Ticket #2122 (new defect)

Opened 2 years ago

Last modified 8 months ago

No sound from campcaster

Reported by: guest Assigned to: anonymous
Priority: urgent Milestone: 1.4.0-Monrovia
Component: Scheduler Version: 1.1.0-Freetown
Severity: block Keywords:
Cc: [email protected]

Description

I successfully installed Ubuntu 6.06 Server with Xubuntu desktop and programmed the first week test programs that were broadcasted into air. It was saturday evening and I programmed some songs to be played after 11 P.M. and a big test-program after them. After the songs the big program didn’t start and neither anything after it in the next morning. I rebooted the computer but it didn’t help. However rebooting the scheduler made everything to work well since that. In other words, the problem disappear without any clear reason. I am bit nervous if that happens again. All other alsa programs were able to play except Campcaster. The server was 1,8 GHz with 384 MB RAM.

I had similar problem with Ubuntu 6.06 Desktop too (in different computer). It wasn’t able to play anything at all at first. I changed audioDevice in scheduler xml from “hw:0,0” to “default” and restarted the scheduler from command line. It helped. However, after rebooting the computer campcaster was not able to play a new playlist I scheduled. I rebooted the computer and no sound. After rebooting the scheduler and rescheduling the playlist there was sound. Again, all other alsa programs were able to play except Campcaster. This computer is 550 MHz with 256 MB RAM.

I have third installation also in my primary desktop with is Ubuntu 6.10 in Athlon64 3700+ with 1GB RAM. There have been no problems with it at all.

Change History

  01/21/07 22:09:08 changed by guest

I would like to add that the Campcaster “Now playing” screen in the web gui claimed that the audioclip is played even if nothing was heard.

BTW, the scheduler could write log file to make solving problems easier.

Campcaster version in all cases was 1.1.1 and there no any kind of tuning/hacking for CC, Ubuntu, ALSA or anything like that.

  01/23/07 18:26:27 changed by guest

Our production system became mute again by itself. I restarted the computer with ssh, adjusted system date to future, removed the scheduled playlist, set system date to today, scheduled a new playlist and campcaster scheduler started to work again. I hope this doesn’t happen again.

  01/24/07 18:23:51 changed by guest

I looked around Campcaster source code (which IMHO is very well modularized) and found a method I would like you to pay attention. In SchedulerThread::nextStep method there are tests of how “immidiate” the next event initialization, the next event startup, and end of the current event are. The hard-coded granularity of these tests is one second. What will happen if we are inspecting times of these events too late? In non-realtime and low-performance Linux systems the scheduler may not be inspecting the events in time.

Best Regards,

Timo Saarinen

  01/30/07 17:04:18 changed by paul

  • milestone changed from 1.2.0-Kotor to future.

Thanks for bringing these problems to our attention. See bug #2128 in regards to the problem of the scheduler crashing and then starting up again at the correct location. The other bugs we have not encountered and cannot reproduce. We will keep this bug on file in case other people have the same problem. Guaranteed support is available if you would like, see this page for more details: https://www.campware.org/en/camp/about_campware/677/

  01/30/07 20:00:19 changed by guest

It happened again yesterday evening: Campcaster became mute by itself without warning. I removed the current playlist from the schedule, restarted the computer and scheduled a new playlist and it started to play well. After the restart I added a line to /etc/crontab which will restart Campcaster daemon at every night when there is no broadcasting. Let’s see if this trick helps.

According to my observations this bug depends very much on performance of the computer. I have tested Campcaster in three different computers and in the fastest one there have never been this problem. The less memory and the slower the computer is the more frequent the problem seems to be. I have tried to renice Campcaster (-1) and adjust daily, weekly and monthly cron tasks run in the periods when there is no broadcasting but this seem not to help.

If Campcaster had logging this bug would be easier to investigate.

  01/31/07 12:43:20 changed by fgerlits

Hi Timo,

It looks like the scheduler crashes; if it was just a timing problem, only one song would be skipped, and later songs would play OK. Can you get a stack trace? (Here is how; the scheduler executable is /opt/campcaster/bin/campcaster-scheduler.)

There is some rudimentary logging done by the scheduler, into a database table. You can dump it into a text file like this:

pg_dump -a -U campcaster -t playlog Campcaster > playlog.txt

(the password is “campcaster”). Then please upload playlog.txt to this ticket. Thanks.

  01/31/07 16:51:24 changed by guest

The scheduler didn’t crash because I was able to see it with ps and top. On the other hand if scheduler crashed I wouldn’t be able to manage it with web interface.

  01/31/07 20:04:00 changed by guest

Actually I was able to see the process in the case I meantioned in the original bug report (on yellow box above). In the last crash I didn’t check if the process was alive or not.

I ran the pg_dump and it printed the following output (cutted):

… 6309147792498214139 3478898390342587323 2007-01-29 17:46:15 5468545096149445369 5304580688172885068 2007-01-29 19:01:01 6213120148720045384 3478898390342587323 2007-01-29 19:24:04 6072012206493579467 5304580688172885068 2007-01-30 08:15:00 6675081433948152123 5304580688172885068 2007-01-30 08:20:00 330221081792182049 3478898390342587323 2007-01-30 08:25:03 …

You can clearly see that the last clip played in 29th day started in 19:24 event if there should have been clips after that. The clip in the next morning is the first clip I scheduled after the reboot.

I added ulimit -c unlimited line into /etc/init.d/campcaster-scheduler file which will be in effect tomorrow.

Thank you for response.

  02/03/07 23:20:16 changed by guest

  • severity changed from block to crash.

It crashed again about fifteen minutes ago. Despite of ulimit -c unlimited I wasn’t able to find the core file. Should I have compiled campcaster from sources?

  02/04/07 00:20:59 changed by guest

Maybe it was rather stupid user than a crash. Maybe the scheduler just stopped playing the last play list and were no more on top of the “top”. Maybe I should start sleeping… 🙂

  02/05/07 20:57:23 changed by guest

  • severity changed from crash to block.

Campcaster muted this evening. The server was running but no sound was heard. It had skipped many audioclips. I restart the scheduler and heard the problem soon again by myself.

We had this kind of program where each file was in separate playlist:

   Lenght Format
1. 00:52  ogg
2. 31:17  mp3
3. 11:01  mp3
4. 00:53  ogg

The first item was played correctly but the second one skipped. I didn’t wait for the third one but restarted the computer and rescheduled the program. I made the program to start from number 2 and it played it well and continued with the number 3 and 4.

Earlier there was also another problem with very similar program (ogg + mp3 + mp3 + ogg). The item 1,3, and 4 were played but item 2 not.

The skipped items can’t been seen with the command below. The CPU load also dropped from typical about 8% to 0% during the item being skipped.

pg_dump -a -U campcaster -t playlog Campcaster > /tmp/playlog.txt

Here is output of lshw command which describes our hardware configuration if it matters:

campcaster
    description: Desktop Computer
    product: VT8363
    vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    width: 32 bits
    capabilities: smbios-2.3 dmi-2.3
    configuration: boot=normal chassis=desktop
  *-core
       description: Motherboard
       product: 8363-686A
       physical id: 0
     *-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
          physical id: 0
          version: 6.00 PG (12/22/2003)
          size: 128KB
          capacity: 192KB
          capabilities: isa pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing escd cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb agp ls120boot zipboot biosbootspecification
     *-cpu
          description: CPU
          product: AMD Duron(tm) processor
          vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
          physical id: 4
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: 6.8.1
          slot: Socket A
          size: 1800MHz
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 133MHz
          capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr sse syscall mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow
        *-cache:0
             description: L1 cache
             physical id: a
             slot: Internal Cache
             size: 128KB
             capacity: 128KB
             capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
        *-cache:1
             description: L2 cache
             physical id: b
             slot: External Cache
             size: 64KB
             capacity: 64KB
             capabilities: synchronous external write-back
     *-memory
          description: Flash Memory
          physical id: 20
          slot: System board or motherboard
          size: 768MB
        *-bank:0
             description: DIMM
             physical id: 0
             slot: BANK_0
             size: 256MB
        *-bank:1
             description: DIMM
             physical id: 1
             slot: BANK_1
             size: 256MB
        *-bank:2
             description: DIMM
             physical id: 2
             slot: BANK_2
             size: 256MB
        *-bank:3
             description: DIMM [empty]
             physical id: 3
             slot: BANK_3
     *-pci
          description: Host bridge
          product: VT8363/8365 [KT133/KM133]
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: e8000000
          bus info: pci@00:00.0
          version: 03
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          resources: iomemory:e8000000-ebffffff
        *-pci
             description: PCI bridge
             product: VT8363/8365 [KT133/KM133 AGP]
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 1
             bus info: pci@00:01.0
             version: 00
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 66MHz
             capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
           *-display
                description: VGA compatible controller
                product: NV11 [GeForce2 MX/MX 400]
                vendor: nVidia Corporation
                physical id: 0
                bus info: pci@01:00.0
                version: a1
                size: 128MB
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 66MHz
                capabilities: vga bus_master cap_list
                resources: iomemory:ec000000-ecffffff iomemory:e0000000-e7ffffff irq:10
        *-isa
             description: ISA bridge
             product: VT82C686 [Apollo Super South]
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 7
             bus info: pci@00:07.0
             version: 40
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: isa bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=parport_pc
        *-ide
             description: IDE interface
             product: VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 7.1
             bus info: pci@00:07.1
             version: 06
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: ide bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=VIA_IDE
             resources: ioport:d000-d00f
           *-ide:0
                description: IDE Channel 0
                physical id: 0
                bus info: ide@0
                logical name: ide0
                clock: 33MHz
              *-disk
                   description: ATA Disk
                   product: SAMSUNG SV2042H
                   physical id: 0
                   bus info: [email protected]
                   logical name: /dev/hda
                   version: PK100-19
                   serial: 0372J1DR401705
                   size: 19GB
                   capacity: 19GB
                   capabilities: ata dma lba iordy smart security pm partitioned partitioned:dos
                   configuration: mode=udma2 smart=on
                 *-volume:0
                      description: Linux filesystem partition
                      physical id: 1
                      bus info: [email protected],1
                      logical name: /dev/hda1
                      capacity: 18GB
                      capabilities: primary
                 *-volume:1
                      description: Extended partition
                      physical id: 2
                      bus info: [email protected],2
                      logical name: /dev/hda2
                      capacity: 862MB
                      capabilities: extended partitioned partitioned:extended
              *-cdrom
                   description: IDE CD-ROM
                   product: SAMSUNG CD-ROM SC-152C
                   physical id: 1
                   bus info: [email protected]
                   logical name: /dev/hdb
                   version: CS05
                   capabilities: packet atapi cdrom removable nonmagnetic dma lba iordy audio
                 *-disc
                      physical id: 0
                      logical name: /dev/hdb
           *-ide:1
                description: IDE Channel 1
                physical id: 1
                bus info: ide@1
                logical name: ide1
                clock: 33MHz
              *-disk
                   description: ATA Disk
                   product: SAMSUNG SV4002H
                   physical id: 0
                   bus info: [email protected]
                   logical name: /dev/hdc
                   version: QP100-09
                   serial: 0414J2FRA64029
                   size: 37GB
                   capacity: 37GB
                   capabilities: ata dma lba iordy smart security pm partitioned partitioned:dos
                   configuration: mode=udma2 smart=on
                 *-volume
                      description: Linux filesystem partition
                      physical id: 1
                      bus info: [email protected],1
                      logical name: /dev/hdc1
                      capacity: 37GB
                      capabilities: primary
        *-usb:0
             description: USB Controller
             product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 7.2
             bus info: pci@00:07.2
             version: 16
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: uhci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=uhci_hcd
             resources: ioport:d400-d41f irq:10
           *-usbhost
                product: UHCI Host Controller
                vendor: Linux 2.6.15-27-server uhci_hcd
                physical id: 1
                bus info: usb@1
                logical name: usb1
                version: 2.06
                capabilities: usb-1.10
                configuration: driver=hub maxpower=0mA slots=2 speed=12.0MB/s
        *-usb:1
             description: USB Controller
             product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 7.3
             bus info: pci@00:07.3
             version: 16
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: uhci bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=uhci_hcd
             resources: ioport:d800-d81f irq:10
           *-usbhost
                product: UHCI Host Controller
                vendor: Linux 2.6.15-27-server uhci_hcd
                physical id: 1
                bus info: usb@2
                logical name: usb2
                version: 2.06
                capabilities: usb-1.10
                configuration: driver=hub maxpower=0mA slots=2 speed=12.0MB/s
        *-bridge UNCLAIMED
             description: Bridge
             product: VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI]
             vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
             physical id: 7.4
             bus info: pci@00:07.4
             version: 40
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bridge cap_list
             resources: irq:11
        *-network
             description: Ethernet interface
             product: 3c900 10BaseT [Boomerang]
             vendor: 3Com Corporation
             physical id: 9
             bus info: pci@00:09.0
             logical name: eth0
             version: 00
             serial: 00:a0:24:cf:9b:a2
             size: 10MB/s
             capacity: 100MB/s
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegociation
             configuration: autonegociation=off broadcast=yes driver=3c59x driverversion=LK1.1.19 duplex=half ip=NNN.NNN.NNN.NNN link=yes multicast=yes port=MII speed=10MB/s
             resources: ioport:dc00-dc3f irq:11
        *-multimedia
             description: Multimedia audio controller
             product: SB Live! EMU10k1
             vendor: Creative Labs
             physical id: a
             bus info: pci@00:0a.0
             version: 06
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=EMU10K1_Audigy
             resources: ioport:e000-e01f irq:5
        *-input
             description: Input device controller
             product: SB Live! MIDI/Game Port
             vendor: Creative Labs
             physical id: a.1
             bus info: pci@00:0a.1
             version: 06
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=Emu10k1_gameport
             resources: ioport:e400-e407

Am I really the only one who has this kind of problems?

  10/14/08 19:27:14 changed by fvanberckel

  • milestone changed from future to 1.4.0-Monrovia.

Can this one be closed now?