New issues in Portsdown 4 today. The system has been working well for the most part until today.
1. Pi cam just stopped transmitting, shows on screen but the Pluto will not output. No carrier. Works fine with other inputs like Test Card. Have rebooted, powered off/on and no joy, cannot get the PD4 to transmit when using PI Cam.
2. When using FreeStreamCoder to send a stream to the PD4, if FSC stops for any reason (changing a setting or it just stops working) the PD4 has to be taken out of transmit and then put back into transmit before it will start outputting again.
3. FreeStreamCoder just stops periodically, program is still running but the Red/Green light will sometimes be solid red or solid green. Have to stop FSC and restart it then everything normal for several hours. Is there some kind of debug log I can send to the developer to help isolate this issue?
Any suggestions on what happened with Pi Cam or the PD4 stopping transmit when FSC is stopped?
Thanks,
Mike/KA5TDA
PI Camera stopped transmitting
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
Hi Mike
You have got to remember that the Portsdown 4 is a hobby project, and does not have the support that you would expect from Apple or Microsoft or any other company that you buy software from. There is only one (part-time unpaid) software developer, one PCB designer and a group of testers. We expect users to work through their problems, learn from the experience and then support others by updating the wiki and forum.
1. We need more information. What software version (from menu 2, info) are you using? What encoding? What SR? What FEC? Have you tried a factory reset? Are you getting any low power warnings (menu2, info)? What audio source do you have selected? What audio source do you have connected? What callsign do you have set?
2. This is expected behaviour. If your car runs out of fuel, you don't expect it to restart as your pour more fuel into the tank - you have to manually restart it.
3. Not a Portsdown issue - please ask the FSC developer or post in another topic on this forum.
73
Dave
You have got to remember that the Portsdown 4 is a hobby project, and does not have the support that you would expect from Apple or Microsoft or any other company that you buy software from. There is only one (part-time unpaid) software developer, one PCB designer and a group of testers. We expect users to work through their problems, learn from the experience and then support others by updating the wiki and forum.
1. We need more information. What software version (from menu 2, info) are you using? What encoding? What SR? What FEC? Have you tried a factory reset? Are you getting any low power warnings (menu2, info)? What audio source do you have selected? What audio source do you have connected? What callsign do you have set?
2. This is expected behaviour. If your car runs out of fuel, you don't expect it to restart as your pour more fuel into the tank - you have to manually restart it.
3. Not a Portsdown issue - please ask the FSC developer or post in another topic on this forum.
73
Dave
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the reply.
Here are some answers to your requests:
1. Software Version Stretch 2021090501
2. H264, SR 2000, FEC 1/2 DVB-S
3. Audio source is USB Mic, connected to USB dongle
4. No low power warnings, running on 3A power pack
5. Callsign KA5TDA
6. Did a factory reset, didn't work
Strange thing on the camera issue, finally gave up on it after several hours and just left it on test card. Several hours later I hit the camera for source and it suddenly started working on it's own. No reason and it has not done it again. The PD4 has been running in camera mode for couple of weeks with no issue. Being a software developer is why I asked if there was any kind of debug log that I could send in that would hopefully lead to a reason. Understand that this is a hobby and feel for you as a programmer. I'd try and help on that end but at my age, programming is becoming problematic for me. Tester I can be, now that I'm retired I can devote a lot more time to playing with things.
If there's anything I can do to help run down this issue let me know but I expect that it's going to go into the strange but true bin unless it keeps happening, software can be like that.
On the FSC, I just found it strange that a drop in the incoming TS was causing the PD4 to stop transmitting but the TX was staying on. I would have expected it to pickup processing the stream when it became available again as you would expect the occasional drop in data to occur. I've already contacted the developer and let him know. Waiting to hear back if there's anything I can do to help him out on tracking that one down.
73,
Mike
Thanks for the reply.
Here are some answers to your requests:
1. Software Version Stretch 2021090501
2. H264, SR 2000, FEC 1/2 DVB-S
3. Audio source is USB Mic, connected to USB dongle
4. No low power warnings, running on 3A power pack
5. Callsign KA5TDA
6. Did a factory reset, didn't work
Strange thing on the camera issue, finally gave up on it after several hours and just left it on test card. Several hours later I hit the camera for source and it suddenly started working on it's own. No reason and it has not done it again. The PD4 has been running in camera mode for couple of weeks with no issue. Being a software developer is why I asked if there was any kind of debug log that I could send in that would hopefully lead to a reason. Understand that this is a hobby and feel for you as a programmer. I'd try and help on that end but at my age, programming is becoming problematic for me. Tester I can be, now that I'm retired I can devote a lot more time to playing with things.
If there's anything I can do to help run down this issue let me know but I expect that it's going to go into the strange but true bin unless it keeps happening, software can be like that.
On the FSC, I just found it strange that a drop in the incoming TS was causing the PD4 to stop transmitting but the TX was staying on. I would have expected it to pickup processing the stream when it became available again as you would expect the occasional drop in data to occur. I've already contacted the developer and let him know. Waiting to hear back if there's anything I can do to help him out on tracking that one down.
73,
Mike
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
Hi Mike
The camera issue is probably that you are running at a symbol rate outside the specified range. As stated on this Wiki page [url]https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_4_Pluto[/url ], it is only tested up to 1 MS and I know that it is not reliable at higher symbol rates.
73
Dave
The camera issue is probably that you are running at a symbol rate outside the specified range. As stated on this Wiki page [url]https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_4_Pluto[/url ], it is only tested up to 1 MS and I know that it is not reliable at higher symbol rates.
73
Dave
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
2Ms ? Why such a high rate? If thats with the Pluto I am not surprised it is giving problems. Portsdown 4 is really aimed at more efficient narrow bandwidth DVB-S2. For 2MS QPSK you might be better off with the original Portsdown and filter modulator board.
Mike
Mike
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
I was running DVB-T at 333 from it to Hides HV-122 but it went deaf after a couple of days and is waiting for info on returning it for replacement. Wish I had got the HV-120 for the extended frequency range.. Oh well.
The only thing I have left to test with is the GTMedia 7Pro and the lowest rate it will go is 2K. Been running this for about a week. Will dig out the MiniTiouner and let it run a 333 and see if problem repeats is -S mode.
Mike
The only thing I have left to test with is the GTMedia 7Pro and the lowest rate it will go is 2K. Been running this for about a week. Will dig out the MiniTiouner and let it run a 333 and see if problem repeats is -S mode.
Mike
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
Mike
I have just noticed that you have stated "Software Version Stretch 2021090501".
Version 2021090501 is only supported on Raspios Buster, not Raspbian Stretch. So unless the info screen reporting is wrong, you are running a totally unknown and untested configuration.
73
Dave
I have just noticed that you have stated "Software Version Stretch 2021090501".
Version 2021090501 is only supported on Raspios Buster, not Raspbian Stretch. So unless the info screen reporting is wrong, you are running a totally unknown and untested configuration.
73
Dave
Re: PI Camera stopped transmitting
This is the version of the IMG that I downloaded per the link on BATC. 2021-03-04 release of Raspios Buster Lite
Followed these instructions: https://github.com/davecrump/portsdown4
I've heard of Buster and Debian but never heard of Stretch, I just thought that was the nickname of the PD4 software when I saw it.
Is there anything at the terminal level I can check to confirm or should I reburn the SD card and reload again?
Mike
Followed these instructions: https://github.com/davecrump/portsdown4
I've heard of Buster and Debian but never heard of Stretch, I just thought that was the nickname of the PD4 software when I saw it.
Is there anything at the terminal level I can check to confirm or should I reburn the SD card and reload again?
Mike