Hello, I have a LimeSDR updated to the latest Firmware images (20.01) with gateway version 2 in revision 22. I use Debian Buster with the libusb-1.0-0 as driver. Opening and configuring the device with LimeSuiteGUI works fine over an USB 3.0 connection but I cannot obtain samples.
INFO: Connected Control port: LimeSDR-USB FW:4 HW:4 Protocol:1 GW:2.22 Ref Clk: 30.72 MHz
The problem I face is that the streaming of <= 20 MSPS is not working properly. I managed to get a single-shot spectrum in gqrx once but it is then fixed to one view. If I follow the basic LimeSDR USB Quick Test or this Getting Started guide, the FFT Viewer usually wonāt display anything or if it does, then the displayed spectrum will not be updated and the RX rate gets zero. Further, an USB Transfer error occurs.
The LimeUtil (v20.01.0) and SoapySDRUtil (v0.8.0) are currently built from source but the issue was similar with older versions I got from the Debian repository.
$ SoapySDRUtil --info
######################################################
## Soapy SDR -- the SDR abstraction library ##
######################################################
Lib Version: v0.8.0-gf722f9ce
API Version: v0.8.0
ABI Version: v0.8
Install root: /usr/local
Search path: /usr/local/lib/SoapySDR/modules0.8
Module found: /usr/local/lib/SoapySDR/modules0.8/libLMS7Support.so (20.01.0-c931854e)
Available factories... lime
Available converters...
- CF32 -> [CF32, CS16, CS8, CU16, CU8]
- CS16 -> [CF32, CS16, CS8, CU16, CU8]
- CS32 -> [CS32]
- CS8 -> [CF32, CS16, CS8, CU16, CU8]
- CU16 -> [CF32, CS16, CS8]
- CU8 -> [CF32, CS16, CS8]
- F32 -> [F32, S16, S8, U16, U8]
- S16 -> [F32, S16, S8, U16, U8]
- S32 -> [S32]
- S8 -> [F32, S16, S8, U16, U8]
- U16 -> [F32, S16, S8]
- U8 -> [F32, S16, S8]
When I perform the LimeQuickTest it commonly fails with the [RF Loopback Test] as
$ LimeQuickTest
[ TESTING STARTED ]
->Start time: Sat Mar 28 19:35:10 2020
->Device: LimeSDR-USB, media=USB 3.0, module=FX3, addr=1d50:6108, serial=<SERIALNUMBER>
Serial Number: <SERIALNUMBER>
[ Clock Network Test ]
->FX3 GPIF clock test
Test results: 27918; 31674; 35430 - PASSED
->Si5351C test
CLK0: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
CLK1: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
CLK2: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
CLK3: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
CLK4: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
CLK5: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
CLK6: 17554 / 17554 - PASSED
->ADF4002 Test
Result: 10 - PASSED
->VCTCXO test
Results : 5112948 (min); 5113087 (max) - PASSED
->Clock Network Test PASSED
[ FPGA EEPROM Test ]
->Read EEPROM
->Read data: 13 01 1C 13 01 1C 02
->FPGA EEPROM Test PASSED
[ LMS7002M Test ]
->Perform Registers Test
->External Reset line test
Reg 0x20: Write value 0xFFFD, Read value 0xFFFD
Reg 0x20: value after reset 0x0FFFF
->LMS7002M Test PASSED
[ RF Loopback Test ]
Note: The test should be run without anything connected to RF ports
->Configure LMS
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase
LML TX phase search FAIL
Failed to set sample rate
->RF Loopback Test FAILED
=> Board tests FAILED <=
Elapsed time: 1.42 seconds
Sometimes, the [RF Loopback Test] will also fail with this output
[ RF Loopback Test ]
Note: The test should be run without anything connected to RF ports
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2-> LNA_L):
Failed to read samples: Timeout
CH0 (SXR=800.0MHz, SXT=805.0MHz): Result:(-15.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
Failed to read samples: Timeout
CH1 (SXR=800.0MHz, SXT=805.0MHz): Result:(-15.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->Run Tests (TX_1 -> LNA_W):
Failed to read samples: Timeout
CH0 (SXR=1800.0MHz, SXT=1805.0MHz): Result:(-15.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
Failed to read samples: Timeout
CH1 (SXR=1800.0MHz, SXT=1805.0MHz): Result:(-15.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->Run Tests (TX_2-> LNA_H):
Failed to read samples: Timeout
CH0 (SXR=2500.0MHz, SXT=2505.0MHz): Result:(-15.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
Failed to read samples: Timeout
CH1 (SXR=2500.0MHz, SXT=2505.0MHz): Result:(-15.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->RF Loopback Test FAILED
=> Board tests FAILED <=
Elapsed time: 7.45 seconds
When performing a test with the FFT viewer, the Rx rate is at first shortly different to 0 B/s but then returns to zero again. If I manually rescale the display, I can then see a frozen spectrum which is not updated. It is similar to the one I earlier saw when using gqrx.
