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RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector

Ganjor86 716122 1593
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Can I turn a cheap DVB-T USB tuner into an SDR receiver, and how can I make it receive shortwave too?

Yes: with an RTL2832U-based DVB-T dongle you can use it as an SDR receiver after replacing the stock DVB-T drivers with the prepared Zadig/libusb drivers and running SDR software like SDR Sharp or HDSDR [#11182116] In normal mode these tuners work roughly from 24 MHz up to about 1700 MHz, so VHF/UHF services, airband, CB, ADS-B, etc. are fine [#13168529] [#12073526] For shortwave below that range, do not connect the antenna straight to the RTL chip; direct sampling is possible but is considered risky and can damage the RTL28xx [#12073526] The safer and better-performing solution in the thread is an upconverter on the antenna input, e.g. based on TA7358/LA1185/LA1186, which users report can extend reception down to roughly 100 kHz–40 MHz [#13135481]
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  • #601 15070634
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    Welcome Charles Bronson First, it must be a USB2.0 port on USB1.0 ports and USB3.0 will not work. If you have the tuner connected to the USB2.0 port and it still doesn't work, uninstall everything and start from the beginning. First install the original drivers for the tuner then install zadig and follow this instruction below not that one. And don't replace any files in sdrsharp. He has what he should have.
    http://ywd.pl/projekty/odbiornik-sdr/
    http://ywd.pl/projekty/odbiornik-sdr-cz-2/
    At PW I sent you my version of SDRSharp with additions and set up as it should.
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  • #602 15070685
    andrzejz78
    Level 19  
    Posts: 1010
    Help: 25
    Rate: 108
    For me, USB 3.0 works

    don_viking thanks again What you helped and shared with n PW ;)
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  • #603 15070692
    lysy1980
    Level 33  
    Posts: 2222
    Help: 204
    Rate: 316
    Show the screen from the device manager with the tuner connected. Use ZADIG version 1.1.1.139 to install drivers for SDR
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  • #604 15071123
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    When it comes to these interference, try to connect the USB tuner to the extension with a well-insulated cable. I am about 1.5 meters and it also makes a difference which port you hook up to. I have 4 ports on the laptop and I had similar interference on two of them. If you have an amplifier connected, either connect it directly to the antenna or not less than 2 meters in front of the tuner. Direct connection causes interference. And also when you set the gain too high in SDRSharp then there is overdrive and interference is formed which is manifested by "jumping" strange signals from time to time across the entire spectrum. I have done so that one SWA9701 amplifier is connected directly to the antenna, and the other FP6L on a cable 2 meters in front of the tuner. In the SDRSharp settings, the gain is set to 7.7 and the spectrum is clean without interference.
  • #605 15072107
    Charles Bronson
    Level 14  
    Posts: 360
    Rate: 52
    Hello. I launched the tuner today. HDDSR and SDRSharp version 1.0.0.863 still do not work despite further attempts. Thanks to my friend don_viking's help, the tuner ran on SDRSharp, but version 1.0.0.1332. It works on this, not on others. Kisses
  • #606 15072211
    Ganjor86
    Level 21  
    Posts: 572
    Help: 18
    Rate: 46
    I use a Lenovo A3000 tablet for listening and because it has a weak USB port power supply, I have to connect via a USB hub with additional power and I think I need to check the power supply and maybe replace it with a transformer power supply with additional filters. And my goal is to modify the dongle in an interesting way to reduce the noise level as much as possible and buy a discone antenna if there are promising results.
  • #607 15081692
    tomek10861
    Level 27  
    Posts: 1371
    Help: 13
    Rate: 199
    As for reducing interference, a lot is said to be closed entirely in a metal tube closed on both sides with metal caps. Everything is connected to the PC with a shielded cable. The power choke is also a good idea (+ 5V, of course, not ground). Chokes on the data buses, in addition to interference, can cut the USB transmission.
  • #608 15083134
    Ganjor86
    Level 21  
    Posts: 572
    Help: 18
    Rate: 46
    I will compare hiding the dongle to a metal box and connecting the cable to the dongle ground, I have already connected the cable to the ground and the effect is surprisingly good :) he is currently working in a metal products factory, so maybe he can design a box. This choke is to be only on one cable from the power supply or is it positive and negative? At the half or the end of the usb cable, or maybe at the beginning?
  • #609 15083462
    bogi
    Level 29  
    Posts: 1135
    Help: 103
    Rate: 244
    I will ask a little in spite of this:
    Is it possible to install one tuner as Tv and another as SDR on one W7 account? Tuners from different manufacturers one aver hybrid volar hd and the other not only lv5delux.
  • #610 15084929
    tomek10861
    Level 27  
    Posts: 1371
    Help: 13
    Rate: 199
    Choke on the PLUS. Giving the choke to the minus will interfere with the USB transmission. ;)
  • #611 15087130
    Serwis1

