[mpeg2] BMK-Elektronik board, &c

[Ralph Metzler <rjkm@convergence.de>]

Warren Young writes:
 > We are interested in automated encoding of MPEG-2 video on Linux and
 > Windows.  We'd like our board of choice to work on both platforms, if
 > possible, but if necessary we can accept using different boards on each
 > platform.  Our questions:
 > 
 > 1. Will the BMK board work under Windows?

Yes.
 
 > 2. Will the BMK board's driver work with other KFIR-based boards (Sigma
 > DVR, Hauppauge PVR) or is it limited to the BMK board presently?

Only on the BMK boards. 
Work is being done on the Hauppauge board (cf. pvr.sourceforge.net).


 > 3. Reading the linuxtv.org site, I get the impression that this
 > driver/board combo is still kinda beta.  The caveats about having to
 > reload the driver on settings change, for example, are a little worrying
 > but not fatal for our purposes.  Is that the worst of the oddness in
 > this system?

Well, adding ioctl's for setting parameters is trivial.
We just did not settle on an API yet. 
I would welcome discussion about a standard Linux API for MPEG2 (and
other) encoders on this list.


 > 4. I tried to go to www.visiontech-dml.com but got redirected to
 > Broadcom's site.  I guess they bought Visiontech out, but the Broadcom
 > site doesn't list anything obviously related to MPEG encoding.  Should
 > this worry me?  (I.e., is the KFIR chip in danger of being discontinued
 > or something?)

Last time I checked they moved on to the Kfir2 (integrated PCI bridge
and sound encoding) and a Kfir2a (integrated decoder).
I don't know when end user cards with those chips will be available.


Ralph