Has any one used a DVB-S dongle? Do you hjave recommendations for a decent one? My thinking is that DVB-S dongle would be useful anywhere, where as DVB-T dongle will work only in the countries that have DVB-T.
I am looking for advice and recommendation on either or both of them.

Let me turn the question around - what are you looking to accomplish? I understand you want to watch some TV - but where will you be using it?

You are confusing me, because DVB-S is a clear to air satellite system used in Europe, and I assume you don't plan to travel with your own dish? DVB-T is the European digital terrestrial system. The US went with the ATSC format, which is completely incompatible with DVB-T.

Sorry to confuse you. As mush as you know, most probably more than anyone here on FT, I didn't think anyone could confuse you. But there is first time for every thing.

Let me clarify.
What I know:

• DVB-T is a digital video broadcast standard used in many countries, not just European countries, but also in Asia except countries like Japan, who were using NTSC as an analogue standard.
• The U.S. chose ATSC for their standard for digital broadcasts.
• DVB-S is for digital video broadcasts from statellite.

What I did not know.
The size of an antenna required for DVB-S reception. I assumed, wrongly so, that an antenna required to receive DVB-S signal would be small enough, i.e. the size of the built in antenna on satellite phones. I remember seeing something about DVB-S, but it did not address the issue of the antenna.
What I want to do:
I want to use DVB-T to view receive TV broadcast on my laptop when I am travelling to Europe or to those countries that have DVB-T as their standard. I am not talking about receiving subscription channels.
I want to use DVB-S at home.

I was looking for recommendation for either or both of DVB-T and DVB-S.
I hope I have been able to clarify. not knowing what DVB-T and DVB-S is not the problem here.

You are still confusing be because you seem to assume that DVB-S can be received using an antenna - but since it is satellite, you'll need a fairly decent size dish. Most certainly not the size of an antenna on a satellite phone. Think 18" or more with an appropriate LNB and a length of coax, plus of course a mounting solution.

For DVB-T, all you need is a compatible USB receiver, like the Elgato Hybrid. It'll do free to air terrestrial and cable, as well as FM and even analog TV:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/int/mai...oduct1.en.html

I have the US version (which does ATSC and QAM).

DVB-S requires the appropriate tuner and a satellite dish - and I don't recall ever seeing an all in one DVB-C/S/T receiver for the PC.

Here is a DVB-S receiver from a brand I used to use in Europe for receiving stuff off Astra.

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/prod...novasusb2.html

You confused me not because I don't know the subject, but because you made it sound like you just wanted to plug a dongle into your laptop and pick up satellite signals, but didn't sound aware of the requirement for a large dish.

Ok. I understand the source of confusion. I think of dish as an antenna too.
Thanks. I will look into that. As long as it does over the air broadcasts, I am OK.

Thanks. I have seen one from hauppage before.

Sorry, I didn't, in anyway, mean that you didn't know the subject. If anything, as I have already stated, you know more than anyone else here, including me. It seems the main source of your confusion was thinking that I wanted to use DVB-S dongle without any antenna(dish). I can see that my OP was poorly worded.

Unless your home is in Europe, DVB-S gear won't do much good, even with a huge dish, as satellites broadcasting DVB-S compatible signals are in geostationary orbit over Europe, and invisible from say the US.

Generally, most of western Europe uses a 60cm dish, moving up to 85+ in peripheral areas such as Greece, and smaller if just watching freesat in the UK.
There are smaller camping dishes, but their performance can be marginal, as found out by British RV'ers in Spain...

As for a DVB-T dongle, I do have one, but find its usefulness limited, unless the aim is to directly record mpeg2 (DVB-T) or mpeg4/H.264 (DVB-T HD, just starting now in several European countries) streams onto a laptop. This because most European hotels will have digital TV (analog broadcasts are being phased out Europe-wide), and the DVB-T standard is not designed for watching TV while in motion (antenna orientation matters), leaving few areas (coffee shop? office? camping? unfurnished rental?) where watching TV on a laptop would be the first choice.

You are mistaken. DVB-S is used not just in Europe but in most of Asia, except China, Japan, Koreas, etc, Africa, and even the U.S. DVB-S is the standard for satellite broadcast in the U.S. DVB-S broadcasts are available on every continent. Those broadcasts are for paid subscription and I have no interest in the programming delivered by U.S. satellite services subscription. There are other broadcasts that I would be of interest to me.

No I do not plan to watch TV on my laptop when I am driving or travelling by train. There is the DVB-M standard for that need.