[pvrusb2] Some install guidance on WinTV PVR2 USB

Mike Isely isely at isely.net
Wed Mar 20 19:07:03 CDT 2013 

I will follow up with the correct polarity (by checking what I do have).

However if you already tried it "both" ways, then odds are likely that 
you already "let the magic smoke out".  Low voltage digital logic 
behaves very destructively if fed reversed power.  Generally if the 
device in question expects "unregulated" power coming in and has its own 
on-board regulator, then there's a *chance* it might survive reversed 
power - because only the regulator will have been exposed to the 
condition.  Or maybe just the regulator got fried which might be fixable 
(especially if its a cheap little 7805 3-terminal linear device).

Given that the brick supplies 6V and the onboard logic there is probably 
wanting 5V, then there very well may be an onboard regulator.

  -Mike


On Wed, 20 Mar 2013, Lorne Shantz wrote:

> Thank you very much for the great reply. I just got done redoing the office floor and now I can't find the derned thing. One more question that I had was... I misplaced the power supply awhile back. I know it is 6 volts DC, but it doesn't indicate the polarity. I am going to assume that the center is + and the outside is -, since that is the way their new stuff is. Is that correct? I suppose I ruined it by trying it both ways, although no smoke, or any indication I smoked it. 
> 
> --- On Tue, 3/19/13, Mike Isely <isely at isely.net> wrote:
> 
> > From: Mike Isely <isely at isely.net>
> > Subject: Re: [pvrusb2] Some install guidance on WinTV PVR2 USB
> > To: "Communications nexus for pvrusb2 driver" <pvrusb2 at isely.net>
> > Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 7:30 PM
> > 
> > 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
> > _______________________________________________
> > pvrusb2 mailing list
> > pvrusb2 at isely.net
> > http://www.isely.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pvrusb2
> > 
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-- 

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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