Sdio And C3x00 With Oz

[tHM]

I'm thinking of getting a c3000 (or c3100, if i can wait) and putting openzaurus on it. I'd like to be able to use a sdio wifi card with it, leaving the cf slot for bluetooth/gps/storage - whatever i'm doing at the time (i will almost always be using wifi).  Is there any chance that oz will support sdio any time soon on the c3x00 series? I don't mind paying a bit extra to use a proprietary stack such as codetelligence's if it will work with the zaurus. Has anyone managed to do this?

On a slighty off-topic note, is there a "features" page for oz, preferabally listing supported hardware?

Thanks.

[iamasmith]

I think it will be unlikely that you will see SDIO support in OZ and (someone correct me if I'm wrong here)... you won't ever see Codetelligence's stack in OZ.

The Codetelligence stack is aimed at OEMs embedding Linux into their devices and doesn't allow  for source code resale.. expect such devices to have binary only drivers compiled against specific kernel revision levels that the OEM has released (like Sharp's sd and usb modules).

OE have a working SD driver for some Z models, however, SDIO requires greater knowledge of some of the proprietary chipsets present on the Zaurus models... expect SDIO drivers (for now) only in Binary form from people who have signed NDAs as long as war and peace.

As OpenEmbedded doesn't want to become ClosedEmbedded I think it's unlikely that you will see closed source, binary only driver variants being intentionally brought into the mainstream OE distribution.

- Andy

[iamasmith]

Actually one other situation that you *might* see this stack being used is if a card manufacturer has licensed it for their product and produced a set of binary only modules for well known devices like the Zaurus... again these are likely to be set against stock Sharp kernels and not the later versions that OZ is beggining to use.

- Andy

[iamasmith]

Oh, actually one more thing about SDIO Wifi cards..

Wifi cards will always protrude from the slots since they need an antenna that isn't (potentially) screened by the housing of the unit that they are running in.

An SDIO Wifi card will be somewhat more fragile than the CF counterpart purely due to form factor and combined with the fact that the SL-Cx000 units present the SD slot on the side towards the user this will make a natural 'snag' point if put in the pocket.... also most cases available for the Z probably won't accomodate an SDIO card sticking out of this slot... possibly an important factor.

I would recommend a CF based Wifi card and SD storage (or USB addon storage).

- Andy

[tHM]

Thanks for the input. Just fyi, from the codetelligence website:

"Distribution of SDIO stack components is offered in a flexible (per OS) licensing schedule. A source code license is also available along with hardware and OS porting services."
 - http://www.codetelligence.com/productsSDIO.htm

So they are willing to sell the source code, but that's only the stack and, as you said, writing sdio drivers would require more intimate knowledge of the chipset used in the zaurus.

I guess I'll have to put to rest the hope of simultaneous wifi and gps/bluetooth on a zaurus.

[iamasmith]

Thanks for the input. Just fyi, from the codetelligence website:

"Distribution of SDIO stack components is offered in a flexible (per OS) licensing schedule. A source code license is also available along with hardware and OS porting services."
 - http://www.codetelligence.com/productsSDIO.htm

So they are willing to sell the source code, but that's only the stack and, as you said, writing sdio drivers would require more intimate knowledge of the chipset used in the zaurus.

I guess I'll have to put to rest the hope of simultaneous wifi and gps/bluetooth on a zaurus.
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Um, yes they will sell you the source code under a licensing term and probable NDA. You won't be able to share that source code and their target customers are OEMs producing embedded devices... expect the 'flexible licensing schedule' and costs of licensing to be effective only if you have an economy of scale to support your project i.e. you are going to sell 1000+ units.

- Andy

[Da_Blitz]

Scince the sdio controller is built into the processor (the pxa) they would almost definattly support it, but after getting a CF wifi card and bieng able to do an anttena mod on it it owuld say CF is much better.

[iamasmith]

Scince the sdio controller is built into the processor (the pxa) they would almost definattly support it, but after getting a CF wifi card and bieng able to do an anttena mod on it it owuld say CF is much better.
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Some of the SDIO support is built into the PXA family, the PXA270 is a system on a chip design and simplifies tasks for open source developers a lot since all that stuff is actually documented and freely available on the Intel web site.

However, there are some other things required to implement an SD slot such as power control of the slot etc. and these are done through GPIO control over devices that then control the SD slot/bus/clocking etc. for the external SD components that interface with the 'built in controller'. it is this stuff that tends to be proprietary and difficult to reverse engineer.

- Andy

[DrWowe]

I guess I'll have to put to rest the hope of simultaneous wifi and gps/bluetooth on a zaurus.
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A few other options:
1) The C760 has binary-only modules for the C-Guys WiFi SDIO card.  No support for the C3x00 sadly.

2) USB WiFi should be fine.  You just need to find a convenient way to attach and carry the dongle.  There's also been talk of putting the USB chipset internally, see the Hardware Mods forum for details.

3) Buy a 3100 and replace the internal hard drive with a bluetooth adapter (WiFi won't fit).  Then the external CF slot is free for WiFi.

4) Buy a 6000 and get everything built-in without cards or hacking.  

[km2783]

2) USB WiFi should be fine.  You just need to find a convenient way to attach and carry the dongle.  There's also been talk of putting the USB chipset internally, see the Hardware Mods forum for details.

I can't find that.  Is it in another thread that doesn't really talk about it (ie the subject won't tell you)?

I found talks about Bluetooth, though.  Lots of stuff on bluetooth.

[Da_Blitz]

Bluetooth - wifi same thing, all you have to do is find one with drivers that is small enogh to fit in the case