nanogui: Thread: Microwindows on Digital Satellite Settop Boxes? Some Questions...

Hi,

I have found microwindwos on the net and compiled it for a digital sat
settop box runing under linux.

Congratulations a fine piece of software!
So microwindows is currently my favorite choice for my "problem".
(other are e.g. qt-embedded). But I have some questions.

Background:  
A German pay tv provider is using Nokia, Sagem and Philips settop (all
similar
or nearly equal techn. layout). Due to the "bad" original software, some
guys 
have ported Linux to this box, so now it's possible to write own GUIs or
applications. The boxes are running on PowerPC and some Avia chips.

Screen display and (Key)Input is done via Framebuffer and Infrared
RemoteControl
device.
 

After some reconfig (and very small hacks) Microwindows run on the
settopbox.
(there are still problems: screen size wrong, no input device, etc.)

But to use this software I have some questions:

  - Will there be support for AlphaBlending (alpha/transparent channel) on
    hardwarebase? (Of course it would be hard to do a software alphablend on
    a running tv picture in the background, when displaying menus ;-) )
    (currently   cmap.transparent is set to NULL in the framebuffer source).

  - Settop boxes normally only have an infrared remote - no keyboard (even
    if an ir keyboard is possible - but not standard for everyone);-)
    Are there plans to support IR devices?

  - Can microwindows be stripped of unused functions? (reason: only
    7 MB of flash memory for the complete system (kernel, libs,
    applications, data).
  
  - I couldn't find any clear pointer on the API (only the architecture
docs)
    Are there more detailed docs, on the microwindows API (not the NANO-X,
or
    WinAPI) - or am I totally wrong here?

  - Is there support for freetype (true type fonts)?


If there are any changes, I would like to include IR-RC support, but
alphablending
has to be supported also by the APIs.


I would appreciate any info/reply on these questions.
If I some of my questions are answered in the FAQ, please just give me a
hint
(maybe I have overseen the answer).

Please be so kind to reply to my private mailbox, too (I'm currently
not subscribed to the maillist).

And again: good piece of work ;-)

cu
 rainer


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:   - Will there be support for AlphaBlending (alpha/transparent channel) on
:     hardwarebase? (Of course it would be hard to do a software alphablend on
:     a running tv picture in the background, when displaying menus ;-) )
:     (currently   cmap.transparent is set to NULL in the framebuffer source).

Currently, the driver model is setup for alpha blending and other forms
of blitting, but all implementations are software-only.  It isn't a big deal
to recode the SCREENDEVICE driver to talk to hardware to do this.

:
:   - Settop boxes normally only have an infrared remote - no keyboard (even
:     if an ir keyboard is possible - but not standard for everyone);-)
:     Are there plans to support IR devices?

My recommendation is that the IR device be interfaced with Microwindows
to look like a keyboard device.  In this way, either special MWKEY_xxx
keystrokes or regular characters can be generated by a keyboard or a
remote control device.  This also is just a KEYBOARD driver in Microwindows,
and not a big effort.


:   - Can microwindows be stripped of unused functions? (reason: only
:     7 MB of flash memory for the complete system (kernel, libs,
:     applications, data).

Yes, see the src/config file, as well as include/device.h for easily
reconfigured
options.  The design is to be able to make Microwindows quite small.


:   - I couldn't find any clear pointer on the API (only the architecture
: docs)

There's a couple of web sites with good Nano-X documentation,
I can also send you a couple of programming tutorials, there's also
one on the site.  The Win32 API is exactly compatible with Windows
for what is actually implemented.



:     Are there more detailed docs, on the microwindows API (not the NANO-X,
: or
:     WinAPI) - or am I totally wrong here?

The "microwindows" API is win32, and the other API is Nano-X, which
is Xlib-like, but not Xlib directly compatible.  I have an unreleased project
where Xlib calls are directly translated to Nano-X calls, which seems to
work well except for stuff related to the color model and visuals.


:
:   - Is there support for freetype (true type fonts)?

Yes, this is enabled by example in the Configs/config.ft config file.
We also support Adobe Type 1 scalable fonts and compiled
in fonts with a .bdf file converter.

Regards,

Greg

Just a few quick comments:

> :   - Settop boxes normally only have an infrared remote - no keyboard
> : (even if an ir keyboard is possible - but not standard for everyone);-)
> : Are there plans to support IR devices?
>
> My recommendation is that the IR device be interfaced with Microwindows
> to look like a keyboard device.  In this way, either special MWKEY_xxx
> keystrokes or regular characters can be generated by a keyboard or a
> remote control device.  This also is just a KEYBOARD driver in
> Microwindows, and not a big effort.

The IR interface is normally handled through the kernel, and then passed to a 
userland device through a device file.  If the kernel driver is written 
correctly, it should act exactly like a keyboard driver which passes special 
scancodes for the various buttons.  Then it is a simple matter of writing a 
simple Microwindows keyboard device to read the special scancodes and act on 
them.  You can either grow your own kernel driver, or you can grab one from 
the web.  So many people have tried to do this, that a pseudo-standard has 
emerged.   Check the web for IR related projects, you will be pleasantly 
surprised.

> :   - Can microwindows be stripped of unused functions? (reason: only
> :     7 MB of flash memory for the complete system (kernel, libs,
> :     applications, data).

If you are using only C based programs (no C++!!), then I recommend uClibc 
(http://oss.lineo.com).  You will use up half the space with no loss in 
performance.  
 

Any handy links for someone to check out linux running on these boxes?

