Desperately need help getting sdr# and dsdplus to play together

[rbacal]

I'm about to get rid of my sdr stuff since I've been fighting this problem for weeks. I cannot get sdr# and dsdplus to actually produce decoded output. I've tried everything I can try (changing win7 settings, changing dsd settings, etc, using the plugins) with no luck. I have gotten it so it appears to work but the best I can get is a lot of decoding errors shown in dsdplus.

I'm so lost at this point, I don't even know what to ask. If someone out there has this working, any chance you could post the various settings (Win7, DSDPLUS fastlane), etc?

Also, I"m suspecting that the vbe (virtual cable) is not producing output because of a permission problem and I've found instructions to change that setting, but none of those instructions seems to apply to MY win7 setup. Anyone know how to give permissions to the cable (I'm getting some errors telling me to do that).

I know I'm leaving out information that's probably important but I don't even know what to provide.

HELP

 

[RaleighGuy]

Scanner School offers two very good classes for SDR setup, one for beginners (FREE) the other for advanced (paid). He also offers personal tutoring sessions, and is responsive to questions. You might check that out.

The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios

Free Software Defined Radio Course

scannerschool.teachable.com

 

[natedawg1604]

Why aren't you using DSD+ with FMP24? It's much easier to use, takes less CPU/memory and doesn't require any virtual audio cable connection.

 

[PDXh0b0]

understand your frustration, sdr# can be frustrating, adding dsd+ ..most of that was 2020 and earlier. dsd+ isn't going to do p25 phase 2 ,like all the videos that show it doing phase 1. I would try Sdrtrunk if your Win7 is 64bit. if that works out for you, and the frustration starts to fall away, I would think about getting DSD+ Fastlane

 

[Reconrider]

You just need to start an audio fmp service and then send audio to it through a line from sdr#

 

[rbacal]

Scanner School offers two very good classes for SDR setup, one for beginners (FREE) the other for advanced (paid). He also offers personal tutoring sessions, and is responsive to questions. You might check that out.

The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Software Defined Radios

Free Software Defined Radio Course

scannerschool.teachable.com

Thanks. I've taken the free course, and you are correct that it's a great starting point. Not sure it covers the specific problem I'm facing which is getting output from dsdplus to speakers.

 

[rbacal]

Why aren't you using DSD+ with FMP24? It's much easier to use, takes less CPU/memory and doesn't require any virtual audio cable connection.

I prefer sdr# due to the plugins available, and that it's easy to scan a frequency range.

 

[rbacal]

You just need to start an audio fmp service and then send audio to it through a line from sdr#

Thanks for the suggestion, but could you explain approximately, what the steps are? First I heard of starting an audio fmp service.

 

[thewraith2008]

You have not told us much about what your setup is and what it is you want to do with it.

• We know you have Windows 7 and DSD+ (what version?).
• What type of SDR do you have.
• What digital mode you wish to decode. (P25, DMR etc...).

You wanna use DSD+, then you are going to have to start reading the various text files that are available from it.
Start with the text files from the Public version of DSD+ v1.101:

• DSDPlus.txt
• Changes.txt
• FMP.txt (if you use an RTL-SDR)
• FMPA.txt (if you use an Airspy)
• Trunking.txt

From the DSD+ Fastlane:

• Notes.txt

This forum is full of solutions to setting up and using DSD+.

Use DSD+ the way it's supposed to be used:

• FMPx (the tuner) connected to DSDPlus (the decoder) is the best possible way.
• Anything else is not utilizing DSD+ to it's full potential

 

[rbacal]

You have not told us much about what your setup is and what it is you want to do with it.

• We know you have Windows 7 and DSD+ (what version?).
• What type of SDR do you have.
• What digital mode you wish to decode. (P25, DMR etc...).

Thanks for the suggestions, but I have read and viewed pretty much EVERYTHING I can find, and still can't get this right. Some of the information you mentioned as being useful if I posted it HAS been posted if you read the messages, and is, by and large not relevant. I have literally tried about 60 different setting combination with no luck.

