# Issue with deinterleave block from a file source to USRP sink with x300 **URL:** \ **Category:** GNU Radio\ **Created:** [September 20, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138 "2014-09-20T00:37:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@addis\_a](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/addis_a)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/1 "2014-09-20T00:37:51Z")
Hello, I have the following setup: a file source, a deinterleave block and a USRP sink (see the attached .grc and related .png). This setup is a test to distribute two different signals on two channels of the USRP x300 (the file source loads a binary file with alternated channels containing 64 bit long IQ samples - 32 real followed by 32 imaginary - channel 1/channel 2/channel 1/channel 2/etc…). The hardware is a USRP x300 with two wideband SBX (SBX-120) boards. Now, the above setup used to function without a hitch. But recently, it completely freezes gnuradio. Basically, I start the flowgraph and quickly get a large number of ‘L’ and no signal is transmitted. The only thing I can do is then to kill gnuradio-companion and related python processes. The interesting thing is that if I replace the deinterleave block by a “stream to streams” block, everything works fine. I am bit puzzled as to what I am missing. The operating system is Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (updated state), UHD is the head of the maint branch, and gnuradio as well (UHD\_003.007.002-2-gdb35bf46 and Gnuradio: 9dcb5067c55a0630c9edca6b62a32b1f8e633930). Firmware is also the most recent. I have attached the .grc, and the binary file I am using can be obtained here: [http://www.net.t-labs.tu-berlin.de/~ruben/files/sine\_test\_10kHz\_20kHz\_cpx\_float\_2chan\_interleaved\_1MSs.bin](http://www.net.t-labs.tu-berlin.de/~ruben/files/sine_test_10kHz_20kHz_cpx_float_2chan_interleaved_1MSs.bin). Assuming there is not something wrong in my .grc setup, how do I debug this issue? Thanks for any suggestion or help, Ruben ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/2 "2014-09-23T01:12:20Z")
It seems deinterleave is both buggy and inefficiently designed. The bug is the relative rate is wrong, the inefficiency is that it only works on one block at a time. I suggest using something else. M ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 9:04am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/3 "2014-09-23T09:04:08Z")
Indeed. Would the following patch to the documentation be useful (since streams to stream seems to replace it properly)? diff --git a/gr-blocks/include/gnuradio/blocks/deinterleave.h b/gr-blocks/include/gnuradio/blocks/deinterleave.h index a3b5480…1b9d5c1 100644 — a/gr-blocks/include/gnuradio/blocks/deinterleave.h +++ b/gr-blocks/include/gnuradio/blocks/deinterleave.h @@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ namespace gr { \* a single input to each output unless blocksize is given in the \* constructor. \* - ``` * This block can only process one block at a time. Therefore its ``` - ``` * efficiency may be limited. It is advised to use the streams to ``` - ``` * stream block instead. ``` - ``` * * \code * blocksize = 1 * connections = 2 ``` Ruben From: discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ruben.merz=removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [[mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ruben.merz=removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:discuss-gnuradio-bounces+ruben.merz=removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] On Behalf Of Martin B. Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 1:11 AM Cc: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid Subject: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Issue with deinterleave block from a file source to USRP sink with x300 It seems deinterleave is both buggy and inefficiently designed. The bug is the relative rate is wrong, the inefficiency is that it only works on one block at a time. I suggest using something else. M On Fri, Sep 19, 2014 at 2:58 PM, [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: Hello, I have the following setup: a file source, a deinterleave block and a USRP sink (see the attached .grc and related .png). This setup is a test to distribute two different signals on two channels of the USRP x300 (the file source loads a binary file with alternated channels containing 64 bit long IQ samples - 32 real followed by 32 imaginary - channel 1/channel 2/channel 1/channel 2/etc…). The hardware is a USRP x300 with two wideband SBX (SBX-120) boards. Now, the above setup used to function without a hitch. But recently, it completely freezes gnuradio. Basically, I start the flowgraph and quickly get a large number of ‘L’ and no signal is transmitted. The only thing I can do is then to kill gnuradio-companion and related python processes. The interesting thing is that if I replace the deinterleave block by a “stream to streams” block, everything works fine. I am bit puzzled as to what I am missing. The operating system is Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (updated state), UHD is the head of the maint branch, and gnuradio as well (UHD\_003.007.002-2-gdb35bf46 and Gnuradio: 9dcb5067c55a0630c9edca6b62a32b1f8e633930). Firmware is also the most recent. I have attached the .grc, and the binary file I am using can be obtained here: [http://www.net.t-labs.tu-berlin.de/~ruben/files/sine\_test\_10kHz\_20kHz\_cpx\_float\_2chan\_interleaved\_1MSs.bin](http://www.net.t-labs.tu-berlin.de/~ruben/files/sine_test_10kHz_20kHz_cpx_float_2chan_interleaved_1MSs.bin). Assuming there is not something wrong in my .grc setup, how do I debug this issue? Thanks for any suggestion or help, Ruben * * * Discuss-gnuradio mailing list removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio](https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio) ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/4 "2014-09-23T17:41:53Z")
