Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
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Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#2Out of interest, what logic analyzer/logic analyzer software is the author using?
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#3Really interesting writeup. Might be fun to try something similar with some old devices I have.
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#4Out of interest, what logic analyzer/logic analyzer software is the author using?
Looks like sigrok[0]. From the screenshots, the logic analyzer looks similar to a saleae clone.
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#5Out of interest, what logic analyzer/logic analyzer software is the author using?
Looks like sigrok[0]. From the screenshots, the logic analyzer looks similar to a saleae clone. [0]: https://sigrok.org/wiki/Main_Page
... and if you're not aware, Saleae clones are widely available on e.g. Amazon, prices before shipping seem to start around $7 in the US. This is possible since the original Saleae is basically just a CY7C68013A [1] in a box, and once others realized that cloning it was not difficult. No idea about patents and so on here, obviously it's not OK for clones to use Saleae's firmware without licensing it.
I have one, it worked fine and is of course highly recommended since the combination of a cheap way to get signals into the computer and Sigrok's protocol analyzers makes things really neat.
[1]: https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/universal-serial-bus...
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#6Very cool, I wish I could do this sort of thing.
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#7I struggle to think of what purpose a device that wasn’t meant to be a Linux computer would realistically serve beyond nefarious goals.
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#8I struggle to think of what purpose a device that wasn’t meant to be a Linux computer would realistically serve beyond nefarious goals.
Running Linux is the goal. It might be useful if you want to drive a TV, say. And of course, since it already runs Android, it's pretty close to "intended to run Linux" to start with.
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#9I struggle to think of what purpose a device that wasn’t meant to be a Linux computer would realistically serve beyond nefarious goals.
Plenty of applications for a Linux box that aren't "nefarious". Maybe digital signage, or backup server, to name two.
Re: Turning a TV set-top box into a Linux computer (2022)
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Looks like sigrok[0]. From the screenshots, the logic analyzer looks similar to a saleae clone. [0]: https://sigrok.org/wiki/Main_Page
... and if you're not aware, Saleae clones are widely available on e.g. Amazon, prices before shipping seem to start around $7 in the US. This is possible since the original Saleae is basically just a CY7C68013A [1] in a box, and once others realized that cloning it was not difficult. No idea about patents and so on here, obviously it's not OK for clones to use Saleae's firmware without licensing it. I have one, it w…
I had a clone once upon a time, together with several Saleaes and have recommended them to many many people, and that clone was not accurate to me. While the chip and the firmware was probably exactly the same as the original one, the rest of the hardware was cost minimized and did not work as well. I compared. The clone must have had capacitive coupling or something, since signals was often slightly delayed in unpredictable ways. Eg, a bit here and there could be shifted early or late, which is kind of bad when you work on protocols or timing.