I was hoping that someone who had this combo working could post their settings for the various options. For example:

Win7 audio settings
dsd fastlane settings
VB cable settings (if appropriate)

and any other ones of importance.

Here's one error I get with one particular attempt:

 

[Reconrider]

Thanks for the suggestion, but could you explain approximately, what the steps are? First I heard of starting an audio fmp service.

Alright I'm on the computer now so it's easier to type this up.

First I'm going to assume you have DSD+ public files and sdr# downloaded and setup/installed and have already ran the install-rtlsdr.bat file to have the necessary files installed for the RTLSDR to work.


Step 1: Download and install a virtual audio cable program if you don't already have one. Here is a good free one: VB-Audio Virtual Apps

Step 2: Load sdr# and set your source as "RTL USB"

Step 3: Go to the audio plugin/tab and set the audio as "Line 1"

Step 4: Download the public/fastlane DSDPlus.

Step 5: Type the following into that command prompt window after you CD to where DSDPlus is located. (ex: CD C:\DSDPlus)

Step 6: DSDPlus -i0 -rv -t -E -O NUL -i20002 -v3 (if this doesn't work quote me or DM me so we can fix it)

Step 7: Click the INPUT tab in the top left of the window that pops up (Picture for reference: https://prnt.sc/BLW0IgbrXaOf )

Step 8: In SDR#, click the start button(play button looking arrow) and you should see DSD in the bottom of the small grey bar
there should be some writing of what it's decoding([systemType] Site: RAN DCC/NAC)

__
I might be forgetting something, but I'm around for another few hours if you need me via DM or reply/quote me and I can look back.
(If you use discord, you can join my link and get help quicker by myself or someone else who knows dsd/sdr# as well.)

 

[rbacal]

Alright I'm on the computer now so it's easier to type this up.

First I'm going to assume you have DSD+ public files and sdr# downloaded and setup/installed and have already ran the install-rtlsdr.bat file to have the necessary files installed for the RTLSDR to work.


Step 1: Download and install a virtual audio cable program if you don't already have one. Here is a good free one: VB-Audio Virtual Apps

Step 2: Load sdr# and set your source as "RTL USB"

Step 3: Go to the audio plugin/tab and set the audio as "Line 1"

Step 4: Download the public/fastlane DSDPlus.

Step 5: Type the following into that command prompt window after you CD to where DSDPlus is located. (ex: CD C:\DSDPlus)

Step 6: DSDPlus -i0 -rv -t -E -O NUL -i20002 -v3 (if this doesn't work quote me or DM me so we can fix it)

Step 7: Click the INPUT tab in the top left of the window that pops up (Picture for reference: https://prnt.sc/BLW0IgbrXaOf )

Step 8: In SDR#, click the start button(play button looking arrow) and you should see DSD in the bottom of the small grey bar
there should be some writing of what it's decoding([systemType] Site: RAN DCC/NAC)

Thanks again for the time and effort in making the step by steps! I will try again tomorrow after a good sleep, but couple of observations

It appears the -i0 for the dsdplus command isn't allowed. Was that a typo?

When I actually do get what appears to be an attempt at dsdplus decoding, I'm basically getting the protocol identified (P25) plus a load of error messages -- basically no sync, and unrecoverable NIDs.

Using the -i2000x command seems to cause my windows to error via the pic (no permissions for the cable, I guess), that I posted before. No idea whether this is the problem or not.

Trying to experiment with the other possible settings (volume, windows settings).

Would you happen to know what the audio settings should be in Win7?

PS. With all the same hardware, fmp24 and dsdplus work fine, so not a hardware or antenna problem, I'm thinking.

 

[hamradionl]

HELP

For SDR# 1700 using the DSD+ public free, there is a easy SDR# plugin made by belvasi
Belvasi deloped a DMR plugin, dPMR plugin, APCO plugin and some other plugins

 

[Reconrider]

Thanks again for the time and effort in making the step by steps! I will try again tomorrow after a good sleep, but couple of observations

It appears the -i0 for the dsdplus command isn't allowed. Was that a typo?

