[linux-dvb] Announcement, new driver features

[Ralph Metzler <rjkm@metzlerbros.de>]

Hi,

because we were able to make some improvements in the Linux driver for
the Technotrend/Fujitsu-Siemens cards with AV711X during the last 
few weeks we want to make this special announcement.

By rewriting some of the core components of the cards software we were
able to simplify and speed up the data transfer inside the AV711X.
This was combined with the improved buffer handling in the 
communication between AV711X and PC, which we already introduced 
some time ago, and the software filters in the Linux DVB drivers.


This enables us to:

- transfer real TS packets from the frontend to the PC
  (up to 32 PIDs)

- increase the maximally possible bandwidth 

- transfer data from/to the card at the same time 
  at usable speeds without data loss


The obvious applications are:

- real time-shifting with just one DVB card 
  (without the need of a software decoder as others do it)

- recording several channels and/or multiple sound PIDs from the
  same transponder without problems

- better networking support 
  (higher bandwidth, less firmware crashes)


The new firmware is already checked into CVS in the NEWSTRUCT branch.
(You can also use it in the main branch. We did not want to 
put it there before some of the more adventurous NEWSTRUCT users
could test it.)

To activate the new filtering mode you only have to get this new firmware
and change one line in the driver in the file dvb.c or av7110.c (depending
on the driver branch).
In the function StartHWFilter(), change

        buf[3] = mode;
into 

        buf[3] = 0xb96a;


We will make complete driver packages with those and more 
fixes available in the future but we will have to find a suitable web 
page first.


We also were in contact with Klaus Schmidinger who tested the new
driver for us and is busy writing a new version of VDR which makes
use of the new features. 
Check out his page at http://www.cadsoft.de/people/kls/vdr/index.htm
for announcements and updates.


Finally, if you visit the Linux-Kongress (www.linux-kongress.de) 
in Cologne/Germany this week, you will be able to see the new 
driver in action.


Best wishes,
Ralph and Marcus 


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