Sansa e250: No FM Tuner with Rockbox?

[taliesin1077]

I have a 2GB Sansa e250 with an FM Tuner.  I've verified it works when I boot the original firmware. However, when I boot into Rockbox, I have no option for FM Radio on the main menu, and in Debug Mode, the FM Tuner section says that no Hardware is detected.

Further information:
The very first time I booted Rockbox, I saw the FM Radio option on the main menu.  I listened to radio.  Thereafter, it has not worked.

I set the start screen to be FM Radio, and I get the FM Radio screen, but no radio comes through the headphones.

Yes, I have booted into the original firmware a couple times, and the radio HW still works, so I don't think it's a borked tuner or anything of that nature.  More like the Rockbox firmware doesn't like my tuner.

Thoughts?

[gevaerts]

On my c250 the radio sometimes is there, and sometimes it isn't. Maybe rebooting a few times makes it show up ?

[taliesin1077]

I've booted 5-7 times today, and it's consistently not shown up.  As I said...the first time I booted into Rockbox, it was there.  It's not been there since then, and the hardware isn't detected, either.

I forgot to mention what version of Rockbox I am using...I apologize.

r17153-080418

I don't have the opportunity to install another build of Rockbox until tonight, but I was curious if anyone else has experienced this problem, and perhaps has a solution of some sort?

[MarcGuay]

http://www.rockbox.org/tracker/task/7515

[taliesin1077]

THank you for posting this.  I was trying to scan through the bug reports, but couldn't find anything.  I was primarily searching on FM Tuner, etc.

So this is a current bug, and no one knows why it's doing this.  Too bad, because aside from that, Rockbox is the only firmware I use on my Sansa.  Having to boot into the original FW is just annoying when I want to listen to Bob and Tom while I work out in the morning.

[Chronon]

It's difficult to track down because it doesn't seem to behave in a systematic way.  My e280 has not experienced this bug at all.  Others experience it sporadically and apparently for some people it's the usual state of affairs.

taliesin1077, you didn't mention whether this persists across many builds for you or whether you are still using the first build of Rockbox that you installed.  What revision are you using currently?

[taliesin1077]

I posted the version of Rockbox on my I'm using on my e250 a little earlier in the thread.

r17153-080418

This happened on the older version of Rockbox I was using before I installed using the install utility, but I don't remember what version that was.  There is a newer build available than the one I have, but I haven't had time to install the newest yet.

If there's any further information about my player/platform you need, please ask.  I'm more than happy to provide anything to help figure this thing out.  I can see why it would be difficult to track.  I'm in IT, and intermittent problems that aren't caused by any apparent common thread are annoying.

[Chronon]

You did indeed provide that information already.  Pre-coffee post! 

There have actually been about 70 revisions (at the time of this post) since the build that you have.  It's worth trying the most current one to see if there's any change.

I see you have also posted in the tracker task.  That's probably a better place to document your observations regarding this bug.

[taliesin1077]

I've installed the latest Rockbox, and the latest original firmware.  Same issue is occurring.

I'll stop posting on this topic, though, and put all my musings on the tracker. 

[enginerd]

I am having this problem as well. Fresh install of current daily (r17694), actually first install on this device. On original boot i was able to see and play fm radio. After turning device off the menu option is gone. I have verified over and over that it is a v1(refurb) it is running OF 101.02.24a, in debug it shows no fm hardware. The OF works fine for the FM.

http://www.rockbox.org/tracker/task/7515 was last commented on in April is anyone else still having this problem?

http://www.rockbox.org/tracker/task/2660 for the Archos had the same problem about the same time.

[taliesin1077]

I am still having this problem as well, but no one seemed to be able to figure it out.  It seems that it's not an "across the board" problem, but it's also not (thankfully) user error.

I don't know much about programming or firmware, but it seems almost as though they used different chipsets for the FM functionality of the Sansa or something.  This wouldn't be readily apparent without looking at the markings on the chips.  This is something I wouldn't mind doing, if it would help people.  (And if I could find the tuner chip on the board.) 

But again, I'm just throwing stuff out there.  I don't know what is causing this problem, or how to fix it.

[enginerd]

Well misery loves company so at least we are not alone 

I am in the same boat, ME by trade so i can take it apart but then that is about it.

I noticed on the tracker that it is still mark unconfirmed... that cant help matters.

Well its friday so... Google here i come... see if i cant find out about the FM chip and all.

Is your device a refurb as well?

[taliesin1077]

Nope.  Mine was brand new.  I've had it for a year or so, though, so it's not new anymore. 

I've not tried the latest version of the firmware you've got.  (Vista didn't seem to want to run the firmware updater when I fooled with it last.  I'm still using 01.02.18A

[enginerd]

Yeah vista is just wonderful

You can also download the update from the sansa forum.

http://forums.sandisk.com/sansa/board/message?board.id=e200&thread.id=15209

The wiki here has some info on the FM chip

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/SandiskE200HardwareComponents

[enginerd]

Well today the FM Radio menu came back, worked fine. Shut if off an hour later turned it on and boom... gone again.


I did notice that after a manual install of the current build on the first reboot the FM menu is there, i have tried with several build and it always there after the initial system reboot when you disconnect the USB.

I saw somewhere....I have CRS(cant remember stuff)... that there is a flag set that tells it of the FM hardware... I will see if i can find that again.

This is really frustrating!