#109 Using overlay mode in xawtv/zapping causes system crashes

[Billy Biggs]

BBB from #gstreamer had tvtime crash his box. Symptoms:

tvtime 0.9.7
bttv 0.9.6
nvidia-1.0-4191
kernel-2.4.20
P-II
running as a user

Still investigating where the problem is, but it seems
like it might have to do with something using overlay
surfaces before tvtime...

[Nobody/Anonymous]

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Is this reproducable when xawtv is not used at all before?

Hermann

--

[Billy Biggs]

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Paul Jara asked on the mailing list:
The Nvidia 4191 drivers may be to blame. I've noticed
instability with
that driver revision. Does the problem exist with the
Nvidia 3123
drivers or standard 'nv' driver?

BBB replied on IRC that he is using revision 4191. Maybe we
should ask nVidia if this bug has been reported?

[Billy Biggs]

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BBB has clarified the problem as follows. The crash occurs
with the 4191 drivers but not with the 3123 drivers. With
the 4191 drivers, it only happens after running xawtv in
overlay mode.

Overlay mode is known to be dangerous when using the nVidia
binary drivers, because of the broken design of the overlay
mode feature: it is deprecated, and the "v4l" extension
should be used instead (it does the same thing anyway). I
guess all we can do is mention this on our website.

I'll write it up when I get a chance.

[Billy Biggs]

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Added a note on the website about this. I'll close this
bug when xawtv and zapping permanently disable their overlay
mode in favour of recommending users to use the v4l X
extension. Maybe we should make a patch.

[Andy Neverowsy]

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user_id=1013957

I have EPoX mb ( kt600 chipset), SB Audigy and FlyVideo 3000
tv tuner.
xawtv freeze computer when overlay mode. But it seems not
xawtv bug.
Computer crashes was became after updating BIOS.
New BIOS activates Bus Disconnect (BD) futures of Athlon
processor.
If I disable BD ( with athcool or setpci ) before starting
xawtv - all are OK.
But if BD is enabled - computer hangs with xawtv in overlay
mode and
some disk i/o.

xawtv 3.91
kernel 2.6.4
nvidia-1.0-5336
Athlon 2200+
kt600
SB Audigy
Fly 3000 (saa7134)

[Nobody/Anonymous]

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Hello, This is a crash report which validates one of the problems. hope this helps. I am attempting to run a WinTV HVR usb stick 950 (says 980 in file)
William Pickett
wkpickett0154@comcast.net

This is xawtv-3.95.dfsg.1, running on Linux/x86_64 (2.6.20-15-generic)
can't open /dev/video0: No such file or directory
v4l-conf had some trouble, trying to continue anyway
v4l2: open /dev/video0: No such file or directory
v4l2: open /dev/video0: No such file or directory
v4l: open /dev/video0: No such file or directory
no video grabber device available
williamkp@william21:~$