lirc trouble: multiple devices (in my case lirc_imon and Commandir II)

[rune.evjen]

Note: This problem is now solved, see last post in thread

Hardware setup:

- lsusb excerpt:
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 10c4:0003 Cygnal Integrated Products, Inc.
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 15c2:0038 SoundGraph Inc.

1st device is a commandir II, second is a lcd panel in an Antec Black Media Centre cabinet, which uses the lirc_imon driver.

- uname -a
Linux m-stue 2.6.28-11-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 17 01:57:59 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux (jaunty)

What is working: With the Commandir PPA lirc package, the Commandir II device works fine, but unfortunately it seems that my Soundgraph LCD device (which needs lirc_imon module) is not working.

But after reading this post: http://www.avenard.org/media/Patches_%26_Add-Ons/Entries/2008/10/8_LIRC_to_work_with_Antec_Fusion_Remote_Black.html
and patching the lirc source, I am able to modprobe lirc_imon, restart lirc, restart gdm and get a fully-funtional mythfrontend with commandir as well as getting the LCD device to display useful information using LCDd and lcdproc.

So all is well until a reboot.
After reboot the same lircd instances is started by the init script, the lirc_imon and lcdproc is working but the commandir is not working.
Starting irw from the command line gives no commandir response.

ps aux | grep lirc gives (both before reboot where everything is working and after reboot):

root 19059 0.0 0.0 3116 696 ? S<s 20:59 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --listen
root 19064 0.0 0.0 3164 788 ? S<s 20:59 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --output=/dev/lircd1 --connect=localhost 8765 --pidfile=/var/run/lircd1.pid
root 19065 0.1 0.0 3116 696 ? S< 20:59 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --listen

So what is happening ?

This is reproducible, removing lirc-modules-source, reinstalling lirc, reinstalling the source and patching it and doing a modprobe and restarting lirc gives a working setup again until the next reboot.

Can anybody help with getting the two lirc devices working again ?

Regards,

Rune

[rune.evjen]

After reviewing my lirc processes, I adjusted my /etc/lirc/hardware.conf to the following:

# /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
#
#Chosen Remote Control
REMOTE="CommandIR Multi-IR Transceiver (userspace)"
REMOTE_MODULES=""
REMOTE_DRIVER="commandir"
REMOTE_DEVICE="/dev/lirc0"
REMOTE_LIRCD_CONF="/etc/lirc/lircd.conf"
REMOTE_LIRCD_ARGS=""

#Chosen IR Transmitter
TRANSMITTER="Soundgraph iMon IR/LCD"
TRANSMITTER_MODULES="lirc_dev lirc_imon"
TRANSMITTER_DRIVER="default"
TRANSMITTER_DEVICE="/dev/lirc1"
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF="/etc/lirc/lirc1.conf"
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_CONF=""
TRANSMITTER_LIRCD_ARGS=""

#Enable lircd
START_LIRCD="true"

#Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
#START_LIRCMD="false"

#Try to load appropriate kernel modules
LOAD_MODULES="true"

# Default configuration files for your hardware if any
LIRCMD_CONF=""

#Forcing noninteractive reconfiguration
#If lirc is to be reconfigured by an external application
#that doesn't have a debconf frontend available, the noninteractive
#frontend can be invoked and set to parse REMOTE and TRANSMITTER
#It will then populate all other variables without any user input
#If you would like to configure lirc via standard methods, be sure
#to leave this set to "false"
FORCE_NONINTERACTIVE_RECONFIGURATION="false"
START_LIRCMD=""

This resulted in the following lircd processes:
root 5230 0.0 0.0 3116 668 ? Ss 23:46 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --listen
root 5232 0.0 0.0 3116 720 ? S 23:46 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --listen
root 5236 0.0 0.0 3116 596 ? Ss 23:47 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc1 --output=/dev/lircd1 --pidfile=/var/run/lircd1.pid

This seems more accurate, as the driver argument for the second remote (or lcd device) should not be commandir. Note that even though there are two lirc processes for commandir, I only started one instance of lirc for commandir!

But still, the setup is not working, commandir does not seem to respond (red diode on device, no response from irw).

