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Rockbox mail archiveSubject: Re: The IAudio Saga, was RE: question to all blind rockboxersRe: The IAudio Saga, was RE: question to all blind rockboxers
From: Bluechip <csbluechip_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 16:33:13 +0100 In case it helpes ...Fast error messages can be recorded on a video-camera or most telephones nowdays - you can then freeze-frame to read the message :) BC At 16:10 18/05/2007, you wrote: >This all started back about a month ago. I reinstalled several times, >including flashing the bootloader. Basically it seems to not hold a charge >in the battery, and sometimes we get errors but they flash across too fast >for our sighted friend to be able to read them. I'm not sure if any >significant changes have been made to the iaudio version of rockbox lately, >but I can try reinstalling again and see if it helps at all. So far though, >the most we get is the rockbox flash screen, then the unit just shuts down. > > >-----Original Message----- >From: rockbox-bounces_at_cool.haxx.se >[mailto:rockbox-bounces_at_cool.haxx.se]On Behalf Of Paul Erkens >Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 8:45 AM >To: Rockbox >Subject: Re: question to all blind rockboxers > > >Christy, > >Did you try to reinstall with a newer version of rockbox? If the unit is >useless for you now, and there is no warranty anymore, it won't harm to try. > >If you did, how far did you get? Won't it boot up anymore? What happens if >you attach the I Audio to your pc on USB and then turn it on? If you can get > >to its hard disk, you can try to reinstall and have a precious device again. > >Paul. >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Christy Schulte" <christy_at_faylen.com> >To: "Rockbox" <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se> >Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 3:17 PM >Subject: RE: question to all blind rockboxers > > > > Knowing how to install isn't the problem. It's just that, after our > > previous > > experience of getting an IAudio, installing Rockbox, only to find it isn't > > working and now the warranty is voided because we did this, we're a bit > > nervous about buying another unit. As it is, I'm not sure what to do with > > the one we already have. By the way, I'm Amy's roommate. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: rockbox-bounces_at_cool.haxx.se > > [mailto:rockbox-bounces_at_cool.haxx.se]On Behalf Of Paul Erkens > > Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 8:04 AM > > To: Rockbox > > Subject: Re: question to all blind rockboxers > > > > > > Hi Clement, > > > > You or I could help Amy install Rockbox on a regular I Audio x5, once she > > buys herself one, over skype. It's not that hard. I have done it to a > > friend's Iriver too, and my own I audio was even easier. Amy, drop me a > > note > > > > if you want some step by step help. > > > > Paul. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <chou.clement_at_gmail.com> > > To: "Rockbox" <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se> > > Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 5:14 AM > > Subject: Re: question to all blind rockboxers > > > > > >> Well, a question, on Amy's behalf. Does anyone have an IAudio with > >> rockbox > > > >> installed and operating that they could sell for a low price? > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "Amy" <amy_at_faylen.com> > >> To: "Rockbox" <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se> > >> Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 6:24 PM > >> Subject: Re: question to all blind rockboxers > >> > >> > >>>I wish I could get mine working. Still waiting to look for a decent price > >>>on eBay. I would prefer one with rockbox installed already, but I'm > >>>thinking it very unlikely at this point. sigh > >>> > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: <chou.clement_at_gmail.com> > >>> To: "Rockbox" <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se> > >>> Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 6:03 PM > >>> Subject: Re: question to all blind rockboxers > >>> > >>> > >>>> Actually, just one minor correction if I may, Paul. The fourth whole on > >>>> the subpack as you described is not a line jack. Rather, it's not a > >>>> line > > > >>>> out jack. It's actually a line in / out jack, ad I believe it can be > >>>> changed via the firmware and settings. The other jack that is right > >>>> next > > > >>>> to your usb is actually a remote jack. And the slit's purpose is > >>>> unknown > > > >>>> right below the headphone jack. Under the slit is actually a piece of > >>>> plastic, which reveals the USB 1.1 OTG port. If you feel carefully, you > >>>> will feel something that is not quite