Re: Linux 2.6.9-ac3

[Gergely Nagy <algernon@bonehunter.rulez.org>]

On Fri, 2004-10-22 at 14:34 +0200, Xavier Bestel wrote:
> Luc Saillard <luc@saillard.org> wrote:
> > On Fri, Oct 22, 2004 at 10:13:35AM +0200, Luca Risolia wrote:
> > > > o       Restore PWC driver                              (Luc Saillard)
> > > 
> > > This driver does decompression in kernel space, which is not
> > > allowed. That part has to be removed from the driver before
> > > asking for the inclusion in the mainline kernel.
> > 
> > I know this problem, but without a user API like ALSA, each driver need to
> > implement the decompression module. When the driver will support v4l2, we can
> > return the compressed stream to the user land. I want a v4l3, which is
> > designed as ALSA does for soundcard, with a API for userland and kernelland.
> 
> Why not use gstreamer as a userland API ? You deliver compressed video
> through v4l2, then write a decompression plugin specific to your
> chipset.

gstreamer might work for your average desktop application, and a
gstreamer plugin for this might be very handy indeed. However, there are
setups where gstreamer is just too bloated, and there's no way I could
squeeze it on the box's filesystem (think in the 8-16Mb range for
available space).

A small decoding library and a gstreamer plugin on top of that would be
the best solution, I think.

However, until there's such a thing, Luc's driver works fine for me and
my employer.

(Also, keep in mind that PWC thingies are pretty common in some circles,
and owners of these devices would like to see a working driver now.
Instead of a perfect one a year from now. Therefore, the driver staging
in the -ac tree is a very good thing, imho.)

-- 
Gergely Nagy