Having a lot of issues while using GQRX after installation

[Paul van de Velde]

Hey out there,

I just installed gqrx. 

I am running into a lot of errors though.

Running on a RPI3b with a RTL2832U dongle.

Anyone able to guide me to get rid of the long list of issues encountered?

pi@Survival02:~/gqrx-2.6-rpi3-2 $ ./run_gqrx.sh 
Starting gqrx...
libEGL warning: DRI2: failed to authenticate

** (gqrx:1246): WARNING **: Error retrieving accessibility bus address: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.a11y.Bus was not provided by any .service files
Controlport disabled
ALSA lib confmisc.c:1281:(snd_func_refer) Unable to find definition 'defaults.bluealsa.device'
ALSA lib conf.c:4528:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:4996:(snd_config_expand) Args evaluate error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib pcm.c:2495:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM bluealsa
ALSA lib confmisc.c:1281:(snd_func_refer) Unable to find definition 'defaults.bluealsa.device'
ALSA lib conf.c:4528:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:4996:(snd_config_expand) Args evaluate error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib pcm.c:2495:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM bluealsa
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr – Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr – Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
No user supplied config file. Using "default.conf"
gr-osmosdr b6e4041f (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.10.1
built-in source types: file fcd rtl rtl_tcp hackrf rfspace airspy soapy redpitaya 
FM demod gain: 1.52789
IQ DCR alpha: 1.04166e-05
PortAudio V19.6.0-devel, revision 396fe4b6699ae929d3a685b3ef8a7e97396139a4 (version 1246720)
Number of audio devices: 20
0: bcm2835 ALSA: - (hw:0,0) I:0 O:2
1: bcm2835 ALSA: IEC958/HDMI (hw:0,1) I:0 O:2
2: sysdefault I:0 O:128
3: front I:0 O:128
4: rear I:0 O:128
5: center_lfe I:0 O:128
6: side I:0 O:128
7: surround21 I:0 O:128
8: surround40 I:0 O:128
9: surround41 I:0 O:128
10: surround50 I:0 O:128
11: surround51 I:0 O:128
12: surround71 I:0 O:128
13: iec958 I:0 O:128
14: spdif I:0 O:128
15: hdmi I:0 O:128
16: modem I:0 O:128
17: phoneline I:0 O:128
18: dmix I:0 O:2
19: default I:32 O:32
Using default audio device
Using audio backend: N/A
BookmarksFile is /home/pi/.config/gqrx/bookmarks.csv
getDeviceList : Available input devices:
0 : "Generic RTL2832U SN: 77771111153705700"
1 : "RFSPACE SDR-IQ Receiver"
2 : "RFSPACE SDR-IP Receiver"
3 : "RFSPACE NetSDR Receiver"
4 : "RFSPACE Cloud-IQ Receiver"
5 : "RTL-SDR Spectrum Server"
6 : "Red Pitaya Transceiver Server"
7 : "Complex Sampled (IQ) File"
Loading configuration from: "default.conf"
Configuration file: "/home/pi/.config/gqrx/default.conf"
Crash guard triggered!

