MPEG 2 License Not Working (solved)

Hi All

I have owned a Pi since the release date so I am fairly familiar with it but I can't for the life of me get the MPEG2 license to work! I'm almost certain its something I'm doing wrong since I can't find anyone else with the same issue...

So this is what I done to install it:

SSH'd to my Pi and run 'sudo nano /boot/config.txt'
Paste the license from the email at the end of the file
Hit CTRL+X to save changes, confirmed the overwrite
Rebooted.

I have run vcgencmd codec_enabled mpg2 many times and I cant get it to be enabled.

I should probably also mention this is a clean install, no overclock, new SD card & I have double checked the serial used was correct.

Can anyone shed some light on this weird occurrence?

Thanks in advance,

Wayne

[dom]

What's the output of:
vcgencmd get_config str
cat /proc/cpuinfo

They are:

decode_MPG2=0xd455d35a

&

Processor : ARMv6-compatible processor rev 7 (v6l)
BogoMIPS : 697.95
Features : swp half thumb fastmult vfp edsp java tls
CPU implementer : 0x41
CPU architecture: 7
CPU variant : 0x0
CPU part : 0xb76
CPU revision : 7

Hardware : BCM2708
Revision : 1000002
Serial : 00000000da2fed5d

I appear to have the same problem.

Code: Select all

root@xbian:~# vcgencmd codec_enabled mpg2
mpg2=disabled


Then strangly this command doesn't work:

Code: Select all

root@xbian:~# vcgencmd get_config str
error=1 error_msg="Command not registered"


My cpu info:

Code: Select all

root@xbian:~# cat /proc/cpuinfo
Processor       : ARMv6-compatible processor rev 7 (v6l)
BogoMIPS        : 464.48
Features        : swp half thumb fastmult vfp edsp java tls
CPU implementer : 0x41
CPU architecture: 7
CPU variant     : 0x0
CPU part        : 0xb76
CPU revision    : 7

Hardware        : BCM2708
Revision        : 1000002
Serial          : 000000006830f23a


And my license key (from the email of the rpi-foundation):

Code: Select all

decode_MPG2=0xe3dae05f


Info is gathered non overclocked on Xbian.

[dom]

I appear to have the same problem.
Then strangly this command doesn't work:

Code: Select all

root@xbian:~# vcgencmd get_config str
error=1 error_msg="Command not registered"


Info is gathered non overclocked on Xbian.

Sounds like your image is quite old (get_config has been in for about 3 months). What does
vcgencmd version
report? I'd suggest you update your XBian image first.

Any ideas Dom?

It's the latest (stable) release of Xbian version 1.0a4 .

Vcgencmd:

Code: Select all

root@xbian:~# vcgencmd version
Oct 19 2012 23:40:40
Copyright (c) 2012 Broadcom
version 345130 (release)


It's indeed outdated.
So i've tried to update with rpi-update:

Code: Select all

root@xbian:~# rpi-update
-bash: rpi-update: command not found


It appears to be removed from Xbian.
So now i've started a thread over at the Xbian-forum to find out when they will be including/supporting the new firmware.

Edit: It will be included in Alpha 5,which is the next version.

[dom]

decode_MPG2=0xd455d35a
Serial : 00000000da2fed5d

I've fudged my board to have your serial number, and:

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
Processor       : ARMv6-compatible processor rev 7 (v6l)
BogoMIPS        : 697.95
Features        : swp half thumb fastmult vfp edsp java tls
CPU implementer : 0x41
CPU architecture: 7
CPU variant     : 0x0
CPU part        : 0xb76
CPU revision    : 7

Hardware        : BCM2708
Revision        : 100000f
Serial          : 00000000da2fed5d

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ vcgencmd get_config str
decode_MPG2=0xd455d35a

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ vcgencmd codec_enabled MPG2
MPG2=enabled

so, your codec key is good. I can't imagine why it is not working. What does
vcgencmd version
report? Can you try updating with rpi-update?

dom,

I have the same problem on 3 machines. I noticed that the h264 codec is also reported as disabled, which strikes me as odd...
Just did rpi-update but the problem persists.

