MSI Mega Sky 55801

MSI Mega Sky 55801 exterior

A DVB-T USB 2.0 device from MSI.

The Mega Sky 55801 is supported under Linux since kernel 2.6.21. Note that this device is sold as Mega Sky 580. There is also a version of the Mega Sky 580 that uses an mt352 and requires a firmware.

Overview/Features

Vendor Device/Model	Supported	ID on Interface	Hardware	Firmware	Comment / Pictures	URL	E
MSI Mega Sky 55801 DVB-T USB2.0	✔ Yes, in kernel since 2.6.21	0db0:5581 USB2.0	Zarlink ZL10353 Tuner: Quantek QT1010 USB bridge: Genesys Logic GL861	none needed	The QT1010 in this device has it's problems. If you get no or poor signal on Linux, that's "normal". You can try lowering the signal strength from your antenna, remove signal boosters and/or buy an attenuator. Or buy a device with better support.

• USB 2.0, will pass the complete MPEG2 transport stream to the software demuxer.
• MCX connector for antenna
• Remote control

Components Used

• Quantek QT1010 (tuner)
• Zarlink ZL10353
• USB bridge: Genesys Logic GL861

Identification

Bus 001 Device 007: ID 0db0:5581 Micro Star International Mega Sky 5580 DVB-T Tuner
Device Descriptor:
 bLength                18
 bDescriptorType         1
 bcdUSB               2.00
 bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
 bDeviceSubClass         0 
 bDeviceProtocol         0 
 bMaxPacketSize0        64
 idVendor           0x0db0 Micro Star International
 idProduct          0x5581 Mega Sky 5580 DVB-T Tuner
 bcdDevice            1.02
 iManufacturer           2 PC-DTV Receiver
 iProduct                3 PC-DTV Receiver
 iSerial                 4 00000001
 bNumConfigurations      1
 Configuration Descriptor:
   bLength                 9
   bDescriptorType         2
   wTotalLength           80
   bNumInterfaces          2
   bConfigurationValue     1
   iConfiguration          0 
   bmAttributes         0xa0
     (Bus Powered)
     Remote Wakeup
   MaxPower              500mA

Making it Work

Works out of the box since 2.6.23. However, the combination QT1010+ZL10353 is problematic. If you are having problems with reception, try reducing the signal strength. Disable boosters and/or use an attenuator.

Firmware

None required.

Drivers

The following drivers are needed for this device:

Sample Kernel Output

# dmesg
[ 6413.760114] usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 7
[ 6413.967529] usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 6413.970611] dvb-usb: found a 'MSI Mega Sky 55801 DVB-T USB2.0' in warm state.
[ 6413.970682] dvb-usb: will pass the complete MPEG2 transport stream to the software demuxer.
[ 6413.975257] DVB: registering new adapter (MSI Mega Sky 55801 DVB-T USB2.0)
[ 6413.986510] DVB: registering adapter 2 frontend 0 (Zarlink ZL10353 DVB-T)...
[ 6414.014463] Quantek QT1010 successfully identified.
[ 6414.014478] dvb-usb: MSI Mega Sky 55801 DVB-T USB2.0 successfully initialized and connected.
[ 6414.036228] input: PC-DTV Receiver PC-DTV Receiver as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.1/input/input13
[ 6414.036405] generic-usb 0003:0DB0:5581.0006: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.01 Keyboard [PC-DTV Receiver PC-DTV Receiver] on usb-0000:00:02.1-1/input1