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README: FC Citrine is retired, supplanted by FC Selenite
author Mychaela Falconia <falcon@freecalypso.org>
date Sat, 28 Jul 2018 17:37:41 +0000
parents ef5376a04b8c
children 908742e46a7f
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46:38cf7fa65976 47:3ba0351942e1
1 You are looking at the source tree for FreeCalypso Citrine, which is one of the 1 You are looking at the source tree for FreeCalypso Citrine, which is the final
2 several Calypso GSM firmware offerings developed under the FreeCalypso umbrella. 2 state of our first attempt at gcc-built FreeCalypso modem firmware, the first
3 The key distinguishing features of FC Citrine are: 3 attempt that started in late 2013 (then called simply FreeCalypso GSM fw) and
4 was deemed a dead end in late 2016 (then named FC Citrine).
4 5
5 * The firmware is built from full source, no blobs; 6 FC Citrine firmware project is now retired and will not receive any further
6 * The compiler used to build the fw is gcc (free software) instead of TI's 7 development or support; it is now fully supplanted by the newer FreeCalypso
7 proprietary compiler; 8 Selenite firmware:
8 * The way in which the firmware is put together is "from the bottom up".
9 9
10 Our Citrine firmware can be built for the following targets: 10 https://bitbucket.org/falconian/fc-selenite
11 11
12 FreeCalypso FCDEV3B 12 FC Selenite offers the option of compiling either with TI's original TMS470
13 Mot C11x/12x 13 compiler or with gcc; when built with gcc, FC Selenite does not contain any
14 Mot C139/140 14 blobs and is no less free than FC Citrine. However, the configuration and
15 Mot C155/156 15 build system of FC Selenite has been derived from FC Magnetite, and is very
16 Openmoko GTA01/02 16 different from FC Citrine.
17 Pirelli DP-L10
18 17
19 However, only minimal functionality is implemented so far: whichever target 18 FC Citrine does not contain any code for CSD, fax or GPRS support (only voice
20 device you are using, it can only function as an AT-command-controlled voice+SMS 19 and SMS are supported), and it also omits the infrastructure for driving various
21 pseudo-modem; because there is no UI code integrated yet, the LCD stays dark 20 Calypso DSP-based audio services, functionality that was considered mandatory
22 and the buttons do nothing on those target devices that have such hardware. 21 and always included in TI's original TCS211 fw. OTOH, FC Selenite retains the
23 No CSD, fax or GPRS support has been integrated yet either, and in general this 22 full architecture and functionality of TCS211, including CSD, fax, GPRS, audio
24 Citrine firmware does NOT exhibit the level of functionality and stability 23 services and L1 test modes, and CSD and audio functions already work in the
25 offered by our production quality Magnetite fw. 24 gcc-built version, providing a functionality increase over Citrine. (GPRS is
25 currently broken in Selenite-gcc as of this writing.)
26 26
27 Please refer to the write-ups in the doc directory for instructions on how to 27 FC Citrine has been unmaintained since 2016-10; there have been many new
28 compile and play with this firmware. 28 developments since then, including loudspeaker and MCSI digital voice interface
29 control on our FCDEV3B platform and better support for the legacy Compal and
30 Pirelli targets (more proper RF operation, battery charging and automatic
31 power-off on host disconnection); these new developments are available in our
32 newer Magnetite and Selenite firmwares, but not in Citrine.
29 33
30 Citrine vs. Magnetite 34 There are only a few features in Citrine which have not been replicated in our
31 ===================== 35 Magnetite or Selenite firmwares yet; these features *can* be replicated in FC
36 Selenite, but there has been insufficient justification so far for expending
37 the necessary effort:
32 38
33 The following table lists the major differences between our two current 39 * FC Citrine supports the Motorola C155/156 target; FC Selenite currently
34 FreeCalypso firmware offerings: 40 supports only C11x/12x and C139/140. Mot C155/156 phones are not very common,
41 much less common than the other two subfamilies, and in any case the proper
42 way forward is our own FreeCalypso hardware, not hacking Mot C1xx phones of
43 any variant.
35 44
36 Feature Citrine Magnetite 45 * FC Citrine supports an FFS-in-RAM hack; FC Selenite requires the FFS to be in
46 flash just like FC Magnetite and all of TI's original firmwares. Citrine's
47 FFS-in-RAM hack is only useful on the C155/156 target (see the previous point)
48 and on the Pirelli DP-L10, thus it is ultimately deprecated when we see our
49 own FreeCalypso hw as the proper way forward.
37 50
38 Support for Mot/Compal All 3 subfamilies: C139/140 only 51 * FC Citrine supports a special hack for tapping voice TCH (traffic channel)
39 targets C11x/12x, C139/140, 52 bits with FR and EFR speech codecs (but very notably not with AMR) - see the
40 C155/156 53 doc/TCH-special-feature write-up. This functionality has been implemented as
41 54 a paid-for feature for some folks who were working in some highly unusual
42 Source/blob status Full source Still has some blobs 55 environment, but because the underlying DSP mechanism does not work with AMR,
43 56 its usefulness for the general public community is very dubious. In the
44 Compiler toolchain gcc TI's proprietary 57 Mother's opinion, it does not make sense to port this TCH hack to our newer
45 58 Magnetite and Selenite firmwares unless we also implement some way to force
46 GSM MS functionality Voice and SMS only Voice, SMS, CSD, fax 59 the use of FR or EFR codecs on a per-call basis, or at least per GSM network
47 and GPRS 60 connection session, so that our mobile station fw would work in AMR mode
48 61 normally, but go into FR-only or FR&EFR-only restricted operation when the
49 Overall functionality Experimental Production 62 user wishes to play with the TCH rerouting special feature.
50 and quality
51
52 The current main focus in the FreeCalypso family of projects is on producing
53 new Calypso-based GSM+GPRS modem products of full commercial quality and
54 functionality, hence our primary firmware focus is currently on Magnetite.
55
56 Citrine firmware is not currently receiving active new development, but it is
57 maintained primarily for the purpose of winning users over from OsmocomBB: the
58 limited GSM MS functionality (voice and SMS only) matches our competitor's
59 offering, the blob-free status and the use of gcc are expected to be in line
60 with the interests of that user population, and all 3 Mot C1xx subfamilies are
61 supported.