[linux-dvb] Problems with DVB-S TT rev 1.5

[Ralph Scharpf]

Hi everybody,

I first posted this message in german. Sorry for that. Was a mistake.

I have a discussion of the problems explained below since some weeks inside 
vdr-portal. There also a lot other people with the same problems and nobody 
could give us hints so far. So I decided to try to contact the doers of dvb 
modules and firmware. If you are interested you may find the discussion at 

http://www.vdrportal.de/board/thread.php?threadid=35877&sid=&threadview=0&hilight=&hilightuser=0&page=1

I am using kernel 2.6.11 and firmware revision f. The drivers are those 
shipped with kernel. I am using a Technotrend DVB-S 
premium card, revision 1.5 with mit VGA-output (christmas offer from 2004 at 
dvbshop.net). The mainboard is an Elitegroup KT-600A. The software I am using 
- as most others - is vdr. The version of vdr I am using is 1.3.24. I also 
tried 1.2.6 and 1.3.17.

Here are my problems:

1. Sometimes there is only a black screen delivered from vdr. Often I am able 
to use vdr as usual (start recording, start playback, OSD etc.) but there is 
no picture of current TV program at all. Sometimes vdr even doesn't react to 
anything.

2. The are some situations where a still picture is shown with a small bar on 
upper border that changes.
 
Sometimes I could get rid of the problems by restarting vdr. Somtimes I have 
to reload the module dvb-ttpci. Sometimes the still picture effect solves 
itself. In neither case the vdr watchdog is released.
 
When I run the femon plugin in such a situation I see that S/N and SNR are 
well and the status signals (Lock etc.) too. When unmounting the satellite 
cable all signals go down to 0 and the status displays become red. After 
reconnecting everything is ok again and I get immediatly a picture.
 
So I think it is no issue of satellite system itself.

The CPU temperatue in my system is around 45°C. So the air inside case should 
be around 30°C which is acceptable.

When having a look inside my syslog I find the following entries from 
dvb-ttpci :

------- schnipp -------------

Jul 20 16:42:29 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:29 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_send_fw_cmd(): 
av7110_send_fw_cmderror -110
Jul 20 16:42:29 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -110
Jul 20 16:42:30 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:30 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_send_fw_cmd(): 
av7110_send_fw_cmderror -110
Jul 20 16:42:30 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -110
Jul 20 16:42:31 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:31 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_send_fw_cmd(): 
av7110_send_fw_cmderror -110
Jul 20 16:42:31 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -110
Jul 20 16:42:32 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:32 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_request error -110
Jul 20 16:42:32 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0006  ret ffffff92  resp aa60 c7bb  pid 16
Jul 20 16:42:33 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:33 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_request error -110
Jul 20 16:42:33 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0005  ret ffffff92  resp 0344 0000  pid 17
Jul 20 16:42:34 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:34 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_send_fw_cmd(): 
av7110_send_fw_cmderror -110
Jul 20 16:42:34 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -110
Jul 20 16:42:35 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:35 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_request error -110
Jul 20 16:42:35 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0004  ret ffffff92  resp 0344 0000  pid 0
Jul 20 16:42:36 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:36 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_send_fw_cmd(): 
av7110_send_fw_cmderror -110
Jul 20 16:42:36 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -110
Jul 20 16:42:37 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:37 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_request error -110
Jul 20 16:42:37 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0003  ret ffffff92  resp 0344 0000  pid 20
Jul 20 16:42:38 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:38 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_send_fw_cmd(): 
av7110_send_fw_cmderror -110
Jul 20 16:42:38 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -110
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: __av7110_send_fw_cmd(): timeout 
waiting for COMMAND idle
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: ARM crashed @ card 0
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: warning: timeout waiting in 
LoadBitmap: 0, 1
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_cmd error -1
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud last message repeated 4 times
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: av7110_fw_request error -110
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0000  ret ffffff92  resp 0344 0000  pid 18
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0001  ret ffffffff  resp 0344 0000  pid 18
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StopHWFilter error  cmd 0b08 0001 
0002  ret ffffffff  resp 0344 0000  pid 18
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: StartHWFilter error  buf 0b07 0010 
0012 b96a  ret ffffffff  handle c5f3
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: gpioirq unknown type=0 len=0
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: StopHWFilter tried to stop invalid filter ffff, 
filter type = 1
Jul 20 16:42:39 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: Crystal audio DAC @ card 0 detected
Jul 20 16:42:40 freud kernel: dvb-ttpci: warning: timeout waiting in 
LoadBitmap: 0, 1

-------- schnipp -------------

I would like to find out whether these problems are known or if I have a bad 
piece of hardware. I also would be willing to offer my hardware for a certain 
time when it would help t osolve the problems. Perhaps all developers have 
different cards.

Thanks

Ralph