After manually stopping lirc and starting the first process (i.e /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --listen ) commandir responds to irw. If I then either starts the second lirc process (i.e root 5236 0.0 0.0 3116 596 ? Ss 23:47 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc1 --output=/dev/lircd1 --pidfile=/var/run/lircd1.pid) OR restarts gdm which autostarts mythtv-frontend, commandir no longer responds to irw (and does not work in mythtv).

Can anybody spot the configuration error ? Or is there an issue with using commandir with a userspace driver and the lirc_imon device together ?

Rune

[rune.evjen]

I realize answering myself twice seems strange, but anyway:

Ater testing som more and googling I came along this post:

I then tested manually using these commands:
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc --pidfile=/var/run/lirc.pid --listen=9988
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc1 --pidfile=/var/run/lirc1.pid --listen=9987
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --pidfile=/var/run/lirc0.pid --connect=localhost:9988 --connect=localhost:9987


This led to the following output of ps aux | grep lirc:
root 6536 0.0 0.0 3116 696 ? Ss 00:15 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc --pidfile=/var/run/lirc.pid --listen=9988
root 6538 0.0 0.0 3116 720 ? S 00:15 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc --pidfile=/var/run/lirc.pid --listen=9988
root 6540 0.0 0.0 3116 664 ? Ss 00:16 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc1 --pidfile=/var/run/lirc1.pid --listen=9987
root 6681 0.0 0.0 3164 816 ? Ss 00:17 0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc0 --output=/dev/lircd --pidfile=/var/run/lirc0.pid --connect=localhost 9988 --connect=localhost 9987

But it is still not working.

Any help appreciated.

Rune

[phroman]

Ok, this is a long shot but check your /etc/lirc/lircd.conf file. I noticed that you must list the devices here in the same order as you do in your /etc/lirc/hardware.conf file. ie. first your remote, and then your blaster, or however you have things arranged. For me, if I don't order them this way, nothing works. I'm researching a semi-similar problem, so I'll post back if I find anything. Good luck.

[rune.evjen]

After getting support from the commandir vendor, I added the following to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf:

blacklist commandir
blacklist lirc_cmdir

This solved the problem with my commandir in conjuction with the lirc_imon kernel module.

The setup now works using the following lirc commands:
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc0 --pidfile=/var/run/lirc0.pid --listen=9988 /etc/lirc/lirc0.conf
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=default --device=/dev/lirc1 --pidfile=/var/run/lirc1.pid --listen=9987 /etc/lirc/lirc1.conf
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd --driver=commandir --device=/dev/lirc --output=/dev/lircd --pidfile=/var/run/lircd.pid --connect=localhost:9988 --connect=localhost:9987 /etc/lirc/lircd.conf

Rune

[SiliconFiend]

I have nearly the same setup (lirc_imon with a CommandIR II) but I can't get this to work. I'm using lirc 0.8.5 as the CommandIR II website recommends. I don't have those blacklisted kernel modules anywhere but I keep getting an extra instance of lircd running anyway. Could you post more details of your config, like what's in your lirc0.conf, lirc1.conf and lircd.conf? Also, what's attached to /dev/lirc1? (I assume your imon is on /dev/lirc0). I'm running Gentoo so I don't have an /etc/lirc/hardware.conf but it just looks like a control file for the lircd service control script.

[rune.evjen]

I have nearly the same setup (lirc_imon with a CommandIR II) but I can't get this to work. I'm using lirc 0.8.5 as the CommandIR II website recommends. I don't have those blacklisted kernel modules anywhere but I keep getting an extra instance of lircd running anyway. Could you post more details of your config, like what's in your lirc0.conf, lirc1.conf and lircd.conf? Also, what's attached to /dev/lirc1? (I assume your imon is on /dev/lirc0). I'm running Gentoo so I don't have an /etc/lirc/hardware.conf but it just looks like a control file for the lircd service control script.