smooth. It should be noticible.. > >>>> I > > > >>>> Thought it was the internal microphone, but you don't want to get that > >>>> mistaken... that's where you said it was. Just a few things I thought I > >>>> would point out. > >>>> > >>>> Best, > >>>> Clement. > >>>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>>> From: "Paul Erkens" <pjealt_at_xs4all.nl> > >>>> To: "Rockbox" <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se> > >>>> Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 3:48 PM > >>>> Subject: question to all blind rockboxers > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>> Hi, > >>>>> > >>>>> Since I got my IAudio x5, I really had a whole bunch of stuff to > >>>>> learn. > > > >>>>> I was rather a novice. The information on the net aimed directly at > >>>>> blind people is there to some degree, and that's wonderful already. > >>>>> But > > > >>>>> it is not very extensive up till now. > >>>>> I'm writing a document right now, from which other blind folks can > >>>>> learn what I had to learn. I started writing this afternoon, and I'd > >>>>> like to know from you guys out here, if you think I should do it > >>>>> differently, keep going this way, or leave it altogether because I'm > >>>>> completely wrong. > >>>>> > >>>>> If any of you cares to take a look at my first attempts, I am pasting > >>>>> it below. If the reactions are okay and I can get it finished in the > >>>>> near future, I'm planning to send it off to the rockbox team, and see > >>>>> if they find it useful enough to place it on their site for other > >>>>> blind > > > >>>>> adventurous souls to use. Rockbox is made by very knowledgeable > >>>>> people, > > > >>>>> but introductory docs for the unknowing like myself, I haven't found > >>>>> so > > > >>>>> far. Would you as a blind reader find this a useful document? > >>>>> Especially the section describing the IAudio mp3 player itself. > >>>>> > >>>>> Comments welcome. It is my first attempt to write it, unfinished nor > >>>>> polished. I'm not a native English speaker. I just want to know if I'm > >>>>> on the right track to really make a difference when I get it done. I'd > >>>>> like to contribute my little bit. > >>>>> --- > >>>>> Guide for the blind: rockbox on your IAudio x5 mp3 player. > >>>>> > >>>>> Contents ideas: > >>>>> ======== > >>>>> introduction > >>>>> What are we talking about? > >>>>> -walkmans and accessibility > >>>>> -what is mp3 really? > >>>>> Description of the IAudio x5 > >>>>> Hearing the demos on the unit > >>>>> an explanation of firmware > >>>>> what is rockbox for us? > >>>>> How the speech system works > >>>>> About the files to download and what they do > >>>>> > >>>>> Introduction > >>>>> > >>>>> Welcome. This guide is intended for blind folks, wanting to have an > >>>>> accessible mp3 player. I am blind myself, and from the directions on > >>>>> the internet, I finally managed to get rockbox to work on my player. > >>>>> The information I needed was not bundled in one place, and most > >>>>> documents were very brief. Now that I have my own player going and now > >>>>> that I've seen how great rockbox just is for us once it's running, I > >>>>> want to share my knowledge and experience with you, so you don't have > >>>>> to invent the wheel again. > >>>>> > >>>>> In short, if you already know what an mp3 walkman is: with rockbox, > >>>>> you > > > >>>>> can now navigate almost all menus, configure almost all options and do > >>>>> almost anything a sighted user is capable of, using the display screen > >>>>> on the unit. New functions and possibilities are added constantly, and > >>>>> what you can't do today, may be possible next week. Rockbox makes your > >>>>> mp3 player talk, so you will know what you are doing as you operate > >>>>> its > > > >>>>> controls. That is what rockbox is all about for blind people. A work > >>>>> in > > > >>>>> progress, already working on many different mp3 players, talking to > >>>>> you, and improving continuously. > >>>>> > >>>>> This is not a technical document, because I'm not technically inclined > >>>>> myself. I will explain what you are required to do, why you must do > >>>>> it, > > > >>>>> and in our case without vision: how it should be done. > >>>>> > >>>>> I can only describe the procedure for the IAudio x5 mp3 player. Other > >>>>> players, I don't have any experience with so far. If you have > >>>>> something > > > >>>>> other than the IAudio x5, this document will provide you with > >>>>> background information so you will understand what's up, but the > >>>>> specific installation details for other players than the IAudio x5 are > >>>>> not covered here. > >>>>> > >>>>> We will begin by providing you with some useful background > >>>>> information. > > > >>>>> Only read it if you're