I usually jump up and down with excitement when people send documentation patches, but this is not one that should go in GNU Radio. First of all, deinterleave and stream\_to\_streams are not identical unless you have unit block size. Second, we should fix the deinterleaver rather than pointing out it is broken in the docs. Would you want to fix the deinterleaver? Basically, it needs to follow the ‘process as much as you can’ paradigm. M ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/5 "2014-09-23T18:09:57Z")
I was expecting that answer (not the jumping up and down part, but the let’s fix the right problem). I can try to fix it, I just need to find some time. Would you have a good example of another block to look into? Ruben ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/6 "2014-09-23T19:56:37Z")
On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 12:22 PM, Martin B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > as possible). stream\_mux might be a good example for how to do that. The > difficulty is, you need to keep track of where you are, what you have > consumed etc. > Which is probably why this wasn’t implemented properly the first time > 'round 🙂 > > M Martin, Ruben, Thanks for pointing this out. Check out this patch here: > Passes all our QA, doing the right thing in my test setup, and working about 20x faster than before. Tom ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 6:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/7 "2014-09-23T18:24:18Z")
On 23.09.2014 09:08, [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I was expecting that answer (not the jumping up and down part, but the let’s fix > the right problem). > > I can try to fix it, I just need to find some time. Would you have a good > example of another block to look into? First of all, you’ll need to change check\_topology to this: ``` bool deinterleave_impl::check_topology(int ninputs, int noutputs) { set_relative_rate(1.0/double(noutputs)); d_noutputs = noutputs; return true; } ``` Notice the rate change fix. Then, work needs to consume as much as possible (right now, it’s as little as possible). stream\_mux might be a good example for how to do that. The difficulty is, you need to keep track of where you are, what you have consumed etc. Which is probably why this wasn’t implemented properly the first time 'round 🙂 M ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 10:41am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/8 "2014-09-24T10:41:52Z")
On 22.09.2014 23:50, [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > We are using a similar setup to transmit a 2x2 MIMO OFDM waveform on the > x300. Because we were not sure what to assume from a TX synchronization > point of view, we decided to put the IQ samples of both channels > interleaved in one file. We figured that reading them in sequence, IQ > sample by IQ sample, would definitely ensure that both channels are > synchronized. > > But, now that I understand better how to synchronize both channels via > the UHD API, I could probably use two files, one for each channel. Any > comment? Yes, that would be the way to do it. Effectively, from the UHD sink’s point of view, this is what you’re already doing. M ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/9 "2014-09-24T17:39:19Z")
On 24.09.2014 01:47, [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hey, > > Thanks a lot! > > I’m away from hardware until Tuesday. Will test it then. I still think that for your application, you don’t actually need it. A test would still be appreciated. M ---
**Author:** ![laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@laber](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/laber)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 11:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/issue-with-deinterleave-block-from-a-file-source-to-usrp-sink-with-x300/232138/10 "2014-09-24T11:24:41Z")
Hey, Thanks a lot! I’m away from hardware until Tuesday. Will test it then. Ruben From: removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)] On Behalf Of Tom R. Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 7:55 PM To: Martin B. Cc: Merz Ruben, INI-INO-ECO-MXT; GNURadio D.ion List Subject: Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Issue with deinterleave block from a file source to USRP sink with x300 On Tue, Sep 23, 2014 at 12:22 PM, Martin B. \ wrote: On 23.09.2014 09:08, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: I was expecting that answer (not the jumping up and down part, but the let’s fix the right problem). I can try to fix it, I just need to find some time. Would you have a good example of another block to look into? First of all, you’ll need to change check\_topology to this: ``` bool deinterleave_impl::check_topology(int ninputs, int noutputs) { set_relative_rate(1.0/double(noutputs)); d_noutputs = noutputs; return true; } ``` Notice the rate change fix. Then, work needs to consume as much as possible (right now, it’s as little as possible). stream\_mux might be a good example for how to do that. The difficulty is, you need to keep track of where you are, what you have consumed etc. Which is probably why this wasn’t implemented properly the first time 'round 🙂 M Martin, Ruben, Thanks for pointing this out. Check out this patch here: > Passes all our QA, doing the right thing in my test setup, and working about 20x faster than before. Tom Ruben