[mythtv-users] HD-PVR as IR receiver under Mythbuntu, advice needed

[Johnny Walker]

On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 11:14 PM, Jerry Rubinow <jerrymr at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 5:16 PM, Johnny Walker <johnnyjboss at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 4:13 PM, Jarod Wilson <jarod at wilsonet.com> wrote:
>> > On Nov 24, 2009, at 4:58 PM, Jerry Rubinow wrote:
>> >
>> >> > There are reports of the unit essentially locking itself up during
>> >> > recording if the ir part is being polled by the lirc_zilog driver, yes. Not
>> >> > sure if that's an issue with the hdpvr driver or the lirc_zilog driver at
>> >> > this point. I don't actually use my hdpvr for much of anything at the
>> >> > moment, and haven't had time to dig into it.
>> >> >
>> >> > Hmmm.  Does use of the HD-PVR receiver necessitate use of lirc_zilog?
>> >>
>> >> Yes.
>> >>
>> >> > Is lirc_zilog always polling the IR?
>> >>
>> >> If loaded and bound to the hdpvr, yes.
>> >>
>> >> > Is there any way to prevent polling,
>> >>
>> >> Don't load lirc_zilog, or rewrite lirc_zilog to be interrupt-driven.
>> >> (Not even sure if that's possible... It'd definitely be preferred if it was
>> >> though).
>> >>
>> >> > and what implications does that have?
>> >>
>> >> Non-functional IR receiver. If you're not polling it, you're not going
>> >> to see any incoming IR signals.
>> >>
>> >> Sounds like it's unknown whether this lockup affects all HD-PVR+lirc
>> >> users or what the frequency is, or when you'll have time to look into it.
>> >
>> > Correct.
>> >
>> >> Fair enough.  It's not the answer I was hoping for, but better than no
>> >> answer.  I still think I'll go ahead and get the Revo, and if I experience
>> >> the same thing and it isn't too hard, I'll try to help debug it.
>> >
>> > Any and all help doing so would be much appreciated. However, at the
>> > moment, I'm not quite sure where to start, other than running both the hdpvr
>> > driver and lirc_zilog driver with full-blown module debugging options
>> > enabled.
>> >
>> >> When you say "non-functional IR receiver", do you mean the driver isn't
>> >> functioning or the hardware/firmware?  Or unknown?
>> >
>> > The driver has to poll the IR chip to see if a new signal has arrived.
>> > If it doesn't poll the IR chip, you'll never know that a button was pressed,
>> > rendering the receiver non-functional.
>>
>> I have the HD-PVR and I don't use the lirc_zilog - opting instead to
>> control my STB with Firewire.
>>
>> The lirc_zilog is only needed if you want to use the IR receiver
>> portion of the HD-PVR.
>>
>> Since my HD-PVR is on a dedicated backend unit I don't need IR to work
>> on that box.
>
> But my question was about the receiver, not the blaster.  Like you, I've
> been using firewire for STB control for years.   Hey wait a second, the Revo
> doesn't have firewire!   ....now see there's the problem with planning
> hardware upgrades in your head.  I just realized that the Revo will not be
> in the same room as the STB, so it doesn't matter that it doesn't have
> firewire.  The STB will be near the HD-PVR, which will be attached to the
> backend in the basement.  What was I thinking?  I have no use for the Revo's
> IR receiver, and can use the backend's firewire to change the STB channel,
> so no use for blaster either.
> I guess I won't have the problem I thought I would.
> Thanks, Johnny.

Sounds great - let me know how your Revo works out and which model you
get. I'm wanting one but I'm waiting until Amazon has them again.
(Amazon themselves, not a reseller through Amazon)

-JohnnyJboss


> -Jerry
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