[pvrusb2] Some install guidance on WinTV PVR2 USB

Matt Farmer notjimcarrey at gmail.com
Wed Mar 20 13:20:56 CDT 2013 

XBMC still needs a backend, or so I thought


On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 9:57 PM, Lorne Shantz <lorne_shantz at yahoo.com>wrote:

> The only advice I could give, is have you tried XBMC? I spent so many
> hours on MythTV that I hate to think of it. Finally got it working and
> never liked it. Just always a fight it seemed. The XBMC while I've not
> spent any time on it to speak of, looks like a much easier setup.
>
> --- On Wed, 3/20/13, Matt Farmer <notjimcarrey at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Matt Farmer <notjimcarrey at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [pvrusb2] Some install guidance on WinTV PVR2 USB
> > To: "Communications nexus for pvrusb2 driver" <pvrusb2 at isely.net>
> > Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2013, 9:17 AM
> > Speaking of the HVR-1950, how do I
> > get MythTV to search for channels using
> > this card? I've had issues getting most software to tune
> > analog channels
> > with it since it uses an MPEG2 decoder.
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 7:00 AM, Mike Isely <isely at isely.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > 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
> > > > http://www.isely.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pvrusb2
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Mike Isely
> > > isely @ isely (dot) net
> > > PGP: 03 54 43 4D 75 E5 CC 92 71 16 01 E2 B5 F5 C1 E8
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > http://www.isely.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pvrusb2
> > >
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> >
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