Alps BSRU6 NIM Evaluation Software User Guide

Introduction

This document was written to aid engineers who wish to configure the Alps Electric Co. Ltd. BSR NIM using the software delivered with the tuner. Throughout the document the following conventions have been used:

Filenames are given in italics.

The BSR NIM will be referred to as the Tuner or the BSR NIM.

The STV0299A as a whole is called the QPSK Demodulator within this document.

Functional blocks within the STV0299A are called by their names followed by block.

Deliverables

Here is what you should have received on your 3.5' diskette:

NAME DESCRIPTION

eva_08?.exe BSR NIM Configuration Software where ? denotes the version

??????.cnf Example configuration files including default

??????.map Example satellite channel map files

??????.bgi Borland C++ Graphic Interface files

Getting Started

Copy all of the above files to one directory on your PC's hard disk and put the floppy disk in a safe place in case backups are required in the future. Ensure that the configuration files, map files and graphic interface files are located in the same directory as the executable file. Connect the I2C interface board between the PC Parallel port and the BSR NIM. Power up the BSR NIM. If necessary, change to the working directory where the files are stored on your PC. At the DOS prompt type eva_08?, where ? is the current software version.

Initialization Diagnosis

The first thing that the user should see after executing the software is a welcome window giving details about software versions, hardware versions etc. Next, the software enters an initialization diagnosis routine in order to determine if the hardware is set up correctly.

PC port address

This message displays the current setting of your PCs parallel port, which will be used to transmit data using the I2C bus. If your PC is not PC-AT compatible the software will not function. In addition, if your PC has more than one parallel port, the one that corresponds to the detected address must be used.

IIC Bus line check

This indicates whether the I2C interface card is correctly connected to the PCs parallel port or not. If the interface card is not connected correctly error will be displayed and the user will be prompted as to whether they wish to Abort (exit the program) or to Retry (perform the check once more). The program cannot proceed any further unless the I2C interface card is connected correctly. If the interface card is connected correctly pass will be displayed and the initialization diagnosis will continue. To remedy any problems check the interface card/PC connections and that power is being received by the interface card. SDA and SCL signal shorts will also cause error to be displayed.

IIC Clock speed adjust

This checks your PCs CPU speed to see if an I2C clock frequency of 100kHz is achievable. Firstly 100kHz will be displayed and if the check was successful pass will be displayed. If the check was unsuccessful fault will be displayed and the initialization diagnosis will continue. If fault was displayed it does not necessarily mean that the software will not work, it just means that the I2C clock frequency will be less than 100kHz. If the software fails to work and you suspect the I2C clock speed, install and execute the software on a PC with a faster CPU. This function can be disabled by executing the software with the command line switch i0 , i.e. eva_08? i0, which means that the I2C clock speed will be above 100kHz if pass is displayed. The I2C speed will be dependant on the CPU clock speed.

Tuner response check

This check verifies that the Tuner is connected and can receive and transmit data via the I2C bus. Firstly the current Tuner address is shown followed by either pass or fault corresponding to a successful check and an unsuccessful check respectively. In both cases the diagnosis will continue. Once in the main program section, the Tuner response will be checked and a message indicating that the Tuner doesnt respond will be displayed as long as there is a fault. To remedy this problem, check the Tuner/I2C bus connections or try a different Tuner slave address.

Demodulator response check

This check verifies that the QPSK Demodulator is connected and that it can receive and transmit data via the I2C bus. Firstly the current QPSK Demodulator address is shown followed by either pass or fault corresponding to a successful check and an unsuccessful check respectively. In both cases the diagnosis will continue. Once in the main program section, the demodulator response will be checked and a message indicating that the demodulator doesnt respond will be displayed as long as there is a fault. To remedy this problem, check the demodulator/I2C bus connections or try a different demodulator slave address.

Demodulator ID check

This check verifies the identity of the QPSK Demodulator by reading the ID register in the demodulator. Firstly the QPSK Demodulators name is displayed followed by either pass or fault corresponding to a successful check and an unsuccessful check respectively. The program will continue in either case. A fault may indicate that the demodulator identity is incorrect or that the demodulator is not responding. At this point the initialization diagnosis has been completed and the main program section can be entered by pressing a key.

Menu Navigation & Data Entry

Menu navigation is carried out through the use of the cursor keypad, the <Enter> key, the <Esc> key and the <Spc> key. Active items are highlighted upon selection. The first level menus automatically expand where appropriate and the second level menus may be expanded by using either the cursor keypad or the <Enter> key. The <Esc> key or the cursor keypad is used to move back through menus.

Data is entered using the keyboard. The current value will be displayed in the left side of the entry box and the entered data will appear at the right side. Hit the <Enter> key to overwrite the previous value. In some cases the user will be offered a choice of settings in which case the cursor keypad and <Enter> or <Spc> should be used. Filenames are expressed in alphanumerics only, frequencies and data rates are expressed in MHz and MBaud respectively and register configuration data and device addresses are expressed in hexadecimal.

