[mythtv-users] Backend Startup

[John]

On 28/11/2018 11:35, John wrote:
> I am experiencing flaky tuner startup at power on - reliable after 
> restart.
>
> I notice that my two dual tuners USB & PCI are loading firmware after 
> the backend starts. I tried putting a delay in mythbackend.service but 
> this does not work. The tuners only start loading firmware after 
> sytemd declares Startup finished.
>
> 11:16:13 tv systemd[1]: Started MythTV Backend.
> Nov 28 11:16:13 tv systemd[1]: Startup finished in 6.524s (firmware) + 
> 4.968s (loader) + 1.556s (kernel) + 37.074s (userspace) = 50.123s.
> Nov 28 11:16:14 tv kernel: [   39.174505] m88ds3103 1-0069: 
> downloading firmware from file 'dvb-demod-m88rs6000.fw'
> Nov 28 11:16:17 tv kernel: [   42.065433] m88ds3103 1-0069: firmware 
> version: 4.1
> Nov 28 11:16:19 tv kernel: [   44.132909] m88ds3103 2-0069: 
> downloading firmware from file 'dvb-demod-m88rs6000.fw'
> Nov 28 11:16:22 tv kernel: [   47.018474] m88ds3103 2-0069: firmware 
> version: 4.1
> Nov 28 11:16:23 tv kernel: [   48.906105] si2168 8-0064: downloading 
> firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw'
> Nov 28 11:16:24 tv kernel: [   49.113970] si2168 8-0064: firmware 
> version: B 4.0.11
> Nov 28 11:16:24 tv kernel: [   49.166094] si2157 11-0060: firmware 
> version: 3.0.5
> Nov 28 11:16:25 tv kernel: [   50.192247] si2168 10-0067: downloading 
> firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw'
> Nov 28 11:16:25 tv kernel: [   50.393052] si2168 10-0067: firmware 
> version: B 4.0.11
> Nov 28 11:16:25 tv kernel: [   50.445052] si2157 12-0063: firmware 
> version: 3.0.5
>
> How do I start the backend without systemd so that I can delay it 
> until the tuners are fully initialised?
>
Ok sussed out how to stop the backend autostarting. Horrified to find 
that the card firmware re-load is triggered by manually starting the 
back end.

5 minute gap after system start

Nov 28 13:14:27 tv systemd[1]: Started MythTV Backend.
Nov 28 13:14:27 tv kernel: [  232.884743] m88ds3103 1-0069: downloading 
firmware from file 'dvb-demod-m88rs6000.fw'
Nov 28 13:14:30 tv kernel: [  235.773883] m88ds3103 1-0069: firmware 
version: 4.1
Nov 28 13:14:32 tv kernel: [  237.831925] m88ds3103 2-0069: downloading 
firmware from file 'dvb-demod-m88rs6000.fw'
Nov 28 13:14:35 tv kernel: [  240.720278] m88ds3103 2-0069: firmware 
version: 4.1
Nov 28 13:14:37 tv kernel: [  242.606915] si2168 8-0064: downloading 
firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw'
Nov 28 13:14:37 tv kernel: [  242.813141] si2168 8-0064: firmware 
version: B 4.0.11
Nov 28 13:14:37 tv kernel: [  242.865119] si2157 11-0060: firmware 
version: 3.0.5
Nov 28 13:14:38 tv kernel: [  243.896475] si2168 10-0067: downloading 
firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw'
Nov 28 13:14:38 tv kernel: [  244.097223] si2168 10-0067: firmware 
version: B 4.0.11
Nov 28 13:14:38 tv kernel: [  244.148740] si2157 12-0063: firmware 
version: 3.0.5

So presumably this is normal and is not pertinent to my reliability issue.

I note however that subsequent restarts of the backend do not trigger 
this and always work ......

So I will try always restarting the backend after boot.