smargo + oscam + linux

[ferni]

I recently setup my orange Fox card in a smargo card reader with oscam as a card server. I've got acamd as the client running on windows (under TVSource/7MC) with a TBS DVB-S2 Dual tuner. All working ok, just trying to get better channel change times, and the occasional 'service is scrambled' message. Currently around 3-4 second channel change times and i think i can do better.

I've got the Smargo installed in windows, pass through as a com port to my VirtualBox Ubuntu Server, which is where oscam is running addressing it as a phoenix (com port). Changing the mhz doesn't seem to have much impact. I'm getting around 330ms ECM response times.

I did try passing the USB device through, and using the smartreader protocol with oscam, but this gave me around 600-700ms ECM times...

Any advice appreciated.
PS, reason i'm using OSCam is i believe its the only one that will update the card with EMM updates, am i wrong?

[Adobe]

why not put the smartgo USB reader on the linux box?

Adobe

[ferni]

why not put the smartgo USB reader on the linux box?

Adobe

There is no physical linux box, just a linux VM. I did try passing the smargo through to the VM as USB, and use the smartreader protocol, but it gave me 600-700ms ECM times.

[ferni]

Also, for what it's worth, i tried NewCS (phoenix mode) in the same linux VM and it gave me the same times (330ms).

This probably means its not the software, but something else.

[Adobe]

Well VMware will slow things down.

[ferni]

I wouldn't of expected it to have that much impact, few ms maybe, but fair point, i'll try the same setup on a native machine and see if i get any better times.

Thanks, Any other ideas anyone?

[ferni]

Ok I did some testing with my smargo in oscam in a native linux install rather than VM and there are differences in the ECM responses.

VM COM PORT ~340ms (smargo auto mode)
VM USB PORT ~650ms (smargo auto mode)
Native COM PORT ~320ms (smargo fixed 6mhz)
Native USB PORT ~230ms (smargo fixed 6mhz)
VM COM PORT ~280ms (smargo fixed 6mhz)

I'm using Virtualbox on windows 7 (my htpc) for the virtualization, results may be different with vmware but i cbf installing and testing it.

Even thought the OSCam documentation says mhz isn't used for smargo (smartreader) I did notice a difference in Native USB mode when changing the mhz line. THe smargo is fixed at 6mhz, but without a mhz= line i was getting around 270ms, but with a mhz=600 line i was getting the 230ms. However with the native com port, i got 320ms regardless of the mhz line.

Changing the fixed mhz mode with smargo tools (srp_tools_x86 -x ) did make a difference, in the Native COM PORT mode with fixed set to 3.69 i got ~400ms responses. which is actually higher than VM COM port.

So conclusion is that a physical machine may give you better responses and if you have a smargo, set it to fixed mhz mode to overclock the card. 6mhz is safe for the orange card, i've heard higher for the blue.

[STI02]

Hi ferni
I have a very similar setup to yours except its a bluey.
i am using VMWare Player + Debian 5 + Oscam (webif) compiled
Can you please post your oscam.server file? also how to get the srp_tools onto the machine?
p.s. what firmware is on your smargo?

Many Thanks

[ferni]

I've moved my setup to an old laptop running ubuntu and the smargo via USB with the SmartReader Protocol.

I'm running the firmware that came with the smargo 1.03, as i read people had trouble with 1.04 so didn't risk it.

Just FTP the srp_tools to your linux box.

Here is an oscam.server that should work if you are passing it through as a serial com1 (you don't need boxid since you have blue, and you need to put the blue CAID in there, not sure what it is.

[reader]
label=Foxtel
protocol=mouse
detect=CD
group=1
emmcache=1,1,2
device=/dev/ttyS0
caid=096C
#boxid=XXXXXXXX

If you are passing through the usb port then you will need to use something like this
(run lsusb to get the device id of your smargo and update device= as appropriate)

[reader]
label=Foxtel
protocol=SmartReader
detect=CD
group=1
emmcache=1,1,2
device=003:002
caid=096C

[Vic]

Hi ferni
I have a very similar setup to yours except its a bluey.
i am using VMWare Player + Debian 5 + Oscam (webif) compiled
Can you please post your oscam.server file? also how to get the srp_tools onto the machine?
p.s. what firmware is on your smargo?

Many Thanks

caid =090b for a blue card

[STI02]

Thanks mate for the reply.

in the srp_tools did you specify the frequency you want to ran it at?
You are no longer using a VM setup?

I've moved my setup to an old laptop running ubuntu and the smargo via USB with the SmartReader Protocol.

I'm running the firmware that came with the smargo 1.03, as i read people had trouble with 1.04 so didn't risk it.

Just FTP the srp_tools to your linux box.

Here is an oscam.server that should work if you are passing it through as a serial com1 (you don't need boxid since you have blue, and you need to put the blue CAID in there, not sure what it is.

[reader]
label=Foxtel
protocol=mouse
detect=CD
group=1
emmcache=1,1,2
device=/dev/ttyS0
caid=096C
#boxid=XXXXXXXX

If you are passing through the usb port then you will need to use something like this
(run lsusb to get the device id of your smargo and update device= as appropriate)

[reader]
label=Foxtel
protocol=SmartReader
detect=CD
group=1
emmcache=1,1,2
device=003:002
caid=096C

[STI02]

Thanks Vic

caid =090b for a blue card

[ferni]

Thanks mate for the reply.

in the srp_tools did you specify the frequency you want to ran it at?
You are no longer using a VM setup?

I run mine at fixed 6mhz.

Nope i moved it to a dedicated box, mainly because it means when i'm playing with the media centre and reboot my it (hosting the VM) my other box in the house couldn't access the VM.

[STI02]

Hey ferni

Just a clarification do you run the card at 6 mhz also or just the reader?

The reason I ask is because I am able to run the reader at 6 mhz no problems but the card seem to only run at 3.57 mhz.

Does this sound right or am I missing something?

p.s. Had to use the phoenix reader as I upgraded the smargo to 1.04 by accident while exploring the software it came with.
As a result couldn't get it to initialize the card.

I run mine at fixed 6mhz.

Nope i moved it to a dedicated box, mainly because it means when i'm playing with the media centre and reboot my it (hosting the VM) my other box in the house couldn't access the VM.

[ferni]

Since i use the smargo, i used the srp_tools to set it to fixed 6mhz mode. i don't use oscam cardmhz or mhz params as i found they did nothing with the smargo.

With a pheonix, these oscam modes should come into play... think you only need the mhz=600 line. Give it a go, the decrease in ecm should be easy to spot if its working

[STI02]

it sure is ecm time is down to 250 ms from 470 ms and that in VM
I am happy with that for now
Thanks for your input mate

Since i use the smargo, i used the srp_tools to set it to fixed 6mhz mode. i don't use oscam cardmhz or mhz params as i found they did nothing with the smargo.

With a pheonix, these oscam modes should come into play... think you only need the mhz=600 line. Give it a go, the decrease in ecm should be easy to spot if its working