Video Source from Green to Red and possible signal loss err

[avladulescu]

Hello All,

I setup a Debian 5.0 Lenny Distro machine for surveillance with the following configuration :

CPU : P4 @ 2.8 GHz
MEM: 1,5 GB DDR1
HDD : 80 GB

8 CCTV IR Sony 1/4' Cameras connected via STP and Baloons to the video card

kernel.shmmax = 1207959552
kernel.shmall = 1207959552

Apache2
Mysql
Zoneminder 1.24.4

for Capture I have : Multimedia controller: Philips Semiconductors SAA7130 Video Broadcast Decoder (rev 01) -- with 8 video channels

All it's working well, I loaded in modprobe config all 8 port with :

modprobe saa7134 card=60,60,60,60,60,60,60,60

So the card it's capturing streams on all ports and on Monitor mode, we can get images.

The idea is that, when the server starts, all 8 sources are green, and we can see the images from then in Montage window. After a while (5-10minutes), randomly the sources turn from green to red, and click-in on the camera name gives us a blank image.

On log file I see the following : zmc_dvideo2[3727]: WAR [Capture failure, possible signal loss?: Input/output error]

If I reboot the server or restart zm all turns back to green and seems to work for a while.

I really don't know what to do next because, I read of lots of pages related to the kernel shm memory problem, and I believe I got it calculate correct.
There is no pattern for this behaviour and it's not a specific port that does this. This is totally random.

The cameras are in Modect mode, have been tested are working okay, the input voltages to the camera are being provided by a strong designated CCTV power supply, and the resolutions and the working mode for this setup is below :

Max FPS : 10.00
Alarm Max : 10.00
Method : Video version 2
Channel : 3
Dev Format : Pal B
Pallete : RGB24
320 x 240
Img Buffer size : 40 fps
Warmup Frames : 10
Pre event count : 10
post event count : 10

Could you please give me some suggestions related to this problem ? I am having a hard time guessing what's configured wrong on the system.

Regards,
Alex

[jameswilson]

Is your capture chip over heating?

Try running just 1 channel at a low fps to check stability. A lot of cards need heatsinks adding to the capture chips to keep them stable at higher framerates

[avladulescu]

Hello,

Actually Yes, It does heat a lot when in load with 8 cams, even if low framerate is set.

I will try your solutions, even if it came into my head, I thought that this was not the answer. I will put a chipset headsink from another broken Motherboard, and see the results.

Regards,
Alex.

[avladulescu]

Hello,

I return with news. Yesterday I have checked the video chips with my finger while running with 8 cams, and I almost got burnt.

After 30 minutes of searching into an old cpu headsinks box I manage to get 5 coolers on that size. Whit a bit of a termo-conductive paste I manage to get the heating down.

Return to testing. Booted server started all services okay, and hit the Montage button.

For a while all was working great and all source were green. After the nigh, returned to check the cameras. Guess what ? Not working and same error log :

zmc_dvideo5[2615]: WAR [Capture failure, possible signal loss?: Input/output error]

Any ideas somebody ?

[joedee983]

Did you ever get this working? I'm having the same issue with a 8 channel saa7134 board.