[mythtv-users] getting blank recordings

Sat Jun 26 12:56:37 EDT 2004

I still can't get mythtv to do any recording.  It still just records a
blank screen with no sound.  I can watch TV, but then sometimes it will go
blank if I switch to something else (check the weather, watch a video,
etc..) and go back.  The TV comes back once I reboot.

This is my setup:
P3-800
PVR250
512 MB RAM
3 hard drives - 1 for main system + space for recordings, 1 for d/l'ed
movies, 1 for recordings (about 120 gigs)

I set up the machine using Jarod's guide.  I'm running the latest versions
of all packages via and apt-get dist-upgrade.  MythTV is running version
0.15.1.

I can get a capture working doing this: cat /dev/video0 >
/tmp/test_capture.mpg.  Like I said, TV works some of the time.  Not
always.  If I reboot it, the screen comes back up.

Having dug a little deeper - I get this error in /var/log/messsages:

Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost insmod:
/lib/modules/2.4.22-1.2188.nptl_48.rhfc1.at/kernel/drivers/media/video/bttv.o:
init_module: No such device
Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost insmod: Hint: insmod errors can be caused by
incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.      
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg
Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost insmod:
/lib/modules/2.4.22-1.2188.nptl_48.rhfc1.at/kernel/drivers/media/video/bttv.o:
insmod bttv failed
Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module rivatv
Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost kernel: lirc_i2c: chip found @ 0x18 (Hauppauge IR)
Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost kernel: lirc_dev:
lirc_register_plugin:sample_rate: 10
Jun 26 11:27:17 localhost kernel: blk: queue c0410f40, I/O limit 4095Mb
(mask 0xffffffff)

I'm not sure why it's trying to load the bttv module, when bttv isn't
mentioned in my modules.conf file.  Should that be there?

This is my modules.conf:

# default path
path[toplevel]=/lib/modules/`uname -r`
alias eth0 8139too
alias usb-controller usb-uhci

alias char-major-61 lirc_i2c

# nvidia kernel module
alias char-major-195 nvidia-1.0-4363

# ALSA portion
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-emu10k1
# OSS/Free compatability portion
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-slot-0 snd-emu10k1
# Sound card #1
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss

# ivtv modules setup
alias char-major-81 videodev
alias char-major-81-0 ivtv
options ivtv ivtv_debug=1 mpg_buffers=90
options tuner type=2 # NTSC tuner
options msp3400 once=1 simple=1
add below ivtv msp3400 saa7115 tuner
add above ivtv lirc_dev lirc_i2c

If I run the test_ioctl I get this output:

[root at localhost log]# /usr/bin/test_ioctl -a
ioctl: IVTV_IOC_G_CODEC
Codec parameters
aspect      : 2
audio       : 0x00e9
bframes     : 3
bitrate_mode: 0
bitrate     : 8000000
bitrate_peak: 16000000
dnr_mode    : 0
dnr_spatial : 0
dnr_temporal: 0
dnr_type    : 0
framerate   : 0
framespergop: 15
gop_closure : 0
pulldown    : 0
stream_type : 0
ioctl: VIDIOC_G_FMT
        Type   : Video Capture
        Width  : 720
        Height : 480
ioctl: VIDIOC_QUERYCAP
        Driver name   : ivtv
        Card type     : Vanilla iTVC15 card
        Bus info      : 0
        Driver version: 265
        Capabilities  : 0x01030001
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUMINPUT
        Name    : Composite 0
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : Composite 1
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : Composite 2
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : Composite 3
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : Tuner 0
        Type    : 0x00000001
        Audioset: 0x00000000
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : Composite 4
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : S-Video 0
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : S-Video 1
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : S-Video 2
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
        Name    : S-Video 3
        Type    : 0x00000002
        Audioset: 0x00000001
        Tuner   : 0x00000000
        Standard: 0x            3000 ( NTSC )
        Status  : 0
ioctl: VIDIOC_G_INPUT
Input = 4
ioctl: VIDIOC_G_FREQUENCY
Frequency = 0
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUMSTD
        ID          : 0x            3000
        Name        : NTSC
        Frame period: 1001/30000
        Frame lines : 525
        ID          : 0x              FF
        Name        : PAL
        Frame period: 1/25
        Frame lines : 625
        ID          : 0x          7F0000
        Name        : SECAM
        Frame period: 1/25
        Frame lines : 625
ioctl: VIDIOC_G_STD
Standard = 0x00003000
ioctl: VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL
Brightness = 128
Contrast = 64
Saturation = 64
Hue = 0
Volume = 59343
Mute = 0

Thanks again for any help you can give me!