Cowon A2 Hardware & Software information

[davvv]

Originally Posted by szern

Not sure how relevant this is, but iAudio posted a notice of the "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE" on its website together with a link to a "cowon_pmp_a2_src_1.59_GPL.tar.gz".
I'm guessing this is the source file, haven't gotten a look at it as I'm still downloading it. Also guessing that its the GPL source for firmware version 1.59

Caution: The file is 78.25MB in size.

[The actual notice]
* Notice of GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
This product has some free software which are copyrighted by the Free Software Foundation and the library includes the software is subject to the observance of the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation. [Download]

[The actual link]
http://eng.iaudio.com/download/gnu/c....59_GPL.tar.gz

[The page where this notice can be found]
http://eng.iaudio.com/product/product_A2_spec.php

Have Fun :bigsmile:
- Szern

This is some GREAT news. I'll start getting acoding as soon as I finish downloading =D

[fa_pa]

First you will have to find out how to compile it which could actualy be impossible since some needed stuff like the lcd drivers are not in the package because of license issues.

[davvv]

Originally Posted by fa_pa

First you will have to find out how to compile it which could actualy be impossible since some needed stuff like the lcd drivers are not in the package because of license issues.

All drivers pertain to DM320 (which is fully provided), so the only tough part is compiling it, but all the files are there as far as I can see.

[dOoBiX]

How come the source code at the cowon site is 1.59 and not 1.61?

[nathan]

dOoBiX

From the release notes Exity posted for 1.61

** From V1.61, 4 files will be provided for firmware upgrade (from 3 files).
** Version name will be displayed as 1.61E. "E" will be remain if you downgrade your firmware.
** Downgrade will be not work to version 1.54 beta, 1.57 and 1.59.

It would seem to me that the release of 1.61 would make us all upgrade so the release of the 1.59 source is useless to those that have already upgraded the firmware. Until such time that we make a serial adaptor to flash the firmware.

With that said I am interested to note how many people are still interested in trying to flash/develop with the new source since Exity hasn't opened a new development forum yet. Should we start a Wiki somewhere else? Has enyone tried to compile the source or review it as of yet?

Please let me know as I am willing to do some work if this effort every gets organized.

[fa_pa]

Originally Posted by nathan

dOoBiX

From the release notes Exity posted for 1.61

** From V1.61, 4 files will be provided for firmware upgrade (from 3 files).
** Version name will be displayed as 1.61E. "E" will be remain if you downgrade your firmware.
** Downgrade will be not work to version 1.54 beta, 1.57 and 1.59.

It would seem to me that the release of 1.61 would make us all upgrade so the release of the 1.59 source is useless to those that have already upgraded the firmware. Until such time that we make a serial adaptor to flash the firmware.

With that said I am interested to note how many people are still interested in trying to flash/develop with the new source since Exity hasn't opened a new development forum yet. Should we start a Wiki somewhere else? Has enyone tried to compile the source or review it as of yet?

Please let me know as I am willing to do some work if this effort every gets organized.

My guess is actually that they released the sources only to be gpl conform.

If you try to compile it you will notice that some stuff is missing like the Ingenient libraries which are comercial and not contained in the source code. I am not sure but I actually think that we will not be able to create our own builds of the firmware without this library.

[Aikiwoce]

Originally Posted by fa_pa

My guess is actually that they released the sources only to be gpl conform.

If you try to compile it you will notice that some stuff is missing like the Ingenient libraries which are comercial and not contained in the source code. I am not sure but I actually think that we will not be able to create our own builds of the firmware without this library.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. There are other linux devices out there with ARM9 and DSP processors in them. I would think that porting from one of them would be easier than trying to port from another platform.

[kludger]

Originally Posted by fa_pa

My guess is actually that they released the sources only to be gpl conform.

If you try to compile it you will notice that some stuff is missing like the Ingenient libraries which are comercial and not contained in the source code. I am not sure but I actually think that we will not be able to create our own builds of the firmware without this library.

Well in an effort to google for what would be found in the missing /src3rd/Ingenient dir

I found a something ingenient-bsp that may be worth more exploration on a similar open source firmware for another PMP the Neuros which appears to use the same chip:
http://svn.neurostechnology.com/list...&path=%2F&sc=0

More info here:
http://www.theneuros.com/index.php/Developer_FAQ

After checking out src via subversion the above code "Trunk" I was able to config and compile it in Linux but can't tell yet if the compiled result contains the needed missing Ingenient libs or codecs for the cowon source or if it's just another version of the Ingenient pieces included in the Cowon A2 source... the config options definitely seem to support the same TI chipset.

Still playing with it some more but posting the info in case anyone else more embedded-linux savvy can make more progress... either way that Neuros site seems to be a good resource as it seems to be a similar firmware effort for similar/same TI hardware/chipset.

If anyone has been able to find other source code resources especially an A2 emulator I'd be interested since even if I get something to compile it would take some serious faith to install it and risking bricking my awesome A2.

Enjoy.

--John

[charston]

How can I write my own firmware?

[nowyoucanlaugh]

Originally Posted by charston

How can I write my own firmware?

my guess is that if you don't know how already, you won't be able to for a long time. You need to be a skilled programmer, or else we would see tens of thousands of new programs every day.

[eric3a]

How can I write my own firmware?

Years of coding experience probably a good start.
Eric

[jontupper]

How can I write my own firmware... thats cute

[RadikalEd]

I'm new here and I just got my A2 a couple of weeks ago because of the potential to mod the hell out of it. I've scanned this thread and have some information that might help with compiling the sources. I'm a software architect that works with mobile devices writing embeded software, the vast majority of these devices use ARM processors (ARM7, ARM9 usually), and I believe the A2 does run an ARM processor. To compile for these devices you need the GNU cross compiler for ARM, I use this with cygwin to create executables for the ARM devices.

It's been a while since I've built the cross compiler so you'll have to give me a couple of days to piece the process together. In the meantime these links should be some help.

http://www.gnu.org/software/gcc/gcc.html
http://sources.redhat.com/cygwin/

Let me know if i'm totally off-base here. Also, any information regarding the structure of the code would be sweet (there aren't many comments in it).

Thanks,

[TNBY963]

I don't know anything about coding, but keep up the good work :bigthumbs

[borman]

Do you want to look inside?:coolio:
ok - http://rgsu-ust.ru/pleer/photos.html | http://rgsu-ust.ru/pleer/chip.html