RTL2832U Elonics E4000

[millam]

I had 2 different receivers and both worked with SDR# and HDSDR. I ordered an extra and
plugged it in. Dead. Both SDR# and HDSDR. By the way it was an exact duplicate of one of my
first receivers. I created a new HDSDR folder and created a new setup with the newer receiver
plugged in. It worked. Now the new receiver works when I start the old HDSDR and with SDR#
programs. Seems that in my googleing I saw where each USB device had an ID or something
and a program (SDR# / HDSDR) used these ID's for something. My first 2 were made by
different companies, I think, look different, but would work.
This is just to let people know that troubles may not be the device but the ID's and software.

Mil

 

[DaveNF2G]

Maybe I shouldn't toss out my "dead" receiver yet. Hmmmm.

Did Windows recognize that your new receiver was plugged in to a USB port before you did the new install?

 

[millam]

No. No device connected (or something like that).

 

[millam]

More info: When I plugged in the new receiver Windows wanted to load the driver, so I guess
that Windows saw a device was plugged into the USB. SDR# & HSDR reported no device connected.

Another instance: I had 2 receivers going and when I unplugged 1 it stopped the other till I did a
computer restart. Seems that a lot of stuff is going on with relation to USB devices, their programs
and their interaction.

All this was using a XP laptop with not that much memory, so I don't know if a high power
computer would be different or not. I will play with my other computer and see if memory or
speed will have a difference.

Mil

 

[millam]

FYI: I used a program usbview.exe to look at my usb receivers. #1 and #2 worked on SDR# &
HDSDR correctly. #3 would not work untill I installed HDSDR with it plugged in. It then worked
on the frist installation correctly. #2 and #3 are identical except #2 has a led and #3 does not.
Notice that the idProduct (PID) is different (0x2838 vs 0x2832). Same on the outside but different
on the inside. Buyer beware what you see is sometimes not what you get.
Receivers marked as "DVB T"

USB Receiver #1
Device Descriptor:
bcdUSB: 0x0200
bDeviceClass: 0x00
bDeviceSubClass: 0x00
bDeviceProtocol: 0x00
bMaxPacketSize0: 0x40 (64)
idVendor: 0x0BDA (Realtek Semiconductor Corp.)
idProduct: 0x2838
bcdDevice: 0x0100
iManufacturer: 0x01
0x0409: "Realtek"
iProduct: 0x02
0x0409: "RTL2838UHIDIR"
iSerialNumber: 0x03
0x0409: "00000123"
bNumConfigurations: 0x01


USB Receiver #2
Device Descriptor:
bcdUSB: 0x0200
bDeviceClass: 0x00
bDeviceSubClass: 0x00
bDeviceProtocol: 0x00
bMaxPacketSize0: 0x40 (64)
idVendor: 0x0BDA (Realtek Semiconductor Corp.)
idProduct: 0x2838
bcdDevice: 0x0100
iManufacturer: 0x01
0x0409: "Realtek"
iProduct: 0x02
0x0409: "RTL2838UHIDIR"
iSerialNumber: 0x03
0x0409: "00000001"
bNumConfigurations: 0x01


USB Receiver #3
Device Descriptor:
bcdUSB: 0x0200
bDeviceClass: 0x00
bDeviceSubClass: 0x00
bDeviceProtocol: 0x00
bMaxPacketSize0: 0x40 (64)
idVendor: 0x0BDA (Realtek Semiconductor Corp.)
idProduct: 0x2832
bcdDevice: 0x0100
iManufacturer: 0x01
0x0409: "Generic"
iProduct: 0x02
0x0409: "RTL2832U"
iSerialNumber: 0x03
0x0409: "77771111153705700"
bNumConfigurations: 0x01

 

[KS4JU]

If you really want to see what is going on, set up the latest GNU Radio on a Ubuntu box. Plugin in the stick and open a terminal windows and type rtl_test -t at the prompt. You will get a report of the frequency range and gaps that each stick has. It might be interesting to see what comes out...............

 

[millam]

I finally got the nerve to try a gnu-radio install. I found a script that would do it all for me. Worked.
It listed freqs I guess that it would not tune to. I've read that the limit was 1700 megs but all three
of mine listed the top above 2200 megs. I'm gonna look and see what is going above transponders
and give it a look. What is the difference with running SDR# under Linux vs Windows? Speed / Memory
usage? If Linux would let me run 2 SDR#'s at the same time on an old laptop I might try getting that to
work. I am using Ubuntu, I am going to see if I can figure out how to start a terminal window without
Ubuntu running and see if that will allow 2 dongles to work.