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TBS drivers break LIRC

TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby veehexx » Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:18 pm

i've had this issue with the last 2 kernel releases from TBS; the 2.6.x and 2.8.x kernel releases.

i have a 'mceusb' IR reciever (windows media center IR Reciever in plain words), and LIRC works fine off the bat on both mythbunu 10.10, and 11.04. When i install either of the TBS drivers (dated 24-10-2010, and 31-05-2011) then LIRC will stop working properly.
in mythbunu 10.10, i found i could reinstall LIRC 0.8.7, and that would get things working again
in mythbuntu 11.04, i was unable to reinstall LIRC to fix the issue (lirc 0.9.0 now due to kernel support)

the reason im wanting to use 'mceusb' is my Harmony controller is both pre-configured from my windows MCE days, and on the face of it, it offers more button support than the TBS controller.

so, i have different questions depending what would be the best way to resolve this:
1) how do i get lirc working again once the TBS drivers interfer with it, on mythbuntu 11.04?
2) can the TBS IR reciever handle more commands than those on the TBS controller itself? (eg: skip, ffwd, pause, record etc) how would i go about this?
3) is there a way to completely disable the IR drivers being included when i configure/make the TBS package? the IR drivers definately seem to cause issues with LIRC, so if i could disable it from interfering in the first place, then i could use mythbuntu 11.04 fine.

thanks for any help
veehexx
 
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby veehexx » Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:04 am

after a few days of diagnosing and many reinstalls, it seems to be an issue with the TBS drivers and their incompatibility with LIRC.

i've been in contact with mythtv (via their user mailing list), and the Lirc developer has confirmed things should just work... which they do right up untill the TBS drivers are installed.
i hope TBS euro-support will respond quickly and positively...
veehexx
 
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby veehexx » Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:50 pm

reply from TBS (euro)support

hi Tim,

thank you for all the details. so, what you're experiencing is something related to part of the information here (about 'ir_core' and 'rc_core'):

https://shop.tbsdtv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=110&start=90#p2251

that i've just commented in another e-mail:

"what Jarod Wilson told you is correct in general, but there is one big "but" - we deliberately keep 'ir_core' instead of the new 'rc_core' (as far as i know Jarod Wilson is one of the developers of 'rc_core'), because on our tests with 'rc_core' even on the latest kernels there are constant crashes of the whole system when the new 'rc_core' is in use and that's why we kept the old 'ir_core' - for better user-experience. so, when 'rc_core' reached the necessary stability then we can re-consider to use the new 'rc_core' instead the old 'ir_core'. also, the message you see about 'ir_core' is just a warning and doesn't indicate any error as it might sound from the Jarod's comment."

so, now the whole dilemma is that if we use the new remote control infrastructure, which will result in working 'mceusb' for you then using the 'cx23885' remote control results in unstablility of the whole system and that's what most of our Linux customers use. it seems the only way is 'rc_core' stability with other chips like 'cx23885' to be improved first. i understand that from different points of view it looks different, but from our point of view 'rc_core' broke the stability of 'cx23885' remote control support and that applies not only for TBS hardware, but for all hardware out there that relies on 'cx23885' driver code and thus it's general regression.

best regards,
constantine


i'm sure some people would find it useful:
install mythbuntu 10.10 (leave as stock to avoid kernel issues..my notes say not to go past kernel 2.6.35-22; this is due to the supported kernel the oct-2010 TBS drivers are built for, and that my notes are based on)
install TBS6981 drivers (dated 24-10-2010)
install LIRC 0.8.7 from lirc website (leave existing lirc installed)
with the reinstall of LIRC, the mceusb module will now work.

i've not found a way to get it working with later kernels (mythbuntu 11.04), but as the above response sugests, it is outside of TBS control..
veehexx
 
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby billbofagends » Sat Jul 09, 2011 2:47 am

hi veehex, did you ever find a way to get this to work in 11.04? I have just bought this card, installed the drivers and broke lirc mce remote config too. Is it not possible to remove the offending module in effect disabling the tbs remote? cheers. Sam
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby veehexx » Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:10 pm

unfortunately, i didnt find a way. i gave up after the response from TBS support

some people suggest using the TBS IR receiver instead of the mceusb device, however the TBS IR is hugely limited in it's functions versus the MCEUSB codeset.

as much as the latest ubuntu version would be nice to use (just to be upto date), i've settled on mythbuntu 10.10, disabled the *buntu repos, and just allowed the mythtv repos on a manual update setting.
i get the latest mythtv version (0.24.1) and a working MCEUSB device.

as you see in a previous reply (with Quote from TBS support), this issue is down to a combination of certain hardware and modules. should i NEED to update to a later kernel (maybe mythtv 0.25 depending on its prerequisites), then i'll have to look at if mceusb is supported alongside a TBS card, or if not, look at another IR device that has a good codeset, and support for my Logitech Harmony controller.
veehexx
 
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby sami8519 » Fri Jul 15, 2011 8:18 pm

So why TBS does not make two versions of their Linux drivers, that is to say, one with THEIR remote control support and another without their remote control support, so people who use other remote hardwares don't have this problem. Now I have exactly this problem, my tbs remote is damaged and I don't know which one should work with tbs drivers as it appears the most popular mce remote won't work with latest kernels. Any suggestions please?
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby veehexx » Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:48 pm

the immediate fix is to use a 2.6.22 kernel (i use mythtv, so mythbuntu10.10 without kernel updates).

i did find a bug thread reguarding the mce issue, and this appears not to be specific to the rc_core LIRC module, but infact an old bug that just so happened to be included in the latest LIRC.
i've PM'd Cody with this link, as if i read another thread correctly, TBS disabled something in their drivers to avoid stability issues. i think the specific issue is with LIRC (so maybe something LATER than LIRC 0.9.0 should work), but TBS might have to 'fix' something in their drivers to allow things to work.
veehexx
 
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby sami8519 » Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:04 am

I use yavdr 4 and it comes with kernel 2.6.38 preinstalled :cry:
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby veehexx » Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:04 pm

found the bug post... https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/930442/

fwiw, Jarod Wilson is involved in LIRC (i think developer!).
veehexx
 
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Re: TBS drivers break LIRC

Postby paubyuk » Sun Aug 21, 2011 3:14 am

I just wanted to update this thread and get a little support.

Tried Mythbuntu 11.04 and got the problem with the TBS drivers and the MCE Remote / LIRC. Went back to 10.10.

I currently have kernel 2.6.35-22 and cannot get lirc to work wit the MCE remote. I keep getting an error:

Code: Select All Code
 * Loading LIRC modules                                                  [ OK ]
 * Unable to load LIRC kernel modules. Verify your
 * selected kernel modules in /etc/lirc/hardware.conf


Checking hardware.conf, I have

Code: Select All Code
REMOTE_MODULES="lirc_dev mceusb"


In /var/log/syslog I have:

Code: Select All Code
Aug 20 20:24:55 mythtv-backend kernel: [ 1654.369774] mceusb: disagrees about version of symbol __ir_input_register
Aug 20 20:24:55 mythtv-backend kernel: [ 1654.369785] mceusb: Unknown symbol __ir_input_register (err -22)


TBS have released new drivers for the card but I can't get them to compile (error in one of the modules). I was hoping that they fixed the problem with the lirc package.

I also reinstalled the lirc package using apt-get. I also downloaded it and compiled it from the lirc website. Neither worked. So I have a non-working remote and I'm totally lost in how to get it working.

So my question - how did you get this to work?!?!?
paubyuk
 
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