ARM Arch Linux version of allstar

Hi Shane,

I have also uploaded the ARM Raspberry PI version of the allstar code as well which did include chan_voter…at https://github.com/anthcp/Arch-ARM-RAS-PI-Allstar

I hope it helps.

The compile process is the same as my previous email.

Just to to let you know, I found the sound on chan_usbradio with a CM108 usb fob was distorted for about 20% of the time when I did the *99 test tone on the PI.

It could be acceptable on voice but I didn’t test it any further.

I then tried to use chan_alsaradio but I think the CPU overhead was too high due to the downsampling from 44.1hz (?) to 8Khz.

I have ordered a Griffin iMIC2 usb sound card which has hardware 8Khz sampling built in to see if it will work OK on the PI.( still waiting for it)

If it does then it will mean that we will have to use the PI GPIO’s for PTT and COR etc but that shouldn’t be to hard…(hopefully :slight_smile: )

Regards

Anthony, VK2ACP

···

Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:11:29 +1100

From: Shane Morris edgecomberts@gmail.com

To: Eric Guth eric@efratnetworks.com

Cc: app_rpt mailing list app_rpt-users@ohnosec.org

Subject: Re: [App_rpt-users] Arch Linux version of allstar has been
stable for 2 weeks now…

Message-ID:
CANZw+5eg7T3OmjMVJquwFhZLJ3-yWo9iY-hDeBtTzgJWYdeYdw@mail.gmail.com

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Interesting!

Certainly smaller than my FitPC, but you knew that, cheaper too. Its a

single core 1GHz x86, whereas my FitPC is a dual core 1GHz. I imagine
its all passively cooled Eric?

I was planning to run Allstar on a single core 1GHz ARM at some point

in the future, Anthony mentioned in his first post two weeks ago he
hopes to port the software to RaspberryPi (not to bring up the debate

again, I’m only mentioning it for completeness - my goal is to run
chan_voter, which DOESN’T need USB) and I think it would be simple to

port to other ARM platforms, for the sake of argument, the Beagle
Board, running newer kernel revisions.

My FitPC does get quite warm Eric, even under “no load” conditions.

I’m not entirely certain what it would do in 35+ degree Celsius heat
in the middle of the Australian bush. I hope “work fine,” not

“explode”! So that might be a consideration for a totally passively
cooled unit.

My unit is going to be used to conduct a RTCM network, using

chan_voter. None of the USB interfaces will be used, say, for URIs or
other sound fobs. It’ll be connected to the remote stations by long

shot wifi links (Ubiquiti Bullet2s and Loco2s over ethernet).

Eric, if you’re going to use the USB ports on the 3350-AP, have a look
at the structure of the USB hubs inside the computer. That’ll tell you

alot about whether you can use the sound fob with other devices, or
you’ll run into issues like the RPi. USB performance is critical, and

I’m uncertain what the “on chip” USB ports would be like for such an
integrated chipset.

I hope this helps - technically, it should run it, from a "raw

performance" standpoint. However, the practicality might be a little
different. I do hope it works - please let me know how you go, I’m

rather interested! That is a cheaper computer than the FitPC!

Hey Anthony,

I'm only scratching the surface here, of the GIT, but I imagine theres
some interesting code in there. What a great 30th birthday present...!

I can understand the considerations on the USB audio side of things,
after Jim highlighted the problems with the USB, I felt a little
despondent, and then thought "Well, what about chan_voter?"

To that end, I purchased an RTCM and started playing with it. I still
haven't powered it up - thanks Lithgow Leading Edge Electronics for
NOT getting my parts in... eBay it is...

I'm planning on using a Cubieboard (www.cubieboard.org) with this,
faster CPU, more on chip USB and separate ethernet channel, lots more
I/O, SATA, etc etc.

Have to see how it goes, I'm taking it...

···

On Sun, Jan 20, 2013 at 1:45 PM, Anthony Percy <anthcp@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Shane,
I have also uploaded the ARM Raspberry PI version of the allstar code as
well which did include chan_voter...at
https://github.com/anthcp/Arch-ARM-RAS-PI-Allstar
I hope it helps.
The compile process is the same as my previous email.

Just to to let you know, I found the sound on chan_usbradio with a CM108 usb
fob was distorted for about 20% of the time when I did the *99 test tone on
the PI.
It could be acceptable on voice but I didn't test it any further.

