--- /dev/null
+Documentation for dvb-usb-framework module and its devices
+
+Idea behind the dvb-usb-framework
+=================================
+
+In March 2005 I got the new Twinhan USB2.0 DVB-T device. They provided specs and a firmware.
+
+Quite keen I wanted to put the driver (with some quirks of course) into dibusb.
+After reading some specs and doing some USB snooping, it realized, that the
+dibusb-driver would be a complete mess afterwards. So I decided to do it in a
+different way: With the help of a dvb-usb-framework.
+
+The framework provides generic functions (mostly kernel API calls), such as:
+
+- Transport Stream URB handling in conjunction with dvb-demux-feed-control
+ (bulk and isoc are supported)
+- registering the device for the DVB-API
+- registering an I2C-adapter if applicable
+- remote-control/input-device handling
+- firmware requesting and loading (currently just for the Cypress USB
+ controllers)
+- other functions/methods which can be shared by several drivers (such as
+ functions for bulk-control-commands)
+- TODO: a I2C-chunker. It creates device-specific chunks of register-accesses
+ depending on length of a register and the number of values that can be
+ multi-written and multi-read.
+
+The source code of the particular DVB USB devices does just the communication
+with the device via the bus. The connection between the DVB-API-functionality
+is done via callbacks, assigned in a static device-description (struct
+dvb_usb_device) each device-driver has to have.
+
+For an example have a look in drivers/media/dvb/dvb-usb/vp7045*.
+
+Objective is to migrate all the usb-devices (dibusb, cinergyT2, maybe the
+ttusb; flexcop-usb already benefits from the generic flexcop-device) to use
+the dvb-usb-lib.
+
+TODO: dynamic enabling and disabling of the pid-filter in regard to number of
+feeds requested.
+
+Supported devices
+========================
+
+See the LinuxTV DVB Wiki at www.linuxtv.org for a complete list of
+cards/drivers/firmwares:
+
+http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB_USB
+
+0. History & News:
+ 2005-06-30 - added support for WideView WT-220U (Thanks to Steve Chang)
+ 2005-05-30 - added basic isochronous support to the dvb-usb-framework
+ added support for Conexant Hybrid reference design and Nebula DigiTV USB
+ 2005-04-17 - all dibusb devices ported to make use of the dvb-usb-framework
+ 2005-04-02 - re-enabled and improved remote control code.
+ 2005-03-31 - ported the Yakumo/Hama/Typhoon DVB-T USB2.0 device to dvb-usb.
+ 2005-03-30 - first commit of the dvb-usb-module based on the dibusb-source. First device is a new driver for the
+ TwinhanDTV Alpha / MagicBox II USB2.0-only DVB-T device.
+
+ (change from dvb-dibusb to dvb-usb)
+ 2005-03-28 - added support for the AVerMedia AverTV DVB-T USB2.0 device (Thanks to Glen Harris and Jiun-Kuei Jung, AVerMedia)
+ 2005-03-14 - added support for the Typhoon/Yakumo/HAMA DVB-T mobile USB2.0
+ 2005-02-11 - added support for the KWorld/ADSTech Instant DVB-T USB2.0. Thanks a lot to Joachim von Caron
+ 2005-02-02 - added support for the Hauppauge Win-TV Nova-T USB2
+ 2005-01-31 - distorted streaming is gone for USB1.1 devices
+ 2005-01-13 - moved the mirrored pid_filter_table back to dvb-dibusb
+ - first almost working version for HanfTek UMT-010
+ - found out, that Yakumo/HAMA/Typhoon are predecessors of the HanfTek UMT-010
+ 2005-01-10 - refactoring completed, now everything is very delightful
+ - tuner quirks for some weird devices (Artec T1 AN2235 device has sometimes a
+ Panasonic Tuner assembled). Tunerprobing implemented. Thanks a lot to Gunnar Wittich.
+ 2004-12-29 - after several days of struggling around bug of no returning URBs fixed.
+ 2004-12-26 - refactored the dibusb-driver, splitted into separate files
+ - i2c-probing enabled
+ 2004-12-06 - possibility for demod i2c-address probing
+ - new usb IDs (Compro, Artec)
+ 2004-11-23 - merged changes from DiB3000MC_ver2.1
+ - revised the debugging
+ - possibility to deliver the complete TS for USB2.0
+ 2004-11-21 - first working version of the dib3000mc/p frontend driver.
+ 2004-11-12 - added additional remote control keys. Thanks to Uwe Hanke.
+ 2004-11-07 - added remote control support. Thanks to David Matthews.