interested. We will discuss audio compression, > >>>>> and similar background topics. Then, we'll dive into describing the > >>>>> IAudio x5 unit, showing you how to get started with rockbox. > >>>>> > >>>>> In many cases, I will refer to the IAudio x5 rockbox manual on the > >>>>> rockbox site. This document is an addition just to get you started; > >>>>> It's by no means a replacement for anything. > >>>>> > >>>>> If you have any suggestions for this document, please write me at > >>>>> pjealt_at_xs4all.nl. I can't provide support for general rockbox > >>>>> problems, > > > >>>>> because all I do is write and maintain this document. Please write me > >>>>> only if you think an important concept is missing from this document. > >>>>> > >>>>> What are we talking about? > >>>>> ===================== > >>>>> > >>>>> So, what are we talking about in this document in the first place? > >>>>> Simply put: until rockbox came, we did not have good access to digital > >>>>> walkmans. But now we do. If you buy yourself an x5 walkman from > >>>>> IAudio, > > > >>>>> this document tells you how to set it up for yourself, so that it > >>>>> talks > > > >>>>> to you as you operate it. > >>>>> > >>>>> walkmans and accessibility > >>>>> > >>>>> If you like music, talking books, radio plays or other forms of > >>>>> recorded audio, it is great to have a mobile device, on which the > >>>>> audio > > > >>>>> you want to listen to is stored. When I was young, I used to have one > >>>>> of the first walkman players that could play cassette tapes. It > >>>>> weighed > > > >>>>> almost two American pounds, which is near to 1 kilo gram in European > >>>>> measurement. It required six pen light batteries, it had head phones > >>>>> attached, the batteries lasted less than two hours, and I was > >>>>> extremely > > > >>>>> proud to walk around with that brick. But after two months of > >>>>> intensive > > > >>>>> use, the tape started to slow down, the sound became bad and I did > >>>>> away > > > >>>>> with it finally. Not only had the player been expensive, but it wore > >>>>> out pretty quickly. > >>>>> > >>>>> These days, walkmans have improved dramatically. The music is no > >>>>> longer > > > >>>>> stored on cassette tapes but on different media. The modern media are > >>>>> digital in nature. How digital audio works exactly, falls outside the > >>>>> scope of this document. The advantage of using digitally stored audio > >>>>> in your walkman is however, that its sound quality is much better. > >>>>> Besides, it is now much easier to instantly play a song of your > >>>>> liking. > > > >>>>> You don't have to change tapes and cue back and forth, to find the > >>>>> song > > > >>>>> you want to hear. Instead, you navigate through your collection using > >>>>> a > > > >>>>> small display screen on the walkman, to find and play it. > >>>>> > >>>>> And here is our problem. If you can't read the display on the unit, > >>>>> you > > > >>>>> won't be able to access most of its functions and settings. These > >>>>> devices become more and more menu based, with logical categories in > >>>>> which you can find the option you want to tweak. Absolutely fabulous > >>>>> for sighted people, but by far not for us. You know how computers are > >>>>> made accessible though. The screen is read to us by an electronic > >>>>> voice, and because of that, we can navigate our files, do text > >>>>> processing and many other computer tasks, even including installing > >>>>> windows XP without sighted assistance. If you are determined, that is. > >>>>> > >>>>> Generally, most manufacturers of modern digital equipment don't really > >>>>> adapt their stuff such, that people with disabilities can make good > >>>>> use > > > >>>>> of them. We can get along some by memorizing key stroke sequences, but > >>>>> modern devices have become way too complex. This meant, that the > >>>>> pleasure of digital walkmans was only available for us if we didn't > >>>>> demand too much. You could buy yourself one, but only 20% or so of its > >>>>> functions that you payed for, will be usable for you. > >>>>> > >>>>> Well: no more. Thanks to the time and effort spent by the rockbox > >>>>> team, > > > >>>>> we now have the possibility to use these modern walkmans, and not just > >>>>> that. We can also make a well informed choice among the different > >>>>> models on which it runs. Rockbox won't work on all modern walkmans, > >>>>> but > > > >>>>> more are added over time and what these people have achieved so far, > >>>>> is > > > >>>>> impressive. Just take a look on the rockbox site, and see which mp3 > >>>>> walkmans are already currently supported. Go to your local dealer and > >>>>> get yourself one from that list. > >>>>> > >>>>> What is mp3 really? > >>>>> > >>>>> Next, we