BlindScanExtreme

[EnoSat]

Something from our American colleagues:
BlindScanExtreme is a Windows satellite scanning and analysis app for compatible DVB-S/S2 tuners. Discover transponders and channels, fine-tune motorized dishes, record and analyze transport streams with TSDuck, and export scan reports with saved history.

# BlindScanExtreme 1.1.17 - Features

BlindScanExtreme is a Windows desktop satellite blind-scan, channel-discovery and MPEG transport-stream analysis application. It supports CrazyCat StreamReader-compatible DVB-S/S2 tuners, including the tested TBS5927, with optional HDHomeRun ATSC discovery and tuning.

## Satellite scanning and setup

- C-band and Ku-band satellite scanning with configurable LNB oscillator values, scan ranges, symbol rates and polarization.
- DVB-S/S2 blind scanning through CrazyCat StreamReader.
- DVB-S2 multistream input selection (MIS/ISI) and physical-layer scrambling (PLS) selection when supported by the tuner.
- Transponder results with frequency, polarization, symbol rate, delivery system, modulation, FEC, signal metrics and available bitrate information.
- Saved satellite profiles with fixed-dish or DiSEqC 1.2 positioner configuration, DiSEqC switch inputs, stored positions and settle delays.
- Enigma2 `satellites.xml` import and export.

## DiSEqC setup and fine tuning

- Dedicated setup and fine-tuning panel below Satellite Setup.
- Select a reference transponder and monitor lock, SNR, RF level, strength, quality and peak locked SNR.
- Step the motor West or East, go to a stored position, halt movement, or store the current position after confirmation.
- Estimated current position based on the last stored-position command and subsequent steps; the positioner does not provide physical position feedback.
- Repeated Goto, Store and Halt commands improve command reliability. Relative West/East steps are sent only once.
- Satellite scans check RF changes during dish movement and save confirmed, no-change or unverified movement notes in History.

## Channel discovery

- Scan channels on one transponder or sequentially across all previously locked, eligible transponders.
- PAT/SDT service discovery with saved service identifiers, names and provider information when present.
- View saved channels without reconnecting to the tuner.
- Aggregate channel results include each service's carrier frequency and polarization.
- Progress display and cancellation during channel scanning.
- Compatible saved acquisition settings are used for retuning; legacy results without them require explicit profile confirmation.

### Improved in 1.1.17

- A carrier that cannot regain signal lock no longer aborts an all-transponder channel scan.
- After safe tuner cleanup, the batch continues with the remaining eligible carriers.
- No-lock carriers are saved as **NoLock**, rather than a valid empty channel inventory.
- A batch containing no-lock results is marked **Partial**, with counts in the final status and details in carrier status and History notes.
- Single-carrier scans still report no lock as an error. Cancellation, device errors and cleanup failures still stop the batch.

## Transport-stream analysis with TSDuck

- TSDuck is the only transport analysis engine.
- Live capture-window and offline transport-stream analysis.
- Service and PID inventories, PMT/PCR PID information, associated elementary PIDs and available service metadata.
- Packet counts, continuity errors, PCR-derived bitrate, per-service bitrate and transport scrambling indicators.
- ECM flags and CA system IDs in the PID view.
- ECM PIDs listed per service and included in the service PID set and bitrate reported by TSDuck.
- Network view for NIT-actual and NIT-other network IDs, names, transport streams, TSID/ONID and service lists.
- Complete, CRC-valid, current NIT tables only; incomplete or unavailable metadata is not presented as a valid empty inventory.
- Fresh analysis state for each window, without carrying over networks from previous windows.
- NIT extraction through TSDuck's `tstables`, with non-fatal warnings if that tool is unavailable or fails.
- Programme-event information and XMLTV export where available.

## Recording and diagnostics

- Record a whole multiplex, selected services, explicit PIDs or CAT/EMM PIDs.
- Single-PID `.bin` captures with configurable size limits.
- Configurable recording duration and output location.
- In-progress recordings use `.partial` files and receive their final name only after successful completion.
- Existing recordings and sidecar files are not overwritten.
- Structural EMM/conditional-access section diagnostics without decryption.
- Optional TSReader-compatible MDAPI plug-in integration; see the [plug-in guide](../PluginUserGuide.md).

## History and export

- Persisted scan sessions, transponder results, channel inventories and notes.
- History comparison and change tracking between sessions.
- Dish-move diagnostics and partial channel-scan results retained in History.
- Recovery support for interrupted sessions.
- Export satellite scan reports as self-contained printable **HTML**, **CSV** or structured **JSON**.
- Reports include acquisition settings, positioner details, transponders, available signal metrics, MIS/PLS identity and saved channels.

## Requirements and limitations

- Windows 10 version 1809 or later; the x86 installer includes the .NET 10 runtime.
- A compatible satellite tuner and separately installed vendor drivers.
- TSDuck is optional and installed separately. Analysis needs `tsanalyze.exe`; NIT details also need `tstables.exe` beside it.
- Native HDHomeRun support requires an optional x86 `libhdhomerun.dll`.
- Channel scanning and Analyze/Record do not move the dish. Aim it at the satellite before starting.
- A successful motor command or estimated position does not prove physical dish movement.
- Cancelling a scan does not guarantee a moving dish stops.
- Scrambling indicators do not verify encryption or decrypt services.
- No unattended multi-satellite campaigns, scheduling or ATSC 3.0 payload analysis.
- The application and installer are unsigned.

## Verification

Version 1.1.17 passed **1,478 automated tests** with no failures or skips. Regression coverage includes continuing after no lock, tuner reuse, persistence of subsequent channel results, cancellation and fatal cleanup failures. The updated all-transponder behavior still needs physical-tuner confirmation.

Bug reports appreciated.

source: linuxsat-support.com