    Level 23  
    Posts: 766
    Help: 36
    Rate: 128
    It is very interesting and fast scanner for SDR # (I'm testing it on V1.0.0.1411 right now)
    The scanning of the entire band visible in the SDR main screen window is performed with the step set in the "radio" tab. Any interference or unwanted frequencies are blocked by "X" in the window that pops up after starting the scanner, new detected frequencies and their intensity are recorded in the window. We set the blocking sensitivity (SNR) for me the best is 20 (depends on the band), Hysteresis 9, Next s 1.0
    After downloading, the .dll file should be placed in the SDR directory. open the plugins XML file and add a line from the downloaded "magicLine" file, or in older versions of SDR you need to edit / paste in the SDRsharp.exe file (config file) but this is probably what most should know
    In the frequency manager tab, I propose to select "show on spectrum" - you will have a better orientation in relation to your own base
    Scanner for download, e.g. here http://www.rtl-sdr.ru/page/skaner-poisk-novyh-chastot
    SDR # e.g. here http://airspy.com/download/
    Good luck
    Company Account:
    Serwis RTV
    50-lecia Kopalni Konin 11, Kleczew, 62-540 | Company Website: http://rtvlg.pl
  • #612 15089257
    andrzejz78
    Level 19  
    Posts: 1010
    Help: 25
    Rate: 108
    It is a pity that the scanner does not work on the older version. You will have to reinstall the plugins on the newer version of SDR
  • #613 15096875
    Lisu815
    Level 11  
    Posts: 90
    Rate: 2
    Hello

    Tempted by a cheap receiver with a wide range, I bought this:
    SDR RTL2832U R820T2 USB DVB-T scanner 25-1700MHz

    For the received set it was required (as the seller wrote) to install the program from the website:
    http://www.hdsdr.de/index.html

    I fired up the program, turned on watch, and I hear distorted noise and my voice, distorted too, of course.

    After writing to the seller, he spreads his hands and writes, please visit elektroda.pl ...

    I have no words.
    Maybe someone here will know how to start and set up this contraption?
  • #615 15097291
    Lisu815
    Level 11  
    Posts: 90
    Rate: 2
    I have no idea what and how to set it up so that I can receive something. I do not know if it is damaged or incorrectly positioned.
    It picks up some distorted noise, and a microphone is injected from the laptop so that I can hear my distorted voice and see it on the spectrum.


    This is my soft:
    Attachments:
    • RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector Bez__tytu__u.png (745.2 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #617 15097533
    BOOM i ZONK
    Level 22  
    Posts: 593
    Help: 20
    Rate: 72
    ExTIO plug not active.
    I suggest using SDRSharp at the beginning, because it is more user-friendly.
  • #618 15098919
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    Please here is the ExtIO_USRP file can be copied to the HDSDR program and it works on R820T2 tuners. I tested it on Win7 or if you prefer a ready program.
    Attachments:
    • HDSDR_R820T2.rar (14.11 MB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
    • ExtIO_USRP.rar (95.49 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #620 15099258
    zabex
    Level 22  
    Posts: 684
    Help: 50
    Rate: 52
    Lisu815 col. don_viking he gave you a ready working soft on a tray! Not only that ... col. BOOM and ZONK suggested (and rightly) that you install SDRSharp !!!
    You haven't even bothered to get interested in what your friends are telling you (trying to help) and you are tossing some old SDR # descriptions when he was working on the old ExtIO_RTL.dll library.

    HDSDR from the package from col. don_viking
    It was enough to unpack and run.

