[pvrusb2] recent problem: getting frontend status failed

[isely at isely.net]

I don't see how mythtv could "cause" this sort of problem.  I'd bet it 
is something do with with the driver perhaps in combination with changes 
in the DVB subsystem in the kernel.  Did the problem just start getting 
worse all by itself or can you note any system changes?  For example, 
updated kernel, hardware change, other hardware added which might affect 
race conditions, USB pathway change like different cables or hub.  If 
the problem just started getting worse by itself with no other changes 
then it might be the hardware itself.

  -Mike

On Mon, 2 Jun 2014, A. F. Cano wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I have been running the OnAir Creator for quite a while now and it only
> failed (Mythtv) sporadically.  Now, it is a daily occurrence.  I know
> there have been recent kernel upgrades (I'm running wheezy) and there
> has long been some race condition in pvrusb2 and/or the OnAir Creator
> firmware, per some documentation I remember reading.  Not sure if anything
> has changed in pvrusb2 in these recent kernel upgrades.
> 
> I've failed to definitely confirm whether high loads increase this
> problem (such as when doing a transcode) while myth is running.  It
> fails even when not much else is going on in the system.  When it does,
> killing/restarting myth (FE and BE) is not sufficient.  I have to unplug
> the usb plug from the computer and re-plug it.  After this is done,
> restarting the BE and then the FE usually, but not always, brings everything
> back to normal: myth starts doing the EIT scans and the first show set
> to record usually is recorded correctly.  Sometimes subsequent shows are
> also recorded ok, but usually not.  Something happens in the interaction
> between the Myth backend and pvrusb2.  The following messages appear when
> the lock-ups occur.  Many of them.
> 
> 
> 2014-06-02 17:15:23.748811 E  DVBChan(1:/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0): Getting Frontend status failed.
>                         eno: Input/output error (5)
> 2014-06-02 17:15:23.799434 E  DVBChan(1:/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0): Getting Frontend status failed.
>                         eno: Input/output error (5)
> 2014-06-02 17:15:23.849978 E  DVBChan(1:/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0): Getting Frontend status failed.
>                         eno: Input/output error (5)
> 2014-06-02 17:15:23.900612 E  DVBChan(1:/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0): Getting Frontend status failed.
>                         eno: Input/output error (5)
> 2014-06-02 17:15:23.951171 E  DVBChan(1:/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0): Getting Frontend status failed.
>                         eno: Input/output error (5)
> 
> When this happens, attempting to watch live tv gets hundreds of these
> messages, Myth claims a signal strength of 0 and pops up a window saying
> I should have a signal by now.
> 
> This is a relatively slow system (1.4 GHz pentium M) but recording
> barely causes the CPU monitor to go to 10% and the CPU is at 800 MHz.
> This seems to indicate that it's not a load issue.  But it's probably
> a timing problem of some kind, possibly made worse by a recent change?
> 
> If this is a mythtv issue, it appears to be cascading into pvrusb2 as
> only a usb restart fixes it.  Does anyone have a suggestion? Any
> specific tests I can run to narrow this down further?
> 
> I also still can't run zone minder from the camera attached to the OnAir
> Creator.  The newer kernels have not fixed the problem originally
> discussed in a message to this list with the title:
> 
>   V4L2_CAP_STREAMING, zoneminder, motion.
> 
> Thanks for any hints/help!
> 
> Augustine
> 
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-- 

Mike Isely
isely @ isely (dot) net
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