Scientific Atlanta powerVu

[john43]

Hi all,

I have an Atlanta D9234 and try using it in Europe
It wil see some fta sat and thats it. No hotbird 6deg. powervu transmitting at all
Can someone tell me more about the atlanta.
possible a owner / user with knowledge how to program it and not loosing all the channels each time its disconnected from the current 220 v here.

sorry for the bad grammatic in English
mail me pls


John

[bassett]

The Scientific Atlanta Powervu receiver series D9223 and D9234
are intended for Pay or Cable providers, Where a rack of these receivers can supply channels for pay services,, The main problem is that each receiver is seperatly authorised for use by the parent company, and on exchange or sale of the receiver the encription
autherisition is cancelled.

What this means in effect is that, there really only usable , by people with the correct authorisation.. and as they only do PowerVu, there really not a lot of use to the hobbiest, Also to add to the confusion , Full PowerVu signals are restricted to the Panamsat series of satellites. Which restricts it even more..
There is a form of powerVu that can be received on a standard DVB receiver, But stuff like the ESPN bouquay [4020 H 26466 7/8] is out of reachto just about everyone except Pay providers and Kerry PackerThis also includes the Discovery series, and the Golf channels.

Also to my knowladge the PowerVu system of encription has never been compromissed

AS for obtaining the service in Europe, They also work on a C-band frequancy, which narrows it down even further, and I am unsure if any PowerVu is broadcast on a Ku satellite, anywhere.
I can find no listings for powerVu on the Europian Satellite
transponder lists..

[john43]

Hi Basset,

Tnx for replaying on my questions. I had the oppertunity for buying this receiver. It works ok on different fta transmissions. Mainly german an italy transponders.
I think i saw 20 or 25 different channels. But as i understand the powervu mode is impossible for me to receive for i have no permission or card. I am thinking to sell it then to a hobbyist who can play with codes or something.
Thanks for the answers.

Greetings from the Netherlands

John

[bassett]

Good Stuff, John,,,
Please feel free to read the forum, and even though you are in Holland, Its very nice to hear from people from other parts of the world. and if you contribute every now and again, So much the better..
Best regards from Oz bassett

[theslydog]

The video chip that scientific Atlanta used in the D9234 is one of the best I have seen. The picture quality is superb.
But that is about it. Menus are difficult, remote is crap. Wont store a variety of transponders and channels - designed for only one bouquet at a time.
To get a D9234 activated you need a release letter from the original provider the box was first activated on, a letter from the new provider it will be changed to and then you need Sciencific Atlanta in Canada to agree to the whole deal. Every box they have ever produced is individually documented and logged in their data base. Generally only for companies.

Try some of these in Europe
http://www.sat-city.com/news/
new coship CDVB 5300B (A is for US has no SCART) is cheap and looks ok

tsd

[bassett]

Can remember the early S.A. receivers, 20 channels only, no remote and very,very slow.. But as you say, superb picture quality, Which when you consider it, There a relay machine..

They tell me the latest models have a smartcard slot in the back,
but i can't confirm this, But if this is so, perhaps they have changed the autherisation procedure..

[theslydog]

Didnt know the new ones got a smartcard slot in the back.

I got a D9234 and it has a smartcard slot in the front. The manual says it for security purposes.

The receiver is equipped with a smart card slot in the
front panel of the unit. Smart cards may be used to
change the security and identity of the receiver if
piracy of the signal is suspected.

So maybe you can update the U/A number with a smartcard.

I wish they would bring out a CI for powervu then I could run it in a PVR CI box.

[john43]

The D 9234 wich works here is also provided with a cardslot at the front.
When i insert my funcard or canal+ card it tells me that the card is registred at the same number as in the screen on top
There is a sort of registry number and without card it says 0 and with a card inserted in a lot of identical numbers on two rows
The funpart is that the atlanta not seems to see or the card is inserted upside down or not


John
The Netherlands

[sinbad]

Guys......Its been a long while since I posted.

