DATV: How to encode in h.265 with an external HDMI encoder

Seconde méthode automatique de pilotage

The Evariste F5OEO PlutoDVB firmware (version for Brave) does not send, unfortunately, the audio validation parameter to the encoder box. An elegant solution was found by G4EML with the help of M1SJE.

Colin G4EML suggests 5 modified files to be updated on the PlutoDVB

  • /www/encoder_control.php
  • /www/pluto.php
  • /www/save.php
  • /root/udpts.sh
  • /root/strategy.sh

This will allow to have on the controller panel the possibility to choose the H264 or H265 codec of the encoder, to choose the HDMI or Line In audio source, and of course to correct the audio issue. Also on this page, the list of QO100 channels and their frequencies have been updated, and are in accordance with the current band plan of the satellite transponder.

Unfortunately, due to the way the Pluto file system works, it is not possible to modify the files permanently. However, there is a way to update the files on each reboot.

 

  1. Copy the files from the repository onto a USB memory stick.
  2. Connect a USB Hub to the Pluto OTG port and plug the USB stick into the hub.
  3. Apply power to the Pluto power port.
  4. On detecting the USB drive the Pluto will auto run the file called ‘runme0.sh’. This shell script will copy the modified files into the Pluto. This is only temporary and does not modify your Pluto at all. Powering up the Pluto without the USB stick will revert back to the original versions.

The files are available on Colin’s GitHub.: https://github.com/g4eml/Pluto_mods

Not having personally succeeded in implementing this technique of automated copying by USB key, I undertook to forward the files from a raspberry pi which is connected to the local network, and on which I downloaded the zip file made available on Github by Colin.

  1. On the raspberry (whose address is 192.168.1.10), connected with the usual pi account :
    1. sudo wget https://github.com/g4eml/Pluto_mods/archive/master.zip
    2. unzip master.zip
    3. A Pluto_mods-master directory containing the files is available.
      ls Pluto_mods-master
  2. On an SSH session on the pluto :
    1.  mkdir /media/sda
       cd /media/sda
    2. To copy via the network
      scp pi@192.168.1.10:/home/pi/Pluto_mods-master/* /media/sda/
    3. Run the script runme0.sh
      sh runme0.sh
    4. I completed the installation by executing this line contained in runme0.sh, without the parameters excluding the display of the execution traces. It’s good for curious people like me…
      sh /root/udpts.sh

Conclusion

Here is this new article about the H265/H264 external video encoder finished. For those of you who remember the conclusion of my last article, this is not quite the topic that was planned for the next article. I finally decided to respond to the many requests from DATVers who let their encoder box sleep on a shelf.

I hope that Evariste F5OEO will go through this, and will be able to find a moment between his many projects to add at least this line of code in encoder_control.php and redistribute a new firmware to install on our dear PlutoSDR. 😉.

Last of all, for your information, you can easily control your external amplifier (actually, up to two amplifiers with different voltages) thanks to this small board that can be integrated into the Adalm Pluto.

In the meantime, to all of you, good transmissions in DATV and to the pleasure of (re)-crossing you on the satellite #QO100. You can follow my news on twitter.

Feel free to leave your comments, or questions directly in commentary of the article. I will be happy to answer them. Conversely, questions of general interest arriving by email or private contact will not be answered.

12 thoughts on “DATV: How to encode in h.265 with an external HDMI encoder

  1. Merci pour ce guide.
    Concernant la mise à jour des fichiers système par la clé USB, il faut un hub dit “OTG”, dans mon cas j’utilise un HAMA Hub USB 2 OTG (ou un hub standard + un câble OTG). Il semble également que le disque USB se monte pas automatiquement forcément sous /media/sda… Sur mon Pluto, il apparaît sous /media/sda1.
    Voir nos discussions à ce sujet ici : https://forum.batc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6626
    73 qro de michel, hb9dug

    (Translation)
    Thank you for this guide.
    Concerning the update of the system files by the USB key, you need a hub called “OTG”, in my case I use a HAMA Hub USB 2 OTG (or a standard hub + an OTG cable). It also seems that the USB disk doesn’t automatically mount itself under /media/sda… On my Pluto, it appears under /media/sda1.
    See our discussions on this subject here: https://forum.batc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6626
    73 qro de michel, hb9dug

    1. Merci Michel pour votre contribution intéressante,
      73 Christian

      (Translation)
      Thank you Michel for your interesting contribution,
      73 Christian

  2. Greetings from New Zealand.

    I notice that you have done some work with this inexpensive h264 encoder.
    I have been trying to find out if it can encode 1080i50 as well as 1080p50
    Would this be something you could test? It seems to be very difficult to find.

