[linux-dvb] Documentation for beginners (was AW: Re: Reception of raw TS or multiple PIDS)

[Marcus Metzler <mocm@metzlerbros.de>]

Torsten Schlabach writes:
 > a) Cards and their chipsets

May be changed by the manufacturer without changing the name of the
card, so this is difficult. In most cases you need to know the version
of the hardware.

 > b) Understanding linuxtv.org, linuxdvb.tv, convergence.de, metzlerbros,
 > a log of CVSs and download links and how they relate to each other e.g.
 > who's doing what
 > 

We used to work for convergence, but don't anymore. We don't agree
with some of the choices they made for driver internals. This doesn't
concern the API, which should be the same apart from additions we may
add. We try to stay compatible. If not, tell me.
We are now working freelance and adapt the drivers for clients with other
hardware like the KNC cards and others.

 > I found some things out in the meanwhile, but for me the following
 > questions are still open:
 > 
 > a) Do Convergence and the Metzler brothers develop different drivers for
 > the same of for different APIs? The API doc that is downloadable from
 > Linuxtv.org is (c) Convergence and authored by the Metzler brothers but
 > somewhere else it says that the Metzler brothers are independent driver
 > developers. I wonder if there is more than one familiy Metzler or if
 > they are split personalities ?!?

see above. There are probably more families by that name, but AFAIK we
are the only ones that write linux drivers.

 > 
 > b) Up to today I was not able to understand the difference between
 > oldstruct and newstruct.

There are some major differences in the tuning API and some minor ones
in others. The devices have different names (no more cheese aeh ost).
There are also internal differences which should not matter to the
application programmer.

 > 
 > c) Most of the tools that are linked to on Linuxtv.org (such as dvbtune,
 > xcha, etc.) don't compile or don't work (any more). The author of xchan,

I think most applications have versions for the new API, some may
require a change in the Makefile and some have still to be rewritten. 

 > Jan Panteltje is unreachable. His e-mail inbox in full so messages get
 > rejected. In the README of his tools it says he read alt.tv.crypt.
 > Google does not carry that newsgroup; guess why ;-)) I would be willing
 > to adapt xcha to the most recent API as soon as I understand it myself
 > but it would be helpful to understand if the author isn't doing that
 > himself right now ???

Can't help you there. Be careful not to infringe on other peoples
copyright. As for modifying for the new API, there was a readme
written by Holger somewhere in the szap directory. Maybe convergence
can put it on their website.  

 > 
 > d) I have posted questions and remarks to the API doc PDF on the
 > project's site but nobody even cared to answer yet ...
 > 

I don't know if there is some kind of license for the API
documentation. We wrote it while we were at convergence and used
material provided by Nokia, so I don't think we or anyone else can just
take it and change or redistribute it now.
As I mentioned before, there is also a paper about the talk we gave at
linux-kongress
(http://www.linux-kongress.org/2002/papers/lk2002-metzler.html) 
which gives some introduction to DVB drivers.

 > I am an experienced journalist and would be willing to help with the
 > documentation (I know, most developers don't like doing that, but I do)
 > but I can only do that if those who have the information at least answer
 > to questions on the mailing list.

I can't talk for others, but answering question always depends if I
have time and the desire to answer the question at the time I read it
on the mailing list. Sometimes, if I don't answer immediately, I 
forget or it gets buried somewhere in the mailbox. So, I think it's
ok to ask more than once.

 > 
 > Don't get me wrong, this is not about blaming anyone. It's more a cry
 > for help. I need at least unstructured information and the commitment
 > that if I author some documentation someone is at least interested in
 > it.

Do it the open source way. Start with what you know, release it, tell
others about and ask them to help fill in the blanks. 


Marcus

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| Dr. Marcus O.C. Metzler        |                                   |
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| mocm@metzlerbros.de            | http://www.metzlerbros.de/        |
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