Application guide · DEKTEC test modulator · open-source TSDuck
TSDuck with DEKTEC DTA-2116: DVB Test Signals on Windows and Linux
TSDuck is a free, open-source transport stream toolkit built for digital television engineers. Combined with the DEKTEC DTA-2116 test modulator, it turns a file or an incoming IP stream into a DVB-T, DVB-C or DVB-S/S2 RF signal straight from the command line. This guide covers installation, example commands, common problems and how the work is split between TSDuck and DEKTEC’s own applications.
- DEKTEC DTA-2116 · 32 – 3225 MHz
- TSDuck · BSD licence, free
- Windows and Linux (x86-64)
- DVB-T · DVB-C · DVB-S/S2
- File-to-RF and IP-to-RF
DEKTEC has confirmed to PROTEL that the DTA-2116 should work with TSDuck, that they can help in case of any issues, and that they actively support this open-source initiative. For other DEKTEC models, please ask us and we will confirm with the manufacturer.
What is TSDuck and how does it drive a DEKTEC card?
TSDuck is developed by Thierry Lelégard and released under the BSD licence. It is designed for test, monitoring, integration, debugging and lab work. It has no graphical interface: each command or plugin does one job, and plugins are chained into a processing pipeline.
At the centre of the pipeline is tsp, the transport stream processor: an input plugin receives the stream, optional processing plugins modify it and an output plugin sends it on. Output to a DEKTEC modulator goes through the dektec output plugin. The tsdektec command lists and controls the DEKTEC devices in the computer.
The TSDuck installation packages for Windows and Linux already contain DEKTEC’s DTAPI library, so only the DEKTEC device drivers need to be installed separately.
DEKTEC DTA-2116: 32 – 3225 MHz, 100 MHz bandwidth, low-profile PCIe Gen3 x4. Generates test signals for cable, terrestrial and satellite standards. Details and comparison
What you need
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Modulator | DEKTEC DTA-2116 (PCIe). The modulation standards you can use depend on the licence options of the card. |
| Computer | PC or server with an Intel or AMD (x86-64) processor and a free PCIe slot |
| Operating system | Windows or Linux. TSDuck’s DEKTEC support is not available on macOS or on ARM-based systems. |
| DEKTEC drivers | Windows: DEKTEC WinSDK installer. Linux: DEKTEC LinuxSDK; recent versions install the drivers through DKMS, so they are rebuilt automatically after a kernel update. |
| TSDuck | Free; the package for your operating system from tsduck.io |
| Source stream | A .ts file or a UDP/IP stream (multicast or unicast) |
Installation steps
Windows
- Fit the DTA-2116 into a PCIe slot.
- Download and install the DEKTEC WinSDK package from dektec.com; it installs the drivers and DTAPI together.
- Download and install the TSDuck Windows installer from tsduck.io.
- Check from a command prompt that the card is detected.
Linux
- Make sure the kernel headers and build tools are installed.
- Extract the DEKTEC LinuxSDK archive, install the drivers and reboot.
- Install the TSDuck package (.deb or .rpm) for your distribution.
- Check that the card is detected.
# Linux: install the DEKTEC drivers through DKMS (after extracting the LinuxSDK archive)
sudo LinuxSDK/Drivers/Install
# Both systems: list the DEKTEC devices in the computer
tsdektec -aIf several DEKTEC devices are installed, each gets a number and is selected with --device 0, --device 1 and so on.
Application examples
The commands below are compiled from the TSDuck documentation and user examples; they have not been separately tested with a DTA-2116 in PROTEL’s lab. Options may change between TSDuck versions, so please check them with tsp -O dektec --help on the version you use. Frequency, bandwidth and code rate values are examples only; choose them to suit your own test set-up.
1. DVB-T test signal from a .ts file
To test a set-top box or TV receiver with a known stream, the file is played in a loop and modulated onto a DVB-T carrier in UHF.
tsp -I file --infinite test.ts \
-O dektec --device 0 --modulation DVB-T --frequency 634000000 \
--bandwidth 8 --guard-interval 1/4 --convolutional-rate 5/62. DVB-S2 test signal from a .ts file (L-band)
For a direct connection to a satellite receiver, TSDuck converts the satellite frequency to the L-band IF using the LNB values given (about 1304 MHz in this example). --stuffing fills the gap with null packets when the stream bitrate is lower than the modulation requires.
