[linuxdc-dev]Sound driver and related matters

[Adrian M. <ad...@mc...>]

Now we've got a sound driver I have to look at ways that it can be developed 
and maintained. So I have a few questions and ideas for discussion....


1. Has anyone loaded it from the CVS? 

I have just upgraded my kernel to 2.4.16 (I was on 2.4.10) and when 
recompiling the driver once again came across the problem of unexported 
kernel symbols needed to get it to work.

As far as I can see the code in the CVS does not patch ./arch/sh/sh_ksyms.c 
but I haven't loaded this off the CVS yet to check (I haven't got a coders' 
cable and so haven't bothered).

Anybody able to confirm this?


2. Making the code SMP safe

Sounds silly for the DC? Well, pre-ememption within the kernel seems a bit of 
a hot topic just now and I certainly seen it suggested that pre-emption could 
well be a standard option as the 2.5 kernel development process goes on (I 
don't follow this at all closely so apologies if I've got this all wrong). 
Pre-emption relies on a different treatment of spinlocks - hence the 
connection with SMP safe code.

If anyone can give me reports sometime of how the sound driver does now with 
pre-emption patched in I'd appreiciate it (presumably it crashes and burns)


3. Exploring the DSP capabilities of the AICA

A longer term project this - as nothing really seems to be documented, but I 
think it's worth discussing. Of course if anybody reading this knows more 
about how the DSP works....


4. CD Player

Another longer term one - but if they can do this in KOS, I am sure it can be 
done in Linux


5. MIDI

I have compiled Timidity, and it runs, but won't output any sound :-<


Has anybody else got anything in mind?


Adrian