Scheduling Conflicts are overwhelming

[chasey]

I am getting a lot of scheduling conflicts that are mystifying. I have been trying to fine tune this for weeks, but need some guidance. Frustrating.

I am in Australia, and configured my twin usb happauge tuner as follows:
- 2 x capture cards are defined
- Card1 - Use dvb card for EIT scan is checked
- Card2 is unchecked
- Sources
- s1 with OvertheAir guide defined.
Input Connections
- Conn1 --> s1
Interactions --> max=1, input pri = 1, schedule order = 1, Live TV order =2
- Conn2 --> s1
Interactions --> max=1, input pri = 1, schedule order = 2, Live TV order =1
-Channels (all duplicate channels are deleted)

When using MythTVFrontend programme guide to schedule recordings.... here is what happens...
The first tuner seems to work fine. I can also watch on the 2nd tuner at the same time. Fine.
When attempting to schedule a second programme however, nearly always results in a Conflict or Fail... not sure why.
- Not recorded because another program with a higher priority will be recorded (is a common theme of errors)
I tried to leave defaults as much as possible to allow the scheduler to make simple guesses... but appears it mostly wants to land on Tuner 1 which is often busy doing other things.

Any ideas on how better fine tune the configs to minimise these kinds of errors would be apprecated.

[MikeB2013]

Before digging into mythtv itself, there was (and still might be) a problem with linux support for the second tuner on Hauppauge WinTV-dual HD, if that is your tuner.

There are a number of possible causes of this, depending on:

1. Precisely which Hauppauge usb tuner you have
2. Which version of the operating system, in particular the kernel version
3. Which version of mythtv you are running.


You need to run a terminal session for everything that follows (I am assuming Ubuntu or variant for operating system) and post the resulting output from the commands.

For 1, these two commands will give details of the Hauppauge tuner and any frontends (which are then used by mythtv) created during system boot :

dmesg | grep -i haupp
dmesg | grep -i frontend

For 2, these two commands give kernel version and operating system release :

uname -a
lsb_release -a

For 3, this gives details of mythtv version:

mythbackend --version

Mike

[chasey]

Thanks heaps for your reply... I am running linuxmint (latest) an ubuntu derivative. Hardware is WinTV-dualHD.

1.
[ 5.869953] em28xx 1-2.4:1.0: Identified as Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD DVB (card=99)
[ 5.870996] tveeprom: Hauppauge model 204109, rev B3I6, serial# 13963019
[ 5.916098] Registered IR keymap rc-hauppauge

[ 5.883713] em28xx 1-2.4:1.0: DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (Silicon Labs Si2168)...


2.
Linux benmint 4.13.0-26-generic #29~16.04.2-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jan 9 22:00:44 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: LinuxMint
Description: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Release: 18.3
Codename: sylvia

3.
MythTV Version : v29.0-71-g339b08e
MythTV Branch : fixes/29
Network Protocol : 91
Library API : 29.20170212-1
QT Version : 5.5.1
Options compiled in:
linux profile use_hidesyms using_alsa using_oss using_pulse using_pulseoutput using_backend using_bindings_perl using_bindings_python using_bindings_php using_crystalhd using_dvb using_firewire using_frontend using_hdhomerun using_vbox using_ceton using_hdpvr using_ivtv using_joystick_menu using_libcec using_libcrypto using_libdns_sd using_libfftw3 using_libxml2 using_lirc using_mheg using_opengl using_opengl_video using_opengl_themepainter using_qtwebkit using_qtscript using_qtdbus using_taglib using_v4l2 using_x11 using_xrandr using_xv using_profiletype using_bindings_perl using_bindings_python using_bindings_php using_freetype2 using_mythtranscode using_opengl using_vaapi using_vdpau using_ffmpeg_threads using_mheg using_libass using_libxml2 using_libmp3lame

[MikeB2013]

From dmesg | grep -i frontend output you only have a single frontend
[ 5.883713] em28xx 1-2.4:1.0: DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (Silicon Labs Si2168)...

This indicates that only one of the DualHD tuners is being recognised.

I need to have a look at the output from a mysql command of the mythtv database mythconverg from a terminal (you will need the mythtv password, it can be found in /etc/mythtv/config.xml file and is the 8 characters between > < on the password line)

mysql -umythtv -p mythconverg (you will be prompted for the password)
select * from capturecard\G

The type exit to leave mysql.


Mike

[wesnewell]

Make sure both tuners are being used. You should see 2 adapters with ls /dev/dvb. exp:
wes@mythfe0:~$ ls /dev/dvb
adapter0 adapter1 adapter2 adapter3 adapter4 adapter5
If it shows 2, then you just didn't configure the second one in mythtv-setup. If it only shows one, then you need to figure out why both aren't being configured at boot.

[chasey]

You raise some interesting questions... here is my response.

I fired up Mysql Workbench and queried the table... here is the result... note 2. fontend0 entries... which agrees with my config. I have 2 x tuners configured in mythtv... as you can see below.

