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In order to be able receive a particular signal with your TV tuner device you will need to tune/set it to the correct radio [[frequency]] used by that source transmission. Therefore, you (or, at least, the viewing application you are using) will first want to know which frequencies are used for transmission and, thereby, may be tunable by your receiver at your residing location. Frequency scanning utilities, listed below, perform such signal detection and, generally, provide a list of the frequencies upon which content is discovered, with which higher level applications can then in turn use for tuning purposes. |
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As you must tune your DVB device to the right [[frequency]] to be able to receive something, you will want to know which frequencies are in use at your place of residence. Note that the frequencies used for North America, Europe, Japan, etc. etc. all differ from one another. Historically, the frequencies used under the older analog systems differed, and when countries began to make the transition to digial systems, most have opted to continue to use their |
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old channel frequency schemes so as to make the switch from analog to digital systems as seemless as possible for the end user. |
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Note: Historically, the set of frequencies used under the older [[Analog TV|analogue systems]] have differed from one another, meaning that the particular frequencies used across North America, Europe, Asia, etc., etc., will differ depending upon the transmission standard adopted within each nation. When countries began to make the transition to [[Digital Video Broadcasting|digital TV systems]], most have opted to continue to use their old channel frequency schemes so as to make the switch from analog to digital systems as seamless as possible for the end user. |
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The handiest tool for scanning frequencies is "[[Scan]]", which is a utility included within the [[LinuxTV dvb-apps]] package. Scan is especially handy as it uses pre-configured sender lists for many locations, then tunes into the frequencies and lists the names for all available PIDs. |
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==Frequency Scanning Utilities== |
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In addition, there are a number of Channel Frequency lists for various countries/regions/locations/service_providers within the wiki that have been submitted by users. |
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===Analog=== |
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* scantv (part of [[xawtv|xawtv package]], both branches) |
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* apps with built in scanning ... [[tvtime]], [[xawtv|xawtv/motv]] (which call upon scantv), [[kdetv]] ... |
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===Digital=== |
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One of the handiest tools for scanning frequencies is "[[Scan|(dvb)scan]]", a utility included within the [[LinuxTV dvb-apps]] package. (dvb)scan parses the information from a pre-configured initial scan file that is specific to a particular country/region/location/service_provider (many of which are contained within the dvb-apps package as well as being available within the wiki or elsewhere), then tunes into the frequencies and lists the names for all available PIDs. |
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* [[alexplore]] (part of the [[xawtv#Associated_Utilities_2|v4 xawtv package]]) |
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* [[dvbscan|dvbscan/scandvb/atscscan]] |
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* [[scan]] |
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* [[w_scan]] |
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* [[scan-s2]] [http://mercurial.intuxication.org/hg/scan-s2/] |
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* [[dvbv5-scan]] |
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* apps with built in scanning ... [[kaffeine]], [[MythTV]], [[Me TV]] |
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====Comparison of DVB frequency scanning commandline utilities==== |
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{{Note|The differences between '''scan''' and '''dvbscan''' should be added to this wiki article. The information for dvbscan is still to be completed - please help.}} |
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The following table lists the main features of several of the popularly used command line scanners. For specific information on a particular utility's usage, have a look at its specific wiki article. |
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<br> |
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{| border=1 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 valign="top" |
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|- bgcolor=#efefef valign="top" |
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|'''feature \ scanner''' |
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|'''[[scan]]''' |
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|'''[[dvbscan]]''' |
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|'''[[w_scan]]''' |
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|'''[[scan-s2]]''' |
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|'''[[dvbv5-scan]]''' |
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|- |
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|'''download''' |
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|[http://linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps] |
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|[http://linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps] |
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|[http://wirbel.htpc-forum.de/w_scan/index.html wirbel.htpc-forum.de/w_scan/index.html] |
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|[http://mercurial.intuxication.org/hg/scan-s2 mercurial.intuxication.org/hg/scan-s2] |
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|[http://git.linuxtv.org/v4l-utils.git|http://git.linuxtv.org/v4l-utils.git] |
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|- |
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|'''last stable''' |
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|linuxtv-dvb-apps-1.1.1 |
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|linuxtv-dvb-apps-1.1.1 |
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|none / use latest version |
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| ? |
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|none / use latest version |
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|- |
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|'''comments''' |
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|linuxtv.org maintained<br>'''DVB-S2 support missing'''<br>needs dvb driver with API-3.2 or 5.x |
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|linuxtv.org maintained |
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|compiling needs dvb driver with API-5.0 or higher<br>usage needs API-3.2 or API-5.x |
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|needs dvb driver with 5.0 or higher<br>last update 02/2009 |
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|needs dvb driver with 5.5 or higher<br>in development (01/2012)<br>file format (up to now) incompatible to other apps |
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|- |
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|'''supported DTV types''' |
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|DVB-S, DVB-C(Europe), DVB-T, ATSC (VSB and QAM), DMB-TH (China) |
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| ? |
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|DVB-S, '''DVB-S2''', DVB-C(Europe), DVB-T/T2, ATSC (VSB and QAM), DMB-TH (China) |
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|DVB-S, '''DVB-S2''', DVB-C(Europe), DVB-T, ATSC (VSB and QAM) |
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|ISDB-T, DVB-C, DVB-T, DVB-S, DVB-S2 and more |
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|- |
