This is not a tutorial to install Pluto from scratch ! Just detailed notes following my 3-days workshop.
You should have installed your Pluto tools and have it tested enough : SDRangel, GNUradio... have drivers/packages installed to manage IIO device : libiio, gr-iio, libad9361 ...
Be sure to have "Industrial IO" listed as block section in GNUradio, with FMCOMM and PlutoSDR sub-sections.
May also work using SoapySDR or osmocom.
Always use a bandpass filter. No filter = harmonics.
You must have a license to transmit, except on very few frequencies.
You can cause serious trouble by transmitting on unauthorized frequencies !
This is your own responsability !
Outside allowed spectrum, use dummy load, or make test inside a Faraday cage, or in a deep tunnel under mountains :)
F5OEO recently released a firmware for ADALM-pluto dedicated to DATV.
Features : using the pluto to transmit (DVB-S/DVB-S2) video/audio stream from host computer using "OBS" or "VMIX" apps or from mobile phone using "Larix Software" app.
Documentation is included on the firmware ( http:https://pluto.local )
To get the firmware, you have to register to VivaDATV forums
More information can be found here : http:https://www.vivadatv.org/viewtopic.php?f=87&t=685
Tutorial (and more on Pluto) using OBS app : https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Custom_DATV_Firmware_for_the_Pluto
My choice goes to SDRangel. However to enable DATV plugin (Linux only) I had to compile SDRangel from sources. Information : https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel/tree/master/plugins/channelrx/demoddatv
I played one day first using RPiDATV from @F5OEO_evariste : https://github.com/F5OEO/rpidatv
More infos here : http:https://www.pabr.org/radio/leandvb/leandvb.en.html
rtl_sdr -f 435008000 -s 2400000 -g 37 - | ./leandvb --gui --anf 0 --sr 500e3 --cr 1/2 --drift --tune 7e3 --drift | cvlc -
vlc can be replaced by mplayer, depending of the codec. However result is better using VLC
Made my tests using an old DVB-S receiver : a METRONIC "Touch Box 5"
Erased all channels, favorites. Deselected satellites, transponders.
Created a new "DATV" satellite, with some new transponders onboard this fake sat.
For each transponder : freq 10720, don't care on polarity, and symbol rate : 1000, 1200, and 1500 kS/s
Send your signal from the Pluto (see below), then perform a channel scan once.
That's it, from now channel 1 will receive at 1000kS/s, channel 2 1200 kS/s, and channel 3 1500kS/s, all on the same frequency.
Note : using DVB-S receiver you can only receive MPEG-2 . MPEG-4 is for DVB-S2 mode (correct me if I'm wrong) however using SDRangel you can decode both MPEG2 and MPEG4 TS streams.
Thus you may have to convert mp4 video file to MPEG-2.
Transcode video to MPEG2 .ts format (can be improved by RTFM):
ffmpeg -re -i my_file.mp4 -vcodec mpeg2video -s 360x288 -r 25 -b:v 1M -acodec mp2fixed -strict -2 -b:a 128k -f mpegts test3.ts
The two provided files as examples (in "scripts" directory) are working in the same way, however not using same DVB-S blocks. You can change symbol-rate "in-the-fly" : 333, 500, 1000, 1200, 1500 KS/s.
dvbs_tx.grc :
To run dvbs_tx.grc you have to install DVBS blocks from here : https://github.com/drmpeg/gr-dvbs
Once installed it should appear in GNUradio in "dvbs" blocks :
dvbs_tx2.grc :
Blocks in use are native on GNUradio, under "Digital Television" blocks. Just run the script.
This example comes from @csete Alex, here : https://myriadrf.org/blog/digital-video-transmission-using-limesdr-gnu-radio/
Copy the .ts files from "samples" folder to your Pluto USB Mass Storage (the files in the folder, not the folder itself)
*** From gnuradio-companion (GUI)
Open dvbs_tx.grc or dvbstx_grc2 and run it.
Default freq is set to 970MHz, allowing use of a DVB-S receiver without LNB (DVBS RX set to 10.720 Ghz)
*** Using python Just run files generated by GNUradio.
Files : dvbs_tx.py python python dvbs_tx.py python python
- Troubleshooting :
** Can't find the .ts files : GNUradio will try to open .ts files from : /media//PlutoSDR folder. in case of trouble, open GNUradio .GRC files from "scripts" folders: modify the path for "FILE SOURCE" block to your own needs to access video files.
(Python : edit file, modify path ...)
Transmit video file directly from Pluto using shell and LEANDVB/LEANTRX (GNUradio or python not needed)
This is based on the nice work of F4DAV and PABR team. Nothing new.
note 1: to transmit DATV from Pluto, leansdr/leantrx must be installed (at least running) on the pluto: Follow instructions from here : http:https://www.pabr.org/radio/leantrx/leantrx.en.html or very good alternative : reflash at your own risk your Pluto using Plutoweb firmware from unixpunk/ImDroided team : https://github.com/unixpunk/PlutoWeb
note 2: lot of variants are possible: you can also copy the file using SCP/SFTP protocol, or use runme0.sh script from external USB storage.