I was given a SC 9234 Decoder by a friend to check and I put it on my system at home (2X2.4M dishes, Humax, Sat Cruiser, VBox).

I put the 9234 on my system and disabled the power view by doing the following....... info I found on the net

To Change from Power view to non powerVu:

Press Menu
Press INFO button twice (two times)
Press 4
Press 0
The "Fixed PIDS" window will be displayed
Press UP button to move to the Tune Mode bar

Press SELECT several times until the NON POWER VU or POWER VU settings appear. (you want NON POWER VU)

Press the down arrow key
Press SELECT
Press 1 to save changes
Press EXIT
Press Channel up and down to get reception

By the way this works as I have tried it on the box I got to test.

The problem I face is I can only tune one channel on 9234, meaning when I go in and set up the freg,S/R,FEC,V/H, the box tunes ok and works fine but when I try to enter another frequency for the next service on C Band it simply overwrites the last entry.

I have a manual and there is little info in it. I was able to get some info from the net to change it from Power VU to Non Power Vu Model.

Unlike the Humax that stacks the channels as you tune a new channel. This box overwrites the old frequency so that you are left with the new channel only.

Also on channels where I have a clear picture with my Humax, this box will not lock on.

Can an expert out there tell me if this is a good box? What is it worth...there is no access card. It maybe easy to just tell my mate to get a humax or similar.....this way he can use a V Box to drive his actuator at a later date.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sinbad

[bassett]

As we said earler these receivers are superb picture quality, but they are intended as a relay unit for a pay provider, One channel , one box. They sit there in a rack, grinding away 24/7
So having a large loading capasaty, is really not needed..
It's just a set and forget machine.

At one time these units sold for many thousands of dollars, these days, who knows, if you can find a buyer, let him set the price,
really if you can get your money back, your in front.

The modern version of these would be a MPEG 4-2-2 unit. Again superbly enginnered. The Alteia 942a is one such unit. twenty channel bouquay, and the thing weighs a ton and is a metre square, The price 2000 pounds sterling, and that was a while ago. But 4-2-2 is being used more and more from portable
up-link units . I had a poke round a channel 7 unit a while ago and they had two of the things , sitting there , bolted down.
curses,,;) ;) ;)

[theslydog]

sinbad

Let me know if u every want to sell it as I was looking for a spare for the cupboard in case the one I got dies.

tsd

[Apsattv]

Power Vu units software can be upgraded I think via one channel in the Pas 8 ESPN mux?

They are still used of course in W.A off Pas 2 KU for TV though I do wonder about this service being obselete since C1 went up.

If you ask some shops over that way they may have some Authorised chips out of scrapped units. You just plug in the i.d chip and it works.

As to the newer powervu units someone over that way was testing one. It outputs Broadcast quality video DVI digital output and also connects directly to video servers etc. Also has the full works in terms of digital audio outputs and inputs.


A bit more than the average hobbyist needs!!

[darrinparker]

The Scientific Atlants D2394 can store 24 presets numbered 0-23. It has been many years since I used this feature but with a little time I'm sure you can figure them out. This feature is not well documented so if you have trouble let me know and I wiill set the old machiene up and figure out how its done again.

While the presets remain in memory even when the unit is powered down or disconected from the mains, there is one hiccup if the chanel you preset you wish to use is not transmitting at the time you wish to watch it, the unit will revert to a previously used preset where signal is present.

[darrinparker]

These instructions are very dated but check ut the following URL

http://www.amcdiscovery.com.au/network.htm

you will need to apply the principles to your situation

dp

[Chas1962]

OK, Newbie here.