tsp -I file --infinite test.ts \
-O dektec --modulation DVB-S2-8PSK --satellite-frequency 11054000000 \
--lnb 9750,10600,11700 --convolutional-rate 3/4 --symbol-rate 30000000 --stuffing3. IP multicast stream to DVB-T
A UDP multicast stream from an IRD or encoder is put on air live. With a live IP source, the stream must have a constant bitrate (CBR) and must not exceed the bitrate the modulation can carry; otherwise the picture will freeze and break up.
tsp -I ip 224.0.0.1:7000 \
-O dektec --modulation DVB-T --frequency 177500000 \
--bandwidth 7 --guard-interval 1/32 --convolutional-rate 7/8TSDuck’s tsterinfo command calculates the bitrate a DVB-T channel can carry for a given bandwidth, guard interval and code rate.
TSDuck or DEKTEC applications?
They are not substitutes but tools for different jobs. Many labs use both with the same card.
| TSDuck | StreamXpress (DEKTEC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Way of working | Command line, scripting and automation | Graphical interface |
| Best suited to | Pipelines running continuously on a server, modifying the stream (table editing, service selection), repeated automated tests | Ready-made test signal playout, stressing receivers with level, AWGN and multipath echo, I/Q sample playout |
| Licence | Free, open source (BSD) | DEKTEC licence |
| Support | Community and developer; DEKTEC has offered help for the DTA-2116 | DEKTEC and PROTEL |
DEKTEC’s StreamXpert analyzer can also be used to check the streams you prepare with TSDuck.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Possible cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
tsdektec -a does not list the card |
Driver not installed or not loaded | Install the driver and reboot; on Linux, check the DKMS installation after a kernel update |
| Picture freezes, receiver loses lock now and then | Input bitrate is variable or higher than the modulation can carry | Set the source to constant bitrate (CBR); use --stuffing with files; calculate the bitrate with tsterinfo |
| Selected modulation is rejected | The card has no licence for that standard, or the option name differs | Check the licence options of the card and the output of tsp -O dektec --help; ask us |
| DEKTEC card not visible on macOS or an ARM computer | TSDuck has no DEKTEC support on these platforms | Use a Windows or Linux computer with an Intel/AMD processor |
Frequently asked questions
Does the DEKTEC DTA-2116 work with TSDuck?
Yes. DEKTEC has stated that the DTA-2116 should work with TSDuck and that they can help if any issue comes up. DEKTEC actively supports this open-source initiative.
Can other DEKTEC cards be used with TSDuck?
TSDuck supports DEKTEC ASI, modulator and receiver devices in general. We confirm specific models together with DEKTEC; please tell us which model you plan to use.
Is TSDuck free?
Yes. TSDuck is free, open-source software under the BSD licence. What you pay for is the card and its modulation options.
On which operating systems can TSDuck drive a DEKTEC card?
On Windows and Linux, on computers with Intel or AMD (x86) processors. TSDuck also runs on macOS, but DEKTEC support is not available there or on ARM-based systems.
Do I need to install DTAPI separately?
No. The TSDuck packages for Windows and Linux contain DTAPI. Only the DEKTEC device drivers need to be installed.
Does TSDuck replace StreamXpress?
They serve different purposes. StreamXpress offers ready-made test functions through a graphical interface; TSDuck is suited to the command line and automation. The comparison table above summarises the split.
Can I use DVB-T2, DVB-C2 or DVB-S2X?
The standards available to you depend on the licence options of the card. Please ask us about a specific standard and TSDuck version, and we will confirm it together with DEKTEC.
Request a quote for your DTA-2116 and TSDuck project
Tell us the standards, frequency range, operating system and the tests you plan to run, and we will propose the right card and licence combination. PROTEL has been DEKTEC’s general distributor for Turkey since 2005 and supplies DEKTEC products worldwide from our warehouses in Germany and Turkey.
E-mail: [email protected] · Phone: +90 212 221 80 60 · WhatsApp: +90 532 265 91 99
Related pages
- DEKTEC test modulators and comparison table
- DEKTEC brand page
- MPEG and DVB analyzers: StreamXpert and other DEKTEC applications
- DTA-2116 manufacturer page · DEKTEC SDKs and drivers
- TSDuck official website
TSDuck is open-source software under the BSD licence, developed by Thierry Lelégard; PROTEL has no commercial relationship with TSDuck. DTA-2116 image and technical data © DekTec Digital Video B.V., used with the manufacturer’s permission. Sources: dektec.com · tsduck.io