diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.c b/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.c
index fb3011518427..85fba581c5ab 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.c
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.c
@@ -614,6 +614,21 @@ static int s5h1409_init(struct dvb_frontend *fe)
 	/* The datasheet says that after initialisation, VSB is default */
 	state->current_modulation = VSB_8;
 
+	/* Optimize for the HVR-1600 if appropriate.  Note that some of these
+	   may get folded into the generic case after testing with other
+	   devices */
+	if (state->config->hvr1600_opt == S5H1409_HVR1600_OPTIMIZE) {
+		/* VSB AGC REF */
+		s5h1409_writereg(state, 0x09, 0x0050);
+
+		/* Unknown but Windows driver does it... */
+		s5h1409_writereg(state, 0x21, 0x0001);
+		s5h1409_writereg(state, 0x50, 0x030e);
+
+		/* QAM AGC REF */
+		s5h1409_writereg(state, 0x82, 0x0800);
+	}
+
 	if (state->config->output_mode == S5H1409_SERIAL_OUTPUT)
 		s5h1409_writereg(state, 0xab,
 			s5h1409_readreg(state, 0xab) | 0x100); /* Serial */
diff --git a/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.h b/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.h
index 070d9743e330..91f2ebd1a534 100644
--- a/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.h
+++ b/drivers/media/dvb/frontends/s5h1409.h
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ struct s5h1409_config {
 #define S5H1409_MPEGTIMING_NONCONTINOUS_INVERTING_CLOCK    2
 #define S5H1409_MPEGTIMING_NONCONTINOUS_NONINVERTING_CLOCK 3
 	u16 mpeg_timing;
+
+	/* HVR-1600 optimizations (to better work with MXL5005s)
+	   Note: some of these are likely to be folded into the generic driver
+	   after being regression tested with other boards */
+#define S5H1409_HVR1600_NOOPTIMIZE 0
+#define S5H1409_HVR1600_OPTIMIZE   1
+	u8 hvr1600_opt;
 };
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_DVB_S5H1409) || (defined(CONFIG_DVB_S5H1409_MODULE) \
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/cx18/cx18-dvb.c b/drivers/media/video/cx18/cx18-dvb.c
index 51a0c33b25b7..f402e798e323 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/cx18/cx18-dvb.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/cx18/cx18-dvb.c
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ static struct s5h1409_config hauppauge_hvr1600_config = {
 	.qam_if        = 44000,
 	.inversion     = S5H1409_INVERSION_OFF,
 	.status_mode   = S5H1409_DEMODLOCKING,
-	.mpeg_timing   = S5H1409_MPEGTIMING_CONTINOUS_NONINVERTING_CLOCK
+	.mpeg_timing   = S5H1409_MPEGTIMING_CONTINOUS_NONINVERTING_CLOCK,
+	.hvr1600_opt   = S5H1409_HVR1600_OPTIMIZE
 };
 
 /*