Menu Descriptions

When the main program section is entered, the software will load the configuration file (last.cnf) from the last session if it exists in the current directory and then erase it immediately afterwards. If this file does not exist, the default configuration file (default.cnf) will be loaded instead. If neither of these files exist in the current directory the internal software defaults will be used.

The channel map file (??????.map) that is specified in the configuration file will also be loaded at this stage. Again, if this file does not exist in the current directory the internal software default will be used instead.

File

Save

The save function is used to save to the current QPSK Demodulator and PLL configurations to disk so that they can be recalled and used at a later session.

Input filename must be of alphanumeric type, not more than 8 characters in length and must be located in the current directory. The reserved words last and default cannot be used. Note that a .cnf extension is automatically appended to this filename and should therefore not be entered. Up to 15 configuration files can be recalled.

Load

Load enables the user to recall a previously saved configuration file from disk. Up to 15 configuration files can be recalled. All configuration files must be located in the current directory.

Symb Rate

The IQ symbol frequency received by the QPSK Demodulator may be specified here. Data is expressed in MBaud and its limits are governed by the following equations:

1.0MBaud <= Symbol Frequency <= 50MBaud

Op Mode

Tuner AFC

This function enables or disables the Tuner Automatic Frequency Control circuit. When enabled (ON), the NIM calculates the frequency offset between the transmitter and the receiver if the offset is outside the demodulator's carrier frequency acquisition range. This information is then used to tune the Tuner in the receiver in order to center the signal spectrum within the SAW filter. A range of F_{M_CLK} MHz can be accomodated.

Uncor Beep

This function is used to enable ON or disable OFF the facility to generate an audible beep when a packet containing uncorrected errors has been detected. The default setting here is OFF.

Err Mode

It is necessary to change the VBER mode or the Uncor Err mode, because the ERRCNT register allows the counting of errors at different levels. It is impossible to display both VBER and Uncorrectable Error. In default, the VBER mode.

BER mode

You can select how to display the VBER.

Default

If reading times is under 50 times, display the average of VBERs reading times. If reading times is upper 50 times, display the average that read the VBER 50 times.

Reset Ave

If this function is selected, display the average of VBER that is read from time Reset is pushed until time next Reset is pushed.

Term Ave

If this function is selected, display the average of VBER that is read for half an one msec.

Tuner

Please refer to a detailed description of the GEC Plessey SP5659 frequency synthesizer, in order to correctly configure this device.

Frequency

The frequency currently being received by the Tuner is specified here in MHz. Data may take values between 950MHz and 2150MHz.

CH up

This function moves the frequency received by the Tuner UP one channel as specified by the channel map file.

CH down

This function moves the frequency received by the Tuner DOWN one channel as specified by the channel map file.

Port data

This function may be used to configure the port data sent to the PLL IC. The port data is used to program the output ports of the PLL, from P0 to P3. A logic '0' is defined as high impedance output and a logic '1' for low impedance (ON).

CP Current

This function is used to control the current level in the PLL charge pump circuit. This is required in order to compensate for the variable tuning slope of the tuner. There are fore valid settings available for the SP5659; 1300mA, 600mA, 280mA or 130mA. The lowest value of 130mA is recommended.

Slave Addr

This function is used to change the slave address of the PLL. The SP5659 has four valid settings of address selection. The address need only be changed when there is a conflict between device addresses on the I2C bus or the Tuner is not responding to I2C signals. The address must be expressed in hexadecimal.

Ch Table

This function allows the user to load a new channel map file (??????.map). All of the channel map files in the current directory will be displayed in the window and the user simply has to select one and it will be loaded. Once loaded, the current NIM settings will be set to the first channel specified in the map file.

IIC mode

This function is used to select how to send data to the PLL IC. There are two settings available for BURU6 NIM. In Direct mode, the data is directly sent to the PLL IC. In Thought mode, the data is sent via Demodulator IC. The default setting is Thought mode.

Tuner IF

This function is used to set the IF frequency in MHz. Data may take values between 0MHz and 500MHz.

PLL IC

This function is used to change the kind of the PLL IC, PLL5055 or PLL5659. You can select it.

Demod IC

The QPSK Demodulator internal register settings may be configured here and addition to the QPSK Demodulator I2C slave address. The address need only be changed when there is a conflict between device addresses on the I2C bus or the demodulator is not responding to I2C signals. All register values must be entered in hexadecimal. As soon as contents of a register have been changed, the new information is sent to the demodulator.

Hard Reset

This function is used to send a reset pulse to the QPSK Demodulator reset pin, thus clearing it. The I2C register contents will be initialized to their default values at this point. Following the reset, all current QPSK Demodulator internal register settings and current PLL IC

settings will be sent to the device.

