Problems Adding Codec License

[loknar28]

I have been having trouble getting the codec license keys to work. This is my second PI model B and the previous unit worked as expected.
The problem I am experiencing is that when ever I run the command vcgencmd codec_enabled MPG2 I get the following error.

VCHI initialization failed

Having spent some time researching this error, my understanding is that there is a problem with old firmware on some of the Raspberry PI. I just received it, however I suppose it could be old stock. I tried to install the program RPI-UPDATE to do a firmware upgrade using apt-get install rpi-update as it is listed on Hexxeh's blog and apt-get reports that it was unable to find the package. I also tried wget with no luck.... Is there another way to get it and is the firmware indeed the issue?

Thanks,

[klricks]

Just doing these should get a recent enough firmware update.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

You realize that codecs only work on the RPi it was originally purchased for?
You must buy a new codec(s) for each RPi serial number.

[loknar28]

I did the apt-get update and upgrade and then ran apt-get install rpi-update a second time with the same results. Additionally, I did buy a second set of licenses using the new RPIs CPU serial number. I added the decode_MPG2=0x0************ and decode_WVC1=0x************ to config.txt. I then rebooted and ran the following commands.

vcgencmd codec_enabled MPG2
vcgencmd codec_enabled WVC1

In both cases I received the VCHI initialization failed error

Thanks again for any help you might be able to provide...

[DeeJay]

I admit I have no idea...

But to try to debug with you -

1] I don't think you've said, and noone has asked - what Operating System, and of what release/date, are you running on the troublesome RPi?

2] Is there anything to be learnt from taking the 'working' SD card from the 'good' RPi and trying it in the troublesome one? (the codec licences won't load, but the vcgencmd command should simply report '=disabled'.)

[loknar28]

I have been running Xbian on my older model B using an 8GB card since February, currently running Beta1. Since, I was unable to find an 8GB class 10 the other night I ended up with a 16 GB which would not boot the Xbian image. I then decided to try current version of Rasbmc, which installed as expected and works fine other than the issue with the license keys.

[loknar28]

The license keys show up in the GUI Sysinfo page of Rasbmc. I am not sure if this means the keys are working or if it just is able to read the info from the config.txt file. I am still not able to verify through the CLI.

[dom]

The license keys show up in the GUI Sysinfo page of Rasbmc. I am not sure if this means the keys are working or if it just is able to read the info from the config.txt file. I am still not able to verify through the CLI.

"VCHI initialization failed" means the firmware files (kernel, start.elf and /opt/vc/lib) are out of sync.
I believe raspbmc doesn't recommend running apt-get upgrade or rpi-update which can break an installation.
If you are having problems, I'd recomend reinstalling, or asking here:
http://forum.stmlabs.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=7