Enigma 2 - AZBOX HD

**HighHD** · 09-04-2010, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by sattommy

So to place everything together:

Sigma has it own library to display stuff on the screen (mrua/ehmlib) You can find this in the mrua samples. They directly talk to the hardware through mrua. This is great for video playback.

Mambofb:
To support displaying menus etc they have first build mambofb. Which emulates a framebuffer device --> like there is on most linux machines. Coding can be done according to famebuffer, and mambofb translates this to sigma/mrua language.

Directfb
As the normal frambuffer emulator was not good enough. And had no ability to display a very nice pictures with different layers directfb was developped. Normally this would be installed on top of the normal framebuffer. However with sigma (as far as I get it) they compiled directfb in such a way that it speaks directly to the sigma hardware (ehmlib).

Enigma is build on top of the normal framebuffer, in this case mambofb. The problem is that this is limited (according to some coders). Maybe they can work around. Enigma is not build on directfb. However some plugins use directfb to display picture.

The compilation of directfb for azbox lets us use directfb plugins from the popcornhour. Accessing the hdmi hardware also enables us to use sigma sample applications included with mrua (like video player, asf streamer) to the full extent. The sigma directfb package also includes sample code for another mediaplayer which could support perfect dvd menu and possibly BD-menu. BD menu however needs a lot of ram, and I am not sure wether this will be supported on the AZ.

mambofb was name for dfb in old kernel version 2.4.* i think

DirectFB is for 2.6.*

**hfmls** · 09-04-2010, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by HighHD

For fb on azbox , it is under fb4 in /dev

rm -rf fb0

ln -s fb4 fb0

I can also confirm HDMI init, activation and play of dfb test by HDMI is now ok.

Some pictures....

this is in azbox? running directFB samples via HDMI?
this is a good progress, yes?

what can we expect now?

:respect-023::respect-023:

**zfeet** · 09-04-2010, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by sattommy

well mambofb can already been built and provides framebuffer. Major problem till now is still dvbapi.

Good thing about directfb is that we should now be able to also built mambofb with hdmi support

One other major problem at the moment is glibc as Enigma2 depends on that as well, uClibc isn't enough. Maybe porting OpenEmbedded to SMP863X based devices would be a good idea?

**jolopez** · 09-04-2010, 01:15 PM

i think that somebody (the_ripper perhaps???) has run linux inside, and i think that the kernel is with glibc .... but i dont know if can run linux with dfb :S

**The_Ripper** · 09-04-2010, 01:45 PM

Unfortunately MRUA package cant be built to use LIBC because Sigma is shipping few precompiled library files that use uClibc(I dont know if Sigma has another MRUA package that is compiled against LIBC nor can some firm request that from Sigma).
So again, I hit the wall, need to think the next steps regarding E2.

@jolopez
Cant run dfb on my new kernel with libc, because like I said, cant compile all MRUA library files to use libc.

**mushroom** · 09-04-2010, 03:30 PM

project seems more difficult than we thought.and unfortunely opensat and sigma are not able to help. seems only ripper is working hard but he is alone. thanx ripper a
for your hard work

**[0_o]** · 09-04-2010, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by mushroom

project seems more difficult than we thought.and unfortunely opensat and sigma are not able to help. seems only ripper is working hard but he is alone. thanx ripper a
for your hard work

Yea... really!
@The_Ripper, Thanks a lot your hard hard work in prol of E2 and Az's! :respect-050:

**hfmls** · 09-04-2010, 03:41 PM

wouldn't u guys prefer directFB and lindvbapi in original firmware? instead of enigma 2?
just asking.

**digihoe** · 09-04-2010, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by The_Ripper

Unfortunately MRUA package cant be built to use LIBC because Sigma is shipping few precompiled library files that use uClibc(I dont know if Sigma has another MRUA package that is compiled against LIBC nor can some firm request that from Sigma).
So again, I hit the wall, need to think the next steps regarding E2.

@jolopez
Cant run dfb on my new kernel with libc, because like I said, cant compile all MRUA library files to use libc.

What about the WD files? Are they compiled with uClibc or LIBC?