When I actually do get what appears to be an attempt at dsdplus decoding, I'm basically getting the protocol identified (P25) plus a load of error messages -- basically no sync, and unrecoverable NIDs.

Using the -i2000x command seems to cause my windows to error via the pic (no permissions for the cable, I guess), that I posted before. No idea whether this is the problem or not.

Trying to experiment with the other possible settings (volume, windows settings).

Would you happen to know what the audio settings should be in Win7?

PS. With all the same hardware, fmp24 and dsdplus work fine, so not a hardware or antenna problem, I'm thinking.

DId you turn the gain up inside of sdr#? if you're using the RTLSDR, click the gear icon and look for the gain slider and move it more towards the right so it picks up more.
Sometimes that will work.

As for everything else, no reason it wouldn't work on my windows 10 to your windows 7. Without being able to remotely look at it, it will be hard to try and fix - give a fix

 

[rbacal]

DId you turn the gain up inside of sdr#? if you're using the RTLSDR, click the gear icon and look for the gain slider and move it more towards the right so it picks up more.
Sometimes that will work.

As for everything else, no reason it wouldn't work on my windows 10 to your windows 7. Without being able to remotely look at it, it will be hard to try and fix - give a fix

Thanks. Gain turned up. Doesn't help. I suppose I could try another computer to see if THAT will work.

 

[rbacal]

Update: I'm SO close to getting this working, but after weeks of trying, at least I'm getting closer.

So, using the dsd interface plugin, I can get signal to dsdplus fastlane as indicated in the scrolling window, BUT all I get is hiss. No decoded signal is arriving at speakers. It's progress.

Anyone wanna buy slightly used dongles (ironic grin, still pulling out the last strands of my hair)

 

[mcjones2013]

Where are you having the audio from SDRSharp output to (it should be the virtual audio cable), and within DSDPlus where are you selecting the decoded audio to output? It sounds like your speakers are playing the output of SDRSharp so you'll just hear the control channel data noise.

 

[Reconrider]

Thanks. Gain turned up. Doesn't help. I suppose I could try another computer to see if THAT will work.

Update: I'm SO close to getting this working, but after weeks of trying, at least I'm getting closer.

So, using the dsd interface plugin, I can get signal to dsdplus fastlane as indicated in the scrolling window, BUT all I get is hiss. No decoded signal is arriving at speakers. It's progress.

Anyone wanna buy slightly used dongles (ironic grin, still pulling out the last strands of my hair)

I haven't used windows 7 in a long time - since like windows 8 came out..
WIth that said, nothing should have really changed besides the GUI.
We'll get this figured out.
I haven't used the dsd plugin on sdr as I've never had any luck with it. But running great with dsd separate and sdr# (no plugin).
Let me grab my rtl and see if I can get it going and give a better command line to run for you.

 

[rbacal]

Where are you having the audio from SDRSharp output to (it should be the virtual audio cable), and within DSDPlus where are you selecting the decoded audio to output? It sounds like your speakers are playing the output of SDRSharp so you'll just hear the control channel data noise.

Thanks for the hints. In sdrsharp, currently set (in the audio tab) to mme vbcable) and in dsdplus input = cable output and output = speakers/headphone. In the event log it appears everything is working properly. NOT a peep.

 

[rbacal]

I haven't used windows 7 in a long time - since like windows 8 came out..
WIth that said, nothing should have really changed besides the GUI.
We'll get this figured out.
I haven't used the dsd plugin on sdr as I've never had any luck with it. But running great with dsd separate and sdr# (no plugin).
Let me grab my rtl and see if I can get it going and give a better command line to run for you.

It's fortunate I'm retired, and have lots of time, because I probably have spent 40 hours trying to get this going. If you could suggest settings, that would be great.

I'm still suspicious that there is a permission problem using the vbe cable since dsd (when I have it configured a certain way) won't allow me to access the vbe cable due to "privacy" settings. It provides instruction that are clearly not meant for win7, suggesting that I go to the privacy settings in control panel (which don't actually exist).