Built a new PC, performance worse than old clunker....

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G8KOE
Posts: 178
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:14 am

Re: Built a new PC, performance worse than old clunker....

Post by G8KOE » Tue May 31, 2022 7:58 am

Hi Mike,
Thanks for info on cbr_hq
The latest version of OBS produced errors until I removed th _hq.
OBS 27.1.3 worked with _hq later versions would not work for me.


Martin

Basil
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:28 pm

Re: Built a new PC, performance worse than old clunker....

Post by Basil » Tue May 31, 2022 2:48 pm

Sorry to have not got back to you before, but basically the earlier version of ffmpeg worked fine, and a big improvement on DATV-Easy (on my system, PLEASE do not take this as a sleight on DATV-Easy, it must be night mare developing such apps and I will watch its progress wit interest and real gratitude).

But coincidentally a minor disaster struck. My Pluto locked into full power TX, on a fixed frequency, with a clean looking but huge signal and every time I rebooted it, after about ten seconds, it was off again. It is now appearing semi bricked, although I can load different firmware, and it outputs power on demand from Portsdown 4, but I believe it's off frequency. The AD 1 watt preamp gives little more powr out than the Pluto itself, suggesting it's perhaps being fed the wrong frequency. I have no SA that goes that high, only a frequency counter. but on receive using SDR Console on narrow band SSB, it's off receive frequency. It's GPS locked to a Leo Bodnar. I had similar once before. But the real issue now is I cannot do a dfu fix. This is what the damned thing is returning, despite my (somewhat hit and miss) best efforts:

C:\>dfu-util -l


dfu-util 0.9

Copyright 2005-2009 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc.
Copyright 2010-2016 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Please report bugs to http://sourceforge.net/p/dfu-util/tickets/

Device has DFU interface, but has no DFU functional descriptor
Deducing device DFU version from functional descriptor length
Cannot open DFU device 0456:b674
Device has DFU interface, but has no DFU functional descriptor
Deducing device DFU version from functional descriptor length
Cannot open DFU device 0456:b674

C:\>

So, with the Jubilee celebrations and a battered wallet I am likely stuffed for a while, but maybe there's a workaround, it does "sort of" work :)

I am certainly not putting it in the bin yet and any ideas from anyone whose seen this before are very very welcome. I have a feeling someone who actually knows what they are doing could revive this sick object :)

I will not submit, just lick my wounds for a while and spend what litle is left on some beer for the festivities ;)

Thanks for the ffmpeg stuff, it's all very hard to follow none backward compatible developments, I am sure.

g0mjw
Posts: 2311
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Built a new PC, performance worse than old clunker....

Post by g0mjw » Tue May 31, 2022 4:25 pm

Are you using Evariste's 0303 software? If so, make sure you configure it correctly. Otherwise it can do strange things. See the Wiki and F5UUI's site. I take it you have an original version and not one of the newer Rev D Plutos. Are you sure it isn't the PA oscillating?

Mike

Basil
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:28 pm

Re: Built a new PC, performance worse than old clunker....

Post by Basil » Tue May 31, 2022 7:38 pm

Funnily enough I was going to ask YOU what firmware you were using as I can imagine such a package could fall apart with just one unsuitable element. When I found out that the last "Perseverance" release also appeared to run fine with my Portsdown 4 I have used that release for some time. Now, whether it's 0303 I am not sure, I'll try and check it Mike.

There seems to be several Analog Device's forums, do you think a question there would bring me useful advice as to how to try and revive it, or is our usage likely to be considered too left field and asking for trouble? :)

Is / was the Lime considered more reliable and robust than the Pluto for our particular needs? I believe I read that they are soon to be back on the shelves again, in a later format, should this Pluto be effectively dead.

g0mjw
Posts: 2311
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Built a new PC, performance worse than old clunker....

Post by g0mjw » Tue May 31, 2022 8:52 pm

Not sure. I have been using 0303 for a while without issue but I might be the only one using that.

Anyway you can still use the Portadown 4 and Lime, just send the transport stream to that instead of the Pluto. Configure the Portsdown 4 for IPTS in. You could also use Gnuradio and the Lime on a PC but that's harder.

Note that example script was for a specific bit rate, it needs adjusting for other bit rates. Easy when you know how, inscrutable when you don't.

Mike

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