    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector
  • #621 15099502
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    In the above instructions, not everything is correct in the description and there is no window in the dongle settings as in the picture. It is but in the old HDSDR version. In the attachment I add my two versions of SDRSharp with some add-ons so that no one has problems with running the program, some add-ons from the older version are not in the newer version and vice versa. I add that I use the program in Win7. There is also the matter of setting the frequency offset "ppm" because each tuner works with a different offset. I recommend to connect the dongle to the computer and turn on the program for about 20 minutes to warm up because it will float in frequency. Then I recommend that you set it to the frequency of 144.800MHz where the most APRS stations work and looking at where the most transmitted signals are located, click the up and down arrows in the "RTL-SDR Controller" window next to the "Frequency correction (ppm)" inscription so that the center of the signal is located in the middle of the red line. This way we have the exact frequency set. You can see everything in the photo. Good luck with your fun.
    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector
    Attachments:
    • sdrsharp14.rar (1.17 MB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
    • sdrsharp_r820t2.rar (6.84 MB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #622 15103061
    Lisu815
    Level 11  
    Posts: 90
    Rate: 2
    don_viking Thanks for the program, I unpacked and worked on it a few times but it was a mess with every try.
    I unpacked the program and HDSDR and SDRsharp and there was such a problem that even following the instructions, the program did not pull the signal from the tuner only from the microphone so that I could hear myself.
    I thought what I found would come in handy.
    When running the program, should I change it like on the screen?

    With the SDRsharp program ready, it was also linden, I drove in turn and also got stuck
    Attachments:
    • RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector Bez__tytu__u.png (109.37 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #623 15103074
    ArturAVS
    Moderator  
    Posts: 26009
    Help: 2295
    Rate: 7712
    Have you installed the SDR drivers?
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  • #624 15103096
    Lisu815
    Level 11  
    Posts: 90
    Rate: 2
    Yes, I installed for both the first and second as in the screenshot, if that's the case.
    Generally, as it was supposed to be in the description.

    I am not very adept at this and had a problem with it.
    Attachments:
    • RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector Bez__tytu__u.png (367.9 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #625 15103186
    lysy1980
    Level 33  
    Posts: 2222
    Help: 204
    Rate: 316
    The first screen shows that HDSDR does not have the EXTIO.dll library - you need to copy it to the program folder. And honestly, I also suggest to bypass HDSDR and run SDR SHARP first.

    Also show a screenshot of the Windows Device Manager with the tuner connected to USB. As is the libusb tab in the tree - expand it and take a screenshot.

    I probably wrote on this topic (I'm not sure) to use ZADIG version 1.1.1.139 to install drivers for SDR - other versions often cause problems.
  • #626 15103752
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #627 15104202
    Lisu815
    Level 11  
    Posts: 90
    Rate: 2
    SDRsharp is also simpler and more organized in my opinion. And it has a wide and narrow FM.

    I took a screenshot and unfolded the windows, maybe they will tell you something.
    Attachments:
    • RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector Bez__tytu__u.png (360.82 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #628 15104526
    lysy1980
    Level 33  
    Posts: 2222
    Help: 204
    Rate: 316
    Remove this device from the device manager (delete), install the Relatek drivers for DVB-T reception, then install the drivers for SDR with the Zadig program in the version as given above.
  • #629 15105244
    Lisu815
    Level 11  
    Posts: 90
    Rate: 2
    I fired but I can not find this software from what I read, it is USB 2.0
  • #630 15106868
    bogi
    Level 29  
    Posts: 1135
    Help: 103
    Rate: 244
    bogi wrote:
    I will ask a little in spite of this:
    Is it possible to install one tuner as Tv and another as SDR on one W7 account? Tuners from different manufacturers one aver hybrid volar hd and the other not only lv5delux.


