Install rtl-sdr on Raspian on Raspberry Pi

install.md

jamesmead@floehopper.local:~$ sudo dd bs=1m if=/Users/jamesmead/Downloads/2015-02-16-raspbian-wheezy.img of=/dev/disk2

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo raspi-config
# Choose option 1 to "Expand Filesystem" - Ensures that all of the SD card storage is available to the OS
# Choose Finish & reboot

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get update
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get upgrade
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ cat <<EOF >no-rtl.conf
blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu
blacklist rtl2832
blacklist rtl2830
EOF
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo mv no-rtl.conf /etc/modprobe.d/

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install git-core
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install git
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install cmake
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install libusb-1.0-0-dev
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install build-essential

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ git clone git://git.osmocom.org/rtl-sdr.git
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ cd rtl-sdr/
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr $ mkdir build
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr $ cd build
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr/build $ cmake ../ -DINSTALL_UDEV_RULES=ON
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr/build $ make
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr/build $ sudo make install
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr/build $ sudo ldconfig
pi@raspberrypi ~/rtl-sdr/build $ cd ~
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo cp ./rtl-sdr/rtl-sdr.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo reboot

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ rtl_test
Found 1 device(s):
  0:  Generic, RTL2832U, SN: 77771111153705700

Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Supported gain values (29): 0.0 0.9 1.4 2.7 3.7 7.7 8.7 12.5 14.4 15.7 16.6 19.7 20.7 22.9 25.4 28.0 29.7 32.8 33.8 36.4 37.2 38.6 40.2 42.1 43.4 43.9 44.5 48.0 49.6
Sampling at 2048000 S/s.

Info: This tool will continuously read from the device, and report if
samples get lost. If you observe no further output, everything is fine.

Reading samples in async mode...

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install libasound-dev
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo apt-get install libpulse-dev

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ wget  http://www.aishub.net/downloads/aisdecoder-1.0.0.tar.gz
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ tar zxvf aisdecoder-1.0.0.tar.gz
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ cd aisdecoder-1.0.0/
pi@raspberrypi ~/aisdecoder-1.0.0 $ mkdir build
pi@raspberrypi ~/aisdecoder-1.0.0 $ cd build/
pi@raspberrypi ~/aisdecoder-1.0.0/build $ cmake ../ -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
pi@raspberrypi ~/aisdecoder-1.0.0/build $ make
pi@raspberrypi ~/aisdecoder-1.0.0/build $ sudo cp aisdecoder /usr/local/bin
pi@raspberrypi ~/aisdecoder-1.0.0/build $ cd ~
pi@raspberrypi ~ $

I used this method on my RPi4 but after I installed Spyserver . I thought Spyserver already had the rtl communications built in. I now get this error: Kernel driver is active, or device is claimed by second instance of librtlsdr. In the first case, please either detach or blacklist the kernel module (dvb_usb_rtl28xxu), or enable automatic detaching at compile time.

usb_claim_interface error -6 Failed to open rtlsdr device #0.

I used the blacklist as detailed in your method but I still get the error. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Chris

i'm also having this issues, i've tried everything i can find but still no luck. strange thing was it was running couple month ago (last time i used it).

Had to recompile with:

cmake ../ -DINSTALL_UDEV_RULES=ON -DDETACH_KERNEL_DRIVER=ON

before it worked.

Just sharing as it might help someone else as well.

Thanks for this posting!

This is still relevant in 2022

Had to recompile with:

cmake ../ -DINSTALL_UDEV_RULES=ON -DDETACH_KERNEL_DRIVER=ON

before it worked.
Just sharing as it might help someone else as well.
Thanks for this posting!

This is still relevant in 2022

Compiled it same way, but got message No supported devices found. I already tried compiling and installing driver for rtl sdr many different ways, but with no luck. I have no idea at this point what I am doing wrong. Could it be caused by Raspberry OS 64-bit system?

EDIT: It works now, problem was in crappy USB extension cable.