[mythtv-users] ivtv driver update

[zoiks2004-ivtv at yahoo.com]

This is my routine:

ivtv installation:

1) Get the latest drivers (ivtv.tv/releases) and
unpack the tarball.

2) Descend into the "driver" directory.  In this
directory, type

> make
> sudo make install

(I generally do these as a reg. user).  FWIW I also
follow this with

> sudo /sbin/depmod

3) Leave "driver" and go into "utils" directory.  From
here, 

> make
> sudo make install

4) From the same utils directory, also type the
command

> sudo install -c -m 0444 ivtvdev_drv_o
/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/ivtvdev_drv.o

(Of course the above assumes you would have already
had XF86Config setup properly to do X framebuffer
through the PVR350, etc.  You should have a device
section in XF86Config that vaguely looks like

Section "Device"
        Identifier "Hauppauge WinTV PVR 350, model
990"
        Driver "ivtvdev"
        Option "fbdev" "/dev/fb1"
        Option "ivtv" "/dev/fb1"
        Option "VideoOverlay" "on"
        Option "XVideo" "1"
        BusID "[your device]"
EndSection

It also assumes you have your modules.conf and whatnot
setup previously as well.)  If you have a 64-bit
system, you have to get a different ivtvdev_drv_o or
compile one yourself.


Another step that is needed: Due to some weirdness, in
your startup scripts, you have to initialize the yuv
decoder by sending a short mpeg video file to
/dev/video16.  You can record such a file once with

> dd if=/dev/video0 of=startup.mpg bs=64k count=50

then, during initialization scripts, run

> dd if=startup.mpg of=/dev/video16 bs=64k count=50

after you've loaded the ivtv modules.

Also, if you are having a problem with X burning all
your spare CPU time when idle (~97% when the machine
is otherwise not doing anything) I cured it by
starting and killing a dummy X session before starting
my main X session.  This is not YUV related, but just
a thought.  Perhaps I could save a few kilowatt-hours
out there by mentioning it. ;)  I do this with a
startup command like

su - --command="/usr/X11R6/bin/xinit /usr/bin/xterm -e
\"sleep 2; echo Welcome. ; sleep 0.5; exit\" --
/usr/X11R6/bin/Xorg :1 -layout \"Hauppauge Layout\""
mythtv

in my scripts.  The "su" stuff is so that I run the
command as the mythtv user instead of root.


Now, just go to Myth's setup for TV Playback and turn
off the setting for "use the PVR 350's decoder". 
Watch it spin!  Audio will now come out of your sound
card.  (If you do this with the 0.3.7b+ driver, your
xv/yuv output shouldn't have tearing.)  You can play
recorded TV, DVDs, transcoded recordings, even .wmvs,
.avis, .mpegs, etc.  Also, it's more responsive
seeking- and skipping-wise than using the HW decoder.

The only thing I don't like about the 0.3.7b version
of this with yuv/xv is that there is a very subtle
video sync problem, which leads to a slight
"jerkiness" in the video.  It's not always so obvious,
but if something big moves across the screen slowly
you'll see it.  This doesn't happen with the HW
decoder.

If you panic/don't like the new driver/it won't
work/help how do I revert back to my previous drivers?
you can simply turn the PVR decoder back on in myth. 
If the driver is still no good, you should simply be
able to follow steps 1-4 only using the tarball of the
version you want to revert to.  I have reverted a few
times and it is all good.

I don't use FC or Jarod's Guide so I don't know how
this relates.  I also don't know how this affects
XMame.  Of course YMMV!  I do not warrant the above
information at all, so if it hoses your system don't
sue me!


--- Marty Ravell <mythtv at rave-tech.com.au> wrote:

> > On Wed, 2005-08-10 at 15:02 +1000, Marty Ravell
> wrote:
> > > So, in my usual foolish way of not letting good
> enough alone I am
> > > considering going down the route of upgrading my
> ivtv drivers (0.3.7b
> > > possibly). Mainly this is so I can try to get
> XMame up and running on
> > > my FC3, 350 rig. My current setup is straight
> from Jarod?s guide. So
> > > my question to the list is this. Is there a good
> how-to on the
> > > procedure for taking a stock ?Jarod?s Guide?
> machine to new ivtv
> > > drivers?
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > I?m looking at the ivtv site and although there
> are some instructions
> > > on compiling up drivers from source I was
> wondering if there is
> > > perhaps a simpler way?
> >
> > I did this a few days ago. It's really quite
> straight forward. configure
> > && make && make install. Nothing to it. I was
> impressed. New drivers
> > work great. They lock up about every 10th viewing
> or so, but I can watch
> > DVDs via XV, so I'm happy.
> >
> 
> So, did you follow a particular site for this or
> just go via the
> instructions in the ivtv FAQ?
> 
> I'd like to understand the process fairly well so I
> can back-out if I manage
> to screw things up.
> 
> Already I see that some of the paths mentioned in
> the FAQ are different to
> what is on my box. Any hints?
> 
> 
> -- 
> Jesse Guardiani
> Programmer/Sys Admin
> jesse at wingnet.net
> 
> 
> 
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