SDRPlay [ERROR] error in activateStream() - Init() failed: sdrplay_api_ServiceNotResponding

[paulh002]

Hi,

I use SoaySDR in my own software with several SDR receivers and that all works fine. Only SDRPLay SoapySDR driver keep getting an error. [ERROR] error in activateStream() - Init() failed: sdrplay_api_ServiceNotResponding
I have the same error when I use SoapySDRUtil when I run it in the debugger. When I start SoapySDRUtil from the commandline it works. So it seems I am missing something. Any tips?
The environment I use is Raspberry Pi4 buster linux 32 bits. I use Visual Studio (with visualgdb) to crosscompile and debug.

[fventuri]

@paulh002 - the SDRplay API v3.x is actually made of two components:

• a service called sdrplay_api (or something similar in Windows) that interacts directly with the RSP device via USB
• a shared library/dll (libsdrplay_api) that your client application links to and which in turn communicates with the service

The two components communicate by means of shared memory, semaphores, and mutexes, but they also exchange a periodic heartbeat, to make sure that everything is OK.

It is possible that when you are using the debugger and the application is waiting at a breakpoint, the thread that handles the heartbeat is 'frozen', and therefore when you resume the application it reports as the service being down, since it hasn't received the heartbeat within the expected amount of time.

Franco

[paulh002]

Hello Franko,

Your right, now SoapySDRUtil works, that is when I don't have breakpoints. But unfortuanaly I have this issue in my client application. That why I tried to build and debug SoapySDRUtil. There I get the same error also in release version

[fventuri]

@paulh002 - in gdb (which is what I use on Linux), I typically use breakpoints with commands (see here: https://sourceware.org/gdb/current/onlinedocs/gdb/Break-Commands.html#Break-Commands), where the last command before end is always a cont (continue) to avoid the problem with the heartbeat.

Franco

[paulh002]

@fventuri Maybe you missed. I am developing for linux on raspberry pi. But use VisualGDB extension for VisualStudio.
The issue I have is I get this error in my application on the raspberry pi. I looks like my application cannot find the libsdrplay_api. Where as for other SDR receivers it works fine

[SDRplay]

If you just want debug output from the API but you're running the application without stopping, add a call to sdrplay_api_DebugEnable after sdrplay_api_SelectDevice and sdrplay_api_UnlockDeviceApi (but before the call to sdrplay_api_GetDeviceParams

If you want to be able to step through your application, then you can disable the API heartbeat using a call to sdrplay_api_DisableHeartbeat() before sdrplay_api_SelectDevice

However, make sure to not leave either of these calls into any production code or you may run into issues.

Hope that helps,

Andy

[paulh002]

The issue happens when calling sdrplay_api_Init in ActivateStream()
err = sdrplay_api_Init(device.dev, &cbFns, (void *)this);
if (err != sdrplay_api_Success)
{
SoapySDR_logf(SOAPY_SDR_ERROR, "error in activateStream() - Init() failed: %s", sdrplay_api_GetErrorString(err));
return SOAPY_SDR_NOT_SUPPORTED;
}
I just get an error failed. I made a test application where I converted the code from SoapySDRUtil to support classes so I can use it in my code, and this works fine for Adalm Pluto, rtlsdr etc. But with sdrplay I get this error.
The question is why is it working ok in SoapySDRUtil and not in my version. I shared the code on github. https://github.com/paulh002/SoapySDRTest

[SDRplay]

What parameters are you calling your app with? The same as per SoapySDRUtil?

So it runs ok before your changes, but not after?

Without any API debug output, I can't really say why the init would be failing.

Best regards,

Andy

[fventuri]

@paulh002 - as Andy said, a common reason for sdrplay_api_Init() to fail is that one (or more) device configuration parameters are invalid (or out of range), like sample rate, gains, etc.

A good way to see why sdrplay_api_Init() failed is to search for messages like the one below in the Raspberry Pi log files (you can use something like grep sdrplay_apiService /var/log/messages | grep ERROR or something similar with the output from journalctl):

Jul 27 20:51:21 fvdesktop sdrplay_apiService[3669]: [7243]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: checkTunerParamLimits: ERROR: gain gRdB out of range (1:20) = 59

Franco

[paulh002]

Here the log, I see an error in the setGR function. If I compare this log with a correct one

