Page: Misc.SkyStar2 - Last Modified : Sat, 19 Sep 09

SkyStar2 Driver hell

Many different versions of SkyNet.sys are available (all x86 32bit):

SkyNet.sys MD5 hash	Version	FullTS	DiSEqC	Buffer size	ATLX Blindscan
40caa876f2d91cbe5a91fb65fe963198	4.3.0 Original	NO	NO	Patch	YES
3c5ed2077994e915fc03864d5484bc3a	4.3.0 DiSEqC Patch1	NO	YES/Patch	Patch	YES
7dd484b0bee020df1767ef078fb6910e	4.3.0 DiSEqC Patch2	NO	YES/Patch	Patch	YES
7932513cc4f8c173da6c01594a844f41	4.3.2 Original	PARTIAL	YES/API	Patch	YES
e6672a6dee46162b0252ed2f5489a046	4.3.3 Original Beta	YES	YES/API	Patch	PARTIAL
476befae8c7c1bb9648954060b1eec1f	4.4.0 Original	YES	YES/API	Registry	PARTIAL
8c44c93004d454bea55a9e7945e9ff8f	4.4.0 DiSEqC Patch2	YES	YES/Patch	Registry	PARTIAL
69608080ba674d9942f0373e5bcab2f9	4.4.3 Original	YES	YES/API	Registry	PARTIAL
8bcd2dac603deda4efa9f78c37b35d47	4.5.0 Original	YES	YES/API	Registry	YES!

All driver sys files in RAR (520kb)

• To change driver, disable card, replace skystar.sys in windows/system32/drivers, enable again
• To install, rename wanted driver to skystar.sys and use included inf file.

UPDATE: Created patch for ATLX blindscan to run correctly under 4.5.0 driver. This means there is no need to run any older version of drivers now, as latest one (4.5.0) supports all features.

Notes:

• FullTS = you can get full transponder stream, not just selected program.
• DiSEqC = support for positioner control by SS2DiSEqC plugin/app. Ver 1.10 supports both Patched and official API.
• Buffer size = driver circular buffer size, bigger buffer is better for full TS and software like Skynet. Old drivers can be patched using small utility, 4.5.0 uses registry settings, see below.
• Blindscan = This program needs Rev 2.3 card and old drivers. On 4.3.2 it still shows error on start, but scans correctly. On any newer drivers it fails to scan properly (usually detecting signals both on V and H polarisations, wrong speeds, no RS parameters).

Conclusion:

• If you don't have Rev 2.3 card or don't care about blindscan, latest drivers are easy choice
• If you want blindscan and DiSEqC, 4.3.2 is only version that supports all features. Problem is that it have some bugs too related to DiSEqC commanding and full TS stream have problems with >20000 sym/s stream. Also driver is bit unstable, prepare for some BSODs.
• Latest 4.5.0 seems to be working with Blindscan with reduced speed settings and ONLY ON VERTICAL polarisation as it switches them wrong! Working on patch...
• Driver can be swapped in mere seconds using right program/bat file. No problem switching from 4.5.0 to say 4.3.0 only for blindscan. However some versions are unsable, so you may expect some BSOD from time to time.

SkyStar2 Windows driver v4.5.0 undocumented registry settings

Driver settings are in the network card subkey located at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318} [Network adapters]

This key contains all network adapters that are (or was) installed.
SkyStar2 can be identified by having subkey Ndi\Service with value SKYNET.

Following table is from SkyNet.sys 4.5.0 driver, all values in table are hexadecimal.
All parameters in registry must be created as REG_SZ with decimal value.

UserTunerParams\                 DEFAULT  MIN      MAX

   nTransponderFreq_KHz          0        0        0BEBC200h
   nLnbFreq_KHz                  0        0        0BEBC200h
   nSymbolRate_KBauds            0        0        186A0h
   nStdIndexFec                  6        0        6
   nStdIndexPolarity             0        0        1
   nStdIndexToneFreq             0        0        5
   nTunerTimerPeriodMs           64h      1Eh      3E8h
   nTunerWaitLockTimeMs          190h     0C8h     3E8h
   nEnableKernelTunerControl     1        0        1

UserHwParams\                    DEFAULT  MIN      MAX

   nBoard0x2102UseTimer          1        0        1
   nUserTimerPeriodMs            Ah       1        12Ch
   nSizeOfBufDMA1                75800h   468h     1D6000h
   nSizeOfBufDMA2                0        758h     EB000h
   nRunningNonStopDma1Dma2       0        0        1
   nSizeOfTimeIrqDMA1            0C8h     0        FFh
   nSizeOfTimeIrqDMA2            3        0        FFh
   nUseSmartCard                 0        0        1
   nUseMemSpaceRegAccess         1        0        1
   nSizeOfSubBufDMA1             40h      8        400h
   nUseSubBufDMA1                0        0        2710h
   nResetChip                    0        0        2710h
   nNumReceiveIndicate           2        1        10h
   nSramOptimizationMode         2        0        3
   nUsbBandWidthMax              7CE0C0h  FA000h   7CE0C0h
   nUsbBandWidthMin              FA000h   FA000h   7CE0C0h
   nUsbBandWidthStep             1F40h    1F40h    FA000h
   nUsbDataTransferSize          0        800h     8000h
   nUsbThrottle                  2        0        B2C23Fh
   nUsbDataTransferMode          0        0        1
   nSamsungQpskBerMode           1        0        1

UserSwParams\                    DEFAULT  MIN      MAX

   nSizeOfQueueBuf_VID           75800h   3AC00h   1D6000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_AUD           3AC00h   3AC00h   1D6000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_DATA          1900h    0C80h    3E80h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_MPG           17800h   5E00h    1D6000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_SI            17800h   5E00h    1D6000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_ECM           EB000h   3AC00h   1D6000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_TDT           BC0h     BCh      EB0h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_EMM           0        0        0
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_VA_SUB_DATA   EB000h   3AC00h   1D6000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_TeleText      4000h    800h     8000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_RAW_TPS       582000h  0EB000h  92E000h
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_11            0        0        0
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_12            0        0        0
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_13            0        0        0
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_14            0        0        0
   nSizeOfQueueBuf_RAWTS         125C000h B04000h  125C000h
   nWinOsVersionMaj              7D0h     0        BB8h
   nWinOsVersionMin              0        0        BB8h
   nWinOsVersionSvcPack          0        0        BB8h
   nValidateIpChecksums          0        0        1
   nDataTableId                  0        0        FFh
   nPerformanceUpdateInterval    BB8h     1F4h     1388h
   nUseMACAsSrcMAC               0        0        2710h
   nDiSEqC12                     0        0        1

Example:

• My card registry key is at:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\0019\
• To get bigger buffer for grabbing entire transport stream, I will create REG_SZ named nSizeOfQueueBuf_RAW_TPS in:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\0019\UserSwParams
  and set it's value to 9625600.
• To enable DiSEqC 1.2 commands, create another REG_SZ named nDiSEqC12 with value 1.

All settings are loaded when network card driver is restarted - use Disable/Enable in device manager to reload the driver, PC restart is not required.