Kernel 3.0 breaks DVB-T

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

After upgrading to kernel 3.0, watching TV on my WinTV Nova-T via kaffeine became very unpleasant: Turning it on and switching channels was a lottery - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, with no discernable pattern.

/var/log/warn contains a lot of lines like these:


Aug 14 16:46:56 coral kernel: [278131.974707] DiB0070 I2C write failed
Aug 14 16:47:06 coral kernel: [278142.272778] dib0700: tx buffer length is larger than 4. Not supported.
Aug 14 16:47:06 coral kernel: [278142.276734] DiB0070 I2C write failed
Aug 14 16:48:52 coral kernel: [278248.743036] DiB0070 I2C write failed
Aug 14 16:49:38 coral kernel: [278294.082043] DiB0070 I2C write failed
Aug 14 16:49:42 coral kernel: [278298.805911] dib0700: tx buffer length is larger than 4. Not supported.

Downgrading the kernel to 2.6.37 from OpenSUSE 11.4 immediately solved the problem. I don’t remember having problems with 2.6.39, but sadly, I can’t seem to find any packages to re-check.

#2

You can load any kernel version still located here: The Linux Kernel Archives, using my bash script you can find here: S.A.K.C. - SUSE Automated Kernel Compiler - Version 2.50 - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

It sounds like if you determine a regression point, it would be worth filing a kernel bug report. Have you determined what kernel driver is being used? You can use one of these commands to find out;

For PCI based use:

sudo /sbin/lspci -v | less

For USB Based use:

sudo lsusb -v | less

You can view your loaded kernel modules with:

lsmod | sort | less

I even have a script that can provide more options on viewing your modules here:

S.K.I.M. - SuSE Kernel Installed Modules - A lsmod replacement- Creates Alphabetized Module Listing - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

I hope something you find here to be helpful.

Thank You,

#3

My DVB stick uses the dvb-usb-dib0700-1.20.fw firmware, so it should be the dib0700 driver or one of its relatives.

lsusb yields:

<snip>
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 2040:7070 Hauppauge Nova-T Stick 3
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x2040 Hauppauge
  idProduct          0x7070 Nova-T Stick 3
  bcdDevice            1.00
  iManufacturer           1 Hauppauge
  iProduct                2 Nova-T Stick
  iSerial                 3 4032310248
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength           46
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0x80
      (Bus Powered)
    MaxPower              500mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           4
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass      0 
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 
      iInterface              0 
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x01  EP 1 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0040  1x 64 bytes
        bInterval              10
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x82  EP 2 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               1
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x83  EP 3 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               1
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
  bLength                10
  bDescriptorType         6
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  bNumConfigurations      1
Device Status:     0x0000
  (Bus Powered)

Your skim tool shows this:


Num    Name                     Size       Ins  Requires

1)     ac                       3227        0    -
2)     acer_wmi                 14847       0    -
3)     af_packet                20330       4    -
4)     arc4                     1329        2    -
5)     ata_generic              3015        0    -
6)     b43                      186863      0    -
7)     battery                  10066       0    -
8)     button                   5497        1    i915,
9)     cdrom                    38437       1    sr_mod,
10)    cfg80211                 155017      2    b43,mac80211,
11)    cpufreq_conservative     10080       0    -
12)    cpufreq_powersave        930         0    -
13)    cpufreq_userspace        2631        0    -
14)    crc16                    1419        1    ext4,
15)    crc_itu_t                1451        1    firewire_core,
16)    dib0070                  9097        2    dvb_usb_dib0700,
17)    dib0090                  15172       1    dvb_usb_dib0700,
18)    dib3000mc                12141       1    dvb_usb_dib0700,
19)    dib7000m                 15201       1    dvb_usb_dib0700,
20)    dib7000p                 18379       2    dvb_usb_dib0700,
21)    dib8000                  27665       1    dvb_usb_dib0700,
22)    dibx000_common           3345        4    dib7000p,dib7000m,dib8000,dib3000mc,
23)    dm_mod                   76266       0    -
24)    drm                      191593      4    i915,drm_kms_helper,
25)    drm_kms_helper           32687       1    i915,
26)    dvb_core                 93879       3    dib7000p,dvb_usb,dib8000,
27)    dvb_usb                  17518       1    dvb_usb_dib0700,
28)    dvb_usb_dib0700          56685       0    -
29)    ecb                      2015        2    -
<snip>

Regarding the precise version of the kernel that started the trouble, I can’t give you an answer yet - I’m still compiling. I’m using Tumbleweed only on my weakest machine, so this takes a while. Your nice sakc tool doesn’t happen to have an option to compile an i586 kernel on a x86_64 machine? I have to admit, I stayed with all the defaults…

#4

Okay, I’m running 2.6.39 now. Some frantic switching of channels resulted in no problems whatsoever, /var/log/warn appears clear as well. So, I’d confirm that the regression was introduced with the 3.0 kernel.

#5

Okay, I’m running 2.6.39 now. Some frantic switching of channels resulted in no problems whatsoever, /var/log/warn appears clear as well. So, I’d confirm that the regression was introduced with the 3.0 kernel.

That is good news to know. Are you going to file a kernel bug report on this issue?

Thank You,

#6

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=41232

Since this is my first kernel bug report, I’d be glad for any pointers on what information might be missing or anything else I could do to improve this bug’s chances of getting fixed.

#7

Since this is my first kernel bug report, I’d be glad for any pointers on what information might be missing or anything else I could do to improve this bug’s chances of getting fixed.

Val222, you have taken the first responsible steps. I am simply not the expert on this but I found an interesting link here you might read.

Reporting bugs for the Linux kernel

Thank You,