Thread: Using TV card as scanner

hi guys, before tell me it's illegal, , shouldn't doing etc. live in new zealand, , here it's legal receive band except cellular, , cordless phone bands.

anyway.

if have tv capture card in computer, have hardware need listen in on more tv , radio (only software changes needed). hardware allow hear emergency services, taxi , freight radios, uhf citizen band radio, aircraft transmissions, , more.

in article, show how can make linux distribution (i used debian sarge, other distros should work too, long have 2.6.x linux kernel) , saa7134 based tv card tune frequencies can't @ normal radio or tv.

saa7134 popular chip tuner cards. needs attached tuner such fi1216. configuration used on number of popular tv cards (this list taken linux kernel file drivers/media/video/saa7134/saa7134-cards.c):

* proteus pro [philips reference design]
* lifeview flyvideo2000 , lifeview flyvideo3000
* empress
* sknet monster tv
* tevion md 9717
* knc 1 tv-station dvr , knc 1 tv-station rds
* typhoon tv tuner rds , typhoon tv+radio 90031
* terratec cinergy 400 tv
* medion 5044 , medion 7134
* kworld/kuroutoshikou saa7130-tvpci
* terratec cinergy 600 tv
* elsa ex-vision 300tv , elsa ex-vision 500tv
* asus tv-fm 7134
* aopen va1000 power
* 10moons pci tv capture card
* bmk mpex
* compro videomate tv
* matrox cronosplus
* avermedia m156 / medion 2819
* asus tv-fm 7133
* pinnacle pctv stereo (saa7134)
* manli muchtv m-tv002 , m-tv001
* nagase sangyo transgear 3000tv
* elitegroup ecs tvp3xp fm1216 tuner card(pal-bg,fm) , fm1236 tuner card (ntsc,fm)
* avacs smarttv
* avermedia dvd ezmaker , avermedia 305
* noval prime tv 7133
* upmost purple tv
* items muchtv plus / it-005

have tested flyvideo 3000, although expect many of above work. other cards have similar hardware, need of work yourself.

exact range of frequencies have access depends on specific tuner have. however, 44 mhz (below standard fm frequency, in vhf range) way 958 mhz, in uhf range.

standard kernel driver, however, not suitable tuning other tv, because has limited set of tuner frequencies looks @ detection stage. however, have produced modified kernel driver let tune arbitrary frequencies. produced user-space program control it. grab software package here.

untar software package. need install kernel source corresponding kernel on system (most distros come kernel source package). go kernel subdirectory of package, , type:

make -c /usr/src/kernel-source-2.6.8 m=`pwd` modules


need replace /usr/src/kernel-source-2.6.8 path kernel sources (that path right debian sarge systems). now, need remove saa7134 package might have on system, , replace module compiled. can (you must root first):

rmmod saa7134

insmod ./saa7134.ko oss=1



might want copy saa7134.ko on existing saa7134.ko in /lib/modules/2.6.version/kernel/drivers/media/video/, comes when restart system.

once have put package kernel, kernel ready start tuning in. go level in software package, , type make. produce setfreq binary. tune radio frequency, need give 2 parameters:

* frequency of station want tune into.
* optimal frequency @ decode sound. depends on bandwidth of signal. television sound, use 5000, 5500 or 6000. other fm radio signals use narrower band, , 1000 works well. if station frequency right, getting 1 right important, or won't hear much.

need figure out frequency want tune into. way spectrum licenses government body allocates frequencies (if information readily available). can lists many countries scanner clubs in country. option try frequencies in range until hit something.

new zealand, used frequency list nzscanners. example, 1 of central 1 police frequency 75.47500. can tune using ./setfreq 75.475 1000.

you've got working, here's helpful hint, if getting poor reception: antenna makes lot of difference. antenna came card not good, consider investing in @ least bunny's ear antenna. might better reception still connecting exterior vhf/uhf antenna (the same type normal television reception). lower frequency reception may need different antenna.

hint: on linux, have lot more options sound on average scanner radio. can read samples off dsp device (it dsp1, if soundcard /dev/dsp). turn off sound direct sound-card using mixer program, , use program sox process sound goes dsp1 dsp. can filter out distracting low frequency noise using highp filter (anything below 50hz distracting, , doesn't in identifying saying). potentially record sounds off device, , stream other enthusiasts across internet, , decode pager messages (but check legal in country before try, if going post it!).

source http://amxl.com/option,com_content/t.../id,1/itemid,/

post old source page dead.

managed kernel package elsewhere.

http://www.mediafire.com/?k29v3ug1aa2baa8

can please tell me how set up?

i'm running ubuntu 12.04, , things have changed since released.

Forum The Ubuntu Forum Community Ubuntu Official Flavours Support Installation & Upgrades [ubuntu] Using TV card as scanner

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