Quit

Quit is used to the exit the software proper. After exiting the user will be prompted as to whether the current settings should be saved to disk as last.cnf or not. This file will be recalled upon starting the next session if it still exists in the current directory. If it does not exist, the default configuration file will be loaded instead. If neither of these files exist in the current directory, the internal software defaults will be used instead.

Please note that if correct operation is lost due to power drops or I2C signal shorts for instance, and Hard Reset does not recover the problem it may be necessary to power down and restart the NIM and the software. In this case, last.cnf will be invalid and must not be saved.

Information Window

If the QPSK demodulator cannot respond to the I2C bus nothing will be displayed in this window except the current Rx frequency and the current symbol rate until response has been achieved.

Rx Frq [MHz]

This defines the current value of frequency received by the Tuner.

offset [MHz]

This defines the current value of offset frequency between the transmitter and the receiver if a QPSK signal is present at the input of the Viterbi decoder. If a QPSK signal cannot be acquired '----' will be displayed.

Symbol Rate

This defines the current symbol rate received by the QPSK demodulator block. Values are given Mbaud.

Code Rate

The current Viterbi code rate will be displayed here when it indicates that a QPSK signal is present at the input of the Viterbi decoder. While a QPSK signal is synchronizing the code rate will be unstable. ---- will be displayed if the Carrier Found flag isnt set.

SNR [dB]

If a QPSK signal has been present at input of the Viterbi decoder an estimate of the carrier SNR will be displayed here. If it is not possible to acquire a QPSK signal ---- will be shown.

VBER

An estimation of the Viterbi decoder block output bitstream BER will be displayed here if the LK bit indicates the state of the sync word search. For searching ---- will be displayed instead.

UNCOR

The number of packets, uncorrectable by the Reed Solomon decoder block are displayed here if the LK bit indicates the state of the sync word search. The value displayed corresponds to the ERRCNT register in the demodulator. The value displayed is periodically reset. If synchronization cannot be achieved ---- will be displayed. If the Op Mode>Uncor Beep is enabled ON, an audible beep will be heard every time a packet containing uncorrectable errors is detected.

Er Free Sec

If the Reed Solomon decoder block has achieved synchronization and the number of packets, uncorrectable by the Reed Solomon block equals zero, the number of Error Free Seconds are displayed here. If synchronization cannot be achieved by the Reed Solomon block ---- is displayed instead.

Status Window

If the QPSK demodulator cannot respond to the I2C bus nothing will be displayed in this window until response has been achieved.

CAR

If it indicates that a QPSK signal is present at the input of the Viterbi decoder, the Found will be displayed here. Otherwise the Unfound will be displayed.

FSYNC

If it indicates the state of the sync word search, the Found will be displayed here. For searching the Unfound will be displayed.

PRF

If it indicates the state of the puncture rate research, the Found will be displayed here. For searching the Unfound will be displayed here. This is irrelevant in manual mode.

AGC1

The AGC1 integrator value is displayed here in signed number. The value displayed directly corresponds to the AGC1I register in the QPSK Demodulator.

AGC2

The AGC2 integrator value is displayed here in signed number. The value displayed directly corresponds to the AGC2I1, AGC2I2 register in the QPSK Demodulator.

IP0

This value gives the input level on the pin IP0. It is an input port for general use purposes.

Editing Configuration and Map Files Manually

Both the configuration and channel map files may be edited manually outside the main program. All parameters in the configuration file may be edited but care must be taken when editing the Demodulator crystal frequency and the symbol rate values because the corresponding register values must reflect those changes made, otherwise the configuration file will become invalid. It is recommended that the configuration files only be edited through the NIM software.

In the channel map files the following notations are used; % indicates that the line is a comment and # indicates that the line contains data. When editing map files it is necessary that the MAX_CH parameter equals the number of channels specified underneath. The frequency (Frq) is specified in MHz. The charge pump current setting may be specified under the CP column. 00 hex represents charge pump current in 130mA and 01 hex represents charge pump current in 280mA and 02 hex represents charge pump current in 600mA and 03 hex represents charge pump current in 1300mA. The reference divider ratio may be specified under the Ref column. In the SP5669 PLL this value is selected from 15s reference divider ratios. The default reference divider ratio is 64. The port output status may be specified under the Port column. Please note that the channel map files cannot be edited from within the NIM software.

Abbreviations

AFC Automatic Frequency Control

AGC Automatic Gain Control

BER Bit Error Rate

BSR Broadcast Satellite Receiver

CPU Central Processing Unit

FEL Front End Lock

IF Intermediate Frequency

NIM Network Interface Module

PLL Phase Locked Loop

QPSK Quadrature Phase Shift Keying

SNR Signal to Noise Ratio