Talk:How to Obtain, Build and Install V4L-DVB Device Drivers

Note: This article originated in the old V4L wiki, wherein it was entitled differently, and since entering into the combined V4L-DVB wiki, its contents have been added to from the merger of relevant information from the former DVB wiki article "How to install DVB device drivers"; for user contribution history, please also refer to the, now archived, former DVB article.

---

Comment April 23/06: A kernel 2.6.12 wouldn't build the modules but 2.6.16 worked well. I would suggest cd /usr/src/linux before retrieving the mercurial patches - the scripts couldn't find the kernel headers otherwise.

---

Apr 2007:

After following the steps above and getting down all needed sources I get the following output does this mean this driver does support 64bit kernels?

root@1[v4l-dvb]# make
make -C /usr/local/src/v4l-dvb/v4l
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/v4l-dvb/v4l'
scripts/make_makefile.pl
No version yet.
Updating/Creating .config
File not found: /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build/.config at ./scripts/make_kconfig.pl line 30.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/v4l-dvb/v4l'
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/local/src/v4l-dvb/v4l'
Updating/Creating .config
File not found: /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build/.config at  ./scripts/make_kconfig.pl line 30.
make[1]: *** No rule to make target `.myconfig', needed by `config-compat.h'.   Stop.
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/local/src/v4l-dvb/v4l'
make: *** [all] Error 2

or do I move my sources?

Another reason for this issue is because your symbolic link for /lib/modules/<kernel-version>/build is broken. Before running make, remove the link and create a new pointing to the right location.

For your example above,

rm /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build

ln -s /usr/src/kernels/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build

and then, the remaining steps should work fine.

---

May 2007:

Kernel 2.6.17 Compilation Errors

If compilation fails on v4l-dvb/v4l/dvb_net.c with errors (kernel 2.6.17):

error: 'struct net_device' has no member named 'xmit_lock'

Then edit the v4l-dvb/v4l/dvb_net.c file, go to the error lines and replace this text:

#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(2,6,18)

by this one:

#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(2,6,17)

The compilation should now continue.

---

I get a bunch of conflicts when I tried to do this. I run a custom 2.6 kernel, built from 2.6.18. I don't understand how the V4L tree jibes with the drivers from the kernel source. I suspect that if you are going to install drivers from a V4L tree, you should *not* configure the modules in the kernel tree (which modules should you not configure?).

There seems to be a big gap in the howtos, between those for newbies who have never set up any dvb card for linux, and those intended for developers.

Mrdemeanour 16:46, 17 October 2006 (CEST)

I need help! I'm getting the issue as stated at the bottom of the page (more errata was it?). I can follow the instructions given but I dont have all of the paths/folders as described and dont know enough to help myself.

I the v4l-dvb package is in my home directory. I get the message saying "file not found: /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-server/build/.config" I dont have a folder called "build" at this path (or anywhere else I can see) so dont expect the symbolic link instructions pasted below to work.

What information can I give so that you can help me? I'm using ubuntu server 7.10.

---

"If you see the issue above, it is because your symbolic link for /lib/modules/<kernel-version>/build is broken. Before running make, remove the link and create a new pointing to the right location.

For your example above,

rm /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build ln -s /usr/src/kernels/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-desktop64-smp/build"