+ 2004-11-05 - added support for a new devices (Grandtec/Avermedia/Artec)
+ - merged my changes (for dib3000mb/dibusb) to the FE_REFACTORING, because it became HEAD
+ - moved transfer control (pid filter, fifo control) from usb driver to frontend, it seems
+ better settled there (added xfer_ops-struct)
+ - created a common files for frontends (mc/p/mb)
+ 2004-09-28 - added support for a new device (Unkown, vendor ID is Hyper-Paltek)
+ 2004-09-20 - added support for a new device (Compro DVB-U2000), thanks
+ to Amaury Demol for reporting
+ - changed usb TS transfer method (several urbs, stopping transfer
+ before setting a new pid)
+ 2004-09-13 - added support for a new device (Artec T1 USB TVBOX), thanks
+ to Christian Motschke for reporting
+ 2004-09-05 - released the dibusb device and dib3000mb-frontend driver
+
+ (old news for vp7041.c)
+ 2004-07-15 - found out, by accident, that the device has a TUA6010XS for
+ PLL
+ 2004-07-12 - figured out, that the driver should also work with the
+ CTS Portable (Chinese Television System)
+ 2004-07-08 - firmware-extraction-2.422-problem solved, driver is now working
+ properly with firmware extracted from 2.422
+ - #if for 2.6.4 (dvb), compile issue
+ - changed firmware handling, see vp7041.txt sec 1.1
+ 2004-07-02 - some tuner modifications, v0.1, cleanups, first public
+ 2004-06-28 - now using the dvb_dmx_swfilter_packets, everything
+ runs fine now
+ 2004-06-27 - able to watch and switching channels (pre-alpha)
+ - no section filtering yet
+ 2004-06-06 - first TS received, but kernel oops :/
+ 2004-05-14 - firmware loader is working
+ 2004-05-11 - start writing the driver
+
+1. How to use?
+1.1. Firmware
+
+Most of the USB drivers need to download a firmware to the device before start
+working.
+
+Have a look at the Wikipage for the DVB-USB-drivers to find out, which firmware
+you need for your device:
+
+http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB_USB
+
+1.2. Compiling
+
+Since the driver is in the linux kernel, activating the driver in
+your favorite config-environment should sufficient. I recommend
+to compile the driver as module. Hotplug does the rest.
+
+If you use dvb-kernel enter the build-2.6 directory run 'make' and 'insmod.sh
+load' afterwards.
+
+1.3. Loading the drivers
+
+Hotplug is able to load the driver, when it is needed (because you plugged
+in the device).
+
+If you want to enable debug output, you have to load the driver manually and
+from withing the dvb-kernel cvs repository.
+
+first have a look, which debug level are available:
+
+modinfo dvb-usb
+modinfo dvb-usb-vp7045
+etc.
+
+modprobe dvb-usb debug=<level>
+modprobe dvb-usb-vp7045 debug=<level>
+etc.
+
+should do the trick.
+
+When the driver is loaded successfully, the firmware file was in
+the right place and the device is connected, the "Power"-LED should be
+turned on.
+
+At this point you should be able to start a dvb-capable application. I'm use
+(t|s)zap, mplayer and dvbscan to test the basics. VDR-xine provides the
+long-term test scenario.
+
+2. Known problems and bugs
+
+- Don't remove the USB device while running an DVB application, your system
+ will go crazy or die most likely.
+
+2.1. Adding support for devices
+
+TODO
+
+2.2. USB1.1 Bandwidth limitation
+
+A lot of the currently supported devices are USB1.1 and thus they have a
+maximum bandwidth of about 5-6 MBit/s when connected to a USB2.0 hub.
+This is not enough for receiving the complete transport stream of a
+DVB-T channel (which is about 16 MBit/s). Normally this is not a
+problem, if you only want to watch TV (this does not apply for HDTV),
+but watching a channel while recording another channel on the same
+frequency simply does not work very well. This applies to all USB1.1
+DVB-T devices, not just the dvb-usb-devices)
+
+The bug, where the TS is distorted by a heavy usage of the device is gone
+definitely. All dvb-usb-devices I was using (Twinhan, Kworld, DiBcom) are
+working like charm now with VDR. Sometimes I even was able to record a channel
+and watch another one.
+
+2.3. Comments
+
+Patches, comments and suggestions are very very welcome.
+
+3. Acknowledgements
+ Amaury Demol (ademol@dibcom.fr) and Francois Kanounnikoff from DiBcom for
+ providing specs, code and help, on which the dvb-dibusb, dib3000mb and
+ dib3000mc are based.
+
+ David Matthews for identifying a new device type (Artec T1 with AN2235)
+ and for extending dibusb with remote control event handling. Thank you.
+
+ Alex Woods for frequently answering question about usb and dvb
+ stuff, a big thank you.
+
+ Bernd Wagner for helping with huge bug reports and discussions.
+
+ Gunnar Wittich and Joachim von Caron for their trust for providing
+ root-shells on their machines to implement support for new devices.
+
+ Allan Third and Michael Hutchinson for their help to write the Nebula
+ digitv-driver.
+
+ Glen Harris for bringing up, that there is a new dibusb-device and Jiun-Kuei
+ Jung from AVerMedia who kindly provided a special firmware to get the device
+ up and running in Linux.
+
+ Jennifer Chen, Jeff and Jack from Twinhan for kindly supporting by
+ writing the vp7045-driver.
+
+ Steve Chang from WideView for providing information for new devices and
+ firmware files.
+
+ Michael Paxton for submitting remote control keymaps.
+
+ Some guys on the linux-dvb mailing list for encouraging me.
+
+ Peter Schildmann >peter.schildmann-nospam-at-web.de< for his
+ user-level firmware loader, which saves a lot of time
+ (when writing the vp7041 driver)
+
+ Ulf Hermenau for helping me out with traditional chinese.
+
+ André Smoktun and Christian Frömmel for supporting me with
+ hardware and listening to my problems very patiently.
git://git.onelab.eu / linux-2.6.git / blobdiff