>>
'1', '0', '/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0', NULL, NULL, 'DVB', 'Television', NULL, 'benmint', '0', '0', '1', '0', '1', NULL, '0', NULL, '0', '5000', '9000', '1', '0', '0', '0', '0', '0', '1', 'DVBInput', '1', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '13', 'Con1', '0', '1', '0', '1', '2', '1', '0'
'2', '0', '/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0', NULL, NULL, 'DVB', 'Television', NULL, 'benmint', '0', '0', '1', '0', '1', NULL, '0', NULL, '0', '5000', '9000', '1', '0', '0', '0', '0', '0', '0', 'DVBInput', '1', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '94', 'Con2', '0', '1', '0', '2', '1', '1', '0'
>>

Yet the output from ls /dev/dvb is:
adapter0

It feels like a single device, with 2 x tuners...
These tuners do actually work... interesting to note. I can record on Tuner 1 and Watch TV on tuner 2... successfully. However I note I can only watch a small number of channels... ones that are on a similar multiplex. (i have defined only a single multiplex for each tuner to keep things as simple as possible)

So I think we are on to something. I do think it has trouble identifying the 2nd tuner properly, thinking its an image of the first ??? or something like that.

I installed the drivers from the happauge website. I chose it because it had linux support. Not really sure what to do from here....

I could try to reinstall drivers from the PPA... to see if can get the 2nd tuner to recognise properly.
or I could ditch it and purchase one with better support... whcih one do you reccomend?
I own the Happauge HVR 2200... but linux support looks patchy. Happy to purchase another one, but which is well supported?

Hmmm

Suggestions welcome.

[MikeB2013]

That mysql output is not good, two capturecard entries for the same adapter, not sure how you got those.

The kernel you are running (Linux benmint 4.13.0-26-generic #29~16.04.2-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jan 9 22:00:44 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux) is not the one from the Hauppauge PPA.

You are running a stock Ubuntu kernel, which does not contain the second tuner patches, so only the first tuner will work. As far as I can determine no stock Ubuntu kernel has the required patches (this includes kernel 4.15 rc9 - the latest as of writing).

I just tried installing the Hauppauge PPA on a clean install Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia (xfce) with mythtv version 29, it installs a 4.4 series kernel, which as you already have a 4.13 kernel will not run by default. You need to adjust grub boot entry to make it default to the 4.4 Hauppauge kernel.

If you do" uname -a" you should see something like :
Linux mint-18 4.4.0-103201712311231-generic #0+mediatree+hauppauge-Ubuntu SMP Sun Dec 31 21:15:04 UTC 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

If all has gone well doing "dmesg | grep -i frontend" should now show two tuners, one on adapter 0, the other on adapter 1

One you are running the Hauppauge kernel,make sure mythbackend is not running by doing in a terminal
sudo systemctl stop mythtv-backend.service

Using mythtv-setup in Capture Cards "Delete all capture cards" not the "Delete all capture cards on <hostname>"

Now you can configure your tuners (Capture Card, Video Source, Input Connections etc)

Mike

[chasey]

Incredibly good advice... I'm a newbie to both linux and myth, so this is insifghtful to say the least.

I re-stated back to the 4.4 kernel, and got the following:
[ 8.447926] em28xx 1-2.4:1.0: DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (Silicon Labs Si2168)...
[ 8.457476] em28xx 1-2.4:1.0: DVB: registering adapter 1 frontend 0 (Silicon Labs Si2168)...

I also got:
adapter0 adapter1

So I can now reconfigure myth, and should work.

Is there a way I can keep my newer kernel, and still have things work properly ? I thought kernels were supposed to be backward compatible, but apparently not the case.

Can I reinstall the PPA on a more modern kernel ? Perhaps a build/install ? What would be the approximate steps to get this going ?

Many thanks...

/ben

[MikeB2013]

If your system is working, I would leave it as is for the present.

The PPA contains a kernel with the Hauppauge patches incorporated into the V4L (Video for Linux) subsystem, in your case, an almost upto date 4.4 kernel.

The only way at present to get a later kernel from the PPA, say 4.13 series would be to change your operating system from Linux Mint to Ubuntu 17.10, say Xubuntu 17.10 which has xfce window manager. However the non Long Term Releases 17.10 release are only supported for 9 months from release date. LTS releases get 6 years of support.

There some good news in that Hauppauge have just released their patches to the V4L developers for incorporation into V4L subsystem. Once this has happened, it will be possible to apply the new V4L subsystem to kernels current at the time. I have to note that it may take many months for this to happen.

[chasey]

Mike/all

Things are working well now... that I've moved to the 4.4 kernel of linuxmint. I also learned a great deal about what to look for in a successful install... so that helps a lot for the future.

I am most interested in moving to 4.13, because I'm targeting a mini kaby lake system i purchased for htpc purposes (i believe there will be better support via later kernel for broadcom and kaby lake chips). I will try xubuntu and experiment with getting things working there.

I will watch for later developments you suggested which will free us from having the kernel tied to the PPA. I found this confusing and a little mystifying. Reading the Hauppauge website, it says there is support for 4.4 kernel and "above". Needed to read the fine print... if I could find it.

I should also mention, I own a HVR-2200 from Hauppauge which I like a lot. The linux support for this board is dodgy, though windows support via BDA drivers gave me great support for a log time. Hope I might be able to use this board in the future...

Regards,