I then tried to use chan_alsaradio but I think the CPU overhead was too
high due to the downsampling from 44.1hz (?) to 8Khz.
I have ordered a Griffin iMIC2 usb sound card which has hardware 8Khz
sampling built in to see if it will work OK on the PI.( still waiting for
it)
If it does then it will mean that we will have to use the PI GPIO's for PTT
and COR etc but that shouldn't be to hard.....(hopefully :slight_smile: )

Regards

Anthony, VK2ACP

Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:11:29 +1100
From: Shane Morris <edgecomberts@gmail.com>
To: Eric Guth <eric@efratnetworks.com>
Cc: app_rpt mailing list <app_rpt-users@ohnosec.org>
Subject: Re: [App_rpt-users] Arch Linux version of allstar has been
        stable for 2 weeks now....
Message-ID:
        <CANZw+5eg7T3OmjMVJquwFhZLJ3-yWo9iY-hDeBtTzgJWYdeYdw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Interesting!

Certainly smaller than my FitPC, but you knew that, cheaper too. Its a
single core 1GHz x86, whereas my FitPC is a dual core 1GHz. I imagine
its all passively cooled Eric?

I was planning to run Allstar on a single core 1GHz ARM at some point
in the future, Anthony mentioned in his first post two weeks ago he
hopes to port the software to RaspberryPi (not to bring up the debate
again, I'm only mentioning it for completeness - my goal is to run
chan_voter, which DOESN'T need USB) and I think it would be simple to
port to other ARM platforms, for the sake of argument, the Beagle
Board, running newer kernel revisions.

My FitPC does get quite warm Eric, even under "no load" conditions.
I'm not entirely certain what it would do in 35+ degree Celsius heat
in the middle of the Australian bush. I hope "work fine," not
"explode"! So that might be a consideration for a totally passively
cooled unit.

My unit is going to be used to conduct a RTCM network, using
chan_voter. None of the USB interfaces will be used, say, for URIs or
other sound fobs. It'll be connected to the remote stations by long
shot wifi links (Ubiquiti Bullet2s and Loco2s over ethernet).

Eric, if you're going to use the USB ports on the 3350-AP, have a look
at the structure of the USB hubs inside the computer. That'll tell you
alot about whether you can use the sound fob with other devices, or
you'll run into issues like the RPi. USB performance is critical, and
I'm uncertain what the "on chip" USB ports would be like for such an
integrated chipset.

I hope this helps - technically, it should run it, from a "raw
performance" standpoint. However, the practicality might be a little
different. I do hope it works - please let me know how you go, I'm
rather interested! That is a cheaper computer than the FitPC!

Hi all,
An update to the Raspberry PI running Allstar email below… Audio is not corrupted with the iMIC…!!!

I received my Griffin iMIC today so I fired up my PI with the Arch Allstar image ( built using the link below) and plugged it in.

The chan_alsaradio conf file had been configured from before to us hw devices (not plughw so as to avoid the downsampling etc) and I started up asterisk ( e.g asterisk -vvvc). When we had the CM108 plugged before, the chan_alsaraio would crash when you tried a *99 test tone. However with the iMIC it was stable with a smooth tone emitted when *99 was done!!!

Looks like the downsampling to 8KHz/overhead of the CM108 was the problem.

The chan_alsaradio driver can use a serial port for the PTT/COR so maybe a usb serial port would work…??

( I will try this as I have one of these, not sure if its supported by the PI/Arch Linux though)

Or we could code and use the PI GPIO ports…

Just thought I would let you all know…

Regards

Anthony, VK2ACP

···

On Sun, Jan 20, 2013 at 1:45 PM, Anthony Percy anthcp@gmail.com wrote:

Hi Shane,

I have also uploaded the ARM Raspberry PI version of the allstar code as well which did include chan_voter…at https://github.com/anthcp/Arch-ARM-RAS-PI-Allstar

I hope it helps.

The compile process is the same as my previous email.

Just to to let you know, I found the sound on chan_usbradio with a CM108 usb fob was distorted for about 20% of the time when I did the *99 test tone on the PI.

It could be acceptable on voice but I didn’t test it any further.

I then tried to use chan_alsaradio but I think the CPU overhead was too high due to the downsampling from 44.1hz (?) to 8Khz.

I have ordered a Griffin iMIC2 usb sound card which has hardware 8Khz sampling built in to see if it will work OK on the PI.( still waiting for it)

If it does then it will mean that we will have to use the PI GPIO’s for PTT and COR etc but that shouldn’t be to hard…(hopefully :slight_smile: )

Regards

Anthony, VK2ACP