[linux-dvb] Re: video4linux converging with linux dvb

[Michael Hunold <hunold-ml@web.de>]

Hi,

On 29.09.2004 18:11, Gerd Knorr wrote:
> > So the next logical question is should both camps start to think about
> > collaborating together to form a single set of APIs that handle both
> > analog/digital cards as well as STBs?  AFAIK, the Linux DVB API was a
> > branch off from the V4L work a few years ago.  With both camps now looking
> > at supporting digital cards/STBs then it would make sense to remove
> > duplication of code and time.
> WTF is STB?
STB = Set-Top-Box

STBs in some parts really differ from normal PCs, as we have already 
seen with the i2c adapter problem. The general purpose CPU, the MPEG 
decoder(s) and the DVB stuff are usually inside one big fat chipset, so 
there is no real need to do real device-to-device DMA for example; the 
data transfer is done via DMA internally.

Some STB chipsets have dedicated video encoders, some have it integrated 
on the main chipset, same goes for audio stuff.

One big problem is that big manufacturers use 3rd party Linux 
distributions, like the ones from Montavista. For some of our platforms, 
we have ancient 2.4.18 kernels with tons of security patches and 2.6 
backports, where the DVB API must run. Of course we can run newer 
kernel, but sometimes you don't get support and need to find the 
problems by yourself (which doesn't neet to be a problem)

>   Gerd
CU
Michael.