DVB-T USB dongle getting very hot

[pauldgardner]

While waiting for the final hardware to be agreed I thought I would see if my DVB-T module was OK.

I downloaded a programme called RTL1090 and was up and running quite soon and saw the occasional commercial flight south of Weymouth where I live.

When I came to unplug the DVB-T unit a couple of hours later I was surprised to find it almost too hot to hold.

I queried this with the eBay supplier who said this was normal.

Is he right? Do these units normally run hot  ?

Paul
G-CECZ

[Admin]

While waiting for the final hardware to be agreed I thought I would see if my DVB-T module was OK.

I downloaded a programme called RTL1090 and was up and running quite soon and saw the occasional commercial flight south of Weymouth where I live.

When I came to unplug the DVB-T unit a couple of hours later I was surprised to find it almost too hot to hold.

I queried this with the eBay supplier who said this was normal.

Is he right? Do these units normally run hot  ?

Paul
G-CECZ

Yes he is right, they do run hot
thx
Lee

[Mig29fuk]

Plugged into Pi they run very hot. I now have mine connected with a 15cm USB Male/Female cable so its a little more remote.
Runs much cooler now. No idea why?

[Richard W]

Runs much cooler now. No idea why?

Possibly sinking the heat into the braid of the cable?  I'm not sure, but I suspect that my DVB-T sometimes runs hotter than at other times.

[Ian Melville]

I think mine runs cooler if the mag mount antenna is on a ground plane. Still quite warm though.

[IainM]

I use a full size one, that gets a little warm, but definitely not hot.

[the_top_pilot]

I have built my PAW into a box slightly larger than the Pi this has allowed me to remove the case of the DVB-T dongle allowing a bit of cooling around the device.

[the_doc]

Completed my first PAW unit today and also noted the DVB-T to be running really quite hot. All functions well though.

Has anyone thought of removing the casing and taking a look at stick-on heatsinks for the dongle?

This led me to wonder about opening all the dongles up, removing the USB plugs and replacing with leads on the individual PCBs, removing the Pi's USB sockets and wiring the leads direct to the Pi PCB. I could then stack the boards next to each other in a slightly longer case, and all is enclosed. Better cooling and no dongles on display or to knock.

Any thoughts or anyone done this?

[brinzlee]

I've done this......I placed the stripped down DVB-T receiver inside and wired directly to the underside of the USB socket and the range wasn't as good...I guessed it was getting interference from the Pi and the ARF.....It might work better if it was in a screened box....but there really wasn't much room to play with....I also cut one of the UBLOX mouse GPS down and placed it on top of the Pi box and wired directly to the USB socket and that works fine

[Richard]

Has anyone thought of removing the casing and taking a look at stick-on heatsinks for the dongle?


Any thoughts or anyone done this?

This is what I did with my PAW. It works a treat. RG is in the process of designing  a case too

http://forum.pilotaware.com/index.php/topic,133.0.html

[the_doc]

I might get a bigger vented case and do as Richard & RG have for now, while we await the outcome of the new ARF board to be announced and rolled out.

I might start building a second unit to do this. My Mk1 prototype has its battery attached and acting as a weight to hold it in place!  All held together with an elastic band, it works a treat.

Found this out of interest:

http://wiki.glidernet.org/dvbt-dongles