W scan: Difference between revisions

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(redirect to w_scan_cpp. Who still really want it, should know about newer and maintained version.)
 
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{{lowercase|w_scan}}
{{lowercase|w_scan}}


"w_scan" is a small command line utility used to perform [[Frequency scan|frequency scan]]s for [[DVB]] and [[ATSC]] transmissions. It is capable of directly creating channels.conf files as well as initial tuning data for [[Scan|scan]] (which is contained in the [[LinuxTV dvb-apps]]).
''w_scan'' is a small command line utility used to perform [[Frequency scan|frequency scan]]s for [[DVB]] and [[ATSC]] transmissions. It is not included in [[LinuxTV dvb-apps]], but complements the two [[Frequency scan|frequency scanning]] utilities available through [[LinuxTV dvb-apps]], [[Dvbscan|dvbscan]] and [[Scan|scan]]. It is meanwhile replaced by the newer tool [[w_scan_cpp]] with similar syntax.

''w_scan'' is capable of directly creating channels.conf files as well as initial tuning data for [[Scan|scan]].


==Obtaining w_scan==
==Obtaining w_scan==
You can get w_scan [http://wirbel.htpc-forum.de/w_scan/index2.html here].
The last ''w_scan'' version can be still obtained [https://www.gen2vdr.de/wirbel/w_scan_cpp/index2.html here]. There will be no further updates.


==Documentation==
==Documentation==
Detailed information can be found in the ''w_scan'' man page (i.e. from a console, run <code>man w_scan</code>). Additionally, running w_scan with the -h parameter will produce an output that provides a summary of it's main command line options.
Detailed information can be found in the ''w_scan'' man page (i.e. from a console, run <code>man w_scan</code>). Additionally, running ''w_scan'' with the -h parameter will produce an output that provides a summary of it's main command line options.
<pre>w_scan [options...] >> channels.conf</pre>
<pre>w_scan [options...] >> channels.conf</pre>


In general, when using w_scan you should at least specify three parameters: frontend type, country/satellite and output format. The following table summarizes the basic command line essentials for using w_scan.
In general, when using ''w_scan'' you should at least specify three parameters: frontend type, country/satellite and output format.

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Basic w_scan commandline parameters and their respective options'''
|-
! Parameter !! Argument !! Description & Options

|-
| '''Frontend Type'''
| -f''Type''
|
a = ATSC (North America, cable and terrestrial<br>
c = DVB-C (Europe, cable)<br>
s = DVB-S/S2 (Satellite)<br>
t = DVB-T (Europe, terrestrial = default)<br>

NOTE:
* ATSC support requires a w_scan version >= 20080815
* Satellite support requires a w_scan version >= 20090504)

|-
| '''ATSC Type'''
| -A''Type''
|
(ignored for DVB-C and DVB-T)<br>
1 = VSB ("Over-the-Air)"<br>
2 = QAM annex B ("cable TV")<br>
3 = both of them

|-
|'''Country ID'''
| -c''ID''
|
(mandatory for ATSC, DVB-C, DVB-T)<br>
uppercase two character identifier as defined in ISO 3166-1,<br>
(DE,FR,GB,US,FI,...)<br>
see -c? for list of countries.

|-
| '''Satellite ID'''
| -s''ID''
|
(mandatory for DVB-S/S2)<br>
uppercase character constant with E (east) or W (west) as separator,<br>
(S19E2,S13E0,S0W8,...)<br>
see -s? for list of satellites.

|-
| '''Output Format'''
| -''Format''
|
X = czap/tzap/xine channels.conf<br>
x = "initial tuning data" for [[Scan]]<br>
k = channels.dvb for [[Kaffeine]]<br>
If the output format is not specified, w_scan defaults to create [http://www.cadsoft.de/vdr/ VDR-1.6 channels.conf].

|-
| '''Help Level'''
| -''Level''
|
h = basic help <br>
H = extended help for expert functionality

|}

Some working examples, cobbled together from the basics given in the above table, are provided below. Note: ''Experts'' or ''experienced users'' may use some of the other w_scan options available, but this is not recommended. (For example, w_scan searches ''/dev/dvb/adapterX/frontendY'' for DVB/ATSC cards matching to option "-f", therefore specifying the adapter "-a XX" is not recommended.)

==Examples==
{{Note|As mentioned in the above table:
* ATSC support requires a w_scan version <nowiki> >= </nowiki> 20080815
* DVB-S/S2 support requires a w_scan version <nowiki> >= </nowiki> 20090504 }}

===Scanning ATSC VSB (United States, Over-the-Air)===
$ w_scan -fa -A1 -c US -X
===Scanning ATSC QAM annex B (United States, digital cable TV)===
$ w_scan -fa -A2 -c US -X
===Scanning DVB-T (Germany, Over-the-Air, VDR output)===
$ w_scan -ft -c DE
===Scanning DVB-C (Germany, digital cable TV, Kaffeine channels.dvb)===
$ w_scan -fc -c DE -k
===Scanning DVB-S/S2 (Astra 19.2east, vdr-1.7.x)===
$ w_scan -fs -s S19E2 -o 7
===Scanning DVB-S (Thor 0.8west, vdr-1.3.x .. vdr-1.6.x)===
$ w_scan -fs -s S0W8
===Generating dvbscan tuning data===
Exactly as above, just specify output format dvbscan with "-x":
$ w_scan -f <FRONTEND_TYPE> {-c <COUNTRY>,-s <SATELLITE>} -x >''cc-Ttttt''


''As w_scan was superceeded quite a long time ago, pls refer to the [[w_scan_cpp]] page for it's similar syntax.''
If you choose to create an initial scan file (and you know the name of your local transmitter or cable provider), you can send the resulting file to the [http://linuxtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/linux-dvb dvb mailing list] after checking that it hasn't already been posted or added to the [http://linuxtv.org/hg/dvb-apps/file/tip/util/scan/ scan directory in the dvb-apps repository].


==Also See==
==Also See==
* [[Frequency_scan#Comparison_of_DVB_frequency_scanning_commandline_utilities|Comparison of the scanning utilities]].
* man w_scan
* [https://www.mankier.com/1/w_scan man w_scan]
* [[scan]]
* [[scan]]
* [[dvbscan]]
* [[dvbscan]]


==External Links==
==External Links==
* [[w_scan_cpp|see w_scan_cpp]]
* [http://wirbel.htpc-forum.de/w_scan/index2.html Homepage]
* [http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=de%7Cen&u=http://wirbel.htpc-forum.de/w_scan/index2.html English translation via Google]
* [http://edafe.org/vdr/w_scan/ English howto by edafe]


[[Category:Apps & Utilities]]
[[Category:Apps & Utilities]]

Latest revision as of 10:21, 8 August 2021

w_scan is a small command line utility used to perform frequency scans for DVB and ATSC transmissions. It is not included in LinuxTV dvb-apps, but complements the two frequency scanning utilities available through LinuxTV dvb-apps, dvbscan and scan. It is meanwhile replaced by the newer tool w_scan_cpp with similar syntax.

w_scan is capable of directly creating channels.conf files as well as initial tuning data for scan.

Obtaining w_scan

The last w_scan version can be still obtained here. There will be no further updates.

Documentation

Detailed information can be found in the w_scan man page (i.e. from a console, run man w_scan). Additionally, running w_scan with the -h parameter will produce an output that provides a summary of it's main command line options. 

w_scan [options...] >> channels.conf

In general, when using w_scan you should at least specify three parameters: frontend type, country/satellite and output format.

As w_scan was superceeded quite a long time ago, pls refer to the w_scan_cpp page for it's similar syntax.

Also See

External Links

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