[mythtv-users] MCE IR receiver hangs computer, bad hardware?

[Andrew C. Stadt]

  On 17/08/2010 1:46 PM, Kevin Ross wrote:
>  I've been plagued with random system freezes on one frontend over the 
> last few months.  The system would freeze sometimes in the middle of 
> the night while idle, or sometimes while watching a show.  Sometimes 
> it would go days without freezing, sometimes it would freeze several 
> times a day.
>
> When it would freeze, I couldn't switch to the text console to see any 
> kernel messages, and the logs were clean on reboot.  So I finally got 
> around to setting up netconsole (and also NMI watchdog to 
> automatically reboot when the system freezes) to try to capture 
> something.  And I caught a freeze, and it appears to be the MCE IR 
> receiver:
>
> Aug 17 00:40:02 bedroom [207645.931122] usb 3-1: USB disconnect, 
> address 7
> Aug 17 00:40:02 bedroom [207645.931407] lirc_mceusb2[7]: usb remote 
> disconnected
> Aug 17 00:40:07 bedroom [207649.108618] BUG: NMI Watchdog detected LOCKUP
>
> Backtracking through my logs, it appears the mceusb receiver 
> disconnects and reconnects at random times, like this:
>
> Aug 16 17:11:08 bedroom [180713.991304] usb 3-1: USB disconnect, 
> address 5
> Aug 16 17:11:08 bedroom [180713.991736] lirc_mceusb2[5]: usb remote 
> disconnected
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.400031] usb 3-1: new full speed USB 
> device using ohci_hcd and address 6
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.612386] usb 3-1: config 1 interface 0 
> altsetting 0 endpoint 0x1 has an invalid bInterval 0, changing to 32
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.612408] usb 3-1: config 1 interface 0 
> altsetting 0 endpoint 0x82 has an invalid bInterval 0, changing to 32
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.624388] usb 3-1: New USB device found, 
> idVendor=1784, idProduct=0008
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.624405] usb 3-1: New USB device 
> strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.624424] usb 3-1: Product: eHome 
> Infrared Transceiver
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.624431] usb 3-1: Manufacturer: Topseed 
> Technology Corp.
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.624445] usb 3-1: SerialNumber: TS000EUd
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.624680] usb 3-1: configuration #1 
> chosen from 1 choice
> Aug 16 17:11:09 bedroom [180715.792036] usb 3-1: reset full speed USB 
> device using ohci_hcd and address 6
> Aug 16 17:11:10 bedroom [180715.998364] lirc_dev: 
> lirc_register_plugin: sample_rate: 0
> Aug 16 17:11:10 bedroom [180716.004364] lirc_mceusb2[6]: Topseed 
> Technology Corp. eHome Infrared Transceiver on usb3:6
>
>
> Aug 16 18:01:43 bedroom [183749.221823] usb 3-1: USB disconnect, 
> address 6
> Aug 16 18:01:43 bedroom [183749.222509] lirc_mceusb2[6]: usb remote 
> disconnected
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183749.980033] usb 3-1: new full speed USB 
> device using ohci_hcd and address 7
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.192193] usb 3-1: config 1 interface 0 
> altsetting 0 endpoint 0x1 has an invalid bInterval 0, changing to 32
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.192223] usb 3-1: config 1 interface 0 
> altsetting 0 endpoint 0x82 has an invalid bInterval 0, changing to 32
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.204185] usb 3-1: New USB device found, 
> idVendor=1784, idProduct=0008
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.204203] usb 3-1: New USB device 
> strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.204223] usb 3-1: Product: eHome 
> Infrared Transceiver
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.204231] usb 3-1: Manufacturer: Topseed 
> Technology Corp.
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.204244] usb 3-1: SerialNumber: TS000EUd
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.204475] usb 3-1: configuration #1 
> chosen from 1 choice
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.384036] usb 3-1: reset full speed USB 
> device using ohci_hcd and address 7
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.590171] lirc_dev: 
> lirc_register_plugin: sample_rate: 0
> Aug 16 18:01:44 bedroom [183750.596164] lirc_mceusb2[7]: Topseed 
> Technology Corp. eHome Infrared Transceiver on usb3:7
>
>
> Anyone seen anything like this?  I don't think it's a bad USB 
> controller, because I was getting the same type of random freezes on 
> another computer (using the same MCE USB receiver, which I moved to 
> this computer).  So this leads me to believe the problem is either the 
> hardware, or the driver (no offense meant to the author).  Are these 
> random disconnects/reconnects normal?  Is that indicative of flaky 
> hardware (my guess is yes)?
>
> If the consensus is yes, my IR receiver is crap, what would be a good 
> reliable IR receiver to use with LIRC?
>
> Thanks!
> -- Kevin
>
I had a similar issue with another usb device, turned out to be a bad 
cable, but it could very well be the device.

As for a replacement, the MCE IR almost seems to be the current defacto 
"mythtv" IR, at least from what I've read on the this list. I'm using an 
MCE on my living room front end, and am using CommandIR (mini, ][ ) on 
another frontend and the dedicated backend.  FWIW, I have two minor 
issues with the CommandIR's: 1: on 64 bit machines I have to run it 
through an external powered usb hub, and 2: it doesn't have quite the 
reception of the MCE (narrower reception angle), though I must admit 
being able to control the status lights on CommandIR ][ is kind of cool, 
just wish the emitters plugged into the back of the unit instead of the 
front.

Cheers,
Andrew.