Never thought that this would be an easy project or even possible to pull off, in regards with all Sigma files needed... You and your friend has come longer than I expected in such short time!

**The_Ripper** · 09-04-2010, 03:58 PM

@hfmls
You cant have linux dvb api and current FW working. If current code cant deliver TS packets over openxcas it needs to be recoded. If you write you own handling with tuner/demux how can SDecoder work with that API ?

But again, maybe I am wrong ...

**hfmls** · 09-04-2010, 04:00 PM

yes i understand..openxcas should be removed once and for all.
then again i have no idea what u guys are talking about, so i just read now

thank you the_ripper

**The_Ripper** · 09-04-2010, 04:00 PM

@digihoe
I dont know, dont have WDlive. Can someone check this ?

**hfmls** · 09-04-2010, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by The_Ripper

@hfmls
You cant have linux dvb api and current FW working. If current code cant deliver TS packets over openxcas it needs to be recoded. If you write you own handling with tuner/demux how can SDecoder work with that API ?

But again, maybe I am wrong ...

what about original firmware with directFB, would this be possible?

**jolopez** · 09-04-2010, 04:29 PM

@the_ripper can the mrua use uclib as a library? or they must be used inside the kernel? i dont know so well how it works :S
i am going to read more about wd-live

**The_Ripper** · 09-04-2010, 04:32 PM

@hfmls
I dont understand question, there is no difference , current FW and apps use directly MRUA API to work with Sigma chip. There will be need for recoding of source code for FW just to jump from low level API usage to high level API usage(dfb) .
DFB is easy for usage then MRUA, someone can code new media player for Azbox(better GUI/better code/response) over dfb no need to use and learn MRUA low level APIs.

**The_Ripper** · 09-04-2010, 04:33 PM

@jolopez
MRUA currently use uCLibc, that's the problem.

**Juka** · 09-04-2010, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by The_Ripper

@hfmls
I dont understand question, there is no difference , current FW and apps use directly MRUA API to work with Sigma chip. There will be need for recoding of source code for FW just to jump from low level API usage to high level API usage(dfb) .
DFB is easy for usage then MRUA, someone can code new media player for Azbox(better GUI/better code/response) over dfb no need to use and learn MRUA low level APIs.

So, you are saying that a full E2 is better than a hybrid firmware. Even if it´s possible to make a hybrid one as you mentioned here:

You cant have linux dvb api and current FW working. If current code cant deliver TS packets over openxcas it needs to be recoded. If you write you own handling with tuner/demux how can SDecoder work with that API ?
But again, maybe I am wrong ...

**digihoe** · 09-04-2010, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by The_Ripper

@digihoe
I dont know, dont have WDlive. Can someone check this ?

It seems they are LIBC...But cant confirm since I don't have one...

**The_Ripper** · 09-04-2010, 05:00 PM

@Juka
I am saying that E2 have somewhat good code and stability, better support in any part (plugins,usage,skins, etc ...).

I am talking about low level drivers here. If you have all drivers you can use E1/E2 or any hybrid firmware you code on top of this drivers. Hfmls ask why someone dont wrote linux dvb api driver with current FW. Currently this cant be done, because SDecoder cant deliver TS packets. If SDecoder can be recoded for this support then linux api can work together with current apps.
But if someone wrote full linux dvb api (tuner usage/demux) then you have broken connection to main app SDecoder(cant both driver and SDecoder have access in same time to tuner(s) ,etc ...) Then you need to start using E2/E1 or to code new hybrid FW, but why you will code totaly new hybrid FW ,to again have problems with channel list, EPG problem, bug here, bug there , there is E1/E2 use that ?

**Juka** · 09-04-2010, 05:11 PM

I´m enlightened about that. Thank you.
We all agree that E2 as better suport in everything. What users of AZox want (at least me) is the whole treat, Sat receiver and media center. That´s why we are talking about an hybrid firmware because we know that E2 lacks in what concerns media center. But, if it´s dificult or even impossible, bring on full E2! :respect-048:
At least if we can give a good aplication on this potentialy good hardware!
Once again, thank you for your answers.

Best Regards
Juka