Gr.
Dirk

Hi all,

be aware that the command is case sensitive:

xbian@xbian:~# vcgencmd codec_enabled mpg2
mpg2=disabled
xbian@xbian:~# vcgencmd codec_enabled MPG2
MPG2=enabled

Regards,
Dick

be aware that the command is case sensitive:

Oops... I actually knew that that was the case
Yes, using the codec in capitals reports it's availability correctly.

Gr.
Dirk

Hi all,

be aware that the command is case sensitive:

xbian@xbian:~# vcgencmd codec_enabled mpg2
mpg2=disabled
xbian@xbian:~# vcgencmd codec_enabled MPG2
MPG2=enabled

Regards,
Dick

I don't actually believe it...! That's exactly what my problem was!

Thanks dick, appreciate it!

And thanks dom for confirming my code was right

decode_MPG2=0xd455d35a
Serial : 00000000da2fed5d

I've fudged my board to have your serial number, and:

Uhm how? I thought that the CPU serial was hard coded into the SOC. I mean how is this possible?

decode_MPG2=0xd455d35a
Serial : 00000000da2fed5d

I've fudged my board to have your serial number, and:

Uhm how? I thought that the CPU serial was hard coded into the SOC. I mean how is this possible?

Dom has special tools to help ....

Dom has special tools to help ....

Winks aren't quite enough. What is the "special tool"? Thanks

Dom writes the firmware. The firmware is what reads the actual serial number from board and does the appropriate license check. I'm sure it's easy to fake a serial number by replacing the board read function with "return 0xda2fed5d;"

I'm sure someone will take up the challenge to spoof their serial number by messing with the firmware!

I'm more interested in editing than spoofing, but I guess this is getting a bit off topic. I started a question on the raspberry pi stack exchange site yesterday, because it is a specific question with a specific answer:

http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/qu ... ial-number

[jamesh]

I'm more interested in editing than spoofing, but I guess this is getting a bit off topic. I started a question on the raspberry pi stack exchange site yesterday, because it is a specific question with a specific answer:

http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/qu ... ial-number

Dom has access to all the source code, the Videocore debugger and many closed VC specific tools. And releasing any information to allow you to change the serial number would break the mechanism for codec licencing, so will never happen.

There is NO need to change the serial number. The only reasons you might want to do it are nefarious - to crack the licencing scheme, thereby costing the Foundation a valuable source of income, and perhaps causing MPLA to revoke their agreements with the Foundation to provide licences. That would then mean the price of the Raspi would have to increased for everyone, as we would need to provide the MP4 licence for all, since the licencing scheme would be broken.

So, is that what you want to do? Because I think that's not a very nice thing at all.

There is NO need to change the serial number. The only reasons you might want to do it are nefarious - to crack the licencing scheme, thereby costing the Foundation a valuable source of income, and perhaps causing MPLA to revoke their agreements with the Foundation to provide licences. That would then mean the price of the Raspi would have to increased for everyone, as we would need to provide the MP4 licence for all, since the licencing scheme would be broken.

So, is that what you want to do? Because I think that's not a very nice thing at all.

That is exactly what I said. It would be the only reason.

There is NO need to change the serial number. The only reasons you might want to do it are nefarious - to crack the licencing scheme, thereby costing the Foundation a valuable source of income...

Your post is extremely offensive and potentially libelous. Please remove it at once. Any further accusations that my intentions are nefarious will not be tolerated.
I will continue to discuss my technical issues in other posts and expect more cordial responses.

[liz]

Thread closed, user warned. Please don't email me and Eben accusing us of libel, folks - especially when you've only got three posts here and are squarely in the wrong. I've got better things to be doing on a Saturday.