quick hardware/software issue

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 05:21 PM

okay, i am running the last version of mythbuntu on my dvr. i also have a mini-keyboard that i used in liu of a remote connection or whatever else. the issue i am having is every now and then the keyboard quits working. when i restart the pc, everything is fine so i assume that the issue is the driver is crashing or something of the like. what is the code to reload that driver so that it works again? is that like modprobe or something?

jsbjsb001 · 10-14-2018, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baldur_1

okay, i am running the last version of mythbuntu on my dvr. i also have a mini-keyboard that i used in liu of a remote connection or whatever else. the issue i am having is every now and then the keyboard quits working. when i restart the pc, everything is fine so i assume that the issue is the driver is crashing or something of the like. what is the code to reload that driver so that it works again? is that like modprobe or something?

Yes, modprobe loads and unloads drivers into/from the kernel. It could well be that you have a bad driver for it.

Have you looked at the kernel log to see if there is any error messages?

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 06:13 PM

i did check the kern, syslog and a few others and saw nothing distinctive for this issue. it was just somewhat expected stuff...usual stuff.

so, the obvious problem with just restarting my dvr is if i am recording things like today. so i dont just want to restart. so if i run something like

Code:

modprobe -a

that should reload the mini-keyboard driver without interrupting the recording...?!

michaelk · 10-14-2018, 06:37 PM

Is the keyboard wired or wireless? If wireless what type? bluetooth or RF? If wired I assume USB?

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 06:46 PM

it is a wireless keyboard. it is rf (i assume). i know it is not bluetooth. i ran...

Code:

lsusb
...
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 04d9:2519 Holtek Semiconductor, Inc. Shenzhen LogoTech 2.4GHz receiver
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 2109:2812 VIA Labs, Inc. VL812 Hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:c52f Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 2109:2812 VIA Labs, Inc. VL812 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

...and i am fairly confident it is device 006. i also ran...

Code:

usb-devices

and think that the correct one is...

Code:

T:  Bus=01 Lev=03 Prnt=05 Port=03 Cnt=01 Dev#=  6 Spd=1.5 MxCh= 0
D:  Ver= 1.10 Cls=00(>ifc ) Sub=00 Prot=00 MxPS= 8 #Cfgs=  1
P:  Vendor=04d9 ProdID=2519 Rev=00.01
S:  Manufacturer=Shenzhen LogoTech
S:  Product=2.4GHz receiver
C:  #Ifs= 2 Cfg#= 1 Atr=a0 MxPwr=100mA
I:  If#= 0 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=03(HID  ) Sub=01 Prot=01 Driver=usbhid
I:  If#= 1 Alt= 0 #EPs= 1 Cls=03(HID  ) Sub=01 Prot=02 Driver=usbhid

i also have a logitech "regular sized" qwerty keyboard but i am fairly certain that is the one.

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 06:55 PM

okay so i ran lshw and got...

Code:

...
  *-usb:2
                      description: USB hub
                      product: USB2.0 Hub
                      vendor: VIA Labs, Inc.
                      physical id: 4
                      bus info: usb@1:1.4
                      version: b.e0
                      capabilities: usb-2.10
                      configuration: driver=hub slots=4 speed=480Mbit/s
                    *-usb
                         description: Keyboard
                         product: 2.4GHz receiver
                         vendor: Shenzhen LogoTech
                         physical id: 4
                         bus info: usb@1:1.4.4
                         version: 0.01
                         capabilities: usb-1.10
                         configuration: driver=usbhid maxpower=100mA speed=2Mbit/s
...

since that said driver=usbhid, i ran...

Code:

modprobe -a usbhid

...and that did nothing...

michaelk · 10-14-2018, 07:04 PM

Is this something that just started happening? Have you tried replacing the batteries to see if that fixes the problem? I am more inclined to lean toward a hardware versus driver problem.

Quote:

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:c52f Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver

You should be able to sync all compatible devices on one Unifying Receiver so multiple receivers are not necessary. I would guess that the keyboards are using the HID USB driver which is probably built into the kernel. Do you still have the problem if you pull the Unifying Receiver? It could be a channel interference problem between the receivers since they all operate on the 2.4GHz band.

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 07:50 PM

the two you quoted are my logitech regular keyboard and mouse i am very certain. this keyboard is NOT one of my logitechs. it is some off-maker like favi or something. in fact it is right here...

favi_keyboard

i have had this set-up for like since before mythbuntu 16.04 came out...it has been at least 5 years since i bought this and it has ALWAYS done this. so what happens is that i am watching a game or something and it goes dead. i know it is not the battery because it has an indicator light that says then the battery is getting low plus it is a lighted mini-keyboard as well so the light dims when it is getting low. it has a rechargable battery so i just recharge it in those cases. so if it were the battery, it would have to fail and then somehow start working again ONLY when i restart my pc. that is why i never thought it was the keyboard itself. it ONLY works again when i restart the pc.

so, after it goes dead i have to switch to my regular keyboard and mouse (mainly the keyboard since i am using it with mythtv). so, once it goes dead the logitech still works fine but i cannot get the mini-keyboard to work until i restart the pc. oh, it also has an indicator when the signal is weak to the usb plug and that does not go off before it does this. i am pretty sure that this particular keyboard has always done this. it mainly happens when i am skipping around a bunch and i am also pretty sure it does this too on my fedora pc as well as i also have one for that pc but dont quote me on that.

further, i can turn off and on the keyboard and nothing will happen...i am pretty sure i have done this as well but it has been so long since this started that when i last troubleshot all of this, i just dont remember everything. so it dropped again today when i was watching the vikings game. i was also recording others so it didnt work again until i got a break in recordings and restarted it. now it works fine. the logitech always works fine, it is just large for when i am just watching tv...

that being the description, and given other experiences like this on winsuck and linux and stuff, the behavior is always a crashed driver so i just assumed and then today tried to figure out reloading it...

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 07:53 PM

oh, and just a side note, i could never get the logitech unified receiver working right under linux. it was my understanding that you have to have a program on the computer to unify them and i just assume that is not made for linux. at least the last time i tried to get them to work together on the same usb, i could not under linux.

but again, the mini-keyboard i started this about is NOT logitech.

baldur_1 · 10-14-2018, 07:57 PM

oh, and my logitech keyboard and mouse are off when not in use. so i doubt that it is interference between the two. i dont think i have tried removing the logitech completely but before i had the latest logitech, i had an older logitech before the unified receiver and it did that under that keyboard as well. (though it probably did use the hid usb driver)

scasey · 10-14-2018, 10:04 PM

Have you tried pulling the USB receiver for the keyboard? Unplug and replug.

Can you control the channel to prevent it conflicting with your wi-fi? It appears to be on a wi-fi frequency (2.4Ghz)

baldur_1 · 10-15-2018, 04:59 AM

i dont think i have tried pulling the usb plug and replugging it. i will try that next time and reverify some others but i dont hold hope. i think i might try my other one out there too to see if that one does the same...

i wouldnt think it interferes at times with my wifi because my wifi is always on and when football is on, i can use it for several hours, like 4-6 sometimes, before the connection drops dead. i would think were it interference, it would drop faster more consistently but it drops usually when i am ff'ing/rew'ing a lot during a game.

scasey · 10-15-2018, 12:31 PM

So it only drops when you’re transmitting?
I wouldn’t expect interference when the keyboard is idle...

Again, can you identify the channel of the keyboard and configure it, or your WiFi, to use different channels?