-----Original Message-----
From: ####@####.#### ####@####.####
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 7:49 PM
To: ####@####.####
Subject: [nanogui] Microwindows on Digital Satellite Settop Boxes? Some
Questions...


Hi,

I have found microwindwos on the net and compiled it for a digital sat
settop box runing under linux.

Congratulations a fine piece of software!
So microwindows is currently my favorite choice for my "problem".
(other are e.g. qt-embedded). But I have some questions.

Background:  
A German pay tv provider is using Nokia, Sagem and Philips settop (all
similar
or nearly equal techn. layout). Due to the "bad" original software, some
guys 
have ported Linux to this box, so now it's possible to write own GUIs or
applications. The boxes are running on PowerPC and some Avia chips.

Screen display and (Key)Input is done via Framebuffer and Infrared
RemoteControl
device.
 

After some reconfig (and very small hacks) Microwindows run on the
settopbox.
(there are still problems: screen size wrong, no input device, etc.)

But to use this software I have some questions:

  - Will there be support for AlphaBlending (alpha/transparent channel) on
    hardwarebase? (Of course it would be hard to do a software alphablend on
    a running tv picture in the background, when displaying menus ;-) )
    (currently   cmap.transparent is set to NULL in the framebuffer source).

  - Settop boxes normally only have an infrared remote - no keyboard (even
    if an ir keyboard is possible - but not standard for everyone);-)
    Are there plans to support IR devices?

  - Can microwindows be stripped of unused functions? (reason: only
    7 MB of flash memory for the complete system (kernel, libs,
    applications, data).
  
  - I couldn't find any clear pointer on the API (only the architecture
docs)
    Are there more detailed docs, on the microwindows API (not the NANO-X,
or
    WinAPI) - or am I totally wrong here?

  - Is there support for freetype (true type fonts)?


If there are any changes, I would like to include IR-RC support, but
alphablending
has to be supported also by the APIs.


I would appreciate any info/reply on these questions.
If I some of my questions are answered in the FAQ, please just give me a
hint
(maybe I have overseen the answer).

Please be so kind to reply to my private mailbox, too (I'm currently
not subscribed to the maillist).

And again: good piece of work ;-)

cu
 rainer


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: Any handy links for someone to check out linux running on these boxes?

Microwindows is the windowing system used on the recently announced
open source set top box project, www.linux4.tv.  The distribution includes
complete source code for the kernel, drivers, window system, video
middleware, browser and set top box user interface.  This is a project
I have been working on for quite some time.

Regards,

Greg


: 
: -----Original Message-----
: From: ####@####.#### ####@####.####
: Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 7:49 PM
: To: ####@####.####
: Subject: [nanogui] Microwindows on Digital Satellite Settop Boxes? Some
: Questions...
: 
: 
: Hi,
: 
: I have found microwindwos on the net and compiled it for a digital sat
: settop box runing under linux.
: 
: Congratulations a fine piece of software!
: So microwindows is currently my favorite choice for my "problem".
: (other are e.g. qt-embedded). But I have some questions.
: 
: Background:  
: A German pay tv provider is using Nokia, Sagem and Philips settop (all
: similar
: or nearly equal techn. layout). Due to the "bad" original software, some
: guys 
: have ported Linux to this box, so now it's possible to write own GUIs or
: applications. The boxes are running on PowerPC and some Avia chips.
: 
: Screen display and (Key)Input is done via Framebuffer and Infrared
: RemoteControl
: device.
:  
: 
: After some reconfig (and very small hacks) Microwindows run on the
: settopbox.
: (there are still problems: screen size wrong, no input device, etc.)
: 
: But to use this software I have some questions:
: 
:   - Will there be support for AlphaBlending (alpha/transparent channel) on
:     hardwarebase? (Of course it would be hard to do a software alphablend on
:     a running tv picture in the background, when displaying menus ;-) )
:     (currently   cmap.transparent is set to NULL in the framebuffer source).
: 
:   - Settop boxes normally only have an infrared remote - no keyboard (even
:     if an ir keyboard is possible - but not standard for everyone);-)
:     Are there plans to support IR devices?
: 
:   - Can microwindows be stripped of unused functions? (reason: only
:     7 MB of flash memory for the complete system (kernel, libs,
:     applications, data).
:   
:   - I couldn't find any clear pointer on the API (only the architecture
: docs)
:     Are there more detailed docs, on the microwindows API (not the NANO-X,
: or
:     WinAPI) - or am I totally wrong here?
: 
:   - Is there support for freetype (true type fonts)?
: 
: 
: If there are any changes, I would like to include IR-RC support, but
: alphablending
: has to be supported also by the APIs.
: 
: 
: I would appreciate any info/reply on these questions.
: If I some of my questions are answered in the FAQ, please just give me a
: hint
: (maybe I have overseen the answer).
: 
: Please be so kind to reply to my private mailbox, too (I'm currently
: not subscribed to the maillist).
: 
: And again: good piece of work ;-)
: 
: cu
:  rainer
: 
: 
: -----------------------------------------------------------
: This Mail has been checked for Viruses
: Attention: Encrypted Mails can NOT be checked !
: 
: ***
: 
: Diese Mail wurde auf Viren ueberprueft
: Hinweis: Verschluesselte Mails koennen NICHT geprueft werden!
: ------------------------------------------------------------
: 
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: To unsubscribe, e-mail: ####@####.####
: For additional commands, e-mail: ####@####.####
: 
: 
: 
: ---------------------------------------------------------------------
: To unsubscribe, e-mail: ####@####.####
: For additional commands, e-mail: ####@####.####
: