VMA Stream Reader

vma said:
I think I finally have it right:

index.php


In my new version, if you select NORMAL BLIND SCAN and DX SCAN options (both), then this is done:

1) Quick spectrum scan (in this particular case with both checkboxes checked it is for visuals, mainly)
2) Blind scan from start frequence to stop frequence with a given increment (configured in settings)
3) For each frequency to test, a quick RF level is measured, if under the threshold value (MINIMUM RF LEVEL), we continue to the next frequency.
4) If above threshold, we do a new BLScan2() from -20 MHz to +20 MHz of the current frequency
5) If a transponder is found, we have the data to draw the fake transponder (orange) and we add the bandwidth of this transponder to the frequency, so we avoid blindscanning the same frequency range again (slow)

This allows to scan a satellite band in about 3-5 minutes (it depends on the amount of transponders - 19.2E takes a lot of time, 30.0W less).

I believe that this should now find the exact same transponders as IQmonitor.

Please test.

Download: https://vma-broadcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VMA Video Analyser Setup - 2025-07-25.zip
Click to expand...
One problem with this approach is that for installations with long cables (e.g. 20 meter or more), the signals in the high part
of the spectrum are much lower than in the low part of the spectrum. So a fixed threshold will not cut it.

Even without this problem, the best threshold should depend on lnb type and cable length, i.e., it should be user-settable.
 
I just released a new version.

The threshold is the Minimum RF Level in the Blind Scan mode. You can set it to -100 and it will not skip any frequency. The result will be great, but it will take a lot of time.
The other mode, which I call Pattern Recognition, tries to identify the transponders by their shape in the spectrum. Again, there are no universal parameters.
My efforts are to minimise the time it takes to do a full blind scan. It can be fast, but you will miss some transponders. It can find all transponders, but will be slow. At the end it depends on what the user wants.
Personally I like to double click the spectrum myself.
But: sometimes there are more than one transponders hiding under a peak!
To get a really fast and complete satellite scan, a real spectrum analyser with lower RBW is required. This is why I am thinking about adding support for the SMA/NWT cheap spectrum analyser.
 
I tried the new Streamreader software today. On the WGS 9 satellite, it found exactly as many transponders in the X-band as with CrazyScan. The "no-locked" transponders aren't displayed, and you have to experiment a bit with the settings. I'm very satisfied with the results. I still have one question for VMA. There are minor problems importing the satellite data (C-band, Ku-band, X-band, and Ka-band). When I load the preset data under a specific satellite, only the 10700-12750 range is activated in the scan. But I might just be making a mistake.
 

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I've now successfully activated all functions. Switching between the Ku, Ka, and C bands also works now.

Very good work by VMA. Thank you for this great tool.
 

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New version: https://vma-broadcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VMA Video Analyser Setup - 2025-07-29.zip

- Streaming suppots NIC and IP selection
- Dynamic loading of user selectable streamreader.dll

Notes:

- Streamreader DLL's can be copied to StreamreaderDLL inside the installation folder. This requires Admin priviledges. For each streamreader.dll/streamreader.ini pair create a folder. The name of this folder will be listed in the Settings menu. It is advised to use the version number.

- Streamreader.ini is mandatory inside the alternative streamreader.dll folders! Without it, the version will not be listed. The reason is that streamreader.dll will not have permissions to create a new *.ini file.

- The DLL selection is NOT saved in the settings - the software always loads the Default DLL present in the VMA Video Analyser folder. You can replace this if you want.
 
vma said:
New version: https://vma-broadcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VMA Video Analyser Setup - 2025-07-31b.zip

2025-07-31b
- VMA Stream Reader
- Added FFTScan() option (untested due to lack of suitable card)
- Added INFO for selected tuner (shows card capabilities)
- Added indexing of DX Report Table
Click to expand...


It will be interesting to see how accurate the spectrum is for an FFT scan.

With CrazyScan, FFT scan is useless, it is not fit for purpose, the frequency markers and the spectral peaks are out of alignment and have been like this for years.
 
FFTScan() is not working, as reported by the first user.
The problem is that I cannot do tests myself, because I don't have a compatible card.
 
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