[mythtv-users] How i got Linux Mandrake 9.1 and LIRC CVS to work, a guide PART1

[Ken Thompson]

      This weekend I reached my breaking point, LIRC as going to work or
I was going to shelf Mandrake Linux.  After a full weekend, countless
hours, blood sweat and tears it WORKS.  When I say works, I mean it
transmits using lirc improved transmitter
(http://www.lirc.org/improved_transmitter.html)
& will most likely receive once I finish the receiver.   
 
Here are the events that took place to get the blasted LIRC working in
Mandrake Linux 9.1
 
What you need to do to your stock install.
Update autoconf & automake... latest is the best way to go, one is
dependent on the other, you will find out which you have to install
first.  Libtool is supposedly the right version, I found its NOT, you
will have to update that too.
 
Note: Make sure you are logged in as the superuser when installing, etc,
this guide assumes you are using the correct privileges.
 
Step 1. Remove old prereqs
$ urpme autoconf
$ urmpe automake
$ urpme libtool
 
Step 2.  Download new prereq versions
Download autoconf (http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/)
Download automake (http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/automake/)
Download libtool  (http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/libtool/libtool-1.5.tar.gz)
 
Step 3.  Install new prereq versions
Install autoconf. (if you need help doing this, go buy a tivo.)
Install automake
Install libtool
 
Step 4.  Install kernel source & setserial
Install the kernel source.
$ urpmi kernel-source
$ urpmi setserial   (make sure this is installed, for me it wasn't)
 
Step 5. (ESSENTIAL) Locate & TERMINATE lirc modules that exist
As the root type
$ updatedb
then
$ locate lirc
 
DELETE EVERY FILE that comes up on that list that exists in the kernel
source directories, ie.. /lib/modules/2.4..  get rid of ANYTHING that
has LIRC in it.  This also includes ANY reference in /dev, etc.  If you
fail to do this, LIRC may never work and you may develop an ulcer like
mine attempting to debug.  FREQUENTLY type:
$updatedb
after deleting a file to refresh the list of lirc components you must
remove.
 
Step 6.  Download & install latest CVS of LIRC
Download the latest cvs for LIRC
 
LIRC CVS is hosted at SourceForge. You can get a copy of the current CVS
tree using anonymous CVS login. First log in to the cvs server (press
<enter> for password): 
    cvs -d:pserver:anonymous at cvs.lirc.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/lirc
login
 
(you may get an error of some sort, keep trying till it asks for the
password, then drops you back to the terminal prompt)
                
Get the sources: 
    cvs -z8 -d:pserver:anonymous at cvs.lirc.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/lirc
co lirc
            
(keep trying the above line till it updates/downloads your files.  I
found that it seems to hang on the last file for me most of the time,
you can download the individual files from
(http://cvs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/lirc/lirc/)
 
After initial checkout, you can change into this directory and execute
cvs commands without the -d option. For example: 
    cvs update
            
Compile: 
    cd lirc
    ./autogen.sh
    ./setup.sh
    make                 
    make install (DO NOT RUN THIS LINE TILL YOU'VE COMPLETED STEP 4.)
 
Note: If you made your own transmitter, like myself, you will need to
select "Transmitter Diode" in the homebrew selection area.  I recommend
you build or buy a homebrew device- save yourself the pain.
 
IMPORTANT: I received an error during the make/make install process
which caused the process to stop.  I looked at the error generated, some
strange .h file that the kernel source uses.  Locate the .h file, if you
get the same error, and REMOVE the line that refers to the lirc device.

 
Step 7.  Install remotes package & configure lircd.conf
The CVS includes a directory called remotes, this may not be needed (if
you find your remote in there). Mine wasn't there so I  used the extra
package they provided because the directory did not have ALL of the
remotes. (ie the one I needed to interface with my Scientific Atlanta
3100 explorer)
 
You can get the remotes package here
http://www.lirc.org/remotes.tar.bz2
Download & extract it.
 
Copy the remote that is yours, ie Explorer 2000 into the etc directory
like such...
$ cp Explorer_2000 /etc/lircd.conf
 
If your remote isn't in the package you will have to make (or find) the
lircd.conf file.  Mythtv has a nice section regarding this process
located in their documentation.
http://www.mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-8.html#ss8.5
 
NOTE: If you happen to have a scientific Atlanta 3100 (or the like) you
will need to add:
frequency 5600
Around the gap variable in the lircd.conf.  Someone posted 57600 WHICH
IS WRONG!!!!
 
 
Step 8. Configuring LIRCD
There are two main files you will need to edit in order for LIRC to work
properly off the serial port.  The first is the modules.conf located in
/etc/
You must add (depending on which serial port & the settings)
information.  This guide assumes your serial port is already configured
and you know what those settings are.  For me, I chose com1, 3f8 irq 4.
This is pretty standard.
 
My examples snippet from modules.conf:
<TOP OF THE MODULES.CONF FILE)
alias char-major-61 lirc_serial
options lirc_serial irq=4 io=0x3f8
 
This is from memory, I may submit a correction later this evening.
 
The second file is the /etc/rc.d/rc.local I used the mythtv guide to
autoboot LIRCD:
 
# cd /etc/rc.d
# cat >> rc.local
echo "Starting lircd"
setserial ttyS0 uart none //ESSENTIAL!!!! Make sure ttySX is your
comport
modprobe lirc_serial
/usr/local/sbin/lircd
^D                // that's a CTRL+D
# exit
$
Read part 2, which should be attached to this posting.  Mythtv has a
40kb limit to emails so I'm chopping this up.
 
 
 
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