My working setup:
lirc0.conf

# Please make this file available to others
# by sending it to <lirc@bartelmus.de>
#
# this config file was automatically generated
# using lirc-0.8.4(default) on Sat Oct 18 02:21:26 2008
#
# contributed by Jean-Yves Avenard
#
# brand: Antec Fusion Remote
# model no. of remote control: MX200
# devices being controlled by this remote:
#

begin remote

name mx200
bits 32
eps 30
aeps 100

one 0 0
zero 0 0
gap 195997
toggle_bit 0

begin codes
Up 0x1008000
Left 0x1000080
Right 0x100007F
Down 0x1007F00
Enter 0x2000028
LClick 0x1010000
RClick 0x1020000
ESC 0x2000029
1 0x200001E
2 0x200001F
3 0x2000020
4 0x2000021
5 0x2000022
6 0x2000023
7 0x2000024
8 0x2000025
9 0x2000026
0 0x2000027
* 0x2200025
# 0x2200020
end codes

end remote

lircd1.conf

# Please make this file available to others
# by sending it to <lirc@bartelmus.de>
#
# this config file was automatically generated
# using lirc-0.8.4(default) on Sat Oct 18 02:21:26 2008
#
# contributed by Jean-Yves Avenard
#
# brand: Antec Fusion Remote
# model no. of remote control: MX200
# devices being controlled by this remote:
#

begin remote

name mx200
bits 32
eps 30
aeps 100

one 0 0
zero 0 0
gap 195997
toggle_bit 0
begin codes
Button- 0x01000000
Button+ 0x00010000
Play 0x2A8115B7
Record 0x298115B7
Eject 0x29B195B7
Rewind 0x2A8195B7
Pause 0x2A9115B7
Forward 0x2B8115B7
Prev 0x2B9115B7
Stop 0x2B9715B7
Skip 0x298195B7
Mute 0x2B9595B7
Timer 0x2B8395B7
AppExit 0x288195B7
Power 0x289115B7
Zoom 0x29A595B7
FullScreen 0x2AA395B7
Go 0x2AB195B7
Switch 0x2A9395B7
Eject2 0x299395B7
AppLaunch 0x29B715B7
Vol- 0x28A595B7
Vol+ 0x28A395B7
Prog- 0x288795B7
Prog+ 0x289395B7
Red 0x2B8515B7
Green 0x299195B7
Blue 0x2BA115B7
Yello 0x28A515B7
DVD 0x29A395B7
Menu 0x2BA395B7
Subtitle 0x298595B7
Audio 0x2B8595B7
Bookmark 0x288515B7
Thumbnail 0x2AB715B7
end codes

end remote



/etc/lirc/lircd.conf includes all the remotes I use with commandir
I based my setup on the following:
- http://www.avenard.org/media/Patches_%26_Add-Ons/Entries/2008/10/9_RM200_remote_with_LIRC.html
- http://mythtvblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/getting-imon-0038-lcd-working-with-lirc.html

In the last post, the IMON device is described:
The iMON pad remote acts like a mouse/keyboard in addition to a remote. In the old version, it was my understanding that this was all handled through one LIRC device. However, the 0038 version splits it into 2 devices. All of the mouse/keyboard related keys come through the lirc0 device (the directional pad, left click, enter, the number button, ect....however NOT including the Mouse/Keyboard toggle button). Everything else comes through the lirc1 device (play, eject, colored buttons, zoom, etc...plus the Mouse/Keyboard toggle button). Finally, if you have front panel button, they will also come through the lirc1 device (at least they do on the DH-101).

So the IMON device is using both /dev/lirc0 and /dev/lirc1 in my setup.

I found that it was necessary to blacklist the "old" commandir modules, as otherwise these were loaded at startup (and unloaded again), and this messed up the commandir.

I am not using hardware.conf to setup the lirc, as the ubuntu setup only allows for 2 lirc devices and I need 3.

I have the modprobe setup and lirc setup as described in http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=7267904&postcount=5, and all lirc devices is available through /dev/lircd

With this setup, the commandir works as well as all the buttons on the imon remote as well as the volume knob.

Best Regards,

Rune

[SiliconFiend]

Thanks for the reply. It turns out my problem was apparently a buggy USB on my Asus A8N-VM CSM motherboard. Putting the CommandIR II on a USB hub which was then plugged into the motherboard solved that Error -110 problem.