Oct 2018
Updated Feb 2019

Introduction

When testing the MFCP decode, it is possible that the decoder card may have failed, and that the MFCP has dropped to SW decoding. In 4K this my not be obvious if you are decoding some very simple content.

There are however a couple of tests that can be made to ensure that the decoder card is working (as much as we can tell).

Introduction

The hardware list for devices is:

decoder0 (decoder card)
delta-x3600 (ASI card)
sdi


lspci gives (this unit has no RF card)

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Device 5918 (rev 05)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Skylake PCIe Controller (x16) (rev 05)
00:01.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Skylake PCIe Controller (x8) (rev 05)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Device 591d (rev 04)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 31)
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H Thermal subsystem (rev 31)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H CSME HECI #1 (rev 31)
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H SATA controller [AHCI mode] (rev 31)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev f1)
00:1d.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #9 (rev f1)
00:1d.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #11 (rev f1)
00:1d.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #12 (rev f1)
00:1e.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H Serial IO UART #0 (rev 31)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H LPC Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PMC (rev 31)
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H HD Audio (rev 31)
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H SMBus (rev 31)
02:00.0 Multimedia video controller: TELEFON AKTIEBOLAGET LM Ericsson Device 1234
03:00.0 Multimedia controller: Deltacast Device 000f
05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation I210 Gigabit Network Connection (rev 03)
06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation I210 Gigabit Network Connection (rev 03)

Each time the MFCP is started, the driver communicates with the decoder card, we can see if the decoder was detected by looking for the driver in CentOs.

  Run the command:
  
  ls /dev
  
  
  Among the listed files/folders you should see the following:
  
  decoder0
  sdi0

If these are missing, the card may have failed (or just failed to boot) if you restart the unit and still don't see these two entries then you may have a decoder card failure.

If these are not listed then there is a hardware or driver issue with the card. First step would be to try reinstalling.

    From the command line, run:
    
    lsmod | grep decoder

    You should see an output similar to the following:
    
    decoder  22463  1
    
    decoder is the decoder module
    
    22463 is the driver size in bytes, so this may change depending on your verions
    
    1 is the number of decodes. So 0 means you are not decoding using the module, and 1-4 is decodes (1 UHD or up 
    to 4 HD)

    
    
    For the SDI:

    lsmod | grep sdi

    sdi  17706  1
    
    Last number is number of instances using driver. 0 means the device isn't used.