[linux-audio-user] RME Hammerfall DSP Multiface firmware loading problem

Matt Kleffner kleffner at gmail.com
Mon Dec 19 13:00:36 EST 2005


Sorry about the formatting of my last message - I'm not sure how I got gmail
to do that! Hopefully this one will be formatted correctly...

Summary: hdspconf works with 1.0.9b in 2.6.13.5; FIFO error remains

The easiest way for me to revert to 1.0.9 was to compile a slightly older
vanilla 2.6 kernel. (1.0.10 is in the vanilla 2.6.14.3 kernel.) For those who
are interested: I could not find any online kernel source browsers that were
functional, so I started downloading other versions of the kernel. I got lucky
and the next lower version, 2.6.13.5, has the following in
linux-2.6.13.5/include/sound/version.h :
/* include/version.h.  Generated by configure.  */
#define CONFIG_SND_VERSION "1.0.9b"
#define CONFIG_SND_DATE " (Thu Jul 28 12:20:13 2005 UTC)"

Therefore, I compiled this kernel. I powered down, removed all cables, plugged
all of them back in and powered on. Here is the kernel log:
Hammerfall-DSP: wait for FIFO status <= 0 failed after 30 iterations
Hammerfall-DSP: loading firmware
Hammerfall-DSP: finished firmware loading

hdspconf now works (with 1.0.9b and 2.6.13.5) and I can change any of its
settings. However, the kernel log messages have not changed from 2.6.14.3.
Is the FIFO error important? Using the amixer workaround to set the sampling
rate and compiling 2.6.14.3 with the PREEMPT flags set, I was able to
successfully record audio with ardour - even though the FIFO error was present
at boot time.

If I find I need 1.0.9b with 2.6.14.3, how challenging is it to downgrade alsa
in the kernel source?

 - Matt

On 12/16/05, Paul Davis wrote:
>> On Fri, 2005-12-16 at 14:50 -0600, Matt Kleffner wrote:
>> I powered down and unplugged everything. After reconnecting everything
>> and turning the (desktop) computer on, the "Host Error" light on the
>> multiface went out and the kernel log contained:
>>
>> Hammerfall-DSP: wait for FIFO status <= 0 failed after 30 iterations
>> Hammerfall-DSP: loading firmware
>> Hammerfall-DSP: finished firmware loading
>>
>> Now, when I run hdspconf and select any option (e.g. change sampling
>> rate), I get an error for each option selected. For example, if I
>> change the sampling rate to 44.1 kHz the radio button selection
>> "jumps" back to 48 kHz.
>>
>> The stdout of hdspconf looks like:
>>
>> HDSPConf 1.4 - Copyright (C) 2003 Thomas Charbonnel <thomas at undata.org>
>> This program comes WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
>> HDSPConf is free software, see the file copying for details
>>
>> Looking for HDSP cards :
>> Card 0 : VIA 82C686A/B rev50 with ICE1232 at 0xa800, irq 9
>> Card 1 : RME Hammerfall DSP + Multiface at 0xdd000000, irq 9
>> Multiface found !
>> 1 Hammerfall DSP card found.
>> Error accessing ctl interface on card hw:1
>> Error accessing ctl interface on card hw:1
>> Error accessing ctl interface on card hw:1
>>
>> The last message is repeated every time I attempt to change a setting,
>> and it doesn't show up at all until I try to change a setting. If I
>> close hdspconf and run
>>
>> amixer -c 1 cset numid=11 2
>> (syntax from http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7024)
>>
>> the correct (44.1 kHz) setting shows up when I reopen hdspconf.
>> Changing the rate back to 48 kHz in hdspconf results in the same
>> error, except the selection now remains fixed at 44.1 kHz.
>>
>> Any thoughts on why this is happening? Is the version of HDSPConf too old?
>>
>>  - Matt
>> On 12/16/05, Paul Davis <paul at email-addr-hidden> wrote:
>> try power-cycling *everything*. the computer, (including unplugging the
>> power cord (and battery if its a laptop), and the multiface box.
>>
>> i've run into this condition once or twice, and the only solution i have
>> found is a complete power cycle of everything.
>>
>>
>> --p
>
> i have a nasty feeling that ALSA 1.0.10 may have broken something here.
> this is the second report of this in a few weeks. i know its ugly and
> horrible and time consuming, but it would really help if you could back
> up to 1.0.9 and test that.
>
> --p
>
>
>




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