Open source software for series A7/8/9 SH4
Increasing discontent with Samsung software resulted in looking for better alternative. And open source community offers one. Belive or not, Samsung TV can run without Samsung's software!
Contents
Disclaimer
System is very experimental and many components are work in progress. It is not yet suitable for general public. If you are not experienced in linux, please do not use it. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Components
System is based on Linux, modified STLinux from ST Microelectronics and DuckBox - collection of open software for satellite box. TDT used in following text is acronym for Team Duck Box.
Build toolchain
Used TDT build system with patches for SAMTV
Linux kernel
linux kernel version 2.6.32.59 stm24-211 with TDT patches and SAMTV board setup. Kernel is configured for nfs boot and root. To speed up boot time, usb disk and flash drivers are NOT compiled in, so this kernel will NOT work with usb root.
Havana player2
Open source multimedia player framework from ST Microelectronics. In original Samsung software is used player version 1 with STAPI. Player 2 has linux native DVB API. Used TDT patched version 2-191 with aditional patches for SAMTV.
Native linux DVB-T driver
Driver for DVB-T frontend S5H1432 was backported from linux 3.6 and substantially reworked.
Initialization and control of TV hardware
User mode process for initializing and setting
- FRC (frame rate converter) - I belive FRC9459M chip from Micronas is used
- FBE2 (picture enhancer, commercially called DNIe)
- local dimming control
- NTP3100 speaker amplifiers
Also used for
- SCH (scaler handling) - communication with secondary CPU MTK8226
Showtime media center
Nice media center software now being ported to sh4 / Havana player2. See http://www.lonelycoder.com/showtime/
Other software
DuckBox project includes following user software
- Enigma 2: Satellite receiver user software. Works and supports DVB-T. Media player does not decode all formats supported by Havana player2.
- Neutrino MP: Satellite receiver user software. New version with DVB-T shold be tested. Fast start-up and operation. Good and simple media player.
- XBMC: Media center works but is very very slow and hardly fits into memory. Not for real use.
Instalation
To be described
TODO list
- Factory and user settings of FBE2, FRCM, LD
- setting EEPROM handling
- HDMI input handling
- Micom IR remote control input and improve micom handler
- HDMI CEC
- SPIDF output
Functions NOT planned to be suported
- Analogue TV
- Analogue video in/out
Also see discussion