[pvrusb2] Some install guidance on WinTV PVR2 USB

Lorne Shantz lorne_shantz at yahoo.com
Thu Mar 21 11:48:33 CDT 2013 

Thank you sooo much. It seems weird, but I could not find this information on Hauppauge's web site anywhere. I will give it another go once I finish unpacking and can find it. ;) 

--- On Thu, 3/21/13, 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: Thursday, March 21, 2013, 6:47 AM
> 
> FYI, I tested a power brick here: Outside sheath is
> negative, inside is 
> positive.  The same power brick is used for 29xxx,
> 24xxx, HVR-1950 and 
> probably also HVR-1900 (I don't have the HVR-1900 but the
> pattern would 
> fit).  The brick I have is rated with a universal 120 -
> 240 VAC input, 
> 6VDC output.  Unloaded, I measured 6.2VDC.  Very
> likely it's a switching 
> regulator (way too light to be transformer based).
> 
>   -Mike
> 
> 
> On Wed, 20 Mar 2013, Mike Isely wrote:
> 
> > 
> > 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
> > > >
> _______________________________________________
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> > > > pvrusb2 at isely.net
> > > > http://www.isely.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pvrusb2
> > > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > pvrusb2 mailing list
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> > > 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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