[mythtv-users] PVR-350 audio quits while recording (Fedora)

[Greg Fruth]

Andy,

Thanks for the help! I get the same bad results when I do the "aplay" test you suggested.

The mainboard is only 6 months old so there's very little dust in it. I haven't been very happy with
the reliability of this mainboard but it's easier to swap out the tuner card than the mainboard, so
so I'm going to pursue that option.  Plus, I kind of wanted to get a new HD-capable tuner card
anyway.

Thanks to all the posters for their suggestions!




>________________________________
>From: Andy Walls <awalls at md.metrocast.net>
>To: Jarod Wilson <jarod at wilsonet.com>
>Cc: Greg Fruth <gf20613 at yahoo.com>; Discussion about MythTV <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>; Gary Buhrmaster <gary.buhrmaster at gmail.com>; ivtv-users at ivtvdriver.org
>Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 5:03 AM
>Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] PVR-350 audio quits while recording (Fedora)
>
>On Thu, 2011-05-12 at 14:16 -0400, Jarod Wilson wrote:
>> On May 12, 2011, at 12:49 AM, Greg Fruth wrote:
>> 
>> > Thanks, Gary, the suggestion to use dd=/dev/video0 is brilliant! I had forgotten about low-level
>> > troubleshooting, since the card had been working properly for 5+ years.
>> > 
>> > You're absolutely right, the audio has the same problem when using dd=/dev/video0, so it's not a
>> > MythTV problem. The dmesg errors look like:
>> > 
>> > [ 1911.814182] ivtv0: Audio has died (Encoder OK) : ivtv_serialized_open
>> > [ 1911.919083] ivtv0: Decoder has died : ivtv_serialized_open
>> > [ 1911.919090] ivtv0: Detected in ivtv_serialized_open that firmware had failed - Reloading
>> > [ 1912.686864] ivtv0: Loaded v4l-cx2341x-enc.fw firmware (376836 bytes)
>> > [ 1912.711139] ivtv0: Loaded v4l-cx2341x-dec.fw firmware (262144 bytes)
>> > [ 1913.001059] ivtv0: Loaded v4l-cx2341x-init.mpg firmware (155648 bytes)
>> > [ 1913.111809] ivtv0: Firmware restart okay
>> > 
>> > These messages appear to be associated with the time I restart dd=/dev/video, not with the time that
>> > the audio dies. There's doesn't appear to be a message printed when the audio dies. Googling these
>> > errors 
>> 
>> I'd ask the ivtv driver maintainer, he may know for sure whether
>> or not this is an indication the card is toast. Andy? :)
>
>The CX23415 chip does have multiple processing units internal to it, one
>of which is for processing and compressing audio.  It is entirely
>possible that this unit in the chip is failing while the other are still
>OK.
>
>    $ cat /dev/video0 > /dev/null &
>    $ aplay -f dat < /dev/video24
>
>Will let you hear the uncompressed PCM audio that the CX23415 is
>receiving from the audio digitizer chip.  (Assuming the card is still
>set for 48 ksps.)
>
>> (Something this low-level is really no longer mythtv-related, it
>> v4l/dvb driver-related, and better discussed on the linux-media mailing
>> list, but hey).
>
>For ivtv and cx18 card specific issues, you'll find a focused group of
>users on the ivtv-users list:
>
>    http://ivtvdriver.org/mailman/listinfo/ivtv-users
>
>[Crud, I just noticed the main ivtvdriver.org wiki site is down. :( ]
>
>After reading this thread:
>
>http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/479775?page=last
>
>I'll speculate you have one of these problems:
>
>1. Dust in the PCI slots
>2. A failing PCI card in the system (PVR-350 or some other card)
>3. A failing motherboard PCI chipset
>4. A bad disk image (firmware images, or kernel)
>
>The standard PCI bus is a _shared_ I/O bus, which uses reflected wave
>switching for signal levels.  A problem with one card/slot can cause a
>problem for all other cards/slots.
>
>Corrective actions you can take:
>
>1. Remove all PCI cards, blow the dust out of *all* the slots, reinstall
>all the cards, and retest.
>
>2. Remove all the PCI cards other than the PVR-350, including any plug
>in video graphics adapters, network adapters, etc.  Bring the system up
>to single user mode (so no X windows) and perform some test captures to
>a few files:
>
>    $ ivtv-tune -t us-cable -c 5  (channel 5 is just an example)
>    $ cat /dev/video0 > foo1.mpg
>    ^C
>    $ cat /dev/video0 > foo2.mpg
>    ^C
>    $ aplay -f dat < /dev/video24
>    ^C
>
>If you can check the files by moving them to another machine via USB
>drive, do so.
>
>If the files are fine.  Add back one other PCI card and test again.
>Repeat.
>
>
>3. Test the card in other system or motherboards.
>
>
>4. Now that you've wasted 10 hours, and assuming you gross a piddling
>$10/hour for time that you work, and assuming your leisure time is much
>more valuable, you can give up after realizing that a new HVR-1600 can
>be purchased for about $100. ;)
>
>Fedora Core 4?  That means your card is about 8 years old.  A dyning
>PVR-350 is likely.  Probably time for a new card.
>
>
>Regards,
>Andy
>
>
>
>
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