[linux-dvb] Multi-frontend patch merge (TESTERS FEEDBACK) was: Re: [PATCH] S2API: add multifrontend

[Steven Toth]

Darron Broad wrote:
> In message <48F36B32.5060006 at linuxtv.org>, Steven Toth wrote:
> 
> hi.
> 
> <snip>
>>> Hi guys,
>>>
>>> thank you Steve and Darron for your work on the repositories today!
>>>
>>> I have pulled the latest s2-mfe and retested with the HVR4000 on DVB-T, 
>>> DVB-S, DVB-S2 and analogue TV. 
>>>
>>> No problems so far.
>> I'm mutating the subject thread, and cc'ing the public mailing list into 
>> this conversion. Now is the time to announce the intension to merge 
>> multi-frontend patches, and show that we have tested and are satisfied 
>> with it's reliability across many trees.
>>
>> (For those of you not familiar with the patch set, it adds 
>> 'multiple-frontends to a single transport bus' support for the HVR3000 
>> and HVR4000, and potentially another 7134 based design (the 6 way medion 
>> board?).
>>
>> For my part, I was asked to test the cx23885 changes and I responded to 
>> that with a series of patches to fix some OOPS initialisation errors. 
>> The MFE patches work correctly with the cx23885 tree now.
>>
>> Over time I've heard constant suggestions that the patches are ready for 
>> merge, the cx88 and saa7134 trees are working correctly. Now is the time 
>> that I need you all to announce this. I need you each in turn to 
>> describe you testing, and state whether you think the patches are ready 
>> for merge.
>>
>> Hans Werner <HWerner4 at gmx.de>
>> darron at kewl.org
> 
> The test machine I have here utilises an HVR-4000 and AVERMEDIA
> SUPER 007.
> 
> Multi-frontend works with both adapters with the HVR-4000 containing
> analogue, DVB-S and DVB-T frontends, the AVERMEDIA solely DVB-T.
> 
> At this time with some further FM updates (see: http://hg.kewl.org/s2-mfe-fm/)
> I can now reliably and consitently receive DVB-S/S2, DVB-T, analogue TV
> and FM radio on the HVR-4000. DVB-T works on the AVERMEDIA as per
> normal.
> 
> Applications which have been under test by include the command
> line dvb-utils, dvbtraffic, dvbsnoop, GUI apps kaffeine and
> mythtv. No obvious side effects have been witnessed of using
> MFE and the applications themselves do not see any difference
> except that they are unable to simultaneously open multiple
> frontends due to the hardware limitation of such cards.
> 
> A couple of problems exist which may be present in all hybrid cards
> is that you are able to concurrently open analogue and DVB-T where
> these share the same tuner section. Another issue with shared
> tuners is where both analogue and digital sections share a sleep
> method which in some circumstances is incompatible.

Some common hybrid issues we've seen across many cards, regardless of MFE.

> 
> At this time I am happy with the performance of this MFE card
> (HVR-4000) and to be honest, I am looking at attending to other
> activities. Bugs where present ought to be picked up by others,
> I have done all that has been reasonable to test and determine
> that MFE works.

Thanks Darron.

- Steve