Dec 21 09:26:58 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1422]: sdrplay_api_Open
Dec 21 09:26:58 raspberrypi kernel: [ 800.731693] usb 1-1.2.2: USB disconnect, device number 6
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi kernel: [ 801.133292] usb 1-1.2.2: new high-speed USB device number 9 using xhci_hcd
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi kernel: [ 801.364105] usb 1-1.2.2: New USB device found, idVendor=1df7, idProduct=3000, bcdDevice= 2.07
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi kernel: [ 801.364126] usb 1-1.2.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=1
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi kernel: [ 801.364145] usb 1-1.2.2: SerialNumber: 2006109397
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi mtp-probe: checking bus 1, device 9: "/sys/devices/platform/scb/fd500000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2.2"
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi mtp-probe: bus: 1, device: 9 was not an MTP device
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi mtp-probe: checking bus 1, device 9: "/sys/devices/platform/scb/fd500000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2.2"
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi mtp-probe: bus: 1, device: 9 was not an MTP device
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: sdrplay_apiService_device: mCmdHandlerThread: Entry
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1472]: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: streamThread: Entry
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api_device: strmHandlerThread: Entry
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1474]: sdrplay_api_device: eventHandlerThread: Entry
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: sdrplay_apiService_rsp_log_enable 3
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1475]: sdrplay_api_device: heartBeatThread: Entry
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [507]: sdrplay_apiService_log_enable: 0
Dec 21 09:26:59 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: sdrplay_apiService_rsp_log_enable 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [507]: sdrplay_apiService_log_enable: 1
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: sdrplay_apiService_rsp_log_enable 1
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initNumActivePackets: NumActivePackets = 4
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initDownConverterState: Tuner1: DownConvert: Enable=1 DecM=3 OutScale=3 (fs=6.000000 bw=600 if=1620)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initDownConverterState: Tuner1: DownConvert: Ionly = 0 Lif = 1 (1580000 1620000) adsbEn = 0 adsbMode = 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initNumActivePackets: NumActivePackets = 12
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x08, 0x00ee80)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: usb_Init: usb_Init()
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: usb_SetInterface: usb_SetInterface(3)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_Init: bridge_Init: fnaddr = 5
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x05, 0x00000c)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x00000e)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x00, 0x000200)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_Init: bridge_Init: adjusting squelch trim 0x1, rx gating enable 1, tx_trim 0, reg2 = 0x4801
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x02, 0x004801)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: rsp1aBiasTControl: biasTEnable = 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: rsp1aDabNotchEnable: rfDabNotchEnable = 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: rsp1aBroadcastNotchEnable: rfNotchEnable = 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: rsp1aRfTest: rfTestEn = 0, rfTestSrcStability = 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x28bb85)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x07, 0x000494)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initFsFreqDependentHw: initFsFreqDependentHw: Register7 = 0x000494
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: setTunerDc: Tuner1: DCCAL: mode->4 speedup->0 (applied at next gain update)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: setTunerDc: Tuner1: DCTRACK_TIM->63 DCREFRESHRATE_TIM->2048
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x2003f6)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: dcOffsetIQimbalanceControl: Tuner1: DC:1 IQ:1
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: decimateControl: Tuner1: 1 2 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initNumActivePackets: NumActivePackets = 12
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: decimateControl: Tuner1: DecimateOutScale=1, DecimateRound[0]=0x00000000, DecimateRound[1]=0x00000000
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initRfFreqDependentHw: Tuner1: firstLoFreq=120000000 Lif1Hz=120000000.00 loMode=1
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x049e10)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initRfFreqDependentHw: Tuner1: initRfFreqDependentHw(): Tuner Register0 = 0x049e10
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x00fff3)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x14a1d2)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: setRf: Tuner1: setRf: f->125179999.996Hz (int=14 frac=a1d afc=fff) fSynth:2002879999.942
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: setRf: Tuner1: Rf->rfHz+LifHz+Lif1Hz=3600000.0+1580000.0+120000000.0=125180000.0Hz RfToggle->1
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_Bypass001Trim: 0x0 0x0 0x0 0x0 0x0 0x0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_Bypass001Trim: 0 0 0 0 0
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x00000d)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_SetRegister: bridge_SetRegister(0x09, 0x00000e)
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: bridge_Bypass001Trim: bridge_Bypass001Trim: reg13=0xd reg14=0xe
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: initHw: Tuner1: initHw: setGr() Error 0x00000003
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:04 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:05 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:05 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:06 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:06 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:07 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:07 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:08 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:08 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:09 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:09 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:10 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:10 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:11 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:11 raspberrypi SoapySDRTest: [1473]: sdrplay_api: strmHandlerThread: Waiting in data Loop 2 (0x00000002)...
Dec 21 09:27:12 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=2
Dec 21 09:27:13 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=0
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: DevIdx0: heartBeatCnt=0
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1472]: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: streamThread: Exit
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: ReleaseAll: Setting mKillCmdHandler
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1470]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: mHrtbtHandlerThread: mHrtbtHandlerThread: Exit
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [1471]: sdrplay_apiService_device: mCmdHandlerThread: Exit
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: devIdx0: sdrplay_apiService_rsp: ReleaseAll: mCmdHandler killed
Dec 21 09:27:14 raspberrypi sdrplay_apiService: [519]: sdrplay_apiService: heartBeatThread: MSG: DevIdx0: RELEASED

[fventuri]

@paulh002 - good catch

I just noticed in your code that you set the gain to 88 (see here: https://github.com/paulh002/SoapySDRTest/blob/master/SoapySDRTest/SdrDevice.cpp#L542).
In reality gains (or better gain reductions) work differently on the SDRplay RSPs; you can read about them in the SDRplay API Specification guide (of course, feel free to ask if you have questions about gains).
Also this discussion thread (pothosware/SoapySDRPlay3#35) might give you an idea about the different options we are exploring on how to handle those gains.

Franco

[paulh002]

Thats it!, just removed the setGain from my test program and than it works. I will check the discussion thread you shared. Hopefully I can implement a generic way to set the gain. The idea of using SoapySDR is to be independend of SDR implementations. But thanks a lot for quick response.