Problem with Silicon Image SATA (3112) + DVB-T PCI card

Problem with Silicon Image SATA (3112) + DVB-T PCI card

[Hamish Rodda]

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Hi,

I am encountering a problem with the following hardware / software 
combination:

Linux 2.6.10-rc2-mm2 compiled for x86_64 architecture
nForce 3 chipset
Silicon Image 3112 SATA controller
Twinhan (VisionPlus) DVB-t capture card (for receiving digital TV) + latest 
linux-dvb drivers

The problem I'm seeing is that when a sata hard drive is accessed, the FIFO 
buffers on the DVB capture card overflow, resulting in a discontinuity in the 
video transport stream.  Presumably the sata controller utilises the PCI bus 
for too long when it is active, preventing the transfer of the buffer's 
contents in a timely way.

The same problems are often reported by Windows users with the same hardware, 
and even with differing hardware (some promise controllers have also be 
implicated, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were others).  Users with a 
sata controller integrated into the south bridge don't have this problem.
 
I have tried fiddling with PCI latency settings to no avail.

1. Is there any already existing way to limit the amount of data transferred 
in one go by the sata controller?

2. Is it possible that a software fix for this issue could be found?  If so:

2a. (preferably) is anyone interested in helping?, or

2b. if this is sufficiently trivial, can someone point me in the right 
direction to fix this myself, since the specs are open? (I have decent 
experience with c++, but not with c or the kernel)


I've thought of replacing the motherboard with one which has a sata controller 
integrated into the southbridge, and I may do that if this is too complicated 
to fix, but I thought I'd mention the problem for the benefit of others too, 
and hopefully save myself the added cost...

Thanks,
Hamish.

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