controller". This unit is used for easier setting of satellite receivers - mainly due to the existence of many types of input LNB devices (converters) and their inequable controlling. Universal LNBs use 22 kHz signal for band switching. System DiSEqC allows 2-way communication among LNB and receiver (it is possible to use "burst" or "multiple pulse" modes). There are simple modems both in receiver and LNB which can communicate between each other. Various levels of communication are used - from the simplest mode "Tone Burst" up to full data communication in 8-bit data format. Common receivers work with "Mini-DiSEqC" or DiSEqC 1.0 modes.
Mini-DiSEqC = only "tone" switching - "toneburst" = 2-state switch, for 2 LNB (e.g. Nokia 2/1)
DiSEqC 1.0 = one-way communication, only from receiver to peripheral unit, i.e. to a switch, possibility to control up to 4 devices (digitally), LNB (e.g. Nokia 4/1). These basic signals are used to control lower and upper band, vertical and horizontal polarization, switch-on of required LNB. Nokia DVB9600, DVB9200 receivers.
DiSEqC 2.0 = function like 1.0 but with 2-way communication, it can be used e.g. for reading of LNB oscillator frequency, switch-on of required LNB, setting position of antenna, etc. Up to 4 devices can be controlled.
DiSEqC 2.1 = specifications like 2.0 but with a difference that it is possible to control up to 64 devices (LNB)
DiSEqC 3.0 = offers all above mentioned characteristics + external peripheral units control with state analysis of each DiSEqC compatible device.
In future this system could make e.g. automatic installation of LNB, incl. setting of LNB oscillator frequencies, positioner, etc. Functionality of the system (DiSEqC 2.0 and 3.0) will be above all dependent on the receiver features, too.
Practical experience with DiSEqC and Nokia receivers:
Nokia company produces 2 types of DiSEqC switches - mini-DiSEqC (switch 2/1) and DiSEqC 4/1. Switch 2/1 can be used for switching 2 LNBs and switch 4/1 for 4 LNBs to one receiver. I tested only 4/1 switch.
At 4/1 switch it is possible to set up to 5 modes by pressing a button on the switch (the way of switching modes is described in manual to a switch). Nokia receivers, incl. DVB9600 with DVB2000 work only with mode 1 (setting from manufacturer, receiver hardware does not allow any other mode). At channel list setting a DiSEqC switch 1-4 can be set with a specific channel (1-4, or off). At DVB9600 with DVB2000 firmware the DiSEqC switch can be set in "expert menu" (menu-9-9) where only options 2,3,7,8,9 are meaningful. It is not necessary to change the address of DiSEqC, unless you have connected more of these switches and the switch allows change of address. Option 3 sets whether the setting will be valid only for actual channel or for all channels in the channel list (option channel/global). Option LNB setting in "global mode" is possible to change with the help of remote controller, in channel mode the setting will be valid only for the actual channel and at switching to another channel the information on DiSEqC is not written to a memory. If you use more LNBs with one antenna, incl. DiSEqC switch, set each channel (DiSEqC) in PC with the help of DVBEDIT software.
Send the setting to the receiver and next - in DVB2000 DiSEqC menu set the "channel" mode (3).

Brief description of the DVB9600 receiver hardware
The base of the DVB9600 digital satellite receiver hardware is a 32-bit microprocessor Motorola 68340. The CPUs 68000 family were also used in multimedia Amstrad computers. At the 68340 microprocessor the BDM mode (Background Debug Mode) seems to be very interesting feature which allows reading CPU32 register, reading and entry data to the external processor memory regardless of running the CPU. In the hardware unit there is a special internal interface for this function which leads the necessary signals to a connector outside the CPU unit. This feature is also used by the well known BDM interface with help of which we can upgrade the receiver to DVB2000 and to install the bootloader B2.00uns, too.
The receiver has 1MB dynamic RAM, made by Siemens units HYB 514171 (the memory cannot be simply extended) and 1,5 MB Flash Eprom with AMD units 29F400 and 29F800. Nor this memory cannot be extended, in spite of the free IC socket in the receiver for a memory (Nokia disclaimed the possibility of additional memory installation), but it was tested that this socket can be used for dynamic RAM enlargement (the IC units are hard to get anywhere). The SCSI interface is made by AMD unit 53CF94. The MPEG-2 decoder is created by the C-Cube unit CL9100, video decoder by the Philips SAA7124 unit which converts the MPEG data to video signal in PAL standard. Stereo decoder with output circuits is created by the Crystal CS4922 unit. Inside the receiver there is a connector for internal modem connection which is not installed with the 9600 (modem is installed only with 9500 model). The receiver power supply unit is created by a "switched unit".
With regards of lack of information about hardware, the detailed description of the receiver is not possible.