gr-osmosdr b6e4041f (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.10.1
built-in source types: file fcd rtl rtl_tcp hackrf rfspace airspy soapy redpitaya 
Using device #0 Generic RTL2832U SN: 77771111153705700
Detached kernel driver
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
[R82XX] PLL not locked!
[R82XX] PLL not locked!
IQ DCR samp_rate: 1.024e+06
IQ DCR alpha: 9.76562e-07
Changing NB_RX quad rate: 96000 -> 1.024e+06
New antenna selected: "RX"
********************
Gain name: "LNA"
min: 0
max: 49.6
step: 0.5
********************
No change in output device:
old: 
new: 
[R82XX] PLL not locked!
IQ DCR samp_rate: 1.8e+06
IQ DCR alpha: 5.55555e-07
Changing NB_RX quad rate: 1.024e+06 -> 1.8e+06
Requested sample rate: 1800000
Actual sample rate : "1800000.000000"
New FFT rate: 25 Hz
Requested bandwidth: 799999 Hz
Actual bandwidth : 0 Hz
setFreqCorr : 0 ppm
New LNB LO: 0 Hz
New mode index: 5
FM demod gain: 0.509296
Filter preset for mode 5 LO: -80000 HI: 80000
Genrating taps for new filter LO:-80000 HI:80000 TW:32000 Taps: 19
setFftRate to "25 fps"
New FFT rate: 25 Hz
New FFT rate: 25 Hz
setFftSize to "8192"
New FFT rate: 25 Hz
New FFT rate: 25 Hz
New FFT rate: 25 Hz
No audio FFT data.
No audio FFT data.
No audio FFT data.
No audio FFT data.
No audio FFT data.
No audio FFT data.
No audio FFT data.
ALSA lib pcm.c:8306:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
ALSA lib pcm.c:8306:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
ALSA lib pcm.c:8306:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
No audio FFT data.
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
No audio FFT data.
ALSA lib pcm.c:8306:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
No audio FFT data.
ALSA lib pcm.c:8306:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOExpression 'res' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 3502
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_EndProcessing( &self->playback, numFrames, &xrun )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 3601
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_EndProcessing( stream, framesGot, &xrun )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4484
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Unanticipated host error
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Invalid stream pointer
*** Error in `portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Invalid stream pointer
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Invalid stream pointer
gqrx': malloc(): memory corruption (fast): 0x017f4310 ***
./run_gqrx.sh: line 18: 1246 Aborted gqrx $1 $2
pi@Survival02:~/gqrx-2.6-rpi3-2 $ rtl_test -t
Found 1 device(s):
0: Generic, RTL2832U, SN: 77771111153705700

Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Supported gain values (29): 0.0 0.9 1.4 2.7 3.7 7.7 8.7 12.5 14.4 15.7 16.6 19.7 20.7 22.9 25.4 28.0 29.7 32.8 33.8 36.4 37.2 38.6 40.2 42.1 43.4 43.9 44.5 48.0 49.6 
[R82XX] PLL not locked!
Sampling at 2048000 S/s.
No E4000 tuner found, aborting.
pi@Survival02:~/gqrx-2.6-rpi3-2 $ 

Thanks,

Paul

[Alexandru Csete]

Looks like your audio output is not working. Hard to say anything
specific without knowing what you selected in gqrx and how the audio
on your raspberry pi is configured. THe default settings usually work.

Alex

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[Paul van de Velde]

Not sure how to retrieve the settings you are referring at. Can you please elaborate on which commands you would like me to run.

Thanks,

Paul

Op dinsdag 7 november 2017 18:45:46 UTC+1 schreef Paul van de Velde:

[Alexandru Csete]

Paul,

I didn't mean any commands, I just wanted to know whether you have
selected an audio device under I/O device configuration and also
whether you raspberry pis audio is configured correctly and tested.

Also note that in your first mail you included the output of "rtl_test
-t" which gave an error. So we not know whether your RTL dongle is
working on your PI. Try rtl_test without options.

Alex

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[Paul van de Velde]

Hi Alex,

Many thanks for your response. The RTL dongle is working and the output is exactly same as I see anywhere on the internet like e.g. in 

RTL-SDR for Linux Quick Start Guide v10.16 by Kenn Ranous (this can be found on the internet). 

It is the correct output for the command "rtl_test -t".

My audio is correctly working for internet and for applications like e.g. Audacity. Nothing wrong with that. 

Sometimes it takes sometime for gqrx to crash, and if so, I can hear FM radio making use of gqrx (although signal is weak when compared to running SDR# on my PC making use of the very same RTL dongle). 

Audio output is set to:

Device Default

Sample rate 48kHz

Now while writing this I see one can also select bcm2835 ALSA: - (hw:0,0). And if I select this setting ............. it runs more stable, less crashes. Got 1 till now. 

But able to run much longer now. And hearing the FM radio (88.395 000 Mhz). 

Still a big number of errors are seen though. The fact that so many error messages are shown, does not give me a comfortable feeling though.

Imagine you have to travel far by car and all the time your dashboard is signalling, oil low, engine failure, low on gas, engine overheating. 

That makes you worry a lot if you still have to go for 1000 miles ;-). 

