"linux-firmware-nonfree" not installable - LMCE 8.10

[Roman]

Hi Community!
I am still trying to get my DVB-T USB Stick (afa9015) up and running.
What I always read in different forums that I need to install "linux-firmware-nonfree".
I would like to install this package but doing "apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree" brings an error due to the fact that this package is not available.
I have the original and unchanged sources.list on my Core.

Is there any way to install this package?
it would be wonderful if I get help here - if possible with a detailed step by step description.

Thank you very much and best regards
Roman

[JoakimL]

I guess this has to do with Kubuntu 8.10 is fading away from the repos - Intrepid is removed from the http://packages.ubuntu.com/ and http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/8.10/ doesn't seem to have that specific file listed.
Look for alternate downloads.

/Joakim

[Roman]

Hi Joakim!
What alternatives are available?
Sorry, but I am not that Linux Crack to know what to do now.
It seems that you have know how in this area so please get back to me with a proposal which I can try.
thank you and best regards
Roman

[coley]

If the firmware isn't available with your kernel/distro you may need to build the module yourself from source and install it.
A quick google for your device leads to this http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Hama_DVB-T_USB2_Stick
I don't know if its the same brand but the internals match up with the model number you quote so the firmware should be fine.

regards,
-Coley

[Roman]

Hi Coley!
Thank you for your reply!
I never did this and so your link looks like a good step-by-step description.
Hopefully this will lead to success - I will try this and will provide feedback.

very best regards
Roman

[Roman]

It is again me for this topic.
I read the pages of the link you provided a little deeper.
There is often the link to a driver.
So I need a Driver and a firmware?
I followed another link (http://linuxtv.org/hg/~anttip/af9015/) which is mentioned very often in forums - to locate the driver but when I follow this link I get to a page where it not seems to get anything for DVB stuff.

Perhaps you can light my darkness a little again ;-)

thank you and best regards
Roman

[coley]

The link to the firmware is provided on the linuxtv wiki page I posted, as are instructions for building the driver.
Have you tried these and they have failed?

-Coley.

[Roman]

No, I had not the chance so far to test the description in the link.
I will do it later this evening and will post the result here.
Thanks again Coley,
best regards
Roman

[Roman]

Hi Coley!
Unfortunately it did not work.
I followed exactly the guideline and during this no error happened. It simply does not do anything when I plug in the DVB-T Stick. I rebootet also the PC to be quite sure .... nothing.
I tool some logs and will paste them here - perhaps it is worth to look at.
best regards
Roman

Code:

sudo lsusb -v -s 4:3

Bus 004 Device 003: ID 15a4:9015
Device Descriptor:
 bLength                18
 bDescriptorType         1
 bcdUSB               2.00
 bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
 bDeviceSubClass         0
 bDeviceProtocol         0
 bMaxPacketSize0        64
 idVendor           0x15a4
 idProduct          0x9015
 bcdDevice            2.00
 iManufacturer           1 Afatech
 iProduct                2 DVB-T 2
 iSerial                 3 010101010600001
 bNumConfigurations      1
 Configuration Descriptor:
   bLength                 9
   bDescriptorType         2
   wTotalLength           46
   bNumInterfaces          1
   bConfigurationValue     1
   iConfiguration          0
   bmAttributes         0x80
     (Bus Powered)
   MaxPower              500mA
   Interface Descriptor:
     bLength                 9
     bDescriptorType         4
     bInterfaceNumber        0
     bAlternateSetting       0
     bNumEndpoints           4
     bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
     bInterfaceSubClass      0
     bInterfaceProtocol      0
     iInterface              0
     Endpoint Descriptor:
       bLength                 7
       bDescriptorType         5
       bEndpointAddress     0x81  EP 1 IN
       bmAttributes            2
         Transfer Type            Bulk
         Synch Type               None
         Usage Type               Data
       wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
       bInterval               0
     Endpoint Descriptor:
       bLength                 7
       bDescriptorType         5
       bEndpointAddress     0x02  EP 2 OUT
       bmAttributes            2
         Transfer Type            Bulk
         Synch Type               None
         Usage Type               Data
       wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
       bInterval               0
     Endpoint Descriptor:
       bLength                 7
       bDescriptorType         5
       bEndpointAddress     0x84  EP 4 IN
       bmAttributes            2
         Transfer Type            Bulk
         Synch Type               None
         Usage Type               Data
       wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
       bInterval               0
     Endpoint Descriptor:
       bLength                 7
       bDescriptorType         5
       bEndpointAddress     0x85  EP 5 IN
       bmAttributes            2
         Transfer Type            Bulk
         Synch Type               None
         Usage Type               Data
       wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
       bInterval               0
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
 bLength                10
 bDescriptorType         6
 bcdUSB               2.00
 bDeviceClass            0 (Defined at Interface level)
 bDeviceSubClass         0
 bDeviceProtocol         0
 bMaxPacketSize0        64
 bNumConfigurations      1
Device Status:     0x0000
 (Bus Powered)

Code:

dmesg:
 793.720553] usb 4-3: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
[  793.862794] usb 4-3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[  793.958250] dvb_core: Unknown symbol __kmalloc_track_caller
[  793.960778] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_dmxdev_init
[  793.961695] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_register_adapter
[  793.962846] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_dmx_swfilter_204
[  793.963064] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_dmx_release
[  793.963514] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_net_init
[  793.963727] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_dmx_swfilter
[  793.963990] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_dmxdev_release
[  793.964338] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_frontend_detach
[  793.964727] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_net_release
[  793.964982] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_unregister_frontend
[  793.965565] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_register_frontend
[  793.965784] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_unregister_adapter
[  793.966002] dvb_usb: Unknown symbol dvb_dmx_init
[  793.969318] dvb_usb_af9015: Unknown symbol dvb_usb_device_init
[  793.969538] dvb_usb_af9015: Unknown symbol dvb_usb_device_exit

[Roman]

Hi Coley!
I decided to install LMCE 10.04 from scratch.
When I did this I decided to upgrade the Kernel right at the beginning and did an upgrade to 2.6.38.
It worked pretty good, just had to re-install the NVIDIA driver and the LMCE Dashboard was up and running again.
with LMCE 10.04 I was able to install "linux-firmware-nonfree" and with 2.6.38 Kernel I have now a working DVB-T AFA9015 Stick.
My guess is that the Kernel 2.6.27 from 8.10 is simply "too old" !?
Just a guess.
best regards
Roman