Difference between revisions of "Portsdown 2020 Getting Started Guide"
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The Raspberry Pi 3 has to work quite hard to drive a LimeSDR to transmit DVB-S and DVB-S2. In response to this, custom firmware has been developed for the LimeSDR Mini (only) that enables it to take on some of the processing load of generating QPSK and 8PSK modulation. | The Raspberry Pi 3 has to work quite hard to drive a LimeSDR to transmit DVB-S and DVB-S2. In response to this, custom firmware has been developed for the LimeSDR Mini (only) that enables it to take on some of the processing load of generating QPSK and 8PSK modulation. | ||
| − | This "LimeDVB" firmware must be loaded over an existing firmware load, and must be driven with different software on the Portsdown. | + | This "LimeDVB" firmware must be loaded over an existing firmware load, and must be driven with different software on the Portsdown. Because it works differently, the power output is lower than the conventional software, but a cleaner signal is generated. Initial tests indicate that the normal receive capabilities of the LimeSDR are retained with the LimeDVB firmware loaded. |
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| + | ===Setting up to use LimeDVB=== | ||
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| + | First of all, you need to set up the Portsdown to generate the signals to drive the LimeSDR Mini with the custom Lime DVB firmware. | ||
Revision as of 17:27, 17 February 2020
The Portsdown 2020 build is primarily intended to be used with the LimeSDR Mini loaded with the custom LimeDVB Firmware. If you do not intend to use this new firmware it is not, at this stage (Feb 2020), worth switching to the Portsdown 2020 build - the more mature 2019 build could be better.
Background
The Raspberry Pi 3 has to work quite hard to drive a LimeSDR to transmit DVB-S and DVB-S2. In response to this, custom firmware has been developed for the LimeSDR Mini (only) that enables it to take on some of the processing load of generating QPSK and 8PSK modulation.
This "LimeDVB" firmware must be loaded over an existing firmware load, and must be driven with different software on the Portsdown. Because it works differently, the power output is lower than the conventional software, but a cleaner signal is generated. Initial tests indicate that the normal receive capabilities of the LimeSDR are retained with the LimeDVB firmware loaded.
Setting up to use LimeDVB
First of all, you need to set up the Portsdown to generate the signals to drive the LimeSDR Mini with the custom Lime DVB firmware.