Tvheadend

If stop TVHeadend service and use W-SCAN

w_scan -f c -x

is there results?

Did you mean -f c or -f t? I'd have thought t given my tuner is DVB-T.

I ran a w_scan with the right settings for here in the UK, here's what I got.

w_scan version 20161022 (compiled for DVB API 5.10)
using settings for UNITED KINGDOM
DVB aerial
DVB-T GB
scan type TERRESTRIAL, channellist 6
output format initial tuning data
WARNING: could not guess your codepage. Falling back to 'UTF-8'
output charset 'UTF-8', use C <charset> to override
Info: using DVB adapter auto detection.
/dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0 -> TERRESTRIAL "Silicon Labs Si2168": very good :))

Using TERRESTRIAL frontend (adapter /dev/dvb/adapter0/frontend0)
-_-_ Getting frontend capabilities-_-_-_-_
Using DVB API 5.10
frontend 'Silicon Labs Si2168' supports
DVB-T2
INVERSION_AUTO
QAM_AUTO
TRANSMISSION_MODE_AUTO
GUARD_INTERVAL_AUTO
HIERARCHY_AUTO
FEC_AUTO
BANDWIDTH_AUTO not supported, trying 6/7/8 MHz.
FREQ (42.00MHz ... 870.00MHz)

[scan of whole frequency spectrum on DVB-T and DVB-T2]

ERROR: Sorry - i couldn't get any working frequency/transponder
Nothing to scan!!

Same error when I use the command as you specified.

I've checked the antenna conneciton as well, there's definitely nothing wrong with that.

my error use DVB-T
don't set anything else, you need to scan full band.

also can use w-scan2 (build yourself debian repo's are poor)

problem is more "no working driver"

dmesg | egrep "firmware|dvb|frontend" 

do you install
https://github.com/b-rad-NDi/Ubuntu-media-tree-kernel-builder

Yeah the output I posted before was w_scan -f t -c GB -x. Nothing found.

I did find this in the dmesg logs, possibly related?

usb 1-2: DVB: adapter 0 frontend 0 frequency 0 out of range (42000000..870000000)

I don't have that driver builder tool, I never needed it before as I thought my device was supported natively.

R M wrote:

Yeah the output I posted before was w_scan -f t -c GB -x. Nothing found.

You do exactly opposite, do not set country.

I did find this in the dmesg logs, possibly related?

usb 1-2: DVB: adapter 0 frontend 0 frequency 0 out of range (42000000..870000000)

unplug and plug device

dmesg | egrep "firmware|dvb|frontend|usb" 

I don't have that driver builder tool, I never needed it before as I thought my device was supported natively.

there is a pre-buld packages
native driver ... don't say

Hm I tried unplugging and replugging the device but I'm still seeing that out of range error in dmesg.

Not specifying a -c in w_scan did bring up some results at least:

506000: (time: 00:16.255) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 506000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 506000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
514000: (time: 00:18.855)
522000: (time: 00:23.315) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 522000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 522000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
530000: (time: 00:26.851)
538000: (time: 00:28.899) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 538000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 538000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
546000: (time: 00:33.835)
554000: (time: 00:35.883) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 554000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 554000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
562000: (time: 00:40.859) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 562000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 562000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
570000: (time: 00:43.855) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 570000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 570000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
578000: (time: 00:46.855)
586000: (time: 00:51.263)
594000: (time: 00:53.279) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 594000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 594000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
602000: (time: 00:55.851)
610000: (time: 01:00.314)
618000: (time: 01:02.362) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 618000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 618000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
626000: (time: 01:04.834)
634000: (time: 01:06.842)
642000: (time: 01:08.862)
650000: (time: 01:10.914)
658000: (time: 01:15.326) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 658000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 658000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
666000: (time: 01:17.850)
674000: (time: 01:19.902)
682000: (time: 01:24.342) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 682000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 682000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))
690000: (time: 01:26.838) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 690000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 690000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999 (0:0:0))

634000: (time: 02:55.645) signal ok: QAM_AUTO f = 634000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999P0 (0:0:0)
Info: no data from PAT after 2 seconds
deleting (QAM_AUTO f = 634000 kHz I999B8C999D999T999G999Y999P0 (0:0:0))

But it still exited with the same could not find a working frequency error.

I could try installing that tool, but given it used to work I'm not 100% sure why I suddenly need it.

usb 1-2: DVB: adapter 0 frontend 0 frequency 0 out of range (42000000..870000000)

unplug and plug device
Then post result of:

dmesg -T

/use PRE button/

Without stating the obvious I assume your antenna is correctly connected up and positioned to receive from your local transmitter. Have you been able to verify that elsewhere. No doubt you are aware of that big fire at Bilsdale transmitter and the fact that transmission frequencies are being regularly chopped and changed. Just worth noting. I’d definitely recheck your antenna to tuner connection before doing anything drastic.

Jonas Lang wrote:

Without stating the obvious I assume your antenna is correctly connected up and positioned to receive from your local transmitter. Have you been able to verify that elsewhere. No doubt you are aware of that big fire at Bilsdale transmitter and the fact that transmission frequencies are being regularly chopped and changed. Just worth noting. I’d definitely recheck your antenna to tuner connection before doing anything drastic.

Before this he need to post result of DMESG to be Shure that driver/firmware is installed and working.
with is more simple.

