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Robert Hak 2002-06-11 06:24:11 +00:00
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@ -124,19 +124,24 @@ A16. Firstly, we wouldn't start something like this if we didn't simply enjoy
being on the list does not mean it isn't a neat idea. Bring it to
the list.
Q17. I don't see you mentioning ogg files on your list of ideas. What about
supporting those?
A17. At the current time we belive this is not very likely (though
we are not completely closing out this possibility). The Micronas
chip (MAS3507) decoder in the archos does not natively support ogg
decoding and there is very little program space in the player to
Q17. I don't see you mentioning other file types on your list of ideas. What
about supporting those?
A17. Pessimist's Answer: At the current time we belive this is not very likely
The Micronas chip (MAS3507) decoder in the archos does not natively
support decoding and there is very little program space in the player to
implement it ourselves. The alternative would be to write a software
decoder as part of the RockBox firmware. However, as much as we love
our players, the computing power of the Archos (SH1 microcontroller) is
not fully sufficent for this need (Once again, this is not a definative
no. The world is full of brilliant people. We just aren't hunting
down all the ones not already involved with the project right this
instant).
not fully sufficent for this need.
Optimist's Answer: We can play any format if only we can write code for
the DSP to decode it. The MAS 3507 (and 3587) are generic DSPs that
simply have MP3 codecs in ROM. We can download new codecs in them and
we will be the first to celebrate if we can get OGG or FLAC or anything
into these DSPs. Unfortunately, we have no docs or tools for writing new
MAS DSP code and Intermetall is very secretive about it. If anyone can
help, please get in touch!
Q18. What about supporting playing of wav files?
A18. No Bill. We have no intention of that. Go buy your own project.
@ -200,3 +205,52 @@ A26: If you ask that again, I'm sending your address and phone number to the
Q27: Umm, was that sarcasm?
A27: That's it, I'm mailing him now.
Q28: Is that legal? I mean, I'd just hate to see something like that
challenged under the DMCA in all its ridiculousness. Any thoughts or
ideas?
A28: We believe we are in the green on this. We are not violating anyone's
copyright and we are not circumventing any copy protection scheme.
This has been a big point for the project since its inception. Some
people wanted us to distribute patched versions of the original firmware,
but seeing as that _would_ have violated Archos' copyright, we didn't
follow that course of action.
Q29: On the website [and various information postings] you state
"Every tiny bit was reverse engineered, disassembled and then
re-written from scratch".
If it was rewritten from scratch then why was it first reverse-engineered
and disassembled? Instead this sounds more like someone disassembled it
then used the understanding that they gained to create a new version,
which is not quite the same as "from scratch".
A29: Don't confuse the terms.
Reverse engineering means examining a product to find out how it works.
Disassembling the firmware is merely one tool used in that examination.
Oscilloscopes and logic analyzers are other tools we have used.
We have written every single byte of the Rockbox firmware. But we could
not have written the software without first researching how the hardware
was put together, i.e. reverse engineer it.
All of this is completely legal. If you define "from scratch" as writing
software without first researching the surrounding interfaces, then no
software has ever been written from scratch.
Q30: Wait a minute here. You have release version 1.0, but not a single one
of the ideas you have spoken about is actually implimented! Calling this
version 1.0 is really misleading. Whats the story?!
A30: It is true that Rockbox 1.0 lacks most of the feature set that every
sane user wants. However, we never said it was more feature-complete or
better in any way then the original firmware at this early point.
This first release was done as a proof of concept that our ideas are
moving in the right direction. We also hope that it helps bring the
project some attention, and some additional developers. Adding the
missing features is just a matter of time (and that time goes
faster if you, yes you, help too).