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-rw-r--r-- | www/docs/FAQ | 74 |
1 files changed, 64 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/www/docs/FAQ b/www/docs/FAQ index aefc4af8ce..d050599292 100644 --- a/www/docs/FAQ +++ b/www/docs/FAQ | |||
@@ -124,19 +124,24 @@ A16. Firstly, we wouldn't start something like this if we didn't simply enjoy | |||
124 | being on the list does not mean it isn't a neat idea. Bring it to | 124 | being on the list does not mean it isn't a neat idea. Bring it to |
125 | the list. | 125 | the list. |
126 | 126 | ||
127 | Q17. I don't see you mentioning ogg files on your list of ideas. What about | 127 | Q17. I don't see you mentioning other file types on your list of ideas. What |
128 | supporting those? | 128 | about supporting those? |
129 | A17. At the current time we belive this is not very likely (though | 129 | A17. Pessimist's Answer: At the current time we belive this is not very likely |
130 | we are not completely closing out this possibility). The Micronas | 130 | The Micronas chip (MAS3507) decoder in the archos does not natively |
131 | chip (MAS3507) decoder in the archos does not natively support ogg | 131 | support decoding and there is very little program space in the player to |
132 | decoding and there is very little program space in the player to | ||
133 | implement it ourselves. The alternative would be to write a software | 132 | implement it ourselves. The alternative would be to write a software |
134 | decoder as part of the RockBox firmware. However, as much as we love | 133 | decoder as part of the RockBox firmware. However, as much as we love |
135 | our players, the computing power of the Archos (SH1 microcontroller) is | 134 | our players, the computing power of the Archos (SH1 microcontroller) is |
136 | not fully sufficent for this need (Once again, this is not a definative | 135 | not fully sufficent for this need. |
137 | no. The world is full of brilliant people. We just aren't hunting | 136 | |
138 | down all the ones not already involved with the project right this | 137 | Optimist's Answer: We can play any format if only we can write code for |
139 | instant). | 138 | the DSP to decode it. The MAS 3507 (and 3587) are generic DSPs that |
139 | simply have MP3 codecs in ROM. We can download new codecs in them and | ||
140 | we will be the first to celebrate if we can get OGG or FLAC or anything | ||
141 | into these DSPs. Unfortunately, we have no docs or tools for writing new | ||
142 | MAS DSP code and Intermetall is very secretive about it. If anyone can | ||
143 | help, please get in touch! | ||
144 | |||
140 | 145 | ||
141 | Q18. What about supporting playing of wav files? | 146 | Q18. What about supporting playing of wav files? |
142 | A18. No Bill. We have no intention of that. Go buy your own project. | 147 | 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 | |||
200 | 205 | ||
201 | Q27: Umm, was that sarcasm? | 206 | Q27: Umm, was that sarcasm? |
202 | A27: That's it, I'm mailing him now. | 207 | A27: That's it, I'm mailing him now. |
208 | |||
209 | Q28: Is that legal? I mean, I'd just hate to see something like that | ||
210 | challenged under the DMCA in all its ridiculousness. Any thoughts or | ||
211 | ideas? | ||
212 | A28: We believe we are in the green on this. We are not violating anyone's | ||
213 | copyright and we are not circumventing any copy protection scheme. | ||
214 | This has been a big point for the project since its inception. Some | ||
215 | people wanted us to distribute patched versions of the original firmware, | ||
216 | but seeing as that _would_ have violated Archos' copyright, we didn't | ||
217 | follow that course of action. | ||
218 | |||
219 | Q29: On the website [and various information postings] you state | ||
220 | "Every tiny bit was reverse engineered, disassembled and then | ||
221 | re-written from scratch". | ||
222 | If it was rewritten from scratch then why was it first reverse-engineered | ||
223 | and disassembled? Instead this sounds more like someone disassembled it | ||
224 | then used the understanding that they gained to create a new version, | ||
225 | which is not quite the same as "from scratch". | ||
226 | A29: Don't confuse the terms. | ||
227 | |||
228 | Reverse engineering means examining a product to find out how it works. | ||
229 | Disassembling the firmware is merely one tool used in that examination. | ||
230 | Oscilloscopes and logic analyzers are other tools we have used. | ||
231 | |||
232 | We have written every single byte of the Rockbox firmware. But we could | ||
233 | not have written the software without first researching how the hardware | ||
234 | was put together, i.e. reverse engineer it. | ||
235 | |||
236 | All of this is completely legal. If you define "from scratch" as writing | ||
237 | software without first researching the surrounding interfaces, then no | ||
238 | software has ever been written from scratch. | ||
239 | |||
240 | Q30: Wait a minute here. You have release version 1.0, but not a single one | ||
241 | of the ideas you have spoken about is actually implimented! Calling this | ||
242 | version 1.0 is really misleading. Whats the story?! | ||
243 | A30: It is true that Rockbox 1.0 lacks most of the feature set that every | ||
244 | sane user wants. However, we never said it was more feature-complete or | ||
245 | better in any way then the original firmware at this early point. | ||
246 | This first release was done as a proof of concept that our ideas are | ||
247 | moving in the right direction. We also hope that it helps bring the | ||
248 | project some attention, and some additional developers. Adding the | ||
249 | missing features is just a matter of time (and that time goes | ||
250 | faster if you, yes you, help too). | ||
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