Multiproto

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Multiproto is a proposal for version 3.3 of the linux DVB API which includes extensions for cards which support multiple DVB protocols (DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-T, DVB-C, DVB-H, ATSC, DSS).

It is an experimental project and is not currently implemented in any released version of Linux. No firm plan has been made for its inclusion in Linux.

Overview/Features

Discuss the features and facets of the project here ... this means you

Design Decisions

explain the choices made ... this means you

Technical Details

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New structs and #defines have been added to expand the API for multiple frontends and the new capabilities of DVB-S2. These are prefixed (at least for now) with "dvbfe_" and "DVBFE_" as opposed to the old "fe_" and "FE_". For details compare the old and new versions of include/linux/dvb/frontend.h. Currently multiproto implements both the new and old APIs and a glue layer to manage old/new drivers with new/old API calls. Presumably the plan is eventually to move to a pure 3.3 API and update all the drivers.

Evaluation and Alternatives

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Status and Migration Plan

explain how a migration from the current API to multiproto could be achieved ... this means you

No clear migration plan has yet been agreed.

Making it Work

How to get it:

hg clone http://jusst.de/hg/multiproto

or

http://jusst.de/hg/multiproto/archive/tip.tar.bz2

Drivers

There are currently no in-kernel multiproto drivers. There are several cards which have experimental support in the multiproto tree, perhaps with additional patches.

Provide details of which drivers work with multiproto ... this means you

See the descriptions for the following cards:

Azurewave AD-SP400 CI (Twinhan VP-1041)

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-4000

TechnoTrend TT-budget S2-3200

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provide details of how to compile for recent kernels -- this means you

Sample kernel output

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Tuner / DiSEqC / Player support

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Scanning and tuning applications generally will not work with the new API unless they are modified. The situation is arguably improving but the lack of patched applications (and guidance on patching) has hindered completion and testing of multiproto and new drivers, and adoption of the new API. Needless to say, patching drivers and multiple applications is a step too far for most potential testers.

dvb-apps: There is still no patched dvb-apps tree. Someone needs to create one ... why don't you?

scan: see patched version at http://jusst.de/manu/scan.tar.bz2

szap: see patched version at http://abraham.manu.googlepages.com/szap.c Also see information about szap2 at http://allrussian.info/thread.php?postid=187408#post187408 and http://www.linuxtv.org/pipermail/linux-dvb/2008-February/023836.html.

mplayer : someone needs to write a patch ... why don't you?

Kaffeine : someone needs to write a patch ... why don't you?

VDR: VDR version 1.5.14 and later require multiproto (v1.5.14 announcement: http://www.linuxtv.org/pipermail/vdr/2008-January/015302.html

MythTV: Two patches (one DVB-S/S2, one DVB-S only) have been posted http://www.linuxtv.org/pipermail/linux-dvb/2008-January/022757.html. Current status?

dvbstream: Someone needs to write a patch ... why don't you? See http://www.linuxtv.org/pipermail/linux-dvb/2008-February/024056.html.

provide details of how to use with DiSEqC -- this means you

External Links