TEST REPORT Satellite PC Card TeVii DVB-S/S2 PCI-E Card S470 Add Digital TV Reception to Your PC

In the past several years one development in particular has the motherboard via a PCI- become more and more popular: the incorporation of digital E slot. This is a modification of the well-known PCI slot in receivers in a PC and of course the digital receivers that much higher transmis- with built-in PC’s. sion speeds are now possible; We are keeping an eye out on the development of set-top perfect for HDTV reception. PCI-E slots come in two dif- boxes that, in addition to the normal function of receiving ferent hights, and TeVii even digital TV and radio content via satellite, can also connect to provides the S470 with both the Internet so that video clips or IPTV can be played back. brackets: the standard one for regular PCs and the low These home multimedia powerhouses would also be able to profile bracket, which is ide- display your pictures, play back music and even allow ally suited for the new slim you to play games. PCs.

At the same time, more and more homes are warming up to We began by installing the idea of PC reception. There are a number of reasons for the card in a typical PC. For this: receiving satellite TV through a PC is less expensive than us this turned out to be an older Pentium IV 3 GHz PC with a stand-alone set-top box, recording digital content can with 1GB RAM. According to take place directly on the hard drive of the PC – this saves the manufacturer, the mini- the user time when burning a DVD in that the data doesn’t mum PC requirements are a 2 GHz CPU for SDTV or 2.4 first have to be transferred over to a PC. Then there are those GHz for HDTV, 512 MB RAM households that despite having an LCD monitor that they use for SDTV and 1GB for HDTV with their PC’s, they still have an older TV that is used for as well as a graphics card with 128 MB of memory. Our normal TV viewing. And since watching HDTV programming test PC falls just within these without a high resolution LCD or plasma TV makes no sense, requirements. Naturally, the this content is also viewed through a PC. TeVii card supports the Win- dows XP and Vista as well as operating systems. The Taiwanese company The MyTeVii software is only www.TELE-satellite.com/... TELE-satellite World TeVii recognized this trend compatible with Windows; Download this report in other languages from the Internet: a long time ago and has Linux users must find suitable www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/ara/tevii.pdf العربية Arabic Indonesian Indonesia www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/bid/tevii.pdf strengthened their develop- alternatives in the Internet. Bulgarian Български www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/bul/tevii.pdf Czech Česky www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/ces/tevii.pdf ment of TV and radio recep- We were happy to see that German Deutsch www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/deu/tevii.pdf English English www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/eng/tevii.pdf tion solutions for PC’s. This TeVii included 64-bit drivers Spanish Español www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/esp/tevii.pdf .www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/far/tevii.pdf wouldn’t be the first time that for Windows فارسي Farsi French Français www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/fra/tevii.pdf Greek Ελληνικά www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/hel/tevii.pdf TELE-satellite introduced a Croatian Hrvatski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/hrv/tevii.pdf Italian Italiano www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/ita/tevii.pdf TeVii product; one of these The TeVii card is delivered Hungarian Magyar www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/mag/tevii.pdf was the TeVii S650 USB box. in a handy box. Included is a Mandarin 中文 www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/man/tevii.pdf Dutch Nederlands www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/ned/tevii.pdf remote control with batter- Polish Polski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/pol/tevii.pdf 08-09/2009 Portuguese Português www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/por/tevii.pdf This time it’s the new S470 ies, an IR receiver, a software Romanian Românesc www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/rom/tevii.pdf TeVii DVB-S/S2 Russian Русский www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/rus/tevii.pdf PC Card. This new model is CD and fold-out installation PCI-E CarD S470 Swedish Svenska www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/sve/tevii.pdf An elegant solution for normal Turkish Türkçe www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0909/tur/tevii.pdf not connected externally; instructions. The TeVii S470 is and HDTV reception on a PC Available online starting from 31 July 2009 instead it is linked directly to plug&play compatible and for

