ZoneMinder Forums

Hi All,
I'm after some help please in getting my Geovision capture card to work in Zoneminder.
I currently have a CTU FC3 system running with a PV149 4 port capture card & a Dynalink capture card. ZoneMinder 1.21.4 seems to be running very well with these two capture cards.
What I would like to be able to do is to get my 4 port GV600 capture card to work & take out the Dynalink card to give me a 8 port system.
The GV600 is detected when the system is booted but shows the card as unknown, I have tried it with card=77 but still no pictures. I get a blue screen from channels 0-3 & a black screen for any other channels. The GV600 has a single BT878 chip.
I also see that since I put the GV600 card in I'm now getting a “buffer size error” on two of the BT878 chips on the PV149 card? Although they seem to be working alright.

Thanks Sika

dmesg
Linux video capture interface: v1.00
bttv: driver version 0.9.15 loaded
bttv: using 8 buffers with 2080k (520 pages) each for capture
bttv: Bt8xx card found (0).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:0a.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bttv0: Bt878 (rev 2) at 0000:00:0a.0, irq: 10, latency: 64, mmio: 0xcdbfe000
bttv0: detected: (Askey Magic/others) TView99 CPH05x [card=24], PCI subsystem ID
is 144f:3002
bttv0: using: Askey CPH05X/06X (bt878) [many vendors] [card=24,insmod option]
bttv0: gpio: en=00000000, out=00000000 in=00feffff [init]
bttv0: radio detected by subsystem id (CPH05x)
bttv0: using tuner=-1
bttv0: i2c: checking for MSP34xx @ 0x80... not found
bttv0: i2c: checking for TDA9875 @ 0xb0... not found
bttv0: i2c: checking for TDA7432 @ 0x8a... not found
tvaudio: TV audio decoder + audio/video mux driver
tvaudio: known chips: tda9840,tda9873h,tda9874h/a,tda9850,tda9855,tea6300,tea632
0,tea6420,tda8425,pic16c54 (PV951),ta8874z
bttv0: i2c: checking for TDA9887 @ 0x86... not found
bttv0: registered device video0
bttv0: registered device vbi0
bttv0: registered device radio0
bttv0: PLL: 28636363 => 35468950 .. ok
bttv0: add subdevice "remote0"
bttv: Bt8xx card found (1).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] enabled at IRQ 10
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:0b.0[A] -> Link [LNKB] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bttv1: Bt878 (rev 17) at 0000:00:0b.0, irq: 10, latency: 64, mmio: 0xcdbfc000
bttv1: subsystem: 600a:584c (UNKNOWN)
please mail id, board name and the correct card= insmod option to kraxel@bytesex
.org
bttv1: using: GrandTec Multi Capture Card (Bt878) [card=77,insmod option]
bttv1: gpio: en=00000000, out=00000000 in=00fff0ff [init]
bttv1: using tuner=-1
bttv1: i2c: checking for TDA9875 @ 0xb0... not found
bttv1: i2c: checking for TDA7432 @ 0x8a... not found
bttv1: i2c: checking for TDA9887 @ 0x86... not found
bttv1: registered device video1
bttv1: registered device vbi1
bttv1: PLL: 28636363 => 35468950 .. ok
bttv: Bt8xx card found (2).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:08.0[A] -> Link [LNKB] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bttv2: Bt878 (rev 17) at 0000:03:08.0, irq: 10, latency: 64, mmio: 0xcdafe000
bttv2: detected: Provideo PV150A-1 [card=98], PCI subsystem ID is aa00:1460
bttv2: using: ProVideo PV150 [card=98,insmod option]
bttv2: gpio: en=00000000, out=00000000 in=00ffffff [init]
bttv2: using tuner=-1
bttv2: i2c: checking for TDA9875 @ 0xb0... not found
bttv2: i2c: checking for TDA7432 @ 0x8a... not found
bttv2: i2c: checking for TDA9887 @ 0x86... not found
bttv2: registered device video2
bttv2: registered device vbi2
bttv2: PLL: 28636363 => 35468950 .. ok
