I'm installing myth for the first time using KnoppMyth R5A16. My goal is to record from my comcast cable box via firewire and play back to my TV via a video out of my ATI Raedon 9600 card. I would like to be able to play SD and HD, but my current hardware is quite a bit under spec for playing HD. The cable box is a comcast 6412 DVR running the Microsoft guide in Seattle, WA.

I have an asus A7V133 motherboard with an Athelon 1000 CPU. I have installed a soundblaster audigy2 to provide audio output as well as the firewire port. I have other sound cards and firewire cards available if the audigy2 doesn't work out.

I have installed KnoppMyth a few times now and I always get the same trouble. It doesn't seem to be able to receive the video stream over the firewire port.

When I go into live tv mode, I just get a black screen and it locks up. If I launched mythtvfrontend from a shell, I have to alt-tab to that shell and CTRL-C to kill it.

I have verified permissions on /cache/cache and on /myth/tv - they look fine.

root@mythtv:~# ls -ld /myth/
drwxr-xr-x 14 mythtv mythtv 4096 Nov 12 15:17 /myth/

root@mythtv:~# ls -ld /myth/tv
drwxrwxr-x 2 mythtv mythtv 4096 Nov 11 23:55 /myth/tv

root@mythtv:~# ls -ld /cache/
drwxrwxrwx 4 root root 4096 Nov 11 22:32 /cache/

root@mythtv:~# ls -ld /cache/cache/
drwxrwxrwx 2 mythtv mythtv 4096 Nov 12 15:01 /cache/cache/

I am able to record via firewire from the cable box into a windows box, so I know the data is available from the 6412.

I looked to the syslog messages to determine that my firewire port is 0 and the node is 1. I simply unpluged the firewire cable and then pluged it back in. Here are the messages I saw...

kernel: ieee1394: Node changed: 0-01:1023 -> 0-00:1023
kernel: ieee1394: Node suspended: ID:BUS[0-00:1023] GUID[001371fffe090c17]
kernel: ieee1394: Node resumed: ID:BUS[0-00:1023] GUID[001371fffe090c17]
kernel: ieee1394: Node changed: 0-00:1023 -> 0-01:1023

I have tried recording 1 minute as a manual recording in case it was able to record, but not play back. I did this three times, and each one did not record anything. Myth acted like it was recording, but when I tried to play them back myth instantly jumped to the main menu. More importantly, /myth/tv was still empty, so I know nothing had been saved.

My problem sounds very much like this post in the wiki. I didn't see any solutions there either.

Is this a known problem? Should I just give up on Myth and stick with the Comcast DVR and TiVo's I already have? I hope not because I was looking forward to making a central storage location which I could pull from with several different front ends.


Here is the console log from mythtvfrontend running with logging...

mythtv: could not connect to socket
mythtv: Connection refused
lirc_init failed for mythtv, see preceding messages
Couldn't read file: rbuf://127.0.0.1:6543/cache/cache/ringbuf1.nuv
ythfrontend version: 0.18.1.20050510-1 www.mythtv.org
2005-11-12 15:01:46.090 Enabled verbose msgs :all
2005-11-12 15:01:46.299 max_width: 800 max_height: 600
2005-11-12 15:01:46.420 Switching to square mode (G.A.N.T.)
2005-11-12 15:01:46.702 /home/mythtv/.mythtv/joystickmenurc not found.
2005-11-12 15:01:46.702 Joystick disabled.
2005-11-12 15:01:46.756 Registering Internal as a media playback plugin.
2005-11-12 15:01:46.792 Registering MythDVD DVD Media Handler as a media handler
2005-11-12 15:01:46.793 Registering MythDVD VCD Media Handler as a media handler
2005-11-12 15:01:47.987 Registering MythMusic Media Handler as a media handler
SIP listening on IP Address 10.11.12.105:5060 NAT address 10.11.12.105
SIP: Cannot register; proxy, username or password not set
2005-11-12 15:01:51.727 New DB connection, total: 2
2005-11-12 15:01:51.779 Connecting to backend server: 127.0.0.1:6543 (try 1 of 5)
2005-11-12 15:01:51.781 write->11 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.788 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:51.788 write->11 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.802 write->11 29 GET_NEXT_FREE_RECORDER[]:[]-1:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.813 21 ANN Playback mythtv 1
2005-11-12 15:01:51.815 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.824 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:51.824 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.834 write->14 44 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SETUP_RING_BUFFE...
2005-11-12 15:01:51.845 write->15 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.855 write->16 23 ANN RingBuffer mythtv 1:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.866 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SPAWN_LIVETV:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.919 write->14 37 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]GET_PROGRAM_INFO:
2005-11-12 15:01:51.946 Output filters for this channel are: ''
2005-11-12 15:01:51.949 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.149 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:52.149 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:52.149 write->15 63 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.158 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.357 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:52.358 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:52.358 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.366 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.566 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:52.567 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:52.567 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.575 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.775 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:52.776 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:52.776 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.784 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.984 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:52.985 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:52.985 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:52.993 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:53.193 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:53.194 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:53.194 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:53.201 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.208 LiveTV not successfully started
2005-11-12 15:01:53.211 write->15 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]DONE_RINGBUF:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.218 Changing from None to WatchingLiveTV
2005-11-12 15:01:53.220 Changing from None to None
2005-11-12 15:01:53.227 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.236 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.242 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:53.243 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.252 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.363 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.374 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.380 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:53.381 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.389 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.499 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.508 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.514 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:53.515 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.523 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.635 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.645 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.651 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:53.652 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.660 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.771 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.782 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.788 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:53.789 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.797 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.907 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.915 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.922 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:53.922 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:53.931 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.043 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.052 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.059 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.060 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.068 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.179 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.189 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.196 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.196 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.205 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.315 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.323 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.330 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.330 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.339 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.451 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.460 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.467 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.467 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.476 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.587 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.597 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.603 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.604 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.612 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.723 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.733 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.740 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.740 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.749 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.859 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.867 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.874 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:54.874 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.883 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:54.995 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.004 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.011 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:55.011 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.020 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.131 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.141 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.148 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:55.148 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.157 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.267 write->11 27 GET_RECORDER_FROM_NUM[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.275 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.282 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:55.282 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.291 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]IS_RECORDING:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.301 write->11 28 GET_NEXT_FREE_RECORDER[]:[]1:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.310 write->14 21 MYTH_PROTO_VERSION 15:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.317 Using protocol version 15
2005-11-12 15:01:55.317 write->14 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.326 write->14 44 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SETUP_RING_BUFFE...
2005-11-12 15:01:55.335 write->15 21 ANN Playback mythtv 0:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.344 write->16 23 ANN RingBuffer mythtv 1:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.356 write->14 33 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SPAWN_LIVETV:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.390 write->14 37 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]GET_PROGRAM_INFO:
2005-11-12 15:01:55.405 Output filters for this channel are: ''
2005-11-12 15:01:55.407 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:55.607 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:55.607 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:55.608 write->15 63 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:55.616 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:55.816 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:55.816 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:55.816 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:55.825 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:56.025 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:56.025 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:56.025 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:56.034 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:56.234 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:56.234 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:56.234 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:56.243 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...
2005-11-12 15:01:56.443 Read(): reqd=128000, rcvd=0, rept=-1, error=0
2005-11-12 15:01:56.443 RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
2005-11-12 15:01:56.443 write->15 65 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]SEEK_RINGBUF[]:[...
2005-11-12 15:01:56.452 write->15 53 QUERY_RECORDER 1[]:[]REQUEST_BLOCK_RI...

