NGene devices

Introduction

In the spring of 2005, Micronas Semiconductors announced the APB 7202A nGene dual-channel PCI-Express multimedia controller with support for two DTV transport streams and analog video. The analog component is handled by a separate chip, as the nGene chip does not support analog decoding.

According to the press release [1] Micronas "will release device drivers for its audio/video Decoders and digital demodulators for ATSC and DVB-T reception into the Linux open-source development project. ... Micronas drivers are shared and common amongst all of the company’s products, including DeCypher, Cypher, and nGene."

Supported Cards

There is currently no open source Linux driver for this controller chip.

However, Terratec has distributed a binary driver for their Cinergy 2400i DT card, which uses the Micronas nGene chip (see 10 January 2006 press release), at http://files-upload.com/308575/Cinergy2400iDT_Linux.zip.html. The code is dated April 2006; please post a report if you have tried it.

Apparently there has been a change - see the drivers for Media-Pointer_MP-S2². It has been confirmed that the Original driver ([2]) does work also for TerraTec Cinergy 2400i DVB-T (confirmed on OpenSuse 11.2 64b after few minor corrections due to API changes in kernel 2.6.31). Based on the README in the package it should support these cards:

• MicViper dual ATSC/NTSC hybrid
• MicPython dual DVB-T/PAL hybrid
• MicRacer HDTV decoder card
• Cinergy2400i dual DVB-T
• MicSidewinder dual DVB-S2
• VBOX Cat's Eye 164E dual ATSC/NTSC hybrid

Note that the drivers were created by Micronas (the chip manufacturer) and seems to be under GPL.

nGene Based Cards

PixelView PlayTV PCX600

This card, from Prolink Microsystems in Taiwan, was demonstrated already at CeBit 2005 as the first PCI Express dual channel multimedia controller; cf. press release. It uses the nGene controller.

They claimed at the time that their PV-A425E model would be available "soon", but two years later there is still no trace of it.

Media-Pointer MP-S2²

Media-Pointer MP-S2² DVB-S2 Twin Tuner "Low Profile"
See Media-Pointer MP-S2² how to make it work.

Mystique SaTiX S2 Dual

Mystique SaTiX S2 Dual
See Mystique SaTiX-S2 Dual how to make it work.

External Links

• nGene product page