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|'''initial scan file required'''<br>(matching to your satellite or local aerial/cable network) |
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|yes (use dvb-apps hg from linuxtv.org) |
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|yes (use dvb-apps hg from linuxtv.org) |
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|'''not required''' |
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|yes (use dvb-apps hg from linuxtv.org)<br>''NOTE: slightly different file format from scan because of additional DVB-S2 support.'' |
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|yes (new file format) |
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|- |
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|'''can generate initial scan file''' |
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|no |
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|no |
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|'''yes''' |
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|no |
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|no |
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|- |
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|'''can generate channels.conf for zap/xine/mplayer/vlc''' |
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|yes (default) |
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|? |
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|yes |
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|yes |
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|yes (but new file format is default) |
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|- |
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|'''can generate channels.conf for [http://www.tvdr.de/ VDR]''' |
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|yes, but hopeless outdated (vdr-1.3 only) |
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|? |
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|yes (default) |
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|yes (default) |
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|no (new file format) |
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|- |
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|'''can generate channels.dvb for kaffeine''' |
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|no |
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|? |
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|yes |
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|no |
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|no (new file format) |
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|} |
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==External Links== |
==External Links== |
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'''Analog''' |
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* |
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'''Digital''' |
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For some other general sources (which may or may not be that useful) for finding local channel frequency lists, see: |
For some other general sources (which may or may not be that useful) for finding local channel frequency lists, see: |
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* http://www.vdr-wiki.de/wiki/index.php/Kanal_DVB-T - DVB-T channels in Europe |
* http://www.vdr-wiki.de/wiki/index.php/Kanal_DVB-T - DVB-T channels in Europe |
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* http://www.wohnort.demon.co.uk/DAB/ |
* http://www.wohnort.demon.co.uk/DAB/ |
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* http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/tuning/ |
* http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/tuning/ |
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[[Category:Software]] |
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Revision as of 00:36, 27 January 2012
In order to be able receive a particular signal with your TV tuner device you will need to tune/set it to the correct radio frequency used by that source transmission. Therefore, you (or, at least, the viewing application you are using) will first want to know which frequencies are used for transmission and, thereby, may be tunable by your receiver at your residing location. Frequency scanning utilities, listed below, perform such signal detection and, generally, provide a list of the frequencies upon which content is discovered, with which higher level applications can then in turn use for tuning purposes.
Note: Historically, the set of frequencies used under the older analogue systems have differed from one another, meaning that the particular frequencies used across North America, Europe, Asia, etc., etc., will differ depending upon the transmission standard adopted within each nation. When countries began to make the transition to digital TV systems, most have opted to continue to use their old channel frequency schemes so as to make the switch from analog to digital systems as seamless as possible for the end user.
Frequency Scanning Utilities
Analog
- scantv (part of xawtv package, both branches)
- apps with built in scanning ... tvtime, xawtv/motv (which call upon scantv), kdetv ...
Digital
One of the handiest tools for scanning frequencies is "(dvb)scan", a utility included within the LinuxTV dvb-apps package. (dvb)scan parses the information from a pre-configured initial scan file that is specific to a particular country/region/location/service_provider (many of which are contained within the dvb-apps package as well as being available within the wiki or elsewhere), then tunes into the frequencies and lists the names for all available PIDs.
- alexplore (part of the v4 xawtv package)
- dvbscan/scandvb/atscscan
- scan
- w_scan
- scan-s2 [1]
- dvbv5-scan
- apps with built in scanning ... kaffeine, MythTV, Me TV
Comparison of DVB frequency scanning commandline utilities
Note: The differences between scan and dvbscan should be added to this wiki article. The information for dvbscan is still to be completed - please help.
The following table lists the main features of several of the popularly used command line scanners. For specific information on a particular utility's usage, have a look at its specific wiki article.
| feature \ scanner | scan | dvbscan | w_scan | scan-s2 | dvbv5-scan |
| download | linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps | linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps | wirbel.htpc-forum.de/w_scan/index.html | mercurial.intuxication.org/hg/scan-s2 | http://git.linuxtv.org/v4l-utils.git] |
| last stable | linuxtv-dvb-apps-1.1.1 | linuxtv-dvb-apps-1.1.1 | none / use latest version | ? | none / use latest version |
| comments | linuxtv.org maintained DVB-S2 support missing needs dvb driver with API-3.2 or 5.x |
linuxtv.org maintained | compiling needs dvb driver with API-5.0 or higher usage needs API-3.2 or API-5.x |
needs dvb driver with 5.0 or higher last update 02/2009 |
needs dvb driver with 5.5 or higher in development (01/2012) file format (up to now) incompatible to other apps |
| supported DTV types | DVB-S, DVB-C(Europe), DVB-T, ATSC (VSB and QAM), DMB-TH (China) | ? | DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C(Europe), DVB-T/T2, ATSC (VSB and QAM), DMB-TH (China) | DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C(Europe), DVB-T, ATSC (VSB and QAM) | ISDB-T, DVB-C, DVB-T, DVB-S, DVB-S2 and more |
| initial scan file required (matching to your satellite or local aerial/cable network) |
yes (use dvb-apps hg from linuxtv.org) | yes (use dvb-apps hg from linuxtv.org) | not required | yes (use dvb-apps hg from linuxtv.org) NOTE: slightly different file format from scan because of additional DVB-S2 support. |
yes (new file format) |
| can generate initial scan file | no | no | yes | no | no |
| can generate channels.conf for zap/xine/mplayer/vlc | yes (default) | ? | yes | yes | yes (but new file format is default) |
| can generate channels.conf for VDR | yes, but hopeless outdated (vdr-1.3 only) | ? | yes (default) | yes (default) | no (new file format) |
| can generate channels.dvb for kaffeine | no | ? | yes | no | no (new file format) |
External Links
Analog
Digital For some other general sources (which may or may not be that useful) for finding local channel frequency lists, see: