Server crash on ZM start-Kodicom KMC-4400r

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orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Server crash on ZM start-Kodicom KMC-4400r

Post by orla »

Hi

I have installed Coreys CTU distro - thus running ZM 1.2.4.
HW AMD XP2100+ with 1 GB RAM
Kodicom KMC-4400r DVR card

Installation and defining the first camera on /dev/video0 went fine.
Uppon saving the second camera definition with /dev/video1, the server afterwards reboots.
Driver issue?

No error entrys as far as I can see in zm-logs or messages.

The second camera was setup with a higher pixel resolution as the first.
Another forum entry may indicate, that defining different resolutions can be a problem on 878 chips.

Has someone similar expirience?
Does someone know how to reset (zeroise) the zm configuration from the shell, so I can start over again?

Thanks in advance.
Orla
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cordel
Posts: 5210
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: /USA/Washington/Seattle

Post by cordel »

There are two ways to go about removing the monitor. You should be able to start apache and mysql with out ZM running and use the web interface to remove it.
else
mysql zm
> delete from Monitors where Id = n
> exit

Regards,
Corey
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Well Corey - seems you are the helper once again.
Thanks a lot.

I am doing some testing, but am still a bit confused.
I can define 1 monitor with RGB24 (capture palette - Source tab)
I can define 4 monitors with grey
If i turn 1 of theese monitors RGB24 - server crash (not just ZM)
Colours for source on web console turn red (indicating a configuration error I guess)

Will test some more with other colour palettes.
Any one seen this before?

Regards Orla
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

RGB565 and RGB555 can be defined without causing server crash.
Som of the V types can too, but coulours look odd.

Have not the technical knowledge to tell how this can be.
Well - look forward to set up alle the cameras and exploring ZM further.

Case closed.
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cordel
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Location: /USA/Washington/Seattle

Post by cordel »

Ah, Your problem is that you are mixing capture types. Everything gets really cranky if you have two differant video setting using the same bt878 chip. Now I have the same card but I don't have any color cameras (So I can't test out any thing and confirm what follows).
You sould be able two set the four B/W cameras all one one chip (provided the image size is the same) and your color cam on another chip. Kodicom is laid out differently than other cards though and I still haven't referanced what the other chips capabilities are or how it affects things.

Your going to have to play some to figure out what input go to what chip :roll:

Corey
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Well - I have tested around and got another problem with the KMC-4400r card.

I have 4 identical cameras (colour).
So far I tested on device /dev/video0
I got that working and thought, lets move on
Placed a camera on the next BNC.
No input - monitor configured as /dev/video1
Placed a camera on the next BNC.
No input - monitor configured as /dev/video2
Placed a camera on the next BNC.
monitor configured as /dev/video3

Displaying the Montage shows the same picture on monitor 1,2 and 3!

Any idear what I am doing wrong?

A bit sad, as I thought every thing was OK.
If no one has a good idear i must test some more.

Orla
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cordel
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Location: /USA/Washington/Seattle

Post by cordel »

I have an answer but your going to still be testing :wink:
The chanels continue to 15 and do not stop at 3.

Now how to mix size and palette types I have not mastered.

I have tried some combinations:
/dev/video0 (0)
/dev/video1(1)
and so on but things seem to get cranky.

for now I have everything set as /video0 (0-15) but as you add more the capture rate drops and I'm sure there is a way around it, I just haven't had the time to play.

Corey
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Test results for now:

Port 1 equals /dev/video0 channel 0
(BNC connector closest to the video out phono)
Port 2 equals /dev/video1 channel 2

I will mount cameras on the 2 remaining BNC connectors and return with the results. Still not sure about the logic in this.

I only have the 4 BNC connectors mounted on the card; no expansion adapters. From what I can understand reading
http://www.linuxtv.org/v4lwiki/index.php/Kodicom_4400R
/dev/video0 goes to chip 0 - video1 to chip 1 etc.
at least with default initialisation.
Maybe if I understood all of this link, I could see the magic.
Well - dummies must test.

