[mythtv-users] Strange networking issue with Acer Revo AR1600 on GBit

[Daniel Born]

>>> Well, in my onging effort to (correctly) debug this problem, this is what I know now:
>>>
>>> Mythbuntu 9.10 32-bit fully updated (kernel 2.6.31.20): doesn't work reliably
>>> Ubuntu 10.04 RC4 64-bit fully updated (kernel?): works reliably
>>> Xubuntu 9.10 64-bit fully updated (kernel 2.6.31.20): works reliably
>>> Mythbuntu 9.10 64-bit fully updated (kernel 2.6.31.20): doesn't work reliably
>>>
>>> So it might appear to have a relationship with the Mythbuntu package.
>>>
>>> My next step will be to reinstall Xubuntu 9.10 and install Mythtv on that.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions, hints, things to try, etc. are welcome.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Daniel
>>
>> Now that you mention it (and I read it) my Revo with Mythbuntu
>> exhibits similar behavior (I think).  When starting playback on the
>> Revo, it will play for about 1 minute then fail with prebuffter pauses
>> (http://mythtv.beirdo.ca/ircLog/channel/1/2010-04-17:11:32/2010-04-17:12:37).
>>  I have found that *any * activity on the backend (ls, iptraf,
>> pwd...etc) will clear up the prebuffer pauses and allow playback to go
>> without a hitch.  So, I'm not sure if it's something in the backend
>> (since activity there clears up the issue) or if I'm seeing the same
>> issue as you.
>>
>> My simple workaround right now (to keep WAF up) is to just run iptraf
>> from my desktop in the office in an ssh session on the backend.
>>
>> My backend is Slackware 13.0 kernel 2.6.30.5 and the Revo frontend is
>> Mythbuntu 9.10 kernel 2.6.31.20.  Next time I have some downtime on
>> the box I may just load Slackware and see if the issue goes away.
>
> I first started seeing the problem when watching recorded or live tv 
> programs. After several minutes (5 to 45 appr.), the display would freeze, 
> then turn black, then a popup would come up saying the stream or link had 
> timed out (don't remember exactly). I then started testing and noticed it > would also happen in ssh terminal sessions too. I would get a "session 
> closed by peer" or similar. I could not reconnect after that for a few 
> minutes from that PC. The strange thing is I could still connect or remain 
> connected from a different PC.
>
> Now my standard testing steps involve opening an ssh terminal session from 
> my desktop pc directly to the Revo, another one ssh-ing onto my file 
> server and then onto the Revo, another one ssh-ing onto my Myth BE and 
> then onto the Revo. All these terminal sessions run 'top' so they're not 
> just sitting at the prompt waiting for something to timeout. It also has 
> the advantage of producing light refreshes to the window and also showing 
> the current time.
>
> I then just leave this running for hours/days until they terminate on 
> their own or I consider this is long enough for success.
>
> During this time, the Revo does nothing more than sit idle at < 20% cpu 
> depending if mythfrontend is running or not.
>
> What I find strange is that xubuntu 9.10 running xfce works fine but not 
> the equivalent (+mythtv) mythbuntu 9.10
>
> I should probably try mythbuntu with everything mythtv stopped.
>

Well, how's that for a partial victory:
Mythbuntu 9.10 did not want to keep a steady network connection no matter what I did.

So I reinstalled Xubuntu 9.10 (now with kernel 2.6.31.21), removed all the "stuff" I didn't need for Myth and then installed Mythtv on it (from the link on the mythbuntu website). After all the tweaking and setting up, I get a stable network connection ONLY to the Myth BE, all others still disconnect.
Go figure... I will do further tests to see if I can live with this until I eventually upgrade everything to 10.04 some time in the future.

One thing I didn't think of trying is before and after upgrading the display driver from generic to nVidia 185 to see if that breaks it..? (nVidia GPU, nVidia nic) who knows... Maybe I'll try upgrading to nVidia 190 just for grins.

Daniel
P.S. Why am I the only one with this problem, (or maybe not)?



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/attachments/20100429/65688089/attachment.htm>