Starting gqrx...
libEGL warning: DRI2: failed to authenticate

** (gqrx:1744): WARNING **: Error retrieving accessibility bus address: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.a11y.Bus was not provided by any .service files

gr-osmosdr b6e4041f (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.10.1
built-in source types: file fcd rtl rtl_tcp hackrf rfspace airspy soapy redpitaya 
Using device #0 Generic RTL2832U SN: 77771111153705700
Detached kernel driver
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
[R82XX] PLL not locked!
[R82XX] PLL not locked!
IQ DCR samp_rate: 1.024e+06
IQ DCR alpha: 9.76562e-07
Changing NB_RX quad rate: 96000 -> 1.024e+06
New antenna selected: "RX"
********************
Gain name: "LNA"
min: 0
max: 49.6
step: 0.5
********************

New audio output device:
old: 
new: bcm2835 ALSA: - (hw:0,0)

PortAudio V19.6.0-devel, revision 396fe4b6699ae929d3a685b3ef8a7e97396139a4 (version 1246720)
Number of audio devices: 20
0: bcm2835 ALSA: - (hw:0,0) I:0 O:2
1: bcm2835 ALSA: IEC958/HDMI (hw:0,1) I:0 O:2
2: sysdefault I:0 O:128
3: front I:0 O:128
4: rear I:0 O:128
5: center_lfe I:0 O:128
6: side I:0 O:128
7: surround21 I:0 O:128
8: surround40 I:0 O:128
9: surround41 I:0 O:128
10: surround50 I:0 O:128
11: surround51 I:0 O:128
12: surround71 I:0 O:128
13: iec958 I:0 O:128
14: spdif I:0 O:128
15: hdmi I:0 O:128
16: modem I:0 O:128
17: phoneline I:0 O:128
18: dmix I:0 O:2
19: default I:32 O:32

Audio device 'bcm2835 ALSA: - (hw:0,0)' has index 0

portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed
portaudio_sink::work(): Error writing to audio device: Output underflowed

Cheers,

Paul

Op dinsdag 7 november 2017 23:46:33 UTC+1 schreef Alexandru Csete:

[Paul van de Velde]

Can anyone help me with the below?

Still having a lot of underflow errors. 

Op dinsdag 7 november 2017 18:45:46 UTC+1 schreef Paul van de Velde:

Hey out there,

[Alexandru Csete]

Hi Paul,

I already asked you to run rtl_test without -t option, because the -t
option is not valid for your tuner. That's why you get the message:

"No E4000 tuner found, aborting."

Other things that can cause underflows is high CPU load, which can be
due to insufficient power supply or too "aggressive" settings like too
high sample rate, FFT size, and FFT rate.

Anyway, it's still very experimental.

Alex

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[Robin Gape]

Paul,

if you really wish to know:

1) reduce the sampling rate on the dongle. An RTL dongle  can offer a sample rate as low as 240kS/s, which will put less of a load on your system than sampling at 1 800kS/s. On my test Intel system, with thermald clock controller, going from 300kS/s to 2.88MS/s increased the load on the CPUs from around 40% each, to around 80% each, 1.8MS/s gave a load of around 55% each

2) to see where processing time is going, use htop

3) the trace shows a lot of audio stuff which may relate to extra audio dongles plugged in

4) much the easiest way of sorting out what is happening here, is to set up an equivalent system on a desktop, nettop or laptop machine, so that there is a fully working reference installation

5) the underrun messages indicate that the pulseaudio mechanism is not being fed audio samples quickly enough by GQRX, and that in turn indicates a lack of processing cycles (underrun GQRX will bring up a lot of results from a search engine. For instance http://superkuh.com/rtlsdr.html says much the same. One mustn't be afraid to look! Search engines don't bite!)

6) you haven't stated whether or not you ran volk_profile—it will take a while to run—to optimise the DSP routines

7) Not currently owning a Raspberry Pi 3, it's hard to offer further structured advice. However, it would be a great courtesy to Alex, and myself, to run rtl_test without any options. The result is a useful diagnostic

8) at the end of the day, the only person who can debug this installation is yourself. Besides this list, there are a lot of resources waiting to be exercised by your native guile and cunning, aided by your favourite search engine

Good luck, 73,

Robin, G8DQX