need to understand what mp3 really is. Mp3 is not a walkman, > >>>>> a > > > >>>>> player, nor a dvd feature. Mp3 is a file format. Let's see what this > >>>>> means. > >>>>> > >>>>> A file on your computer is something you will be familiar with. A file > >>>>> can contain a letter or other text, it could contain a picture, and > >>>>> likewise a file on your computer can also contain audio. If you play > >>>>> an > > > >>>>> audio file on your computer, you will hear the sound from the file out > >>>>> of your pc speakers. There are a number of different audio file types > >>>>> that are currently used throughout the world. Simply put, there are > >>>>> only two basic types of audio files: compressed, and uncompressed. > >>>>> Let's talk about what this means. > >>>>> > >>>>> On a regular audio cd, audio is stored plainly. The original sound has > >>>>> been encoded into small groups of digits: ones and zeroes, and these > >>>>> are stored on the compact disk. It is possible to have your computer's > >>>>> cd or dvd drive read that digital audio information off the cd, and > >>>>> storing it in regular computer files on your hard drive. This process > >>>>> is called "ripping a cd", i.e. copying the audio data over from the cd > >>>>> on to your computer's hard disk. > >>>>> > >>>>> However, a simple cd contains an enormous amount of data. If we speak > >>>>> in megabytes, a cd contains roughly 800 megabytes worth of audio data. > >>>>> Once you have the contents of your cd inside your computer, you can > >>>>> hook up your digital walkman to it, and then transfer those files. > >>>>> > >>>>> You should be aware however, that the storage capacity of your digital > >>>>> walkman is usually quite limited, if you compare it to the capacity of > >>>>> your computer's hard disk. Audio, in its plain form, is quite big. > >>>>> When > > > >>>>> digital walkmans first came to market, we had devices that could > >>>>> contain 32 megabytes max. Now if you realise that in plain storage > >>>>> format, an audio file eats up 10 megabytes for every minute of music, > >>>>> you will understand that in these players, there was only room for a > >>>>> song of about 3 minutes in length, and obviously, you want more music > >>>>> in your walkman than just one little song. > >>>>> > >>>>> Two things have been done to overcome this problem. First, a group of > >>>>> clever people invented a method of reducing the size of regular audio > >>>>> files down to a tenth of what they used to be. This is what is now > >>>>> called: audio compression. It essentially just means, bringing down > >>>>> the > > > >>>>> size of the audio file whilst retaining the maximum possible sound > >>>>> quality. The human ear is not very accurate, compared to a computer. > >>>>> What audio compression does, is throw away those parts of the audio > >>>>> that we are not likely to perceive. The more of the audio you throw > >>>>> away, the smaller the resulting file can be. > >>>>> > >>>>> And now we have something to work with. On a windows machine, a file > >>>>> containing plain audio is called a wave file, usually having a period > >>>>> and the letters w a v at the end of its name. Wave files can be quite > >>>>> big. Usually, they are uncompressed. Plain. > >>>>> > >>>>> On the other hand, the most common way of compressing audio these > >>>>> days, > > > >>>>> is called mp3. So the word mp3 just refers to the way the audio itself > >>>>> is compressed. Compressed audio files usually have a dot and the > >>>>> letters m p 3 at the end of their name. > >>>>> > >>>>> To summarize: if, for example, you see a file called song.wav on your > >>>>> computer, you know that it usually is an uncompressed audio file, > >>>>> because of the dot wav at the end. If you encounter something like > >>>>> song.mp3 or today.mp3, you know that it is compressed audio, because > >>>>> of > > > >>>>> the dot m p 3 at the end of the file's name. This is only a rule of > >>>>> thumb, because we did not take into account the fact that even wave > >>>>> files can be compressed, and still be called .wav. But let's not get > >>>>> lost in the details. > >>>>> > >>>>> We mentioned before, that mp3 reduces file sizes by throwing away > >>>>> frequencies in the audio you are not likely to hear. The better > >>>>> compression you want to achieve, the more audio you need to throw > >>>>> away. > > > >>>>> If you keep going, you will get to a point where the audio damage > >>>>> becomes perceptible. You will hear it. So there's always a tradeoff > >>>>> between filesize and quality. In mp3 jargon, the compression factor > >>>>> that determines both the final file size and also the resulting sound > >>>>> quality, is called the mp3 bitrate. If you are going to create your > >>>>> own > > > >>>>> mp3 files from cd's you have, then the bitrate is something you can > >>>>> configure. Bitrate and compression factor refers to the same thing, as > >>>>> far as mp3 is concerned. > >>>>> > >>>>> A song in wave format containing 3 minutes worth of cd quality audio, > >>>>> would become 30 megabytes in size on disk. If you make an mp3 out of > >>>>> this, then you will still have a file of reasonable quality if you > >>>>> compress it down to a tenth of its original size. One song in mp3 > >>>>> format could then become 3 megabytes rather than 30, and still sound > >>>>> quite okay. And if you only have 32 megabytes of storage available on > >>>>> your player, that's quite an improvement. You can now store ten songs, > >>>>> rather than just one in uncompressed format. In other words: audio > >>>>> used > > > >>>>> to be way to large to handle. Mp3 has given us a solution, by > >>>>> drastically cutting down the file size of our digital audio. > >>>>> > >>>>> Old mp3 players were equipped with a memory chip and these devices are > >>>>> still widely used, except that the memory capacity has grown > >>>>> enormously, which is the second improvement over the first digital mp3 > >>>>> players with limited capacity. Mp3 walkmans in the form of a small > >>>>> plastic stick can well contain 4000 megabytes, 4 gig, which is really > >>>>> quite something. And that's not all. > >>>>> > >>>>> Modern mp3 walkmans don't store their audio in a memory chip. Instead, > >>>>> they have a tiny hard disk built in to them. This leads to walkmans > >>>>> with great storage capabilities. 40 to 60 gigabytes (being 40000 to > >>>>> 60000 megabytes) is no exception these days, giving you ample space > >>>>> for > > > >>>>> thousands of songs. > >>>>> > >>>>> There are many brands to choose from, if you want such a walkman or > >>>>> mp3 > > > >>>>> player. Before purchasing one, you need to decide for yourself how > >>>>> much > > > >>>>> you are going to store on it. If a couple of gigabytes is enough, a > >>>>> player with a memory chip will suffice. But if you want 40, 60 or 80 > >>>>> gigabytes worth of music, then you should buy a player that has a hard > >>>>> drive built in. > >>>>> > >>>>> Description of the IAudio x5 > >>>>> ============================ > >>>>> > >>>>> I chose the Cowon x5, which is an mp3 walkman manufactured by a > >>>>> company > > > >>>>> called IAudio. This player comes in a few flavours. The things that > >>>>> make the difference between the various models are the capacity of the > >>>>> hard disk inside it, and the battery life. If you have an x5l, then > >>>>> the > > > >>>>> l stands for long battery life. The player is thicker because of the > >>>>> bigger battery. Mine has a normal battery life, it is not the thicker > >>>>> one, and the hard disk can contain up to 60 gigabytes worth of data. > >>>>> > >>>>> The player is as small as a packet of cigarets. It is a metal casing > >>>>> that feels very solid. It has only a few buttons, and a joy stick. You > >>>>> can buy an optional leather protection for it, and even when the > >>>>> player > > > >>>>> is inside the protection leather, you can operate it well. Let's > >>>>> describe the unit, so you will know what is where. > >>>>> > >>>>> Put the player on a flat surface in front of you. If you feel its roof > >>>>> and all you encounter is four tiny dots, one on each corner, then you > >>>>> now have the unit upside down. The side that is now facing the table, > >>>>> should face the sky. If however, you now feel a very smooth rectangle > >>>>> and a button inside a circle, then the unit is already half way in the > >>>>> correct position. > >>>>> > >>>>> Now, we must make sure that the player is in the same position as I > >>>>> have it here, in order for the side descriptions to match. As you can > >>>>> feel, the roof of the player consists of two distinct levels. A thick > >>>>> and a thin part. Now, the thicker part that feels all smooth, is the > >>>>> visual display screen. Rotate the unit, so the display is at the top > >>>>> of > > > >>>>> the unit, furthest away from you. The bottom part of your x5 contains > >>>>> this little knob inside a small circle. This is your joy stick, and we > >>>>> will discuss what it does later on. Now, we can describe the four > >>>>> sides > > > >>>>> of your x5 in succession. > >>>>> > >>>>> The left side contains your head phone connector, and a slit to make > >>>>> the player act as a USB host. The top has a light, the right has > >>>>> power/hold, record, play, microphone and reset hole, while the bottom > >>>>> has the subpack connector. Okay, slowly this time. > >>>>> > >>>>> We'll start with the left side. Sliding your finger from top to > >>>>> bottom, > > > >>>>> so from the top left towards the