Typically, the LEDs on the LimeSDR related to FX are both green and the outer FPGA one close to the edge is blinking green. But the spectrum and noise remains constant.
But mostly, I will run into an āUSB Transfer errorā as stated in the Lime Suiteās Log Window when trying to re-run the FFT Viewer. This happens for example when following the USB QuickTest Guide and active MIMO settings. Then, the outer LED starts alternating between green and red. This state is often also raised after device activation in e.g. gqrx and after an one-shot spectrum was computed. A similar behaviour occurs when I try to run a quick reception test with SoapySDRUtil which thereby produces the following output (see edit below for different syntax)
$ SoapySDRUtil --args=ādriver=limeā --rate=1e6 --channels=ā0ā --direction=RX
######################################################
## Soapy SDR -- the SDR abstraction library ##
######################################################
[INFO] Make connection: 'LimeSDR-USB [USB 3.0] <SERIALNUMBER>'
[INFO] Reference clock 30.72 MHz
[INFO] Device name: LimeSDR-USB
[INFO] Reference: 30.72 MHz
[INFO] LMS7002M register cache: Disabled
Error in rate test: stoi
And again a green and red alternating outer FPGA LED indication happens similar to the case of āUSB Transfer Errorā in LimeSuiteGUI.
However, if I run SoapySDRUtil --probe="driver=lime", it will output the whole port configuration without any fault indication. The following udev rules are set and also activated.
$ cat /etc/udev/rules.d/64-limesuite.rules
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="04b4", ATTR{idProduct}=="8613", SYMLINK+="stream-%k", MODE="666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="04b4", ATTR{idProduct}=="00f1", SYMLINK+="stream-%k", MODE="666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0403", ATTR{idProduct}=="601f", SYMLINK+="stream-%k", MODE="666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="1d50", ATTR{idProduct}=="6108", SYMLINK+="stream-%k", MODE="666"
SUBSYSTEM=="xillybus", MODE="666", OPTIONS="last_rule"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6001", MODE="0666", SYMLINK+="serial"
But it does not fix the problem of an interrupted stream resulting in the display of an one-shot frozen spectrum (if any). Board temperature is typically between 40 and 55 degrees.
-
What do I need to change to get a continuous stream?
-
How to properly react when the outer FPGA LED is alternating between green and red after an USB Transfer error mesage? Typically writing to the chip from LimeSuiteGUI resets this state.
If you require more information, then I can provide it.
EDITED TO ADD (1/2):
If I use SoapySDRUtil --args=ādriver=limeā --rate=1e6 --channels=1 --direction=RX at the moment, I can now more or less reproduce the [ERROR] USB TRANSFER ERROR previously reported for gqrx and in the Lime Suite GUIās log window.
In the case of --channels=0 the same will happen. But interestingly, the outer FPGA LED currently continues to blink green despite of the message. How can I get rid of this error?
EDITED TO ADD (2/2):
The issue seems to be related to USB 3.0 because over USB 2 the streaming is functional.
But LimeQuickTest now always fails over USB 2 with SetPllFrequency: error configuring phase.
I hope you can support me in getting USB 3.0 working.
