efika mx smarttop

[vbmithr]

I’ve discussed quite a lot with some Genesi developers. Here is some things I’ve learnt:

* Basically, iMX515 is supported by linux mainline, except for mtl017 (lcd controller on the smartbook) and siihdmi (hdmi controller in the efikamx smarttop). For now, smartbook users can’t use their screen with the last kernels… for smasttop users their hdmi controler. Apart from that, it would work. They are working on including those missing bits on the mainline kernel branch, to "get that fixed once for all".

* This doesn’t include 3d driver and video acceleration. For that, basically, it’s closed source, they are not (Genesi) allowed to distribute the source, though they have it and thus can package it. Basically, they support Ubuntu and debian (unofficially for debian), so this is working of those distros, with a specific kernel 2.6.31.14.27-efikamx that can be found on github.

* Consequences of that: the xf86-video-imx package is useless on arch, since it’s tied to a proprietary lib (libkgsl) that arch have not (and cannot have, unless genesi would support archlinux which they probably won’t do). It works quite OK with fbdev though, 2d perf is totally acceptable for normal use.

* The linux-imx kernel in arch is then probably working (possibly with the issues explained above, the screen and the hdmi controller). I plan to test that to be sure about it.

To have the 3d working and possibly a bit of video acceleration on arch, the only way is to use the -efikamx kernel, and install all their .debs on archlinux somehow…

[vbmithr]

And no, the linux-imx5 kernel is not working on Efika MX smartbook (Probably because of the LCD-panel).
Would be worth trying on the smartTOP.

[WarheadsSE]

Agreed that the smartbook doesn't support the LCD at this time, but what about serial access, or netcat? (either way it's not going to be usable as a smartbook.)

Using deb's on Arch isn't impossible, just manual

[CPUnltd]

I'm sure that an AUR package could be built with the support necessary to cover the missing items until they can be officially supported within Arch and Genesi... At least I would hope so.

[WarheadsSE]

Should be possible indeed

[CPUnltd]

to be more specific, an AUR package COULD be made to allow an eula to be agreed to before downloading source and building the package for "proper use" of the device's video features (and can be placed on a remaster of Arch, if one is made, for the efika systems) with that disclaimer/popup on first login and/or setup within the AUR install process. I've seen such done in the past with the proprietary flash drivers, if I'm not mistaken.

[vbmithr]

What is possible is to get the .deb, extract their content, put the things in the right place for archlinux. And do AUR packages that do that. I think I’ll try, it’s worth trying.

[WarheadsSE]

That's the exact thing I was thinking, but he does have a point about the license.

[CPUnltd]

as long as the license part is taken care of (some form of y/n argument setup, maybe even a weblink to the actual license) in the "refined" form of the AUR package, there should be no backlash... releasing an AUR package without it may not be detrimental, as long as work is being put in to include some way to have the end user agree to something before the actual download/install happens... There may be some pkgs still floating around like that.

[asdil12]

I wrote a small tutorial and created an imx5-rootfs and boot-fs based on the omap-fs and the preinstalled ubuntu-kernel:

http://heidler.eu/blog/arch-efikamx