First things first...I joined this site about 4-5 hours ago, and I have been reading since I got here. I moderate, and/or admin at a few sites of my own, so I know to read. (I can prove I have been reading....if you look in bassett's window, he's already typing a subtle reply that suggests "Read Read Read" before I can even finish...LOL)

With that being said, I realized about an hour in that most of what you guys are aiming at, may or may not be in my view. (still reading) but kept reading anyway to pick up some basics of the hobby, and not so much what you were watching. I have picked up some good pointers so far, thanks to all.

Here is some brief background. I am a deployed American soldier currently stationed in Kuwait. We fell in on another groups equipment when we got here. I found to receivers, (1 is a Goldsat DSR-9400 DV3 Gold-Box) and 2 differant size dishes. So like any electronics freak would do, I started to read and put one of these together. And I did just that. I am currently locked on to AFN Sat (don't ask me where, I just know it's east of Kuwait.)


Now, Back on topic...When I got to this thread my eyes popped open, ahh,...Scientific Atlanta PowerVU D9234 Business Satellite Receiver...That's what I have. And one of the reasons I am here reading is to see what, if anything is out there other than AFN that I could watch. But after reading this thread, I had to stop reading and ask....Am I wasting my time. The way I am reading this thread, I am.

You guys mentioned security... my powerVU security is set to 0, and there is no card. (slot is in the front) And I seem to have access to change all settings if that matters.

The 2 dishes (Non-Motorized) I have are solid, one is about 36" across (E H Galaxy wrote on it) and the other is about 5' diameter. I am currently using the 36" one and recieving all the AFN channels.

I guess bottem line is, am I wasting my time reseaching differant sats and FTA for this system? And if that is the case, is there anything I can do with the Goldsat DSR-9400 DV3 Gold-Box.

Thanks for your time fellow sat guru's. :cool:

[darrinparker]

Good to see you have been reading?

The security you speak of is one of the best features of the SA-d9234, it keeps people like me from watching the American forces TV programs delivered by satelitte almost anywhere in the world. I'd love to have an authorised chip out of such a decoder .... but I digress.

This decoder will recieve any free to air or unscrambled programming as well, along with low security stuff originating from PANAM SAT HQ ...

There is various levels of PowerVu security .... the strongest that I am aware of is used by the US military. Other tranmissions on the same satelites appear scrambled yet are essentially free to air - an example is the Hope channel transmitted by the Seventh-day Adventist church.

The problem we have in a Asia Pacific Satelite forum is that we are not focused on the same "bird" as you are so can not offer any specific advise on other programs on that satelite ...

The best advise I could give you is to log onto the following website http://www.lyngsat.com it may help if you figure out which satelite you are aimed at first or atleast its possition so you can see what else there may be.

dlparker@paradise.net.nz

[darrinparker]

Contrary to they beying bassett these decoders do not only do PowerVu .. they are a very useful decoder indeed ...

Yes, they are designed for other than the hobiest market but most hobiests who invest the time in reading the manual several times will figure out that this decoder is brilliant. If you don't have a manual and need on I could PDf the thing and send it to you over time but being on dialup it could be some time ...

Switching between PowerVus and Non PoewerVu mode however isn't discribed in the manual ... if you can't find out how to do that on the net email me and I eill give you instructions

In my earlier posting I referred you to http://www.lyngsat.com, sometimes the info is a little old - this guy is very pedantic ... to pedantic for practicality's sake ... and still gets it wrong at times but still produces a reasonably reliable site. I use this site probably 7/10 of the time as it has broad scope. Here in the Asia pacific we find other sites more reliable and much faster in noting changes to satelites in our region.

Have fun

[simmo]

Hmm Know what you mean Darrin, but in defence of Christian Lyngmark at lyngsat he can only put up what he gets told about and can verify!!! If you find out where he is 'wrong' I'm sure dropping him a quick email will rectify the error!
An annoying thing on the lyngsat site is that he wont put up data TP's....

[Chas1962]

Thanks for replying guys...

As I said in the first post, I kinda fiqured early on that most here could not help with what I could find out there do to your region.

