Channel files store information about pre-scanned channels and can be used to populate the DVBLink source channel tree without doing channel scan on the actual hardware.
Channel files implement the concept of differentiation between logical and physical channel properties - e.g. the visible (logical) channel characteristics like name, number etc. and the characteristics required for tuning the channel (physical) like frequency, modulation, fec etc. This allows for easy modification of physical channel properties in case channel moving to another transponder, without affecting the rest of the system.
Channel files introduce a "virtual receiver". Virtual receiver is a counterpart of the actual physical tuner and has a collection of channels that this physcal tuner can receive.
How to use channel files
Channel files should be put into "channel_files" folder in DVBLink installation directory.
Virtual receivers from channel files appear in the TV Provider combobox of a TVSource web configuration interface.
Channel file format
Channel file has xml formatting and its general structure is shown below:
- Code: Select all
<channel_data>
<receivers>
<receiver>
<channels>
<channel/>
<pchannel/>
</channel>
<channel/>
<pchannel/>
</channel>
...
</channels>
</receiver>
...
</receivers>
<sats>
<sat/>
...
</sats>
<providers>
<provider/>
...
</providers>
</channel_data>
Structures and their data fields
<receiver>
Receiver has the following data fields:
- Code: Select all
<name> - Human readable receiver name
<id> - Unique receiver id
<signal> - Signal type that this receiver supports. Can be dvb-s, dvb-c, dvb-t
<channel>
Channel has the following data fields:
- Code: Select all
<id> - Unique logical channel id
<name> - Channel name
<num> - Channel (major) number
<subnum> - Channel minor number
<provider_id> - Provider id to which this channel belongs. It is a reference to a provider described in the <providers> section of a channel files
<auto_sync> - Flag to automatically synchronize this channel with the selected DVBLink channels
<pchannel>
This structure defines physical characteristics of the channel and its contents depends on the signal type:
common to all types
- Code: Select all
<type> - Channel type: tv, radio, other
<encrypted> - If present, shows that channel is encrypted
dvb-s channel
- Code: Select all
<sat_id> - Satellite id on which this channel resides. It is a reference to a satellite described in the <sats> section of a channel files
<nid> - Network id
<tid> - Transponder id
<sid> - Service id
<transponder> - defines physical transponder properties:
<freq> - Frequency in KHz
<pol> - Polarity: v, h, l, r
<sr> - Synbol rate in Ks/c
<fec> - Inner FEC: auto, 12, 13, 14, 23, 25, 34, 35, 45, 56, 67, 78, 89, 9a, 5b
<mod> - Modulation: qpsk, 8psk, nbc-qpsk, 16apsk, 32apsk
<dvb_s_type> - DVB-S type: dvb-s, dvb-s2
dvb-c channel
- Code: Select all
<nid> - Network id
<tid> - Transponder id
<sid> - Service id
<transponder> - defines physical transponder properties:
<freq> - Frequency in KHz
<sr> - Synbol rate in Ks/c
<mod> - Modulation: qam4, qam16, qam32, qam64, qam128, qam256
dvb-t channel
- Code: Select all
<nid> - Network id
<tid> - Transponder id
<sid> - Service id
<transponder> - defines physical transponder properties:
<freq> - Frequency in KHz
<band> - Bandwitdh: 6, 7, 8
<dvb_t_type> - DVB-T signal type: dvb-t, dvb-t2
<sat>
This structure describes a satellite and has the following data fields:
- Code: Select all
<name> - Satellite name
<id> - Unique satellite id
<provider>
This structure describes a provider and has the following data fields:
- Code: Select all
<name> - Provider name
<id> - Unique provider id
Channel file example
- Code: Select all
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<channel_data>
<receivers>
<receiver>
<name>CanalDigitaal</name>
<id>5226e12e-10e3-41d5-8ac1-607662f97d8e</id>
<signal>dvb-s</signal>
<channels>
<channel>
<id>ce2c6ce8-8c2b-4d22-a87e-0d9fdfe32b78</id>
<name>Ned1 HD</name>
<num>1</num>
<provider_id>46049f68-5555-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</provider_id>
<pchannel>
<type>tv</type>
<encrypted/>
<sat_id>46049f68-d689-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</sat_id>
<transponder>
<freq>10935000</freq>
<pol>V</pol>
<sr>22000</sr>
<fec>23</fec>
<mod>8PSK</mod>
<dvb_s_type>dvb-s2</dvb_s_type>
</transponder>
<nid>100</nid>
<tid>100</tid>
<sid>100</sid>
</pchannel>
</channel>
<channel>
<id>4f3852bc-3ad5-4319-885b-fb7b26570ccc</id>
<name>Ned2 HD</name>
<num>2</num>
<provider_id>46049f68-5555-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</provider_id>
<pchannel>
<type>tv</type>
<encrypted/>
<sat_id>46049f68-d689-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</sat_id>
<transponder>
<freq>10935000</freq>
<pol>V</pol>
<sr>22000</sr>
<fec>23</fec>
<mod>8PSK</mod>
<dvb_s_type>dvb-s2</dvb_s_type>
</transponder>
<nid>101</nid>
<tid>102</tid>
<sid>103</sid>
</pchannel>
</channel>
<channel>
<id>4f3852bc-1111-4319-885b-fb7b26570ccc</id>
<name>Ned3 HD</name>
<num>3</num>
<provider_id>46049f68-5555-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</provider_id>
<pchannel>
<type>tv</type>
<encrypted/>
<sat_id>46049f68-2222-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</sat_id>
<transponder>
<freq>10935000</freq>
<pol>V</pol>
<sr>22000</sr>
<fec>23</fec>
<mod>8PSK</mod>
<dvb_s_type>dvb-s2</dvb_s_type>
</transponder>
<nid>201</nid>
<tid>202</tid>
<sid>203</sid>
</pchannel>
</channel>
</channels>
</receiver>
</receivers>
<sats>
<sat>
<name>Astra 23</name>
<id>46049f68-d689-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</id>
</sat>
</sats>
<sats>
<sat>
<name>Astra 19</name>
<id>46049f68-2222-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</id>
</sat>
</sats>
<providers>
<provider>
<name>DVBLogic</name>
<id>46049f68-5555-47a9-a751-c23934ec4103</id>
</provider>
</providers>
</channel_data>