    May I have any help with this topic.
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion centers on using inexpensive DVB-T USB tuners, particularly those based on the RTL2832U chipset combined with various tuner modules like the R820T and E4000, as software-defined radio (SDR) receivers. These devices, originally intended for digital TV reception, can be repurposed for wideband SDR reception from approximately 25 MHz up to 1.7 GHz, covering amateur radio bands, FM broadcast, airband, ADS-B, and more. Modifications such as direct antenna connection to the RTL2832U chip pins enable reception of lower frequency bands (below 30 MHz), including shortwave, though precautions against electrostatic discharge and signal surges are necessary. Upconverter circuits based on chips like LA1186, LA1185, and TA7358AP are commonly used to extend reception down to HF and VLF bands by frequency shifting signals into the tuner's range. Various software solutions including SDR# (SDR Sharp), HDSDR, and dump1090 are recommended for Windows and Linux platforms, with driver installation often requiring tools like Zadig to replace default DVB-T drivers with RTL-SDR compatible ones. Users report challenges with driver installation, device recognition, and antenna selection, especially for frequencies outside the FM broadcast band. Amplifiers such as the FP6L and antennas like Discone or long wire are suggested to improve reception quality. Mobile and embedded platforms like Raspberry Pi and Android devices with USB OTG support are explored for portable SDR setups. The community shares detailed schematics, installation guides, and troubleshooting tips, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness and versatility of RTL-SDR dongles for radio experimentation and monitoring.
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FAQ

TL;DR: A US$13 RTL-SDR dongle with an R820T tuner covers 24-1762 MHz “Band 24-1762 MHz (no holes)” [Elektroda, zabex, post #12073526] and can be pushed to ≈100 kHz with a 50 MHz up-converter [Elektroda, sb8gapi, post #13074101]

Why it matters: One stick lets hobbyists scan HF, VHF, UHF and ADS-B without big radios.

Quick Facts

• R820T native span: 24–1762 MHz [Elektroda, zabex, post #12073526] • Direct-Sampling mod: ≈0.1–28 MHz [Elektroda, methyl, post #13657048] • Typical dongle cost: US$13–15 incl. whip [Elektroda, Ganjor86, post #12076142] • PC spec: USB 2.0 + ≥1.2 GHz CPU [Elektroda, Serwis1, post #13206155] • TA7358 up-converter parts ≈ PLN 15 [Elektroda, sb8gapi, post #13074101]

What frequencies can an un-modified RTL-SDR with R820T cover?

About 24 MHz to 1.76 GHz without gaps [Elektroda, zabex, post #12073526] That spans airband, AIS, ACARS, ADS-B, VHF FM, UHF trunked, LTE and more.

How do I install drivers on Windows XP?

  1. Plug dongle, let Windows load Realtek driver.
  2. Run Zadig v2.1 XP, Menu → Options → List All Devices, choose "Bulk-In Interface 0".
  3. Click Install WINUSB driver. After 5 s SDR# sees “RTL-SDR/USB”. [Elektroda, lysy1980, post #13511327]

I get no DVB-T after installing SDR drivers—normal?

Yes. WINUSB replaces Realtek’s TV driver. Switch USB port or reinstall OEM driver when you need DVB-T reception [Elektroda, lysy1980, post #13511327]

What’s the simplest way to receive 0–30 MHz?

Add a 50 MHz HF up-converter using TA7358 or LA1185. It mixes HF to 50–80 MHz, cost under PLN 15 and sensitivity beats direct sampling [Elektroda, sb8gapi, #13074101; Elektroda, zabex, #12073526].

Can overheating freeze the dongle?

Yes. R820T can reach >60 °C and USB disconnects appear. Resoldering the USB plug and adding small heatsinks stopped lock-ups [Elektroda, mkpl, post #13635115]

Which antenna works best for wideband scans?

An outdoor TV log-periodic or discone on 50 Ω feed covers 50–1300 MHz. For HF add Mini-Whip or 20 m long-wire plus the up-converter [Elektroda, methyl, post #13657048]

Edge case: why does FM broadcast appear at 30 MHz?

Strong local FM images alias into 26–40 MHz when the front-end overloads. Use 88–108 MHz notch or reduce RF gain [Elektroda, mkpl, post #13583266]

Can I scan automatically like a hardware scanner?

Yes. Install the ‘Frequency Manager Scanner’ plug-in for SDR#; it hops user lists at 20 channels /s and logs activity [SDRSharpPlugins].

Is spectrum-analysis possible?

RTL-SDR plus ‘RTL-Power’ or ‘Spektrum’ sweeps 24 MHz–1.7 GHz, 2 MHz steps, ~30 dB dynamic range—handy for EMC checks [majek, 2013].

How do I add HF direct sampling without removing the tuner?

On R820T boards, wire a 1:10 transformer to RTL pins 4-5, select “Direct Sampling Q” in SDR#. This keeps VHF/UHF intact [Elektroda, BOOM i ZONK, post #13914702]
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