On Sun, 2005-06-26 at 21:46 +1200, Nick Rout wrote: > On Sun, 2005-06-26 at 16:33 +1200, G Chinnery wrote: > > Richard Tindall wrote: > > > G Chinnery wrote: > > > > > >> Hi list. > > >> > > >> I consider myself a linux newbie still, so would like pointers to > > >> information on a project I am considering trying. > > >> My idea is a dedicated audio visual setup on an embedded device with a > > >> modified version of linux as its O/S. > > >> I have seen versions of what I am thinking but it has a MS O/S as its > > >> base and I not interested in going that way. > > >> I know that the linux O/S will have to be stripped and modified to > > >> work so will need help there but I just looking at feasibility at the > > >> moment before even starting. > > >> The basic system would be a solid-state device with external devices > > >> attached. I.E. Hard drive, cameras and some kind of interface to a > > >> sound system. > > >> > > >> Any help with pointers to sites along these lines would be appreciated. > > >> > > >> Thanks in advance. > > >> > > >> Graeme. > > >> > > > > Thanks for the information forwarded to me. I have had a good look at > > some of the options available and worked out that what I had in mind is > > not really good enough for my prototype. Hence back to the drawing board > > and refinements and changes are in order. > > > > One thing I would like to know and its the main hurdle so far is, can > > linux be setup and made to boot instantly from some sort of eprom or > > flash disk or some other instant on type method. That's the reason I was > > thinking of embedded linux. I may be a bit off with my understanding of > > embedded when it comes to the software. > > > > Thanks. > > Just think about it for a moment. the kernel has to load into ram from > some form of storage device, then perform startup & initialisation > operations. Take a look at your computer as it boots. It loads the > kernel into ram and then starts detecting hardware. Once it has done > that it loads a pre-determined program (by default init, which is > process 1) which starts everything else in userland. > > you can make the startup time pretty quick by making the kernel small, > the devices it probes for minimal, the boot medium fast, the number of > terminals and other services started by init small and so forth. But you > still must load the kernel to ram and initialise it, same as when you > turn your dvd player or ipod on. > > you can also do nifty things like save a complete running system (ie > everything that is in ram) to a storage device (like flash) and instead > of initialising a system you load it all back to ram again and kick it > off, thats quicker than a complete boot. See suspend2. However there is > still a time delay, nothing is instant. > > so yes, you can probably make system that appears to load very quickly > from flash, but whether it is "instant" depends on how long you are > prepared to wait :-) > > I commend you to http://www.linuxdevices.com/ and > http://www.openhardware.net/ > > If you told us what you want to do, some of us may be able to give some > pointers to real devices that might meet your needs. This might for > example: > > http://dragonix.openhardware.net/
oh and of course the nslu2 i referred to earlier, $160NZ odd for a capable little embedded linux box with a big "hacker" developer userbase, sweet IMHO. Boots from flash. > > > > > Graeme. > > > > -- Nick Rout <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
