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Software-Defined Radio For $11

Posted by timothy on from the us-dollars-of-course dept.

Malvineous writes "Don't have $1500 to drop on a USRP? A Linux kernel developer has discovered that a Realtek digital TV tuner chip has an undocumented mode that turns it into a software-defined radio, with a frequency range of 64-1700MHz. The going rate for one of these USB devices can be as low as US$11. If you're unfamiliar with software-defined radio and have 20 minutes to spare, Balint Seeber has a great video introduction."

5 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Too long by ebcdic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm unfamiliar with software-defined radio, and I don't want to spent 20 minutes watching a video. I hate this trend of using a video for something that could be explained in text that I could read in a fraction of the time.

    1. Re:Too long by Auroch · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually, I think the point the OP was trying to make was something like ... "Why not just explain it in a sentence or two IN THE F*SKING ARTICLE instead of linking a video or an external source".

      --
      Quartz Extreme and Core Image. Are there any other real reasons to spend all that money on generic hardware?
    2. Re:Too long by LWATCDR · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sorry but why complain because someone didn't know you knew what software radio was? This is Slashdot News For Nerds not CNN. If someone posted a story about AMD would you complain that they didn't include a wikipedia link to AMD?
      I just don't think that it is outside of reason to expect someone reading slashdot to google something they do not understand.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  2. Not Searchable. by solios · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Time isn't the issue for me. The issue for me is the fact that video "tutorials" feature voices that frequently grate on my nerves. Worse, the video tutorial cannot be quickly searched for the relevant information.

    Seriously. I can find out if a text tutorial is relevant to the issue at hand in seconds. With video tutorials, I've typically closed the tab before the "host" finishes talking about how great he is, how great the software is, and what the tutorial is going to cover.

  3. Re:better get by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't be a retard.

    It's a TV receiver, it has no transmit capability. No FCC license is required to receive (almost) anything with a Class 15 device, which these are. The exception would be cellular telephony, but AFAIK there is no FCC license permitting eavesdropping on those -- you're either the (licensed) carrier who's actually handling the call, or you can't listen.

    If you add a transmitter, well, the fact that you're listening via TV dongle obviously doesn't eliminate the licensing and equipment requirements for whatever radio service you're operating in, so a warning specific to this case is unneeded. Anyone "freebanding" or otherwise operating illegally probably knows exactly what they're doing, and if they don't care about what the law says, I very much doubt they care what you say either.