RTL-SDR Device Not Found by SDR# or HDSDR (Intermittent)

[waterman46]

New RTL-SDR V3 USB device intermittently cannot be found by apps. Windows 10. Re-installed drivers. Installation looks good, same indications as on the RTL website. But neither SDR# or HDSDR program finds the SDR. Disconnected dongle, reconnected, no luck.
When it did connect today, I was able to hear many FM broadcast stations and some 2M repeaters (144+ MHz).

[alanzfq]

Could be a USB problem.
Try other ports or even a hub.
Or maybe another USB device is conflicting. Experiment.
Alan

[waterman46]

Problem solved, I think. I noticed that when it wasn't found by the programs, the temperature of the dongle was much lower than normal. I had either a printer or a couple joysticks also connected at the time. Disconnecting those, the SDR works now and the temperture is back to normally hot.

[Mirin7]

Hi,
I am new here, hope soneone skilled would help me with similar issue as in topic.
I am trying to use my old USB DVB-T stick as SDR radio, but no succes.
I installed driver with zadig as many times described, but my device is not recognized as "Biuld, in..." but it is seen as "DVB-T 2". It can not be really DVB-T2 as is about 10 years old.. Anyway when driver is isntalled, none of SDR SW recognize connected RTL HW.
possibilities what couldbe wrong:
- my HW is not compatible, i do not know how to recognize compatibility, it is black USB with name "HDTV USB DVB-T", on PCB to big chips AF9015A and TDA18218, but it is realy old HW..
- my HW is not functional, as i wrote it is old and i do not know how to check if is functional, original SW i have lost.
- for so old HW must be installed different driver.

Could anyone help here? Thank you...

[alanzfq]

It seems that Zadig is not working.
Have you antivirus or other security features stopping the driver install?
Alan

[Mirin7]

I have antivirus, but i do not think it is blocking zadig, when I start Zadig again, it shows that driver WinUSB (v6.1.7600.16385) is installed for device and I can only reinstall it..

[alanzfq]

Reading your first post again I think your dongle is not compatible.
It has to have the particular RTL chip to work as a SDR.
Alan

[KC7BYY]

Here’s a tip. When you run Zadig, just before you intstall/reinstall, note on the screen the usbid and dev type. 0BDA 2838 in my case. OBDA is assigned to Realtek. 2838 is the dev type.

[Mirin7]

I see there 15A4 and 9016. Probably really not compatible device. I thought all DVBT dongle works as SDR too, but maybe I was wrong ..

[alanzfq]

No, only the RTL chip is able to be "hacked" for SDR. Someone found it was a hidden, unused feature.
Alan