bttv: Bt8xx card found (3).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:09.0[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bttv3: Bt878 (rev 17) at 0000:03:09.0, irq: 10, latency: 64, mmio: 0xcdafc000
bttv3: detected: Provideo PV150A-2 [card=98], PCI subsystem ID is aa01:1461
bttv3: using: ProVideo PV150 [card=98,insmod option]
bttv3: gpio: en=00000000, out=00000000 in=00ffffff [init]
bttv3: using tuner=-1
bttv3: i2c: checking for TDA9875 @ 0xb0... not found
bttv3: i2c: checking for TDA7432 @ 0x8a... not found
bttv3: i2c: checking for TDA9887 @ 0x86... not found
bttv3: registered device video3
bttv3: registered device vbi3
bttv3: PLL: 28636363 => 35468950 .. ok
bttv: Bt8xx card found (4).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:0a.0[A] -> Link [LNKD] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ
11
bttv4: Bt878 (rev 17) at 0000:03:0a.0, irq: 11, latency: 64, mmio: 0xcdafa000
bttv4: detected: Provideo PV150A-3 [card=98], PCI subsystem ID is aa02:1462
bttv4: using: ProVideo PV150 [card=98,insmod option]
bttv4: gpio: en=00000000, out=00000000 in=00ffffff [init]
bttv4: using tuner=-1
bttv4: i2c: checking for TDA9875 @ 0xb0... not found
bttv4: i2c: checking for TDA7432 @ 0x8a... not found
bttv4: i2c: checking for TDA9887 @ 0x86... not found
bttv4: registered device video4
bttv4: registered device vbi4
bttv4: PLL: 28636363 => 35468950 .. ok
bttv: Bt8xx card found (5).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] enabled at IRQ 11
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:0b.0[A] -> Link [LNKA] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ
11
bttv5: Bt878 (rev 17) at 0000:03:0b.0, irq: 11, latency: 64, mmio: 0xcdaf8000
bttv5: detected: Provideo PV150A-4 [card=98], PCI subsystem ID is aa03:1463
bttv5: using: ProVideo PV150 [card=98,insmod option]
bttv5: gpio: en=00000000, out=00000000 in=00ffffff [init]
bttv5: using tuner=-1
bttv5: i2c: checking for TDA9875 @ 0xb0... not found
bttv5: i2c: checking for TDA7432 @ 0x8a... not found
bttv5: i2c: checking for TDA9887 @ 0x86... not found
bttv5: registered device video5
bttv5: registered device vbi5
bttv5: PLL: 28636363 => 35468950 .. ok
bt878: AUDIO driver version 0.0.0 loaded
bt878: Bt878 AUDIO function found (0).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:0a.1[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bt878(0): Bt878 (rev 2) at 00:0a.1, irq: 10, latency: 64, memory: 0xcdbff000
bt878: Bt878 AUDIO function found (1).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:0b.1[A] -> Link [LNKB] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bt878(1): Bt878 (rev 17) at 00:0b.1, irq: 10, latency: 64, memory: 0xcdbfd000
bt878: Bt878 AUDIO function found (2).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:08.1[A] -> Link [LNKB] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bt878(2): Bt878 (rev 17) at 03:08.1, irq: 10, latency: 64, memory: 0xcdaff000
bt878: Bt878 AUDIO function found (3).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:09.1[A] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ
10
bt878(3): Bt878 (rev 17) at 03:09.1, irq: 10, latency: 64, memory: 0xcdafd000
bt878: Bt878 AUDIO function found (4).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:0a.1[A] -> Link [LNKD] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ
11
bt878(4): Bt878 (rev 17) at 03:0a.1, irq: 11, latency: 64, memory: 0xcdafb000
bt878: buffer size error!
bt878: Bt878 AUDIO function found (5).
ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:03:0b.1[A] -> Link [LNKA] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ
11
bt878(5): Bt878 (rev 17) at 03:0b.1, irq: 11, latency: 64, memory: 0xcdaf9000
bt878: buffer size error!