bottom left corner, the first thing > >>>>> you encounter is a tiny round hole for your head phones. > >>>>> > >>>>> A little further down is a slit, which is probably a connector you > >>>>> won't be using very often. Sighted people can use it to have the x5 > >>>>> act > > > >>>>> as a USB host, so they can connect their digital camera to the x5, and > >>>>> transfer the pictures they have in the camera, over to the x5. This > >>>>> way, the camera's internal memory card can be wiped out and the photo > >>>>> shooting can continue again. Rockbox may utilize this connector for > >>>>> other purposes, but to my current knowledge, it is of no use for us > >>>>> right now. The rest of the left side does not contain any extra > >>>>> connectors or controls. > >>>>> > >>>>> The top side, running your finger across, reveals no more than a > >>>>> visual > > > >>>>> indicator, showing wether the x5 is currently charging. If you're > >>>>> totally blind, this is of no use to you. > >>>>> > >>>>> Then the right side of the player. Again, slide your finger from top > >>>>> to > > > >>>>> bottom, from upper right to bottom right. First, you will find a > >>>>> switch > > > >>>>> that you can slide up or down. Initially, it is always in its middle > >>>>> position. This switch has many functions, but to begin with, remember > >>>>> this as your power switch to turn the x5 on and off. Push upwards and > >>>>> let go. Then listen closely if you hear the hard disk spin up. If not, > >>>>> just try again until the device switches itself on. After a few > >>>>> seconds, the hard disk will shut off again, but the device is still > >>>>> awake. Making the hard drive spin, takes power from the battery, so as > >>>>> soon as the x5 is done reading and writing to the disk, it stops to > >>>>> save power. To turn the x5 off again, do the same thing. Push the > >>>>> switch up and let go, until the device switches off. > >>>>> > >>>>> This power switch has yet another function. If you slide it down, it > >>>>> won't flick back to its original position in the middle. After sliding > >>>>> the switch down, it just stays there. In this position, the unit is on > >>>>> hold. This means that none of the other buttons perform any function. > >>>>> Very handy if you want to tuck away the x5 somewhere in a pocket, and > >>>>> you want to be sure the battery won't go flat by accidentally starting > >>>>> playback without head phones, which obviously wastes battery life. > >>>>> > >>>>> Note: you can test wether the device is on or off, by making sure this > >>>>> switch is in the middle so that the x5 accepts key strokes, and then > >>>>> attempting to play, see below. If it playes, then the unit is still > >>>>> on. > > > >>>>> This is no guarantee that the player is on or off indeed, but is is > >>>>> something to begin with. > >>>>> > >>>>> Further down the right side, just below the power/hold switch, you > >>>>> will > > > >>>>> find two rectangular buttons. The top one is rec, the bottom one is > >>>>> play. More on these later. > >>>>> > >>>>> Further down, you may feel a couple of teeny weeny holes in the metal > >>>>> strip. The top hole is the internal microphone, and the bottom hole is > >>>>> reset. To reset the unit, you can stick a long, thin object into it, > >>>>> which will touch the hidden reset button. Use it in case your firmware > >>>>> crashes and you want to start over. > >>>>> > >>>>> Finally, the bottom side. In the middle, this side contains a metal > >>>>> slit that almost feels like a slot for an sd memory card, but that is > >>>>> not what it's meant for. This is the connector for the subpack, being > >>>>> a > > > >>>>> small plastic device that you got together with your x5. One side of > >>>>> the subpack plugs into the x5, and on the other side of the subpack > >>>>> which, when connected, is now the bottom side of the device, you will > >>>>> find a number of connectors. > >>>>> > >>>>> From left to right, the connectors on the subpack are as follows: AC, > >>>>> USB, line in and line out. The last two I am not sure about. They may > >>>>> be line out and then line in. > >>>>> > >>>>> Hearing the demos on the unit > >>>>> ============================= > >>>>> > >>>>> If you are like me, before doing anything else, you will want to hear > >>>>> what your x5 really sounds like. If all goes well, you won't be > >>>>> disappointed. Wear your ear phones and plug the cable into the socket > >>>>> on the top left side of your x5, as described earlier. Then, turn the > >>>>> unit on as described. When the hard disk spins up, wait for it to spin > >>>>> down again and then press play. If you don't hear anything, try play > >>>>> again. I heard music immediately and it sounded just awesome. Not that > >>>>> I love the demo