Adapters and Channels

Configure the tuner and transponder, confirm signal lock, then create Streams from the discovered services. Configure a SoftCAM only for authorized encrypted services.

Main Actions

Local DVB devices support DVB-S/S2, DVB-T/T2, DVB-C Annex A/B, ATSC, and ISDB-T.

SAT>IP Adapters

Receive channels from a network tuner by selecting SAT>IP as the Input Type. The selected Engine server does not need a local DVB card. SAT>IP supports DVB-S/S2, DVB-T/T2, and DVB-C Annex A. Compatible third-party servers, including stock minisatip, require no server-side changes.

1. Open DVB → Add Adapter and choose SAT>IP.
2. Enter the SAT>IP Server, such as 192.168.2.3:8554. The default RTSP port is 554.
3. Choose the Server that will receive the signal.
4. Choose Device from the discovered list. Refresh reads the list from the selected Server. minisatip devices show a single x:y badge for the physical adapter and frontend. Hardware model names are not available. Configure LNB LOF, DiSEqC, and Unicable on the SAT>IP server. New Adapters use satellite source 1; existing source settings are preserved.
5. Enter the delivery system and tuning values. Frequency is in MHz; symbol rate is in kBd. For satellite, 13V selects vertical and 18V selects horizontal polarization.
6. Save and start. Engine reads the services on the selected transponder. Choose services and use Create Streams as with a local Adapter.

Device selects the remote tuner. Engine handles the SAT>IP request number internally; it can differ from the physical adapter number.

Manage Adapters shows separate badges for the SAT>IP server and physical device, such as SAT>IP 127.0.0.1:8554 and 3:0. Saved physical device labels also appear in Adapter Settings, even when device lookup is unavailable.

In imported Adapter settings, device_id must use the physical x:y value, such as 3:0. Engine resolves the SAT>IP request number when the Adapter starts. Use diseqc for the satellite source (0 or empty uses source 1).

Each running SAT>IP Adapter uses one slot from the Engine server’s DVB Adapters allowance, shared with local DVB Adapters. Multiple channels on that Adapter share its reception session. Remote tuner capacity is a separate limit.

The tuner server must support a full transponder with pids=all over unicast RTP/UDP. Allow RTSP and the negotiated UDP return ports between it and Engine. Reserve network bandwidth for the full transponder, including channels you do not select.

Device lookup requires UDP port 1900 and the tuner’s advertised HTTP port. It does not start reception or retune a device. Stock minisatip can list idle devices even when reception capabilities are absent. Devices appear once, under their physical identifiers. If a device is disabled, the server has not provided enough information to select it; check the server and refresh. Servers that provide only tuner counts without device identifiers cannot populate this selector. A tuner marked Used may accept another session on the same transponder; the server decides whether it can be shared.

This version uses manual IPv4 server configuration. It does not scan the network for servers or support blind frequency scans, RTP over TCP, RTSP authentication, or satellite Multistream/PLS. Channel discovery reads the configured transponder only. A server that requires individual PID filtering is not supported.

Signal strength and lock come from the server’s RTCP reports. When minisatip provides measured SNR through its HTTP status page, Engine uses the same percentage scale as Local DVB (16 dB = 100%). The bar displays a percentage only. If measured SNR is unavailable, Engine uses RTCP signal quality; this percentage cannot be converted to dB. If the session fails or TS reception stops, Engine retries while the Adapter remains started. Stop releases the session.

SoftCAM and per-Stream BISS handling follow the same settings as local DVB. The server must forward encrypted packets and CA information if Engine will decrypt them. A local DVB tuner cannot be controlled by Engine and a SAT>IP server at the same time; stop its local Adapter before assigning that tuner to the server.

Tune an Adapter

Changed in Engine 1.0+

Starting or restarting an Adapter waits and retries when its Engine server is under resource pressure. The Adapter log records the reason; running Adapters and explicit Stop actions are unaffected.

1. Select the server and an unused frontend device.
2. Select the delivery system.
3. Enter the broadcaster’s verified frequency, symbol rate or bandwidth, modulation, and FEC values.
4. Add satellite, PLP, Multistream, or PLS values only when the transponder requires them.
5. Save, start, and wait for carrier and lock.

Enter frequencies in MHz. Use the transponder frequency for Frequency and the LNB’s printed oscillator frequency for LNB LOF. For example, enter 12500 and 11300 for a 12500 MHz transponder and 11300 MHz LNB. Leave LOF empty only if automatic LNB handling suits your hardware; Auto cannot detect the LNB model.

For satellite also verify voltage/polarization, tone, DiSEqC, pilot, rolloff, inversion, and Unicable settings. In the UI, 13V is vertical and 18V is horizontal.

Multistream and PLS

DVB-S/S2 may require a Multistream ID and ROOT, GOLD, or COMBO PLS mode/code. Leave these fields disabled for ordinary transponders. Incorrect values prevent lock even when frequency and symbol rate are correct.

Check Signal and Services

After start, confirm lock, signal strength, SNR, frequency, symbol rate, and errors. Some drivers report strength or SNR as zero even when the other value and lock are valid.

If lock fails, check in this order:

1. server, frontend, and device ownership;
2. delivery system, frequency units, symbol rate, bandwidth, and modulation;
3. LOF, voltage, tone, DiSEqC, cabling, and Unicable;
4. FEC, pilot, rolloff, PLP, Multistream, and PLS;
5. kernel driver and firmware.

After lock, check service names, SID, PAT/PMT, PIDs, and CA information. Select services, choose Create Streams, and test each Stream.

Streams wait until the selected Adapter channel is ready. Check the Stream log for delays. Stop cancels the wait; restart after changing the input.

Changed in Engine 1.0+

A DVB input can use its own bisskey (biss_key), constcw (const_cw), or softcam once the channel is discovered, even if the Adapter’s default decryption fails. Static keys override network SoftCAM for that Stream only.

Set UDP Output Address only for raw MPEG-TS delivery to a receiver. Use a dedicated address and verify routing, ports, service tables, and continuity.

SoftCAM

Changed in Engine 1.0+

Engine supports NEWCAMD and CS378X connections. Configure the endpoint, credentials, CAID, and DES key under CAM → SoftCAMs, then assign it only to the intended Adapter or services. Enter CAID in hexadecimal 0x0001–0xffff notation, such as 0x0604. The Adapter Auto option compares this CAID with the channel’s PMT CA descriptors and selects matching SoftCAM connections.

Saved SoftCAM changes are applied to active Adapter outputs on every connected Engine server. A SoftCAM cannot be deleted while an Adapter is assigned to it. If decryption fails, check SID/PIDs and PMT CA descriptors before credentials and ECM timing.

Use conditional-access features only for services you are authorized to receive. Never expose CAM credentials or keys in logs, screenshots, or support messages.