Reading P2 in Linux

[Chris Ribe]

I’m interested in solving the same problem. I’d really like to find out what is inside the P2 card, but I’m not yet ready to sacrifice one of mine for the cause.

I don’t suppose anybody has a dead P2 card they would like to dissect, or better yet, knows what components can be found inside of one?

-chris

[Dylan Reeve]

There are some photos on the web – can’t remember where though… There should be quite a few pretty much unused 4GB cards around.

[Dylan Reeve]

There are some photos on the web – can’t remember where though… There should be quite a few pretty much unused 4GB cards around.

[Benedikt Guðnason]

If I remember correctly ,not so long time ago I had to update the software on my HVX-200 so it could read the “new” 16 GB cards at the time.

that update is available on Panasonic’s website.

Its a few files put on a SD card and then
you do some menu trix to get the camera to read the update.

if the HVX is running Linux, then the update
must have been a driver for the “new” 16 GB cards 🙂

has anybody looked the update ?

[Benedikt Guðnason]

I got this little itch after last post that I just could not ignore.

I got my self that update from Pan#– website and started to
de#ompress and de#ompile the whole lot.

It’s not just a driver in there, The whole Linux firmware is
there with most of the configuration, images, DRIVERS, etc…

filelist
netboot-1st.binary
netboot1.binary
netboot2.binary
vmlinux.bin
rootfs.image
home.image
vmlinux-vup.bin
ramdisk.gz
vup.sh
vup2.sh
tx.bin
txvups.bin
txvupe.bin
txvup.sh

There are tons interesting things in these files.

Here’s a thought, a bad thought :
The P2 driver may wherry well be compiled for what ewer CPU is in
the camera (haven’t looked that up yet). In that case getting it
to work on say, INTEL CPU, requires some creative thinking.

one way would be to de#ompile the code and the re#ompile it for
that CPU.

DON’T EVEN THINK FOR A SEC THAT IT IS A SIMPLE TASK TO DO !!!
it may not even be possible (hardware dependency) etc…

But lets at lest have a look at the code first before jumping
at any conclusions.

It’s getting late here. I have to wake up for work to morrow.

But lot of things are boggling my mind at the moment :

1. Could we finally get the Famously illusive framrate control
on the menu ? from 2fps to 50-60fps ?

2. On first glance there seems to be a NET2280 driver in there.
That could probably mean that the USB chip is a NET2280.
https://www.semiconductorstore.com/pdf/newsite/plx/NET2280_PB.pdf

3. could I then just put my hvx200 in USB host mode and just plug in
a keyboard ? try to make the Linux give me another terminal ?
Have to read some more code and try to see where if any terminal
output is available. usb2serial ?

4. How about we just put in some drivers for PCMCIA’s WiFi card in
there ? That would be nice, off loading wirelessly. Or better
having a digital wireless video monitor bouncing some distance
on wifi routers and IP network, that would be COOL.

I’m obviously getting tired, I’m getting crazy ideas.

Does anyone know of any HVX-200 with say a broken lens, but still
working otherwise ? Would love to get may hands on one for
a nominal fee, to be able tinker with the code with out regrets.

I just buzzed a friend of mine with these ideas of mine and he got
weary interested, we are going to spend some of our free time
digging into these things.

Even though we are experienced programmers with knowledge in Linux
and firmware coding, I cannot make any promises !
Shooting video is a hobby of mine !
I have a real job as a system administrator for a medium-sized firm
where half the staffs are programmers.

It’s relay late,

To do : extract files from romfs images.

Until then, Good night ……

[Nathan Fain]

Benedikt, I just dug into the same ditch as you. Lets combine efforts! look for me on gtalk or skype (cyphunkish on skype, cyphunk at gmail on gtalk). Here was my first dump:
https://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?p=1688725

BTW, the .config file of the kernel seems to indicate that the CPU is a SH4 subtype SH7751

[Nathan Fain]

I’ve extracted the RomFS images and detailed how to do. I’ve also dissected much of the firmware looking for low-hanging fruit / targets ripe for reverse engineering. I’ve detailed it here:
https://deadhacker.com/2009/07/26/targeting-the-panasonic-hvx200-hd-camera/
Would love help or comments either here or on the blog.