[Discuss-gnuradio] usrp: rssi/clipping indicator, data glitches

[Don Ward]

(1) From examining the code, I find that I can read the rssi/clipping
indicator register associated with ADC n with

   usrp._u._read_fpga_reg( n+5 )

where usrp is an instance of usrp.source_s.

Question: Is there a better/preferred/higher-level function to access the
rssi/clipping register?

(2) When I use the above to poll the rssi/clipping register while using
usrp.source I get glitches (at the rate of several per minute) in the usrp
data stream.  A modified version of test_counting.py (attached) shows
several types of errors.  In order of decreasing frequecy, they are: (a)
single-bit errors; (b) multiple-bit errors within each 16-bit value (but
never multiple bit errors spanning consecutive 16-bit values); (c) two 
count
values missing; (d) one count value missing; (e) random value inserted in
count sequence; and (f) multiple instances of 0 or 0xffff inserted in the
sequence.  Eventually (usually within an hour) the program will terminate
with "usb_reap_async: timeout error".

This happens on Windows XP/SP2 with either MSYS/MinGW or Cygwin.  Hardware
is AMD Sempron 3100+.  GNU Radio is latest svn version.

Request: Would a few people be willing to try this short test program to 
see
what it does on their system?  (It should produce a few lines of
"gr_check_counting" messages as it starts then produce nothing else until
you kill it.)

This appears to be a USB problem, except that none of the usrp requests

               usrp._u.set_pga( which, 0. )
               usrp._u.read_aux_adc( 0, 0 )
               usrp._u.noverruns()

cause problems, while the request

       usrp._u._read_fpga_reg( 4 )

seems to produce "usb_reap_async: timeout error" the first time it is 
issued
if the flow graph is running (but executes ok before the flow graph is
started).

Questions:  Should we expect usrp register read requests to interfere with
data transfers?  Is there a better way to access the rssi/clipping
indicator?  Will mblocks allow internal USRP information (such as the rssi
registers) to be included in data packets read from the USRP?

Thanks for any help (and thanks, Eric, for pointing to test_counting.py).

-- Don W.

test_counting_x.py
Description: Text document