[mythtv-users] Failure loading firmware on reboot - Please help

[Praveen Shenoy]

On Mar 23, 2006, at 10:34 PM, Justin The Cynical wrote:

> Praveen Shenoy wrote:
>> Followed Jarod's guide and everything went well untill I rebooted the
>> system after the completing all the steps and the setup. Had audio/
>> video on TV and X working thru the PVR-350's out. Once I rebooted the
>> system, I saw a bunch of messages on screen before the routine
>> startup messages showup which indicated failure to load the firmware
>> etc. Here is the log section. Also, how do I capture the initial
>> messages that show up on the screen that are not in /var/log/
>> messages. The few lines that I saw on the screen that also showed  
>> up /
>> var/log/messages were:
>
>> Mar 22 11:58:32 localhost kernel: ivtv0: unable to open firmware v4l-
>> cx2341x-enc.fw
>> Mar 22 11:58:32 localhost kernel: ivtv0: did you put the firmware in
>> the hotplug firmware directory?
>> Mar 22 11:58:32 localhost kernel: ivtv0 warning: failed loading
>> encoder firmware
>> Mar 22 11:58:32 localhost kernel: ivtv0 warning: Error loading
>> firmware -3!
>> Mar 22 11:58:32 localhost kernel: ivtv0: Error -3 initializing  
>> firmware.
>> Mar 22 11:58:32 localhost kernel: ivtv0: Error -12 on initialization
>
> You are missing your firmware for the card.  The version of IVTV you
> have installed will look in /lib/firmware/ by default.
>
> If you used Jarod's guide, you are probably using FC4.  I *think* the
> firmware files used to be installed in /lib/modules.
>
> If you can't find the file, try this as root:
> updatedb
> locate v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw
>
> If I run that locate command on my FC4 system, it returns
> /lib/firmware/v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw, which is the correct place for the
> IVTV version installed on my machine.
>
> If you find it, move/copy it to the /lib/firmware directory,  
> reboot, and
> then check the output of dmesg (which answers your other question as
> well.  dmesg | less will show the boot output and place it in a nice
> shiny easy to move around and search format).
>

I just verified that I am using 0.4.3 of ivtv and all the firmware files
are in /lib/firmware. Of course they are linked to the files in the  
lib/modules and I a;so read the
firmware howto on the ivtv-wiki and all the files have their new  
names too. And the problem seems to be only with
initrd as if I I put the original initrd back, everything seems to be  
working fine with X display showing up on the
TV thru the TV-OUT of PVR-350. So, the issues is only about getting  
the boot messages to show up on the TV so that
I can almost totally get rid of the monitor unless I really run into  
issues for which I need a monitor.

I also, tried creating a initrd with lib/firmware with all the  
firmware with its news names. That did not work either.

> And honestly, referring to your follow-up email:
>
> "I don't know much about linux and I am thinking of giving up at this
> point and just go with a commercial solution:-("
>
> Not to sound like I'm trying to be a arse or anything, but if you feel
> that way, you might want to go that route.
>
> Linux is a UNIX work-a-like, which means, like other *NIX variants,  
> it's
> user-friendly, but it's /very/ picky about who it makes friends  
> with.  ;-)
>
> The MythTV project is that, a project.  It's not a finished 'product',
> nor is it plug and play.  It is not ready for everyone yet.  There are
> some sharp edges and daemons running around in here.  :-)
>
> Just my 2p/2c, YMMV, take it with a grain of salt, everyone has their
> opinions, etc. etc. etc....
>
> (Personally, I love to tinker and play with the sharp shinys!)

No problem. Point taken. We all have our moments. If I did not enjoy
tinkering, I would have gone with the DVR from comcast and would not  
have spent 12-15 hours
installing and re-installing Myth and this is not the first time I  
have done this. I have a 0.17 version of myth running
which I did not bother upgrading for about more than a year for the  
fear of getting beaten up by my wife:-)
As we moved to a different place and could not put my cable modem/ 
router next to my myth box,
I wanted to get the wireless network working and I could not get the  
card I had to work with the version
I  had and hence decided to upgrade to FC4 and the latest myth. Its  
just that, I don't have the luxury of time
anymore with a baby that lets me only few hours of sleep at a stretch!.

Praveen
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