42 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 08-09/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 08-09/2009 — TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic 43 Alternative Reception Software for the TeVii S470: www.progdvb.com ProgDVB our test PC this meant install- The included remote control www.dvbviewer.com DVBViewer www.dvbdream.org ing the card in an available sits very nicely in your hands, DVBDream WatchTVPro www.watchtvpro-experience.de PCI-E slot and then putting is clearly labeled and left us www.smartdvb.net SmartDVB www.tsreader.com the cover back on the PC. with a very favorable impres- TSReader www.skygrabber.com SkyGrabber sion in terms of its workman- www.tuner4pc.com Tuner4PC We quickly connected a ship. satellite cable from one of our signal distributors to the Software Setup IF input on the card and last When the TeVii software is but not least connected the started for the first time, it IR receiver. Now it was time initially greets the user with to play. After turning on the a blank screen. A prepro- PC, Windows XP immediately grammed channel list isn’t found the new hardware. activated nor does the soft- Instead of letting Windows ware ask the user to perform search for matching driv- a channel scan. Considering ers, the installation CD was that the TeVii S470 is being Main MyTeVii window with all channels inserted into the appropriate distributed around the world drive. The installation assis- and that a preprogrammed tant appeared and began c hannel list would pr obably not installing the necessary driv- make sense anyway, it would ers as well as the MyTeVii have been nice if the user was software. directed to an automatic or manual channel scan. At this point it is also pos- sible to select whether just The TeVii developed user the drivers and MyTeVii soft- interface provided us with ware should be installed or a very clean and organized if the TeViiData program impression. On the right side should also be installed. This are the channel list and avail- program permits the use Main MyTeVii window – Channel list sorted by transponder able satellites; the currently of Internet via satellite ser- selected channel is displayed vices but more on that later. to the left. An EPG bar at the After clicking the OK button bottom of the display window it takes only a few seconds provides information on the before all of the required currently running program. data has found its way to our The size of the playback test PC. If for any reason you window can be adjusted to don’t happen to like the TeVii your liking; the TV picture can software, a demo version of also be viewed in full-screen ProgDVB can also be found mode. on the installation CD. We will have more on this pro- Clicking the right mouse gram and other alternative button opens the Options Perfect SCPC reception of TÜRKSAT at 42° east programs a little later. menu giving the user access

Even ProgDVB works perfectly with the TeVii card Alternative Software WatchTVPro Experience