itself, but the quality is pristine. > >>>>> > >>>>> Now, feel your joy stick. This joy stick can be moved in all four > >>>>> directions: east, west, north and south, or three o'clock, nine > >>>>> o'clock, twelve o'clock and six o'clock if you prefer. Place your > >>>>> finger south of the joy stick, six o'clock, and push upward, away from > >>>>> you. The volume will increase. Likewise, place your finger north of > >>>>> the > > > >>>>> stick and gently pull the stick towards you, down. The volume will > >>>>> decrease. > >>>>> > >>>>> Pushing right will move to the next file on the player. Moving left > >>>>> first goes to the start of the current song or, when done in the first > >>>>> few seconds of the track, moves you to the start of the previous > >>>>> track. > >>>>> > >>>>> You will notice that the demos more or less all sound the same. > >>>>> There's > > > >>>>> video together with the audio, but just forget about that because it's > >>>>> useless to us. > >>>>> > >>>>> What is firmware? > >>>>> > >>>>> You may wonder, how your mp3 player is capable of playing digital > >>>>> music. Your pc has a micro processor to read from disk, process sound, > >>>>> create video etc. But what about your mp3 player? Well, your x5 is a > >>>>> computer on its own. It too has its own memory, its own hard disk and > >>>>> a > > > >>>>> micro processor. The operating system is usually stored on the hard > >>>>> disk. In a pc, that is usually windows (sorry linux lovers, just by > >>>>> means of saying), and on mp3 players, the operating system is going to > >>>>> be rockbox. > >>>>> > >>>>> Now to understand what we are actually changing to make the player go > >>>>> rockbox, we need to go over some concepts first. You know that your > >>>>> computer has a processor and that it has memory too. If you turn the > >>>>> pc > > > >>>>> on, it loads its operating system from hard disk, and then waits for > >>>>> you to do something with it. But let me ask you. How does your pc know > >>>>> that the operating system to load is stored on hard disk? You know > >>>>> that > > > >>>>> the computer can only do something if it has software that tells it > >>>>> what to do, and the operating system is exactly the piece of software > >>>>> to do that. But, when you first turn on your computer, the operating > >>>>> system still needs to be loaded from hard disk first. So, how can the > >>>>> computer know > >>>>> how to perform its very first steps, if the operating system has not > >>>>> been loaded yet? The computer tests its memory for errors right after > >>>>> you turn it on, but at that time, the hard disk has not even been > >>>>> touched to start loading the operating system. What makes the computer > >>>>> perform its startup tasks? > >>>>> > >>>>> The answer is: the bios. Bios, b i o s, stands for basic input output > >>>>> system. It's a small piece of software, not stored on a hard disk, but > >>>>> on a tiny chip somewhere on your motherboard, deep down inside your pc > >>>>> case. When you turn on your pc, what happens is that the bios first > >>>>> checks to see if all hardware is connected properly, and the bios then > >>>>> takes care of loading the operating system, windows. The bios only > >>>>> knows a few very basic functions to communicate with the hardware, > >>>>> enough to get the computer started. The operating system does the > >>>>> rest. > >>>>> > >>>>> The same goes for your mp3 player, your x5. When you turn it on, the > >>>>> first thing that happens is that the microprocessor starts running the > >>>>> program code, stored in the player's rom memory. After initializing > >>>>> the > > > >>>>> hardware, this code is responsible for loading the rest of the > >>>>> operating system from the hard disk. > >>>>> > >>>>> Because software is something created by humans, it can always contain > >>>>> errors, called bugs. Every now and then, computer manufacturers > >>>>> release > > > >>>>> new versions of this code on the internet. But as I said, bios code in > >>>>> a pc is stored on a chip inside the computer, not on the hard disk. > >>>>> Well, it is easy to download a new version of a certain file, on to > >>>>> your computer's hard drive. But how would you reprogram the contents > >>>>> of > > > >>>>> a special bios chip, deep inside your computer? Luckily, you don't > >>>>> need > > > >>>>> to worry about it, because the computer has a mechanism to do this for > >>>>> you. If you want to update your computer's bios, for example when USB > >>>>> functions strangely and you read on the manufacturer's site that the > >>>>> latest bios version fixes this, then you can simply download a file > >>>>> containing the new code. You then put this file in a special location, > >>>>> turn your machine off and on, tell it to