The Raspberry Pi have been receiving different versions over time, with improvements in USB ports, HDMI, and even Ethernet in the most recent models. Along with them, a constant has been the connector 40-pin GPIO, thanks to which we can hook all kinds of modifications and improvements.
There is HAT for DTT
Among these modifications we find the HATs. The acronym, which stands for Hardware Attached on Top, literally allows you to put modules on the Raspberry Pi as if it were a hat. With them, we can add additional processors for tasks such as AI, sensors such as accelerometer, thermometers and air pressure, or turn the Raspberry Pi into a high-quality DAC at an affordable price.
However, one of the most curious HATs is the one that allows turn the Raspberry Pi into a Freeview tuner. If you have a plate that you do not use at home, you can add DTT to any screen you have at home that has an HDMI connector, such as a monitor or an old TV. In fact, with the DTT HAT you will be prepared for the possible change to DVB-T2 that will take place in 2023 in Spain.
There are several models for sale of these HATs, costing around 30 euros depending on where we buy it. At Amazon we find the official model, announced in October 2018, and which incorporates the Sony CXD2880 TV tuner compatible with DVB-T and DVB-T2. To view the channels, it is possible to use Kodi to watch DTT with tvheadend.
But there are no HATs for satellite
Unfortunately, there is no company that has yet ventured to create a HAT with satellite tuner for Raspberry Pi. For the price of the board and the HAT it would be possible to have a fairly affordable and powerful satellite deco with a multitude of customization options.
What is compatible is being able to use USB tuners like those from manufacturers like Hauppauge. This company sells the PCTV 461e, supports DVB-S2 tuning. The price, yes, is quite high, since it costs 79.99 euros. In addition, it must be taken into account that the signal can have many stability problems, so it is not a desirable solution.
Therefore, we will have to wait for the Raspberry Pi to receive an official HAT to be able to turn it into a low-cost satellite tuner with more stability. Luckily, the decos satellite They are currently very cheap, and we can buy them for prices of just 30 euros to be able to see a multitude of free channels that we can tune in to in Spain from other European countries.