    Best Regards,
    Stuart.

    (Traduction)
    Salutations de la Nouvelle-Zélande.

    Je remarque que vous avez fait un peu de travail avec ce codeur h264 peu coûteux.
    J’ai essayé de savoir s’il pouvait encoder aussi bien le 1080i50 que le 1080p50
    Serait-ce quelque chose que vous pourriez tester ? Il semble très difficile à trouver.

    Bonne chance,
    Stuart.

    1. Stuart,
      Here is a capture where we see that the output is indicated 1080p. Concerning the input I have no way to test the variant. I use a notebook, and I have no other source available. Sorry for the poor help.
      Chris
      H264 H265 ecnoder 1080p
      (Traduction)
      Stuart,
      Voici une capture où l’on voit que la sortie est indiquée 1080p. Concernant l’entrée je n’ai pas moyen de tester la variante. J’utilise un notebook, et je n’ai pas d’autre source disponible. Désolé pour le peu d’aide.
      Chris

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  4. Hi all,
    have got recently an encoder box ON-DMI-16E and there is on the video setup screen the option audio on / off and it works …
    73 de Walter
    OE2CAL

    (Traduction)
    Bonjour à tous,
    J’ai récemment installé un encodeur ON-DMI-16E et il y a sur l’écran de configuration vidéo l’option audio on / off et ça marche …
    73 de Walter
    OE2CAL

    1. Walter,
      Yes it works since then thanks to the corrections made on the latest PlutoDVB alpha version firmware : https://www.f5uii.net/en/patch-plutodvb/
      But it didn’t work with the brave versions mentioned in the article.
      This would be a new article on my blog, especially with the new features brought by these recent alpha versions.
      Good tests. 73

      (Traduction)
      Walter,
      Oui cela fonctionne depuis avec les corrections apportés sur les derniers firmware PlutoDVB version alpha : https://www.f5uii.net/en/patch-plutodvb/
      Mais cela ne fonctionnait pas avec les versions brave cité dans l’article.
      Cela mériterait un nouvel article sur mon blog, notamment avec les nouvelles fonctions apportés par ces récentes versions alpha.
      Bons tests. 73

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  6. Hi Christian,
    Thankyou for the EXCELLENT! Perseverance firmware now using 0303
    Is there a simple explanation on how to update the encoder with “patch.tgz 2021-02-14 16:42 4.1M”
    Or is this not necessary when using Perseverance firmware?
    So many new features like to try them all with my limited Knowledge.
    Regards
    Martin
    G8KOE

    1. Martin,

      from a console this should be done by running /root/h265box/autotelnet.sh But I don’t know exactly on which version of the encoder this can be implemented…
      Question may to be post on PlutoDVB group for a more detailed informations.
      73

      1. Hi Christian,
        Followed your advice and now have the patch installed.
        Just trying to understand using the encoder with patch.
        Thanks again for your help.
        73’s
        Martin

  7. Hi, I have on-dmi-16e encoder. Last night when I try to update my device( software ) just die( i think there was a problem whit my router and the update just stop) I looking for the diagram of the device or the data sheet of the EEPROM ( can’t find it anywhere). Regards Pawel

    (Traduction)
    Bonjour, j’ai un encodeur on-dmi-16e. La nuit dernière, lorsque j’ai essayé de mettre à jour mon appareil (logiciel), il s’est éteint (je pense qu’il y a eu un problème avec mon routeur et que la mise à jour s’est arrêtée). Je cherche le diagramme de l’appareil ou la fiche technique de l’EEPROM (je ne la trouve nulle part). Cordialement Pawel

    1. I can’t help you. I have never come across these resources

      (Traduction)
      Je ne saurai pas vous aider. Je n’ai jamais croisé ces ressources

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