---
name: "dvbtune"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dvbtune"
version: "0.5.ds-5"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dvbtune"
---

# dvbtune(1)

command-line tuning application for DVB cards

## NAME

dvbtune — command-line tuning application for DVB cards

## SYNOPSIS

**dvbtune**  **-f** *frequency*       -p *h\|v*       -s *symbol\_rate*       -v *vpid*       -a *apid*       -t *tpid*

## DESCRIPTION

**dvbtune** is a simple tuning application for DVB cards   supported by the Linux DVB driver (www.linuxtv.org).

This is still very experimental - especially the XML output.  The latest version can be found at www.linuxstb.org.   You can contact the author at dave@dchapman.com.

## OPTIONS

The following options are understood by **dvbtune**:

- \-c \[0-3\]

  Use DVB device \[0-3\]

- \-f freq

  Absolute Frequency (DVB-S in Hz or DVB-T in Hz),   or L-band Frequency (DVB-S in Hz or DVB-T in Hz).

- \-p \[H\|V\]

  Polarity (DVB-S only)

- \-tone \[0\|1\]

  0 = 22 kHz off, 1 = 22 kHz on

- \-I \[0\|1\|2\]

  0 = Spectrum Inversion off  1 = Spectrum Inversion on,  2 = auto (Default)

- \-S N

  Symbol rate (DVB-S only),e.g. 27500

- \-D \[0-4\]

  DiSEqc ("Digital Satellite Equipment Control") command (0=none)

- \-V vpid

  Set video PID (Full cards only)

- \-A apid

  Set audio PID (full cards only)

- \-T ttpid

  Set teletext PID (full cards only)

- \-pnr N

  Tune to Program Number (aka service) N

- \-i

  Dump SI information as XML

- \-x

  Attempt to auto-find other transponders (experimental)

- \-m

  Monitor the reception quality

- \-n dpid

  Add network interface and receive MPE on PID dpid

- \--help

  Print help message

- \--version

  Print version string

## EXAMPLES

For simple tuning, you can just use

dvbtune -f 12188000 -p h -s 27500 -v 163 -a 104 -t 32

to tune to a satellite transponder and set the video, audio and teletext PIDs.

dvbtune can also support DVB-T reception (currently for the UK only).   In this case, you just need to specify the frequency:

dvbtune -f 48183300

To get the DVB SI information for a multiplex, you can use the **-i**   option.  The output of dvbtune needs some addition lines before it is  a valid XML file.

To get the DVB SI information for a multiplex, you can use the "-i"  option.  The output of dvbtune needs some addition lines before it is  a valid XML file.  e.g. use a script containing

echo '\<?xml version="1.0"?\>' \> test.xml ;  echo '\<satellite\>' \>\> test.xml ;  dvbtune -f freq -s srate -p pol -i  \>\> test.xml ;  echo '\</satellite\>' \>\> test.xml

to dump the SI for a satellite transponder.

This was done to allow you to write scripts to scan multiple  transponders and write the output to the same XML file.  See the  "scripts" subdirectory for examples.

## NOTES

**dvbtune** depends on the appropriate device nodes in /dev being  present. These are either provided automatically by devfsd or udev, or must  be made using **/sbin/MAKEDEV dvb**. The Debian package automatically  runs MAKEDEV if necessary on install.

## SEE ALSO

xml2vdr (1), szap (1).

## AUTHOR

**dvbtune** was written by Dave Chapman  dave@dchapman.org.

Hilmar Linder added the Switch -n that adds a network interface and switch -m that  monitors the reception quality. Changed the tuning code. Added command  line parameters for spectral inversion. Changed code to allow L-Band  frequencies with -f switch.

John Williams Added -D diseqc support, and made the 22kHz tone automatic again.

This manual page was written by Alastair McKinstry mckinstry@computer.org for  the **Debian** system (but may be used by others).  Permission is  granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under  the terms of the GNU Free Documentation  License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free  Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover  Texts and no Back-Cover Texts.