[Consortium] Re: [Freebob-devel] Status of FireWire/MLan support?

[Daniel Wagner]

Hi Daniel,

> > If you want to ask about help, ask for a BeBob based firmware. That
> > would be the best thing for all.
>
> Exactly which format do you need this firmware in? 

Binary on the device :)

> Presumably you have 
> the binary already for the particular device you are testing on?

I have a couple of devices here which are running BeBob.

> Wouldn't sample hardware on loan + firmware be better? I don't think
> that's impossible to arrange. 

I have several good contacts to the hardware manufactures through BridgeCo.  
For example I was able to convince Presonous and Terratec to give free 
samples to Dan Dennedy and Pieter Palmers. They have immediatly agreed to 
provide them. This is really great and helps this project. (Pieter has 
already received his new toy :). 

The interesting fact is, that all companies are interested in a Linux driver 
for the product and are happy to provide us with few samples. Furthermore, 
BridgeCo is interested in free drive for BeBob because that makes their chip 
and software even more attractive (BridgeCo's main goal is to sell chips)

> If it makes these companies feel more
> comfortable about sending the hardware out, we could arrange for the
> Freebob project to become a member of linuxaudio.org - you'd be most
> welcome of course. (It doesn't cost anything to join).

Thanks for the offer. Of course we'd like to join such a platform. We need 
some publicity to attract more hackers. There's still much to do... :)

> According to this page, the mLAN spec is royalty-free and there is a
> BridgeCo chipset for it:
>
> http://www.mlancentral.com/mlan_info/mlan_ppf.php

Hmm, I don't think mlancentral.com got that right. The BridgeCo chips or 
better the software on it, is following the TA standards. The chip could be 
used in a MLan network because MLan is also using the IEEE1394 standard for 
transport layer. But everything on top is different, IRC. So you could use a 
BridgeCo chip (also IEEE1394 based) but then you would have to write a 
complete new (MLan) stack.

> This page says that among others, BridgeCo is a licensee:
>
> http://www.yamaha.co.jp/tech/1394mLAN/english/partners.html

Right, but that doesn't mean BridgeCo is actual using anything from the 
licensee :)

cheers,
daniel