Detailed explained here: https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/PCTV_Systems_tripleStick_T2_(292e)

Of course but it’s amazing the amount of people who forget to plug the TV in and wonder why the remote is not working.

Making sure there’s a firm connection between the tuner and the antenna and ensuring the antenna is pointing at the transmitter correctly should be quite quick to check and would save on a lot of troubleshooting if it was not.

Haha don't worry, I checked the antenna! TV works absolutely fine, plus my local transmitter is Emley Moor, not Bilsdale so that fire won't affect me.

dmesg -T output:

[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] usb 1-2: new high-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] usb 1-2: New USB device found, idVendor=2013, idProduct=025f
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] usb 1-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=1, SerialNumber=2
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] usb 1-2: Product: PCTV 292e
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: PCTV
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] usb 1-2: SerialNumber: 0011370580
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] em28xx: New device PCTV PCTV 292e 480 Mbps (2013:025f, interface 0, class 0)
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] em28xx: DVB interface 0 found: isoc
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:43 2022] em28xx: chip ID is em28178
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: EEPROM ID = 26 00 01 00, EEPROM hash = 0xb51af504
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: EEPROM info:
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: microcode start address = 0x0004, boot configuration = 0x01
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: AC97 audio (5 sample rates)
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: 500mA max power
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: Table at offset 0x27, strings=0x146a, 0x1888, 0x0a7e
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: Identified as PCTV tripleStick (292e) (card=94)
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: dvb set to isoc mode.
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: Binding DVB extension
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] i2c i2c-1: Added multiplexed i2c bus 2
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2168 1-0064: Silicon Labs Si2168-B40 successfully identified
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2168 1-0064: firmware version: B 4.0.2
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2157 2-0060: Silicon Labs Si2147/2148/2157/2158 successfully attached
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] DVB: registering new adapter (em28178 #0)
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] usb 1-2: DVB: registering adapter 0 frontend 0 (Silicon Labs Si2168)...
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: DVB extension successfully initialized
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: Registering input extension
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] Registered IR keymap rc-pinnacle-pctv-hd
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] input: em28xx IR (em28178 #0) as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:17.0/0000:13:00.0/usb1/1-2/rc/rc0/input10
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] rc rc0: em28xx IR (em28178 #0) as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:17.0/0000:13:00.0/usb1/1-2/rc/rc0
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] em28178 #0: Input extension successfully initalized
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2168 1-0064: firmware: direct-loading firmware dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2168 1-0064: downloading firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw'
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2168 1-0064: firmware version: B 4.0.25
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:46 2022] si2157 2-0060: found a 'Silicon Labs Si2157-A30'
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:47 2022] si2157 2-0060: firmware version: 3.0.5
[Fri Aug 12 17:59:47 2022] usb 1-2: DVB: adapter 0 frontend 0 frequency 0 out of range (42000000..870000000)

https://tvheadend.org/boards/4/topics/13782

I've had a browse of that thread, I'm still getting errors after using the version 4.0.4 of the b40 firmware and w_scan is still showing that "no data from PAT" error. The other .fw file is already in /lib/firmware.

$ md5sum /lib/firmware/dvb-demod-si2168-02.fw
d8da7ff67cd56cd8aa4e101aea45e052 /lib/firmware/dvb-demod-si2168-02.fw

Test with live Ubuntu and w-scan

Just back to the OP. You had this unit working in your original setup. What have you changed in your current setup that might be preventing the new tuner working now. Have you changed the kernel or the Debian version. If so is it possible to revert to the original setup. It’s definitely pointing to a kernel issue.

Kernel wise nothing changed, I had it shut down while there was no dongle plugged into it. I know what it might be though, I don't think I mentioned in the original post and should have done, this is a VM with USB passed through. Do you reckon VMware might be interfering?

Have a quick read through this too http://www.simplehooman.co.uk/2020/10/pctv-nanostick-dvb-t2-linux-firmware/

Hm that's interesting that it says don't install the B40 version, sadly no difference when I removed it, dmesg didn't like it not being there but still no joy with scanning.

R M wrote:

Kernel wise nothing changed, I had it shut down while there was no dongle plugged into it. I know what it might be though, I don't think I mentioned in the original post and should have done, this is a VM with USB passed through. Do you reckon VMware might be interfering?

Was it originally set up as a VM.

Yes it was. It's also been moved onto different hardware in the past without issue.

Does the tuner appear in your Guest OS.

Yes, so the Debian box is the guest system, appears fine and VMware recognises it as a PCTV stick as well.

You’re definitely sure your original tuner was dead. Is there a chance your current tuner is a bad one. I’m just trying to rule out the obvious before you go digging any further. I don’t use VM but it appears your setup is ok. As a matter of interest is there a particular reason for using VM.

Yeah it was toast. I tried plugging it into different machines and they couldn't even detect it. No idea what happened but it was toast. I have a couple of other systems running as VMs already so spinning up another one made more sense than buying new hardware!

It’s puzzling alright. I have a dedicated Ubuntu HTPC running with a Hauppauge HVR4000 hybrid PCI card which only runs either in DVBS or DVBT. Wasn’t easy to set up originally but it’s worked through many OS and kernel upgrades with a bit of work.

I’ve never had the need to try a VM but I imagine having your tuner work on a previously similar setup only to find the same replacement doesn’t is certainly puzzling. Might be worth starting from scratch and see what progress you make. As I don’t use a VM I can’t even do a like for like Test for you.