How to Change Serial Number of DVB-T Dongle

[abcd567]

How to Change Serial Number of DVB-T Dongle
The default serial number of Generic DVB-T is generally 00000001, and that of a Flightaware ProStick is generally 00001000.

In tutorial below the serial number will be changed to 00000000.

You can however change to some other number also if you want. For example you want to use 2 dongles in one RPI as follows:

(1) One dongle used by dump1090 and other dongle used by dump978
OR
(2) One dongle used by dump1090 and other dongle used by AcarsDeco2

You can assign serial # 00000000 to the one for dump1090, and serial # 00000001 to the other for dump978 or AcarsDeco.

Click the link below (or scroll down to next posts) to see these options:

(A) Dongle Plugged into Raspberry Pi

(B) Dongle Plugged into Windows Computer

[abcd567]

(A) Dongle Plugged into Raspberry Pi


STEP-1
Install the test tools package rtl-sdr

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install rtl-sdr


STEP-2
First stop the ALL Software which use the Dongle, to make the Dongle free for use by rtl tools.

Code: [Select]

sudo systemctl stop rbfeeder piaware dump1090-fa readsb dump1090-mutability


STEP-3
Install package rtl-sdr, if not yet done.
The tool rtl_eeprom is part of package rtl-sdr

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install rtl-sdr


STEP-4
Now give the command rtl_eeprom -s 00001090 to reset the serial number to 00001090.

NOTE:
Please do NOT use 00000000, 00000001, 00000002, 0, 1, 2 etc, as these numbers will cause conflict with device index which are 0, 1, 2, etc.

Use 8-digit numbers such as 00000101, 00000102, 00001090, 00000978, 00000401, 00000118, etc.

The last line of output will ask confirmation to go ahead with change.
Type y and press Enter key
(Scroll down to see full code below)

Code: [Select]

rtl_eeprom -s 00001090
Found 1 device(s):
  0:  Generic RTL2832U OEM

Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U OEM
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner

Current configuration:
__________________________________________
Vendor ID:              0x0bda
Product ID:             0x2838
Manufacturer:           Realtek
Product:                RTL2838UHIDIR
Serial number:          00000001
Serial number enabled:  yes
IR endpoint enabled:    yes
Remote wakeup enabled:  no
__________________________________________


Code: [Select]

New configuration:
__________________________________________
Vendor ID:              0x0bda
Product ID:             0x2838
Manufacturer:           Realtek
Product:                RTL2838UHIDIR
Serial number:          00001090
Serial number enabled:  yes
IR endpoint enabled:    yes
Remote wakeup enabled:  no
__________________________________________
Write new configuration to device [y/n]? y

#After typing y and pressing Enter key, you will get this confirmation message
Configuration successfully written.
Please replug the device for changes to take effect.

.

[abcd567]

(B) Dongle Plugged into Windows Computer


STEP 1
Install dvb-t rtl driver zadig if not yet done so, as detailed below.

(1) Download Zadig 2.3.exe from http://zadig.akeo.ie/

(2) Plug the DVB-T or ProStick in your Windows Computer.

(3) Follow the steps below:

(a) Double click Zadig 2.3.exe to run it.
The window below will open.


.

(b) On main menu, click "Options".
On the drop-down, place a check mark beside "List All Devices".



.

(c) From list of devices, select "RTL2838" which is actually DVB-T/ProStick.
Now click button which will either say "Install Driver" or "Reinstall Driver"


.
.

STEP 2
Download RelWithDebInfo.zip from here:
Download Link: http://osmocom.org/attachments/download/2242/RelWithDebInfo.zip

Web Page: https://osmocom.org/projects/sdr/wiki/rtl-sdr
(scroll down to bottom of page to find download link)

STEP 3
(a) First EXIT your Air Nav Sotware, or RTL1090, or ModeSdeco2, or Flightradar24 feeder, or dump1090, or any other software which is using DVB-T to make the Dongle free for test.

(b) Un-zip RelWithDebInfo.zip. It will create a folder RelWithDebInfo.
Inside this folder there is another folder rtl-sdr-release which contains several files and 2 folders named x32 and x64.

(c) Go to folder x32. You will find many rtl tools in it as shown in screenshot below.

(d) In folder x32, right-click and create New Text Document[/size]



STEP-4
Open the New Text Document and type
rtl_eeprom -s 00000000




STEP-5
Save the file as change-serial.bat
While saving, make sure that
1. File name contains .bat at the end
2. "Save as type" is selected "All Files"
Please see screenshot below.




STEP-6
Double click the file change-serial.bat to run it



STEP-7
Upon double clicking the file change-serial.bat, command console will open, with last line asking confirmation to change serial number.
Type y and press Enter key. The serial number will change and command console will close immediately.



STEP-8
To check if the number has actually changed, again double click the file change-serial.bat, and it will show changed serial number.
Type n and press Enter key to close console



Using RTL1090 on Windows

Step-1
Open Command Promt, and give command C:\rtl1090>rtl1090.exe /eeprom  
(My rtl1090.exe is located in folder C:\rtl1090, that is why I have used this path. You have to use the path in your computer)

Step-2
Click START button on RTL1090 window.

Step-3
Set serial number and press Continue button.

[TomNJerry]

Excellent guide, thanks for posting.

[Aerotower]

Hi abcd567,

I have a problem, i have change the serial number, but for some reason the one I want to be the "index 1" always can on the "index 0".

I want that the serial 00000001 be the index 0 to run dump1090 and serial 00000002 be the index 1 to run rtl-airband.

How can i do to change this?

Thanks.

I have this on a remote location....

Best regards,
Manuel

[Aerotower]

Hi abcd567,

I have a problem, i have change the serial number, but for some reason the one I want to be the "index 1" always can on the "index 0".

I want that the serial 00000001 be the index 0 to run dump1090 and serial 00000002 be the index 1 to run rtl-airband.

How can i do to change this?

Thanks.

I have this on a remote location....

Best regards,
Manuel

Ok, now it's correct but for some reason the rtl-airband don't work

Help please.

thanks

[abcd567]

Serial numbers 00000001 and 00000002 creates conflict with device index 1 & 2.

Serialize them as 00000101 and 00000102, and in dump1090 config file, use 00000101 for device

For dump1090-fa: 
In file /etc/default/dump1090-fa
Change
 --device-index 0
to 
 --device-index 00000101


For dump1090-mutability:
In file /etc/default/dump1090-mutability
Change
 DEVICE="0"
to
 DEVICE="00000101"