44 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 08-09/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com to all of the necessary set- a receiver that comes with also performed perfectly with ware is only further confirmed The TeVii software can result was as expected: the tings. The TeVii software itself so many satellites to choose our SCPC test; it was able to in the channel list. It can be store recordings as a trans- card was able to realize its is very international; it can from that are also for the process the narrow band sig- sorted and modified a number port stream or in MPEG com- full potential and played back communicate with the user most part very up to date. nals on TÜRKSAT 42° east of ways so that, for example, patible format so that it can HDTV in 1080i format without in a variety of languages: Thanks to the easy to under- without any difficulties. channels can be grouped by be played back with any video any problems at all. With that English, French, German, stand OSD structure it is package, transponder or sat- player. The EPG was designed in mind, we want to make it Arabic, Chinese, Finnish, Ital- quite easy to match the nec- Everyday Use ellite or Favorites lists can be with clarity and simplicity clear that the manufacturer’s essary parameters (DiSEqC, ian, Polish, Russian, Span- Thanks to the extremely filled with channels that you in mind. It displays all of hardware requirements for ish and Swedish. With this LOF, etc.) to each individual watch more often. Unwanted the information provided by HD reception are really the A preprogrammed list of 177 satellites at your fingertips fast data connection through satellite. It’s also just as easy many choices, no one should the PCI-E bus, the S470 can channels can be marked and a broadcaster in an easy- minimum requirements. with just a few mouse clicks have any problems finding a switch between channels very deleted with just a single to read and logically sorted to access, delete or edit tran- matching language. quickly; it makes channel surf- click. Adult channels can be format. Ideally, this would let If you are more experienced sponders. The same holds ing a lot of fun. It doesn’t locked out with a PIN code so you see programming infor- in handling your software set- true for the satellite settings. The settings menu comes matter if you’re switching that kids can’t accidentally mation up to seven days in tings and if your video card with a variety of options and between HD channels or SD stumble on those channels. advance with data on each supports H264 acceleration, To make sure that the settings possibilities. Nearly channels or if you’re switch- individual program such as then TeVii has some tricks signal from the LNB can be every aspect of the software ing from HD to SD or vice It is quite practical that the content, provider, etc. on hand, how to bring down processed correctly, it is can be matched to the users versa, the switching time is editing of the entire channel processor load significantly. necessary to provide the requirements, such as, how just a little over one second. list takes place directly in the For the most part, the TeVii This is what’s needed to do: correct local oscillator fre- content is displayed, the stor- This is actually quite good MyTeVii software window thus software appears to be per- Go to main menue: Settings, quency (LOF) and switching ing and operation of the chan- considering this is a PC solu- making any changes immedi- fect, but TeVii kept in mind Directshow Filters, Cyberlink, point between low and high nel lists, the control of LNBs, tion and it even leaves some ately visible. In addition to the that good can always be made Video and in the properties band. The MyTeVii software the use of multiple moni- set top boxes in the dust. playback of live TV, the S470 better. For this reason the mark “Use Hardware Accel- comes preprogrammed with tors, setting up recordings When in Windows mode, the naturally also comes with engineers included a plug-in erator” or “DXVA” (depending a number of LOF values for and time shifting, the video software, if desired, blends in recording and time shift func- interface that with the help of on your system). Apply the and audio Codec’s, the IR the Ku-band and C-band and EPG information on the cur- tions. For one thing, record- the software will let you add a changes and go to the main Various system settings let you match the MyTeVii software to your receiver, the parameters for if you happen to be using variety of extra features. needs rent program at the bottom ings can be manually started. settings menu of MyTeVii, go the EPG display and last but an LNB with a non-stan- of the display. They can also be started at to Autograph and proceed like not least an Expert menu that dard LOF, it can simply be a specific time through the How much of this: If you are using Vista or provides access to the basic entered in manually. When It is also possible to make EPG or programmed manu- choose “Enhanced parameters of the software. all the parameters from your a load does this this EPG information as well ally. Thanks to the time shift Video Renderer”. If you Despite all of these settings antenna system have been as channel data visible on function, you won’t miss any card put on the are using XP choose Video possibilities, the Main menu entered, the next step takes the on-screen display. This is of the action in that movie processor? Mixing Renderer 7. That’s all, has remained clear and easy you to a channel scan. At especially practical when the you’re watching should the A big question is this: if you close settings windows, and to understand. TeVii accom- this point you can perform a PC monitor is being used in telephone ring. The movie plan to do other work with your restart MyTeVii. Note that the plished this thanks to the manual transponder scan or full-screen mode as a TV and is simply paused and when PC while the TeVii software is enhanced Video Renderer is window architecture that is let the TeVii S470 handle all the TeVii software is being you’ve had enough of talk- playing back video, how much not compatible with the IVR part of MS Windows. It would of the scanning work auto- controlled from the couch via ing with your favorite Aunt, does this TV reception affect mode and thus will work only not be possible to clearly matically. the remote control. The per- you can pick up watching that the running of other pro- in simple mode, this means present so many settings in fect design of the TeVii soft- movie where you left off. grams? In SD mode, a PC with no OSD. a standard set top box. Once Since the S470 is a PC half way decent hardware will all of the needed settings are solution, the size of the chan- have no problems at all. But taken care of, the TeVii card nel memory is for all practi- Alternative with HDTV the outlook is dif- Recording Settings must then become acquainted cal purposes unlimited and ferent. If it involves HDTV in Software with the antenna system with almost begs to be filled with 720p format, our older Intel The only feature that was which it will be used. channel data. The card is both Pentium IV did not have any missing from the TeVii S470 DVB-S and DVB-S2 compat- problems and was able to PCI-E card was a CI slot. For Since the card works with ible and therefore, in addition produce an interference-free you, the end user, this means all the different DiSEqC pro- to QPSK modulation in DVB- picture with a processor load that PayTV reception is not tocols, it can be used with S, it also supports 8PSK in of about 75%. possible. However, there are a typical multifeed antenna DVB-S2. The “Auto” setting two solutions to this! You may (DiSEqC 1.0), a Wavefron- switches between the two But in 1080i mode, video wait till 3rd Quarter 2009 and tier antenna with up to 16 by itself. An automatic scan dropouts were the norm and TeVii will introduce the S475, LNBs (DiSEqC 1.1) as well as of HOTBIRD at 13° east was the CPU load climbed to nearly which is a DVB-S2 low profile a motorized system (DiSEqC completed in just a little over 100%. At the same time, PCI-E card with CI daughter 1.2 and USALS) without any six minutes in our tests. Not doing other work on the PC board. It will feature a CAN problems. The S470 comes bad at all considering this is was not really possible while tuner with a loop through. with a large selection of pre- a PC solution. The TeVii card TV playback was in operation. The other possiblity is soft- programmed satellites that also gallantly passed one of We therefore decided to test ware. There are quite a few includes 170 American, Euro- our toughest tests with the the card in a more modern TV viewers available that pean and Asian satellites. It’s horizontal transponders on PC (Intel Core2Duo). The work well with the TeVii S470, Settings for the Professionals not very often that we see NILESAT at 7° west. The S470 TeViiData for Internet via Satellite