look for the new bios file, > >>>>> and let it reprogram its own bios chip as you wait a few seconds. > >>>>> > >>>>> Now. Your x5 also has sort of a bios, and an operating system. When > >>>>> you > > > >>>>> first buy your x5, it's got startup code and an operating system > >>>>> inside > > > >>>>> it, provided by Iaudio. The code programmed into the rom memory of the > >>>>> player itself, is called the firmware. According to wikipedia, > >>>>> firmware > > > >>>>> is embedded software, but this can be a confusing and difficult term. > >>>>> Firmware in your x5 is like the bios code in your pc. It runs when you > >>>>> start the player, and makes the player react to your key presses and > >>>>> joy stick movements. > >>>>> > >>>>> However, this initially provided operating system from IAudio is not > >>>>> blind friendly at all. It does not speak, and you'll have a hard time > >>>>> remembering how many times to push your joy stick left, down, right > >>>>> etc, in order to get to a certain function. > >>>>> > >>>>> What rockbox is, is a complete replacement for the player's internal > >>>>> operating system. From the ground up, it has built in support for > >>>>> speech, so that we can use it as well. Part of rockbox must live > >>>>> inside > > > >>>>> the player's rom memory, and part of rockbox resides on the hard > >>>>> drive. > >>>>> > >>>>> So we need to get rid of the original IAudio operating system and > >>>>> startup code in our x5, and replace it with startup code and the > >>>>> operating system from rockbox. There are two separate processes to > >>>>> carry out. > >>>>> > >>>>> First, we need to put the disk part of rockbox onto the hard drive of > >>>>> our player. Next, we need to replace the boot code, so that the player > >>>>> knows how to load rockbox when we turn it on. A property of this x5 > >>>>> player is, that the original firmware can not continue to exist in the > >>>>> player after rockbox has been installed. On other players, at startup, > >>>>> you can choose to either run the IAudio firmware or the rockbox > >>>>> firmware. On our x5, this is not possible. Once you install rockbox, > >>>>> you loose your original firmware. No problem, because rockbox is > >>>>> better > > > >>>>> for us than Iaudio's firmware. > >>>>> > >>>>> Which files to get? > >>>>> > >>>>> Everything you need can be downloaded off the internet, from > >>>>> www.rockbox.org. For blind people using screen reading programs to > >>>>> access the information on the computer screen, this site is not easy > >>>>> to > > > >>>>> work with. If you need to, ask some sighted assistance if you can find > >>>>> someone willing to help you some. It's up to you to know what to get > >>>>> and where to look for it. You don't want to frustrate your helper by > >>>>> leaving it up to them to hunt for something they haven't read or > >>>>> learnt > > > >>>>> about. > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> -- > >>>> No virus found in this incoming message. > >>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: > >>>> 269.7.1/807 - Release Date: 5/16/2007 6:05 PM > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> I'm protected by SpamBrave > >>> http://www.spambrave.com/ > >>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> No virus found in this incoming message. > >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: > >> 269.7.1/807 - Release Date: 5/16/2007 6:05 PM > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/390 - Release Date: 7/17/2006 > > > > > > -- > > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/390 - Release Date: 7/17/2006 > > > > > > -- > > I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. > > It has removed 18500 spam emails to date. > > Paying users do not have this message in their emails. > > Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len > > > > > > -- > > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/390 - Release Date: 7/17/2006 > > > > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >---- > > >No virus found in this incoming message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.1/807 - Release Date: 5/16/2007 >6:05 PM > > > >-- >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/390 - Release Date: 7/17/2006 > > >-- >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/390 - Release Date: 7/17/2006 > > >-- >I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. >It has removed 18500 spam emails to date. >Paying users do not have this message in their emails. >Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len > > >-- >Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/390 - Release Date: 7/17/2006 > > Received on 2007-05-18 Page template was last modified "Tue Sep 7 00:00:02 2021" The Rockbox Crew -- Privacy Policy |