[pvrusb2] Some install guidance on WinTV PVR2 USB

[Mike Isely]

Lorne:

These days the in-kernel pvrusb2 driver should work great without any 
special setup beyond perhaps ensuring you have the firmware files 
installed somewhere visible to udev.  Kernel 3.4.33 is reasonably new 
and should "just work".  I imagine most distribution kernels probably 
compile this driver for you, either into the kernel package itself or 
maybe as a "media" package add-on.  If you searched /lib/modules 
recursively, you should be able to find "pvrusb2.ko" in there.

Things I would check for:

1. Ensure the pvrusb2 device's power brick is plugged in and the unit is 
actually getting power.  If that isn't happening, then *nothing* else 
will work.

2. Even if the firmware files are not installed, the pvrusb2 driver 
should still attempt to attach to the hardware and you should see 
corresponding messages in the kernel log (i.e. dmesg) - leading up to 
the point where it gives up for lack of available firmware.  So if 
you're not seeing any messages, then the lack of firmware is likely not 
the issue.

3. Even if the pvrusb2 driver itself were completely borked or otherwise 
missing, you should still be able to see the hardware show up to the 
kernel via either running the "usbview" tool or just "cat 
/proc/bus/usb/devices".  If you can't see anything there that suggests 
the presence of the pvrusb2 hardware, then the driver situation won't 
matter at all.  (This would suggest the device is not getting power or 
there is a communication issue between the PC and the device.)

If there is a suspicion about, say, a bad USB hub or USB cable, then I 
would (obviously) try swapping around those parts.

If you have another PC (or laptop nearby), you can also try plugging the 
device in there - if only to see if you get a reaction from the 
operating system, e.g. if it were Windows you might be prompted to 
install drivers or if it were Linux you could notice the appearance of 
the hardware in your dmesg output.  Such a thing would at least tell you 
that the hardware is not dead.  If none of that produces a reaction, 
then I'd probably re-examine step #1 above a lot more closely.  If you 
have a voltmeter nearby then for example I'd check that you're getting 6 
volts at the DC plug end...

I have one laptop here that - with particular (older) kernel versions - 
has trouble recognizing the presence of the old (first generation) 29xxx 
model series.  It's a really bizarre thing, requiring a specific 
combination of computer, kernel version, and a 29xxx model.  I've never 
been able to track down why this is, except to suspect that the FX2 boot 
firmware in that model series has a quirk that is upsetting the USB 
stack for a particular type of USB host controller combined with a 
particular kernel version.

Hope that helps...

  -Mike


On Mon, 18 Mar 2013, Lorne Shantz wrote:

> I had a it running a few years back until a system rebuild. I gave up because I couldn't remember how I had it working and just went with a PCI card. Well now I'm using a newer MB, that does not have any PCI slots. I really need to get this running.
> 
> 
> Kernel image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.4.33-2.24-desktop
> 
> Initrd image: /boot/initrd-3.4.33-2.24-desktop
> 
> Root device: /dev/sdb1 (mounted on / as ext4)
> 
> Resume device: /dev/disk/by-id/ata-WDC_WD20EADS-32S2B0_WD-WCAVY3847719-part3
> 
> (/dev/sdb3)
> 
> modprobe: Module hid_generic not found.
> 
> WARNING: no dependencies for kernel module 'hid-generic' found.
> 
> Kernel Modules: thermal_sys thermal processor fan pata_marvell ata_piix
> 
> ata_generic scsi_transport_sas libsas isci scsi_dh scsi_dh_hp_sw scsi_dh_rdac
> 
> scsi_dh_emc scsi_dh_alua xhci-hcd hid-logitech-dj
> 
> Firmware: isci/isci_firmware.bin isci/isci_firmware.bin
> 
> Features: acpi plymouth block usb resume.userspace resume.kernel
> 
> 
> 
> The pvrusb2.ko file is in /lib/modules/3.4.33-2.24-desktop/kernel/drivers/media/video/pvrusb2/pvrusb2.ko
> 
> 
> I have compiled the kernel as I believe you have instructed.
> 
> 
> dmesg shows:
> 
> [ 315.904957] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
> 
> [ 315.955716] usbcore: registered new interface driver em28xx
> 
> 
> No video0 or video1.
> 
> 
> I'm not sure that the above is even the WinTV PVR2 USB device. I guess I could remove it and reboot, however, if memory serves,
> 
> back a couple of years ago I did have it running, it would pop up a message that was more clear when it was detected.
> 
> 
> Later.... I removed the device and rebooted. Nothing indicating video. I plugged it back in, and still nothing.
> 
> 
> The only thing I can figure, is somehow the driver is not compiled correctly. 
> _______________________________________________
> pvrusb2 mailing list
> pvrusb2 at isely.net
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> 

-- 

Mike Isely
isely @ isely (dot) net
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