As usual, I forgot the steps to get this working on a fresh install, so documenting here.
Fresh linux install. Get Tvheadend installed. It detects the USB device but nothing works – won’t tune/scan.
Remembered to check dmesg output: it says couldn’t find firmware.
To resolve:
Download this firmware file below to /lib/firmware, and reboot. (remove the .txt extension, wordpress wouldn’t let me upload it…) This file was originally found at http://palosaari.fi/linux/v4l-dvb/firmware/Si2168/dvb-demod-si2168-02.fw
Notes:
* Do not download the version of this firmware found on the openelec site (https://github.com/OpenELEC/dvb-firmware/blob/master/firmware/dvb-demod-si2168-02.fw) this doesn’t work, I don’t know why, you get an error like this:
[ 257.308360] si2168 11-0064: Direct firmware load for dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw failed with error -2 [ 257.309345] si2168 11-0064: please install firmware file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw' [ 257.309348] si2168 11-0064: downloading firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-02.fw' [ 257.309351] si2168 11-0064: firmware download failed -22 [ 257.315010] si2157 12-0060: found a 'Silicon Labs Si2157-A30' [ 257.366362] si2157 12-0060: firmware version: 3.0.5
* Also, do not download or put in the firmware directory the file called dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw which you may see a message about in dmesg. Again, if you try this one you will get an error.
Use the small file I said, and after rebooting and loading tvheadend, finally get a successful message in dmesg:
[ 309.946481] si2168 11-0064: Direct firmware load for dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw failed with error -2 [ 309.948338] si2168 11-0064: please install firmware file 'dvb-demod-si2168-b40-01.fw' [ 309.948351] si2168 11-0064: downloading firmware from file 'dvb-demod-si2168-02.fw' [ 310.207826] si2168 11-0064: firmware version: B 4.0.4 [ 310.212788] si2157 12-0060: found a 'Silicon Labs Si2157-A30' [ 310.262813] si2157 12-0060: firmware version: 3.0.5