Pxtools for Linux : first version, please try it !

Hi,

I have been very sick and did not make a lot of progress For the moment, Sourceforge moderators have not replied yet. We still don't know who this takeshima is.
I shall release a new 0.0.3 version soon with jitter/beta test. I think we can still try to deposit the project on Sourceforge anyway. But in case of extorsion attempt, we have backup solutions.

Hello!
First of all: I've been watching this board since December (I got my PX-716A in december).
I'm a Linux-user, too and I'm very glad, that the advanced Scan-Features are now available under Linux!

Oh... Your project is already viewable in sourceforge: http://sourceforge.net/projects/pxscan/

Oh.. A little Question: Why can't I use a avatar?
I have one on my webspace... It's 60x60 and 4,7 KB small...

EDIT: OK... I had to upload it to the board...

Yup, but that troll "takeshima" is a problem...

Sure, that's why we need the answer of moderators who have - maybe - a longer message with a signature.

Anything new about that troll?
I've seen, that the Status of his "Support Request" is now "Closed"...
Does that mean, that everything's allright now?

Hi,
I am not sure about this one. I think we will carry on with Sourceforge and see how it turns. A moderator asks : "To deal with this, we would need a formal DMCA request, sent via standard channels". I am quite reluctant about that. First, because I am not based in US, so the DCMA does not apply for me (however, Sourceforge servers are based in US indeed). Second, because the DCMA prevents any circumvention of crypted data, and this work does not decrypt anything, and moreover is an obvious interoperability work, which is allowed under the DCMA.

Funny thing : Plextor has just announced a Free (as in free-speech, licensed as GPL) SDK for Linux for their Convertix PVR : http://www.plextor.com/english/news/...inuxPVR_pr.htm
"Plextor is strongly committed to supporting the Open Source Software movement with free development tools that help speed the creation of next-generation Linux-based video software," said Dirk Peters, director of marketing, Plextor."

I hope this is still valid when it comes to get support for their burning devices.

Tomorrow I shall release a 0.0.3 version with the jitter beta test and upload it.

EDIT : Alex, what is your opinion ?
- either we drop Sourceforge and chose another repository
- either we continue with it... but have no clue of what a DCMA formal request is (in terms of paperwork and liability).

OK guys, I have uploaded the version 0.0.3:
http://www.ebi.ac.uk/~efernand/pxlin...-latest.tar.gz

There is now a changelog
I have added the jitter/beta test:


The use is similar:
./jitterbeta /dev/dvd [interval] > filename
you obtain a filename that contains the data.
Then : ./plotjb.py filename

The green graph around 0 is the beta value.
The jitter value is in red and presented so that 0 equals 900 (and scale is reverted, 200 would be 700, and so on...)

The paperwork about a DCMA request is up to that troll. If I read the sourceforge pages about DCMA requests correctly, it is pretty much impossible that such a troll could ever make one.

It would only be a problem if that troll were indeed trolling on behalf of Plextor Japan.

You are right. I guess the moderator was kind of fed up and wanted to make a "standard" answer. Now Plextor seems to have contradictory messages about Linux. Let's hope that their commitment to Open Source announcement is not PR bullshit then. This announcement was reported on Slashdot and had a very good effect.

Alex, can you mirror pxlinux-0.0.3.tar.gz on your site please ?

already done

Cheers.

So do I upload in Sourceforge ? I am upset to not know who has complained actually. It could be anyone... If there is a new complain, there will always be the possibility to shut it down and move to a European repository. The advantage of Sourceforge is its popularity.

Yup, I'd say upload it

For the moment Sourceforge is slow and I have to read some docs about their organisation. But I upload asap.

Hi, tks for the work
Just a question - maybe a stupid one - when you refer 712/716 models does it mean the code is specific for those models or can we use it also with 708A? I don't know if there is a difference in the way these machines get the commands.
Tks

I have never tried to send those commands to a PX708... i've only tried to send the TA scan command to a PX712, which resulted in an error

Unfortunately pif and pisum8 gives me a segfault...
I ran it gives me following (useless) output:
All other Tests (ta, jittebeta) are running fine!
Great work!


EDIT:
I forgot: I have the following system:

1333 MHz Athlon TBird
ASUS A7V-133 Motherboard
512 MB non-DDR SD-RAM (133 MHz CL2, Infineon)
PX-716A TLA-0202 fw 1.04u

OS: Gentoo Linux (Kernel 2.6.10)

Should I post further Informations?

Hi Mr_Maniac,

What are your gcc and glibc versions ?
I am worried by your warning message:

warning: Unable to find dynamic linker breakpoint function.
GDB will be unable to debug shared library initializers
and track explicitly loaded dynamic code.

GCC 3.4.3 20050110
glibc 2.3.4 20040808-r1

This warnig comes with every program...
But most of them work flawlessly...

Can you try updating them and report ?
Your glibc may not be final, or contain a bad patch. However, probably there is something dirty in my code.

---

Last edited by zeb_; 10-03-2005 at 15:43.

Hi all !

I have uploaded the new package pxlinux-0.0.4 in Sourceforge (it differs very slightly from 0.0.3, only some minor bugs have been corrected). I will shut down very soon the downloads from my personal site then.
The sourceforge site is https://sourceforge.net/projects/pxscan/

I would like to thank, once again, all the people who helped me, tested the software, especially Alexander Noe who released his code under a free license. Since it is free software, you can freely participate to its development, and any good will will be welcomed. If you want to participate, just drop me a mail/personal message on the sourceforge site, I shall add you as a project developer.

Thanx, for the upgrade, still a little hard to start it, any chance in getting a good gui?
Do you guys have any idea about a dvdshrink a like program on linux, I heard of ldvd but can't get it to install properly.

You might want to consider making it *BSD compatible so a larger audience can use it and even those running OS X (?).
//Danne

Okay... Now even pisum8 and pif are working!
I think it only could've been the headers or the devfs (changed to udev).
There were some headers in the wrong locations... I've fixed this...
Today I recompiled pxscan for linux and it's working fine!

Any news about that troll?

I haven't heard anything