Setup a DVB (TDT) usb stick on Ubuntu GNU/Linux

How to set up a DVB-USB Tvisto or AverTV Volar M (for Mac) on Ubuntu 14.04 64bit (Gnu/Linux)

1.1. Set up a DVB-T (TDT) USB stick with Totem in Ubuntu 14.04
1.2. Set up a DVB-T (TDT) USB stick with Kaffeine in Ubuntu 14.04
1.3. Alternatively, set up and use DVB-T with ME-TV
1.4. Set up a DVB-T (TDT) USB stick with Kaffeine in Ubuntu 16.04

1.1. Set up a DVB-T (TDT) USB stick with Totem in Ubuntu 14.04

We have an two old usb DVB-T (TDT) devices, which have these chipsets:

Click to expand

TVisto: 15a4:9016 Afatech Technologies, Inc. AF9015 DVB-T USB2.0 stick

Click to expand
AverTV Volar M (Mac): 07ca:815a AVerMedia Technologies, Inc.
http://www.avermedia.eu/avertv/uk/product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=438

xavi@coprinus:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 15a4:9016 Afatech Technologies, Inc. AF9015 DVB-T USB2.0 stick
Bus 002 Device 009: ID 07ca:815a AVerMedia Technologies, Inc.
(...)
xavi@coprinus:~$

1.1.1. Install some system packages

Install (if not already) these packagee:

sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree totem-plugins-dvb-daemon kaffeine

1.1.2. Add also just in case the propietary driver

See:

http://palosaari.fi/linux/
- http://palosaari.fi/linux/v4l-dvb/firmware/af9015/5.24.0.0/dvb-usb-af9015.fw
http://linuxclues.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/install-configure-avertv-dvb-digi-volar.html

Output of lsusb in a terminal:

15a4:9016 Afatech Technologies, Inc. AF9015 DVB-T USB2.0 stick

Get firmware and place it in the right location:

Commands on a console

wget http://palosaari.fi/linux/v4l-dvb/firmware/af9015/5.24.0.0/dvb-usb-af9015.fw
sudo cp dvb-usb-af9015.fw /lib/firmware/

1.1.3. Setup the device with Totem

Then you can open the Video Player called "Totem" (Videos in the localized menu in Catalan and Spanish), and go to connectors in order to enable the support to manage DVB-T (TDT) channels from within Totem. It apparently works (the whole configuration worked apparently fine, recognizing the usb DVB-T receiver, channels, etc), but for some reason, the Totem program doesn't seem to be able to play the channels. The equivalent procedure worked like a charm with Kaffeine. Below you can find both setup procedures:

Click to expand

1.2. Set up a DVB-T (TDT) USB stick with Kaffeine in Ubuntu 14.04

And using Kaffeine:

Click to expand

1.3. Alternatively, set up and use DVB-T with ME-TV

There are several interesting programs suitable to watch DVB TV and radio streams:

http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/TV_Related_Software
http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Me_TV

Me-TV is able to scan channels, show TV program information, record streams, network broadcast, etc.

Install some apps for dvb playback in your computer:

Commands on a console

sudo apt-get install dvb-apps me-tv
me-tv

Click to expand

1.4. Set up a DVB-T (TDT) USB stick with Kaffeine in Ubuntu 16.04

Since linux-firmware-nonfree package is not available any more in Ubuntu 16.04, you need to fetch the package from elsewhere than the usual default repositories. You can download it from here:
https://ubuntu.pkgs.org/14.04/ubuntu-updates-multiverse-i386/linux-firmware-nonfree_1.14ubuntu3_all.deb.html

Steps, in short:

Install this package, and kaffeine
Get the proprietary driver af9015 and place it in the /lib/firmware folder
plugin the dvb usb stick, and open kaffeine
1. Go to Kaffeine > Television > Configure Television
  1. Setup the device, selecting the right location to get the frequencies for the non HD channels of your area
2. Go to KAffeine > Television > Channels and get the list of channels. Copy the ones you are interested in your system.
you can use kaffeine normally.

Consider fetching a new usb stick capable of dvb hd channels.

https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/how-to-watch-digital-tv-with-kaffeine-or-me-tv-in-ubuntu/906

Alias names for this page:
AF9015 | DVB-T | dvb | tdt | AF9015 DVB-T USB2.0 stick