I am just glad to here that I misunderstood the erlier posts in this thread. Knowing that I can use this receiver to get other sats gives me reason to continue reading. And thank you for the offer of the manual, but I do have one.

Thanks again for the clarification. ;)

Oh, and the bird I am pointed at says hotbird 4. Just in case you were interested.

[theslydog]

chas1962

You are really wasitng ur time to try to use the d9234 for anything other than power vu - which they are specifically designed for.

I have had one for may years and it does power vu well has the best picture but it is a set and forget box. It does not like to be changed to different satellites and transponders etc.

Ther are better, easier and cheaper boxes that can be used for that.

If that 5' dish has a ku band LNBF wack it onto Hotbird 1-6 13degE and u will get a truckload of channels.

This is like 236deg and an elevation of 38.5deg for you.

Go to http://www.lyngsat.com/europe.shtml and check the foot prints for Kuwait but you are in a good spot for a medium sized dish to pick up lots of Eurpoean channels.

To work out the Angle and Azimuth click on the satTracker at the top of the satellite page and it will run a java page to give u the angle and elev for your co-ords.

You should be able to pick a receiver like a Humax or Samsung locally for next to nicks and that is what u want.

Are u sure that DSR-9400 is not a samsung? If it is u are in luck as that will do fine.

http://www.eurostar-digital.com/dsr9400ftarear.htm

official samsung page

samsung dsr-9400 (http://www.samsung.com/Products/DigitalSetTopBox/DigitalSatelliteReceiver/DigitalSetTopBox_DigitalSatelliteReceiver_DSR9400. htm)

tsd

[Chas1962]

Thanks for the reply slydog. So your saying that this PowerVU, (even though I can change settings) is kinda proprietary when it comes to sat reception???

As for the DSR-9400...Yea, I am sure. I posted a picture in another thread. I did not want to take this thread to far off topic, so I posted in the newbie forums with some pictures, and a few other questions I had.

http://www.vetrun.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6900#post6900

Thanks again for your continued replies. They are really helpful. ;)

Chas

[John-NZ]

Here is the PDF specification sheet for the Scientific Atlanta D9228 in a zipfile.

[cowboyhargy]

After reading this whole thread I didn't find what I was looking for! However I find myself in a unique position to explain what LITTLE I do know about the Scientific Alanta PowerVu Decoder. My experience with this decoder has been for the last 7 years I have had the pleasure to install these decoders for just about every US troop in Iraq and Kosovo.
:o
The Settings for the Armed Forces Network is as follows:
Freq. Mode - Downlink
Frequency - 11.63900
L.O. Freq. #1 - 9.750
L.O. Freq. #2 - 10.600
Polarization - H (for Horizontal)
FEC Rate - 3/4
Symbol Rate - 27.5000
Network ID - 6

Now that's out of the way I have to admit I don't really know what all of the settings do I just know these are the settings for AFN.

Now to get to what I was looking for! I know for a fact that if I had the above settings for European Channels I can set the same decoder to pick up those channels without loseing the AFN channels.

The way to do this is the use of the favorites button on the upper right corner of the remote control. The normal setting for this is USUALLY 01, so when you push the favorite button select 02 and then the select button and it will go to a different setup where you can then set all of the above areas and receive the European channels.

I have actually seen this done but was never able to get the above settings! (I know stupid!:eek: )

I know this was long but I had to show a little history first!

Any help on this would be cool. If it works I'll let you know!

[blackcrusader]

AS for obtaining the service in Europe, They also work on a C-band frequancy, which narrows it down even further, and I am unsure if any PowerVu is broadcast on a Ku satellite, anywhere.
I can find no listings for powerVu on the Europian Satellite
transponder lists..


Armed Forces Network form the US military broadcast in KU with Powervu decoders.

95E .... Seems I have one. :D

[robson]

There are a few for sale on eBay at the moment.

Make good door stops.

http://search.ebay.com.au/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Scientific+Atlanta+PowerVu