Copy MPEG2-lalinea.ts file to the USB_gadget volume (Pluto USB Mass Storage).
Eject the gadget volume. Will auto-remount by itself after few seconds.
Connect via SSH (or serial) to pluto shell then type following commands :
mkdir /gadget
losetup /dev/loop7 /opt/vfat.img -o 512
mount /dev/loop7 /gadget
leandvbtx --cr 1/2 --s16 < /gadget/MPEG2-lalinea.ts | leaniiotx -f 970000000 --bufsize 32768 --nbufs 32 --bw 3e6 -s 1e6 -v
Will stream video at 970 MHZ, BW 1MHz, symbrate 500kS/s, QPSK, CR 1/2
Variant :
leandvbtx --cr 1/2 --s16 < /gadget/MPEG2-lalinea.ts | leaniiotx -f 970000000 --bufsize 32768 --nbufs 32 --bw 2e6 -s 666e3 -v
--> 970 MHZ, BW 500kHz, 333kS/s, QPSK, CR 1/2
Files are located in the gnuradio-webcam directory.
First we start streaming on the network from the webcam, also picking a long mp3 file located on the hard drive as audio stream.
Once streaming is started, we launch GNUradio to get this TS stream and send it as DVB-S mode.
It is possible to monitor the video/audio stream from the local computer (GNUradio input) : surprisingly the result is not always good, but at the same time it's OK on the sat receiver.
First start video+audio TS streaming using ffmpeg, in this example adding the local webcam /dev/vide0, and mp3 file as audio.
Also add OSD text (content of /home/user/datv_text.txt).
This line works well for me, but you will perhaps need to adapt/improve parameters.
ffmpeg -r 10 -i '/dev/video0' -i '/home/user/Musique/podcast_-_16bits.mp3'\
-acodec mp2 -f mpegts -b:v 0.7M \
-vf "drawtext=textfile=/home/user/datv_text.txt:x=60:y=34:fontsize=40:shadowx=3:shadowy=3:fontcolor=red:shadowcolor=white" \
-b:a 128k -ar 44100 -ac 2 -af asetpts=N/SR/TB \
-mpegts_service_id 1 -metadata service_provider=”CALLSIGN” -metadata service_name=CALLSIGN \
-r 15 -ignore_unknown -pix_fmt yuv420p udp:https://127.0.0.1:58000
You can use ffmpeg-start.sh script to perform this task. Edit paths on this file befire running it.
Keep the task running on the terminal.
Then start GNUradio, and run dvbs_tx_udp_monitor.GRC script. Pluto should start transmit on 970 MHz.
You can also run the python scripts located on the same directory.
By installing application on your mobile to send the camera stream over network.
Using the same GRC script.
More details in the gnuradio-webcam directory.
Thanks to F5OEO for suggesting this idea, and helping to debug.
- video source from RPi : Picam or USB webcam, desktop.
- Pluto is listening for video-TS multicast sent by RPi running avc2ts.
On the Pi side, install avc2ts : https://github.com/F5OEO/avc2ts
Installation is simple but can take a long time ! Do not interrupt.
Do not confuse with avc2ts utility included with RPiDATV, this one is not compatible.
Still on the Pi, install mnc : https://github.com/marascio/mnc
Pluto : download mnc tool (compiled binary) from here. : copy the mnc binary to /bin or /usr/sbin, make it executable
From shell on Pi run following command to start Picam streaming:
~/avc2ts/avc2ts -t 0 -m 403000 -b 300000 -x 640 -y 480 -f 20 -n 230.0.0.10:10000:0.0.0.0
Use : ~/avc2ts/avc2ts -t 3 ......... to stream USB cam.
Adapt settings !
On the pluto side, to transmit on 437 MHz, run following command :
mnc -l -p 10000 230.0.0.10 | leandvbtx -f 4 --fill --cr 7/8 --s16 | leaniiotx -f 437000000 --bufsize 32768 --nbufs 32 --bw 3e6 -s 1e6 -v
This was tested using PiZero + Picam, and standalone Pluto powered by battery-pack and connected via WiFi, making a 100% mobile DATV transmitter (demo video)
Note : Pluto-firmware including mnc executable and more is available for download, please follow instructions from here : https://github.com/LamaBleu/plutoscripts
Credits :
LEANTRX/LEANSDR : PABR team and F4DAV : http:https://www.pabr.org/radio/leantrx/leantrx.en.html
rpidatv : F5OEO (tks Evariste for the video sample)
Enjoy @fonera_cork - LamaBleu 11/2018