Oscam PC server + smargo = high ecm values

Hi all,

My previous setup was a CCcam PC server + smargo. On all cards I had ECM values around 250-300 ms. Now I am running the latest Oscam + smargo and values are at average 450 ms (max 634 / min 447). Any suggestions on how to fine tune this. Would be nice to get it back to 250 ms :o)

Not sure. This is my server file:

[reader]
label = usb_cd_no
protocol = mouse
device = /dev/ttyUSB0
smargopatch = 1
caid = 0B00
detect = cd
ident = 0B00:000000
group = 1
emmcache = 1,1,15

[reader]
label = usb_cd_nl
protocol = mouse
device = /dev/ttyUSB1
smargopatch = 1
caid = 0100
detect = cd
cardmhz = 500
ident = 0100:00006A
group = 1
emmcache = 1,1,15
lb_weight = 1000
ratelimitecm = 4
ratelimitseconds = 11

Please note that I am running mouse protocol. The reader for CD NO is using default values. Another thing is that I read on this forum that Oscam does not uses the speed settings because Smargo is overwriting it. But I am not certain this info is correct. For now I have 2 Smargos directly plugged into my PC.

Quote from stevejo

I cant tell you the answer you might want but even 250-300 ms is very high mine are 80-103 ms on average on a solo2 are you running the card at the correct speed/MHZ and do you have a powered usb hub rather than one with power supplied off the motherboard as this increases speed also ?

I've been reading about smargo and the different software versions they run on. Version 1.3 was a good point to start. Everything older then 1.3 was advised to upgrade. Versions 1.4 and 1.5 are claimed not to be that good, and the last I heard 1.7 should be OK. From a point of design there are currently 2 versions in use. First of all there are the old ones with the "bow" form, and the new ones where the plastic bow curved design is replaced by the arrow shaped design. Then there is the Argolis, the MaxDigital, and the clones.

My readers all have an arrow, and assume they are V1.3. They have a MaxDigital mark on it, so I must assume they are originals. If there is a way to check what software version my readers are running on, I gladly would like to know this. I found info on another forum or thread that upgrading to 1.7 resulted in better speed. But also fiddling with the Mhz settings gave results according to their post. The lower the Mhz, the better the speed. (not sure if it was Mhz or CardMhz). Streamboard wiki tells that:

cardmhz = 600 # I***** card
= # [blank] 357 (default)

The combination of all mentioned variables can apparently influence the speed of the reader. This in addition to using the correct settings in the config file on your server, and as was stated in this thread, depending on if plugged in to the USB port of your PC, or with a hub (with or without power supply)

From the internet:

------------------------------------------------
The USB connector provides a single 5 volt wire from which connected USB devices may power themselves. A given segment of the bus is specified to deliver up to 500 mA. This is often enough to power several devices, although this budget must be shared among all devices downstream of an unpowered hub. A bus-powered device may use as much of that power as allowed by the port it is plugged into.

Bus-powered hubs can continue to distribute the bus provided power to connected devices but the USB specification only allows for a single level of bus-powered devices from a bus-powered hub. This disallows connection of a bus-powered hub to another bus-powered hub. Many hubs include external power supplies which will power devices connected through them without taking power from the bus. Devices that need more than 500 mA or higher than 5 volts must provide their own power.
------------------------------------------------

So, the solution remains still to be seen. A 5 volt output should be sufficient to power one Smargo with default settings 357 / 357. I will give a powered hub a try, unless anybody else has a better solution.