David T. L. Wong wrote:
> I think so. SMP863X is an highly integrated System on Chip. You need
> their kernel patch for IDE driver,PCI driver,Serial port driver, Flash
> interface driver, Network interface driver and USB driver.
> All SMP863X set-top box vendors are "suppose" to release the kernel
> source with this patch according to GPLv2.
Do you know any vendors who are releasing that source?
>From time to time I hear that none of them do. If true, that's a
shame as there are quite a few vendors. If false, I would be
interested to learn which ones, and how to get that source.
The ARM version (EM862x chips) has this in the SDK:
This is the Sigma Designs ARM utilities: everything you need to
run uClinux on the EM86xx family of chips.
The ARM utilities package (to the exception of the 'peripherals'
folder) is released under the terms of the GNU General Public
License (the GPL); see the file COPYING for more information
about the GPL.
Please note that the MRUA packages are not released under the
terms of the GPL, but are rather proprietary to Sigma Designs and
are released under the term of the contract that binds you to
Sigma Designs.
The 'peripherals' folder contains some insignificant things. The
important parts of the kernel patch are outside it. MRUA contains the
video code.
I don't have a contract with Sigma, and I don't have access to the
SDK. (In time that may change, but Sigma doesn't seem to bother
replying to customers who use 'only' 10000 chips...) I just use
binary programs supplied by my upstream vendor, who does have a
contract with Sigma for the SDK. (There's no DRM; this isn't a
set-top box, so DRM licensing doesn't come into it).
However I have this kernel package because my upstream vendor
recognises the GPL, and they told me (but not in writing...) that
Sigma confirmed it is ok to distribute the GPL parts.
That source is not usable on the SMP863x, in case anyone's wondering.
It's 862x (ARM) only. You need to get that source from whoever
supplied the set-top box - and you have the right to demand it. If
they don't, consider asking the FSF to pressure them (the set-top box
supplier, not Sigma) to comply with the GPL.
Still, even with that source, and even if you get it to boot despite
the code signing, as David says you won't be able to do much with
video, except with a lot of reverse engineering. Even displaying a
static picture will be difficult. That's handled by proprietary code
which runs as a program on top of the kernel.
-- Jamie
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