saa7134 module audio scan fails and uses the wrong(?) default

Bug #14480 reported by Leo
10
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
linux-source-2.6.15 (Ubuntu)
Invalid
Medium
Ben Collins

Bug Description

When tuning in to a channel either with a tv viewing program or via recording
via mencoder occasionally I receive static for the audio instead of the expected
tv program audio.

Why use my words when someone else can explain it so much better?:D
Needless to say it's incredibly annoying especially when I want to record a tv
show and it comes out as static.

""" I've done some investigation of this, since the static issue was annoying
me (as was the delay for the scan), by insmod'ing with audio_debug=1.
At least for me it seems that the audio carrier scan almost always fails
and falls back to some sort of default (value passed in, value last
detected, or the compile time default (fortunately 5.5 MHz for PAL).
Sometimes the audio carrier scan finds something; it seems about half the
time if finds something it finds 5.5 MHz, and the other half the time it
finds something else (6 MHz or 6.5 MHz). When it finds something else,
you get static. If it finds something else, it'll keep using that until
another scan works (unless you've set a scan-failed default).

Since as David Z says, New Zealand is always using 5.5 MHz, all this
scanning and failing and sometimes getting the wrong results and getting
static is rather a waste of time... """

There's much more on the problem here:
http://lists.naos.co.nz/pipermail/wellylug/2004-May/006632.html

In terms of getting the audio back to what it should be instead of the static
one had to change channel until it changes back, which can take an awefully
large amount of channel changes at times.
Problem present in default ubuntu warty kernel for i386 and 2.6.10-5-k7 and most
likely every other 2.6.x kernel version.

http://lists.naos.co.nz/pipermail/wellylug/2004-May/006632.html: http://lists.naos.co.nz/pipermail/wellylug/2004-May/006632.html

Revision history for this message
Chris Fazekas (chris-fazekas) wrote :

Will attempt to create patch for 2.6.12. Please advise if you are able to test.

Revision history for this message
Leo (pizbit) wrote :

My apologies for this extremely late reply, I have been tied up with annoying
flatmates in my new flat who don't like the idea of paying for net access argh!
Anyway, I seem to have aquired semi-regular net access at home so I am able to
help out with testing etc.
Once again, my apologies.

Revision history for this message
Chuck Short (zulcss) wrote :

Can you try with the latest kernel for breezy?

Thanks
chuck

Revision history for this message
Ben Collins (ben-collins) wrote :

This bug has been flagged because it is old and possibly inactive. It may or may
not be fixed in the latest release (Breezy Badger 5.10). It is being marked as
"NEEDSINFO". In two weeks time, if the bug is not updated back to "NEW" and
validated against Breezy, it will be closed.

This is needed in order to help manage the current bug list for the kernel. We
would like to fix all bugs, but need users to test and help with debugging.

If this change was in error for this bug, please respond and make the
appropriate change (or email <email address hidden> if you cannot make the
change).

Thanks for your help.

Revision history for this message
Leo (pizbit) wrote :

Sorry for the extremely extended delay, life is life etc.(Moved 5 times this year!)

I can confirm that with a brand new Breezy(Ubuntu 5.10) install the problem
still exists.
From dmesg:

[4295023.939000] saa7134[0]/audio: audio carrier scan failed, using 5.500 MHz
[last detected]
[4295102.976000] saa7134[0]/audio: audio carrier scan failed, using 5.500 MHz
[last detected]

I am now availble for testing.

Revision history for this message
Ben Collins (ben-collins) wrote :

If possible, please upgrade to Dapper's 2.6.15-7 kernel. If you do not want to
upgrade to Dapper, then you can also wait for the Dapper Flight 2 CD's, which
are due out within the next few days.

Let me know if this bug still exists with this kernel.

Revision history for this message
Leo (pizbit) wrote :

Is it possible to simply change breezy to dapper in my sources.list and get the
kernel that way yet?
Downloading a whole cd isn't exactly feasible.
If not this weekend I'll be having a go next weekend. Trust me, I want this one
fixed *grin*.

Revision history for this message
Ben Collins (ben-collins) wrote :

(In reply to comment #7)
> Is it possible to simply change breezy to dapper in my sources.list and get the
> kernel that way yet?
> Downloading a whole cd isn't exactly feasible.
> If not this weekend I'll be having a go next weekend. Trust me, I want this one
> fixed *grin*.

Yeah, after changing sources.list, run these commands:

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install linux-image-686

(or linux-image-k7, or linux-image-386, whichever you use)

It would be best if you could do a full upgrade, but this shoudl work for now.
You may want to upgrade any alsa related apps too.

Revision history for this message
Leo (pizbit) wrote :

'apt-get install linux-image-686' wants to remove hotplug, eep:)
I'll knock up a new partition and install tomorrow to play around with.
Observation: It appears that quitting and then reopening TvTime has a higher
rate of success in getting the audio back than changing channels.

Revision history for this message
Ben Collins (ben-collins) wrote :

(In reply to comment #9)
> 'apt-get install linux-image-686' wants to remove hotplug, eep:)
> I'll knock up a new partition and install tomorrow to play around with.
> Observation: It appears that quitting and then reopening TvTime has a higher
> rate of success in getting the audio back than changing channels.

Yeah, that is expected. New udev+kernel obsoletes hotplug.

If you want, you can wait for Dapper Flight 2 cd's and try the liveCD.

Revision history for this message
Carthik Sharma (carthik) wrote :

Thank you for reporting this bug and following up on it.

I am marking this bug Closed since there has been no response from you for over three months. We
would like to fix all existing issues, but need need feedback to help with debugging.

Should you still have a problem with the latest up to date Dapper kernel and packages, please reopen this bug, answering the questions that have already been asked of you before.

Thanks again, please report any other issues you have after checking that they haven't already been reported.

Changed in linux-source-2.6.15:
status: Needs Info → Rejected
Revision history for this message
Zac Bowling (zac) wrote :

Having similar issue with a FlyVideo2000FM card. Works in Warty and in Horay with my Xen kernel but not in with Breezy. Other distros can normally fix by switching tuners and cards with insmod, but no go with Breezy. I think its realated to modprobe.d/alsabase forcing saa7134_alsa like it does.

Revision history for this message
Niels Kristian Bech Jensen (nkbjensen) wrote :

What happens if you comment out that line in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base and reboot?

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