Thanks (again) for your input Corey.
Orla
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Moved the current 2 cameras to the other 2 BNC connectors. Here is the result assembled:
Port 1 equals /dev/video0 channel 0
(BNC connector closest to the motherboard - wrong above)
Port 2 equals /dev/video1 channel 2
Port 3 equals /dev/video2 channel 1
Port 4 equals /dev/video3 channel 0

This surely could be different, if one knew how to configure the card in detail. Well - thats not for me. If I understand it right, I have a signal on each chip providing 25 fps pr monitor.

I will proceed with fine tuning. Hopefully I will get a stable setup running and can maybe give back some input.
:)

If someone is able, this post should be moved to a card related forum.

Orla
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cordel
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Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: /USA/Washington/Seattle

Post by cordel »

From what I understand:
You can set inputs 0-15 to be on any of the bt-878 chips.
Now if all four inputs are used on each chip is a whole other question.
You can choose what chip your input is going to use by setting /dev/videoN and what input of course with (n).
I have tried staggering the inputs but I end up with some partial frames and that may be related or not to how I had them in order (which was by order of input ascending).

It is entirely possible that only one input is being used on each chip and the rest of the functions are being handled by the crosspoint video switch (CD22M3494MQ chip) so how we were once used to the single chip cards, just may not apply here.

There is another thread here regarding this same card from maybe a year ago ( under the H/W Queries topic). that might be worth taking a peek at.
http://www.zoneminder.com/forums/viewto ... ht=kodicom

Regards,
Corey
tux
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 1:18 pm

Post by tux »

Hello

FIRST Using only tvtime (xawtv....) without zm.

Have 16 composite inputs (composite0-composite15) correspond to:

KMC card

Card BNC INPUT ( (composite0,composite1,composite2,composite3)
BNC EXTRA A [left](composite6,composite7,composite,14,composite15)
BNC EXTRA B [center](composite10,composite11,composite,12,composite13)
BNC EXTRAC [right] (composite4,composite5,composite,8,composite9)


SECOND with zm (defining monitors), I have the same as you:

4 CAMERAS
/dev/video0 0 = composite0
/dev/video1 1 = composite1
/dev/video2 2 = composite2
/dev/video3 3 = composite3

8 CAMERAS
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 4 = composite4
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 5 = composite5
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 8 = composite8
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 9 = composite9

12 CAMERAS
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 10 = composite10
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 11= composite11
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 12= composite12
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 13 = composite13

16 CAMERAS
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 6 = composite6
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 7 = composite7
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 14 = composite14
/dev/video(1,2,3,4) 15 = composite15

http://www.zoneminder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5640
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Hello tux.

Thanks for your reply.
Im am very interested in your help.
Had to reinstall my system, as I messed up my configuration.
Now I can´t find all my signals. (using the 4 onboard BNCs)
It seems as you write, that the card has to be kind of reset by another application, before zm can use the "logical" device definition?

I will try your instructions. My system has no X, so as I see it, tvtime can not be used without. You indicate, that xawtv can do the same. Xawtx comes with "streamer" - a command-line tool. I saw a reference to that in a other forum subject. I will try that out.

If I do not succeed, will I have to go installing X?
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Hi again.

Did: (xawtv need to be installed)

/etc/rc.d/init.d/zm stop
cd /tmp
streamer -c /dev/video0 -i 0 -f jpeg -o video.jpeg
file video.jpeg
/etc/rc.d/init.d/zm start

I now have signals on
/dev/video0 (0)
/dev/video1 (1)
/dev/video3 (3)

/dev/video2 (2) shows no signal - I have to investigate the cause.
Could be a camera problem - though it has been working.

This setup (initializing) seems to be lost after reboot, so it should be executed after each reboot. Do you have the same expirience?

Hope to get it working. Thanks in advance.
orla
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:39 pm

Post by orla »

Problem above was caused by a defect powersupply for the camera. Got it fixed and I now have signal on /dev/video2 (2). Very nice - and thanks for all your input.

I will try to figure out a way to asure card initializing on reboot.
Maybe something with rc.local. Have you done anything like that, tux?

I am impressed by the help found in the forums. Some of you, must have used a lot of sweat and pain to obtain your knowledge. Thank you for sharing it!
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