[root@zoneminder bin]# ./zmu -d /dev/video1 -q -v
Video Capabilities
Name: BT878 video (GrandTec Multi Cap
Type: 171
Can capture
Can tune
Overlay onto frame buffer
Can clip
Scalable
Video Channels: 4
Audio Channels: 0
Maximum Width: 924
Maximum Height: 576
Minimum Width: 48
Minimum Height: 32
Window Attributes
X Offset: 0
Y Offset: 0
Width: 352
Height: 288
Picture Attributes
Palette: 4 - 24bit RGB
Colour Depth: 24
Brightness: 32768
Hue: 32768
Colour :32768
Contrast: 32768
Whiteness: 0
Channel 0 Attributes
Name: Composite0
Channel: 0
Flags: 2
Channel has audio
Type: 2 - Camera
Format: 0 - PAL
Channel 1 Attributes
Name: Composite1
Channel: 1
Flags: 2
Channel has audio
Type: 2 - Camera
Format: 0 - PAL
Channel 2 Attributes
Name: Composite2
Channel: 2
Flags: 2
Channel has audio
Type: 2 - Camera
Format: 0 - PAL
Channel 3 Attributes
Name: Composite3
Channel: 3
Flags: 2
Channel has audio
Type: 2 - Camera
Format: 0 - PAL

I was under the impression that Geovision cards were not bt878 etc based, in which case they will not work on Linux or ZM. When I have a lot of spare cash I would like to get a couple in and see if I can figure out the API. I also thought they were quite proprietary and needed dongles etc to work, though that may just be their software and not the cards themselves.

Thanks for your reply zoneminder.
The Gv600 card I have is approx 3 years old, it didn't come with or need a dongle( I think the newer cards require a dongle) It also definately has a single bt878 chip set. I could send you a photo of the card if it would be of any help?

I have the same card if it is possible to get this to work. Would greatly appreciate if some one knows a way.

I'm in the same boat. My GV-600 card is old enough to have come with a parallel port dongle and I get the same bttv errors as jefferywilkins when I boot the ZM LiveCD.

All I can get in XawTV is a blue or black screen -- it acts like /dev/video is working but it never returns any video data, probably because the input selection is not right. I tried all the options XawTV offers and all the inputs in the ZM monitor setup.

I've ordered one of the cheap 4-port cards from geeks.com (Bluecherry was out of stock) to try to get ZM working.

The Geovision hardware seems pretty solid but the software is flakey. I believe I'm running version 4 of their software, got an update from their tech support for version 5 (or 6, what ever was the last to support the parallel port dongle since they now use USB ) but since I'd have to uninstall what's mostly working for a great unknown, and since getting what I have working now was difficult enough, I'm loathe to mess with it so I tried ZM, but no joy.

--wally.

Where I work we have 60 GeoVision GV-800 cards. The oldest cards are about 3 1/2 years old. All of them are BT878 based. It is quite easy to read the info right off the chips on the card. The GV-800 have 4 878 chips on them. I assume the 600 is 3 and the 250 is 1. I have not played around with them under Linux until just now.

Regarding the hardware dongles, they are only for the software. The first GeoVision software I used was 6.x. It did not require a hardware dongle (I have several of the USB dongles.) When version 7.x came out it required the hardware dongle for older cards. The newer GeoVision cards that came with version 7.x software had a chip in them that functioned the same as the hardware dongle. I think it was version 3.1 of the card that embedded the dongle. When version 8.x of the software arrived there was a new version of the card (ver 3.2).

I was told that the hardware dongle was because of Chinese clone cards hitting the market. I have only purchased actual GeoVision cards so I don't know the status of clone cards.

When I get a chance to play around with the Gv-800 under Linux a little more I will post any progress I make.

Thanks,
the_crowbar

Cordel and I were working on a GV-800 for a while. While it is bt878 bases, that 5th chip is a security/mux chip, and it breaks everything. Our final option was to send it upstream to the v4l devs. And that may yet happen...