46 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 08-09/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 08-09/2009 — TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic 47 Processor Load PC Card HDTV 720p the most popular and most net or starts a download, the widely used of these would request is sent via modem to of course be ProgDVB. Obvi- the Internet via Satellite pro- ously, ProgDVB can’t magi- vider which then retrieves the

cally pull a CI slot out of a hat, data via a high-speed connec- Processor Load USB Box HDTV 720p but it is possible to access tion and routes it to a satellite. another receiver through card The customer at the other sharing using a valid Smart- end only sends the informa- Card. It could work like this: tion request via modem to his you have a valid PayTV sub- provider; the information he Processor Load PC Card HDTV 1080i scription card that is inserted needs is sent back to him at in a receiver in your living high speed via satellite. room. You set up your PC in such a way that it has access The only drawback is to this receiver through a that every person that can Processor Load USB Box HDTV 1080i network connection. With the receive the same satellite proper plug-ins, this will let can also receive the data you you access the SmartCard in requested. Yes, the data is your receiver with the TeVii encrypted and only meant S470 and thereby share that for you to receive but there down to personal taste. The the advantage that it doesn’t SmartCard with your living is software available that will USB box is clearly more flex- need an external power supply room receiver and the TeVii bypass this encryption so ible and can also be used on and doesn’t have an external card. that the data can be seen by camping trips together with a box that takes up valuable others as well. In our tests, laptop. The PCI-E version has space on your desk. ProgDVB isn’t the only data reception using the TeVii one out there. There are a software functioned flaw- number of other programs lessly. We didn’t expect any- Expert Opinion that together with the S470 thing else. + will provide you with TV The TeVii S470 PCI-E card is an excellent solu- reception. Refer to Table 1 What’s better? tion for receiving SDTV and HDTV via satellite on for the necessary links. In your PC. The included MyTeVii software is very meantime, the new MyTeVii PCI-E Card or easy to use and functioned perfectly during our tests. Thomas Haring 4.xx software, which was not USB Box? TELE-satellite Thanks to the plug-in interface it can easily be Test Center yet available at time of this Unlike the S470 PCI-E card, Austria enhanced and at the same time the S470 can be test, will also support all kind the TeVii’s S650 is externally used with alternative reception software. With the help of the of plugins including softcams, connected to a PC via USB proper Codec’s, feeds in MPEG 4:2:2 format can also be received. card sharing and so on. We 2.0 and powered by an exter- This should make DXer’s especially happy. also don’t want to forget the nal power supply. We were Another plus is TeVii’s constant work in improving their prod- radio lovers out there. The interested to find out which ucts, especially the MyTeVii software. TeVii S470 is not just for TV of these versions would be Updates can be downloaded directly from the manufacturer’s reception; it naturally can better for the end user. To web site at no charge. also be used for top-quality this end we checked the pro- satellite radio reception. And cessor load on our Intel Pen- - Processor load can only be brought down by experienced just like TV channels, radio tium IV PC in SDTV mode as computer users channels can also be recorded well as in HDTV (720p and and digitally stored. 1080i) mode. We discovered that both the USB version and TECHNIC TeViiData PCI-E version placed about DATA TeVii doesn’t only specialize the same load on the PC. Manufacturer TeVii Technology Ltd. Taiwan in satellite TV and radio recep- Email Sales [email protected] tion products; there’s also a As you can see in the pro- Email Support [email protected] completely different applica- cessor load screen shots, Model S470 tion. The magical phrase here both values are in the same Function PCI-E card for TV reception on the PC in SDTV and HDTV is Internet via Satellite. The range. The variations that Channel memory unlimited technology behind this is quite can be seen are due to Satellites 177 simple: the user sets up a con- smaller changes in the video Symbol rates 2-45 Ms/sec. nection via modem or ISDN. (the same scene shown for a SCPC compatible yes (tested > 2.2 MS/s) The speed of this connection longer period of time) result- USALS yes can be a mere 56kbps but it ing in less of a load on the DiSEqC 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 only plays a very small role. processor. For the end user EPG yes If the user surfs the Inter- the choice ultimately comes C/Ku-Band compatible yes

48 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 08-09/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com