Receiver freezing after unsuccessful firmware upload (DVB2000)
If it becomes that the firmware upgrade of the DVB2000 stops with "failure" prompt, that means that neither after receiver restart the receiver will load the firmware (all the time the "B200uns" flashes on the display and otherwise nothing goes on) - you can try the following:
a) try to write the firmware to the receiver flash memory again but use the Nokia Serial Downloader software instead of DVBEdit
b) if it does not help, use the BDM interface, and write the firmware to the recever again (first erase all the memory content)
c) if it does not help, there is most likely error in the downloaded firmware
"Freeze-up" of the receiver after loading the introductory image:
If the receiver stops after loading the introductory image, the reason could be probably in a problem with damaged data of DVB2000 initialization. In that case switch the receiver off and on again and then leave it in the "standby" mode. Then press and hold the remote controller keys "up+down" and next press the key on/off twice (in the upper left corner of the remote controller). The initialization data will reset and the default data will be read from the memory. Then everything should work well again.

Another function of DVB2000
If you press a wrong number of the channel on the remote controller by mistake, you can return to the previous channel:
just press key "0". This function is also possible to use for switching between two last accessed channels. Very useful.

Favourite channels - how to set them???
This function can be recalled by the EXIT key on the remote controller. After pressing the key a banner with two lines will appear. The first line shows the number and the name of the channel which is your first favourite channel in the list. The second line shows the next favourite channel in the list. Switch among channels in this special list by pressing "OK" key.
The list of favourite channels is possible to create only with the help of SETEDIT software, then this list is sent to the receiver over the serial port. The number of this list is not limited (more than 32 channels). To create the list of "favourite channels" with SETEDIT - mark the channels in the main channel list (CTRL+mouse) and next choose the function "link channels" (mouse right button) to create the "favourite channel list".

DVB2000 and Internet
Here I would like to introduce you with some tests of data transfer from Internet by means of the DVB9600 satellite receiver and the SCSI port. Unfortunately the data processing downloaded from Internet via the satellite is a bit complicated. In spite of the problem - data transfer works. Now it is possible to download successfuly images and .htm files. The download of .zip or .pdf files seems to be unreliable.
For successful download and data displaying it is necessary to proceed the following (only over the SCSI port):
1. data channel can be accessed on Astra 19E, Hotbird 13E and Sirius 5E (tested only on Astra 19E).
2. with the help of Vgrabber software download the data stream and save it on your disc - function "streaming-Read from PID" (PID set 0200, buffer FFFF and mode "entire packet"), save the data to the file "test.html" (just save about 15 MB). Download works quite fast.
3. with the help of IPDVB2000 software make first step of data decoding with function "MAC Search" (IPDVB SW must be installed in the same folder as the Vgrabber downloaded data). After the function execution some data will appear in the window (with IP of www sites, in hex format). Choose some data containing images .jpeg and copy it to the PC in lines "selected MAC".
4. Start Vgrabber software again. Use function "Read Inet-data". Paste copied data from PC memory to the window - paste it just next to data ending with FFF2, next erase the original part from FFF2 to the end of the line.
5. Now enter the filename "test.html" and start the function (GO). The data is being saved but it is not clear when it will finish, so it is better to terminate the process manually after you download about 1-2MB. The "Bitrate" value must not permanently stay at 0 Bps during the process. This process takes some time because it downloads data from the satellite, from some www sites to the PC (still nobody knows what sites). Transmission speed differs from site to site and can be from 10kB/s to 450kB/s (so it is pretty fast).
6. Having finished the data download - start the IPRIP software that will separate the " test.html" file to single .html, .jpg, .txt files, etc.
7. In this phase you are already able to view the files either with www browsers or Corel Photo-Paint, ACDSEE, etc.
From the above you can see that data downloading from Internet is now quite complicated.

I forgot the parental lock password - what about it?
Help is simple with DVBMCES software which allows to download the forgotten password from receiver to the PC (via the serial port) and to change it to another one or to the default value 0000. Then you can send the new value to the receiver again.

DVB2000 and SatScan, HH-100 motors, how to set satellite (motor) position in the channel list?
With the help of function "Positioner" at DVB2000 find the required satellite in menu "Positioner" (Menu-8-7-1), save the position of the satellite to receiver memory (00-63, number of memory positions depends upon the type of motor, positioner) and make a note of it on a piece of paper. Do it this way until you have all required satellite positions saved in the receiver memory.
Turning the motor is possible by recalling the satellite position number (e.g. Astra 19E = 06) from this menu (function "goto"), but at frequent antenna turning this procedure is very unpractical, and uneasy.
Other, better way of turning antenna:
After you have saved all the satellite positions in the memory (according to the above description), use a software for channel editing (e.g. DVBEDIT).
Download channel list from your receiver. Find the satellite name label, e.g. Astra 19E (memory position 06), edit this "channel" and change the "PID audio" to your preset satellite position, i.e. 06. All channels following this satellite name - channel (Astra 19E) turn the antenna to position corresponding to the value "06", so to position of Astra 19E satellite. Similarly do the same for the other satellite positions.
It is also possible to enter the satellite positions direct to the channel list in the receiver manually with the help of remote controller but it is more difficult than the mentioned PC channel list editing.

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Last updated 24.12.2004