Please let me know if there are any more logs I should be posting or anything else that could help track down the problem.

how do you have the card setup in mythtv-setup? are you using dtc6200 or other? I have a 6200 and it works fine, but I dont' have the 64xx, so I don't know if that is your problem or not. Also I know on my 6200 It will not work on the firewire port that shows up as 0/1 only on 0/2 not sure if this is the case on the 64xx boxes or not since they have two tuners, at any rate it might be worth trying another firewire port if your box has one.

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Xsecrets

Here are my Capture Card Settings...

Cart Type = FireWire Input

Firewire Model: Other (I've tried both)
Firewire Connection Type: Point to Point
Firewire Port: 0
Firewire Node: 0
Firewire Speed: 100Mbps
Default Input: MPEG2TS




Here is what plugreport looked like before switching ports on the 6412...

root@mythtv:~# plugreport
Host Adapter 0
==============

Node 0 GUID 0x001371fffe090c17
------------------------------
oMPR n_plugs=1, data_rate=2, bcast_channel=63
oPCR[0] online=1, bcast_connection=0, n_p2p_connections=0
channel=0, data_rate=2, overhead_id=0, payload=376
iMPR n_plugs=0, data_rate=2

Node 1 GUID 0x00023c00910256ea
------------------------------
libiec61883 error: error reading oMPR
libiec61883 error: error reading iMPR

And here it is on the other port on the 6412 (looks the same to me)...

root@mythtv:~# plugreport
Host Adapter 0
==============

Node 0 GUID 0x001371fffe090c17
------------------------------
oMPR n_plugs=1, data_rate=2, bcast_channel=63
oPCR[0] online=1, bcast_connection=0, n_p2p_connections=0
channel=0, data_rate=2, overhead_id=0, payload=376
iMPR n_plugs=0, data_rate=2

Node 1 GUID 0x00023c00910256ea
------------------------------
libiec61883 error: error reading oMPR
libiec61883 error: error reading iMPR

There was no change in MythTV when I switched the firewire ports on the 6412. I'm thinking the lines like this:
RemoteFile::Read() failed in RingBuffer::safe_read().
in the log file are an indicator of something major going wrong.

I have had the same problem with two installations - the only solution that worked for me was to add mythtv to two groups in /etc/group - the disk group and the plugdev group as stated in this post:
http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5885

doh! I forgot all about that I did have to change some permissions in the last version I loaded. basically mythtv did not have permission to /dev/raw1394

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Xsecrets

Well, I did get it to work briefly. It happened after I changed from NTSC to ATSC, but frankly I think it was just coincidence.

I tried changing channels, but it was clear the 6200 changing code simply does not work on my particular 6412. I had previously done some experimenting with the contrib code for changing the channel on 6200's. My 6412 had different unit ID then anything it recognised.

After I switched back to the myth menus, I was never able to get Watch TV nor recording to work again. It must have been a fluke of some kind.

I was surprised just how underpowered my computer is. I was "watching" one of the SD digital cable channels and I was getting what appeared to be 5 or 6 frames per second. I understand that it is streaming the TS file to the hard disk and then decoding and displaying it back off the disk, but the broadcast stream is less then DVD in resolution and bitrate. I guess I was just fooling myself.

I'll probably try install Windows MCE and see how that does. I'm guessing the ATI card will be better supported in a Windows environment. At least I know I will be able to manually record streams and play Xvid AVI's...

Thanks all for your help.