Hi.

So from the (mostly valid) arguments I gathered in this thread, it would be real cool to have two things:

1. A documentation of the .upgrade file format that allows the creation of kernel/logo-only upgrades (custom kernels and/or custom logos). This should be fair enough (keeping support requests low for the guys@empeg while allowing the main thing we would need such an image for).


2. An API along with "plugin" specifications that allow installation of third party software on the empeg, with detailed limits as to what areas of the partition these extensions are written to, when they may be started, and how to integrate them with empeg (the player software).

I think the first is clear to everyone reading this (if not: ask). Let me explain the second a bit more:
I think there are basically two types of possible third party extensions to empeg:

1. Plugins for the player (probably input decoders, visuals, ...)


2. "Standalone" software that needs to be executed outside the player (like navigation software, httpd, ...)

For the first type, we need an API to interact with the player in certain ways (get input file, write output wave to D/A the audio output stream, ...), for the second we need an API to access certain parts of the hardware (like serial port (or future extension ports, see other thread about multiple extensions), wave format output, screen output etc). Both might need a way to exchange data during sync, so Palm desktop/hotsync alike conduits should be doable, which means we also need an API/protocol specification on the PC (including Mac) side of the sync.
Anyway, I must say that though documentation is available on how to output to the screen, output wave audio (actually 16bit raw), etc., I think we should implement an API for the empeg hardware that allows easier application development. Furthermore, we should find a way on what a software that is installed on the empeg might or might not do (like writing to disk, file/device locking,...).
As far as a more advanced development environment on the empeg is concerned, we will have to live with tarballs for now, I guess.

Now which forum does this belong in? technical, programming, wishlist? I will leave it here for now.

cu,
sven