Group: Hardware/Strategies/ReverseEngineering
(Created page with "= Introduction = Drivers, firmware, and hardware are integral parts of the computers we use and the devices that interact with them -- and when these things are proprietary,...") |
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For instance, consider the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.MX#i.MX_6_series i.MX_6 System on a Chip] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena_(computing_platform) Novena laptop]. If we can reverse engineer the two coprocessors [https://github.com/etnaviv/etna_viv VDU & GPU], all the hardware of that chip will become functional in the free world. All of the hardware in the laptop will likewise become functional in the free world. | For instance, consider the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.MX#i.MX_6_series i.MX_6 System on a Chip] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena_(computing_platform) Novena laptop]. If we can reverse engineer the two coprocessors [https://github.com/etnaviv/etna_viv VDU & GPU], all the hardware of that chip will become functional in the free world. All of the hardware in the laptop will likewise become functional in the free world. | ||
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| + | == Is it difficult to reverse engineer ? (0 easy, 9 hard) == | ||
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| + | Low hanging fruit are motivating, create awarness on the problem and help new developers learn so they can work on more difficult tasks later on. | ||
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| + | == How useful is the hardware ? (0 not really, 9 very) == | ||
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| + | For instance, in the Samsung mobile phones, the Wifi, GPS and bluetooth drivers need reverse engineering. The wifi driver is more useful than the bluetooth driver. | ||
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| + | == Is it crucial ? == | ||
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| + | It is in hardware that does a job that is crucial for us to support. A job can be crucial even if only few people need to do it. | ||
= Hardware list = | = Hardware list = | ||
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! !!Units!! Last step!! Difficult!! Useful!! Crucial | ! !!Units!! Last step!! Difficult!! Useful!! Crucial | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | |[[Mali GPU]] ||>100M|| No || 5/9 || 9/9 || No | + | |[[#Mali GPU]] ||>100M|| No || 5/9 || 9/9 || No |
|- | |- | ||
|BCM4334 Wifi || >70M|| No || 9/9 || 9/9 || No | |BCM4334 Wifi || >70M|| No || 9/9 || 9/9 || No | ||
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== Mali GPU == | == Mali GPU == | ||
| − | The Mali | + | The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_(GPU) Mali] is used in most Samsung phones ([http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/GalaxyS3I9300 1][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S6 2]) from the S2 to the S7 which sold over 100 million units combined ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_III 1], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S6 2], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S7 3]). They can [http://www.priceminister.com/mfp/200928/samsung-galaxy-s-3 easily be purchased second hand] world wide. Reverse engineering is made easier because [https://developer.arm.com/products/software/mali-drivers/user-space the driver is in user space] and all dialogs with the hardware via a [https://developer.arm.com/products/software/mali-drivers/mali-gpu-device-driver-model kernel driver published as free software]. It is very useful because the device cannot be used without a display. The [http://limadriver.org/ Lima project] exists and is useable in some cases. But is incomplete and did not see much activity since 2016. |
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| + | == BCM4334 Wifi == | ||
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| + | The [http://www.cypress.com/file/298706/download BCM4334 Single Chip IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n MAC/Baseband/Radio with Integrated Bluetooth 4.0 + HS and FM Receiver] is used in the [https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+S+III+Teardown/9391 Samsung Galaxy SIII] which sold [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_III over 70 million units]. It can [http://www.priceminister.com/mfp/200928/samsung-galaxy-s-3 easily be purchased second hand] world wide. Reverse engineering would is very difficult. It would be very useful because it would [http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/GalaxyS3I9300 enable Replicant]. There are no ongoing reverse engineering projects for this chip. | ||
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| + | == BCM4334 Bluetooth == | ||
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| + | It is a part of the BCM4334 chip which also includes [[#BCM4334 Wifi|wifi], only it is less useful and the difficulty is unknown. | ||
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| + | == BCM43438 Wifi == | ||
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| + | The [http://www.cypress.com/file/298076/download BCM43438 Single-Chip IEEE 802.11ac b/g/n MAC/Baseband/ Radio with Integrated Blue tooth 4.1 and FM Receiver] is [https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/raspberry-pi-3-specs-benchmarks/ used in Raspberry Pi] which sold [http://fortune.com/2016/09/08/raspberry-pi-10-million over 10 million units]. The user base is large and could upgrade to a free software driver. Reverse engineering would is very difficult. Although the bootloader is free software other hardware parts do not work wihout nonfree software. Since there also is an ethernet port, the availability of the wifi is not a blocker to operate the Raspberry PI. | ||
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| + | == Vivante GPU == | ||
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| + | The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivante_Corporation Vivante GPU] is used in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.MX#i.MX_6_series i.MX_6 SoC] which is used in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena_(computing_platform) Novena laptop] which sold '''???''' units. Reverse engineering is made easier because the driver is in user space and all dialogs with the hardware via a kernel driver [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivante_Corporation#Linux_support published as free software]. The [https://github.com/etnaviv Etnaviv project exists] and is useable but it needs completion. | ||
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| + | The only other part in the SoC requiring reverse engineering is the VDU. | ||
Revision as of 06:36, 8 March 2017
Contents
Introduction
Drivers, firmware, and hardware are integral parts of the computers we use and the devices that interact with them -- and when these things are proprietary, they are incompatible with free software. When the hardware manufacturer does not publish key technical specifications sufficient to write free drivers for their hardware, we'll have to reverse engineer the needed support. Which hardware should be prioritized ? We propose criterions and a few examples.
Is it a widely distributed hardware ?
For instance, millions of Raspberry PI have been sold. A free software driver for the VideoCore IV GPU it uses would be beneficial to all existing users. Another example is the Samsung Galaxy SIII which sold over 70 million units and can easily be bought second hand world wide. A free software driver for the BCM4334 wifi chip could enable new Replicant users.
Is it the last step in completing the liberation of a whole device ?
For instance, consider the i.MX_6 System on a Chip in the Novena laptop. If we can reverse engineer the two coprocessors VDU & GPU, all the hardware of that chip will become functional in the free world. All of the hardware in the laptop will likewise become functional in the free world.
Is it difficult to reverse engineer ? (0 easy, 9 hard)
Low hanging fruit are motivating, create awarness on the problem and help new developers learn so they can work on more difficult tasks later on.
How useful is the hardware ? (0 not really, 9 very)
For instance, in the Samsung mobile phones, the Wifi, GPS and bluetooth drivers need reverse engineering. The wifi driver is more useful than the bluetooth driver.
Is it crucial ?
It is in hardware that does a job that is crucial for us to support. A job can be crucial even if only few people need to do it.
Hardware list
| Units | Last step | Difficult | Useful | Crucial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #Mali GPU | >100M | No | 5/9 | 9/9 | No |
| BCM4334 Wifi | >70M | No | 9/9 | 9/9 | No |
| BCM4334 Bluetooth | >70M | No | ?/9 | 2/9 | No |
| BCM43438 Wifi | >10M | No | 9/9 | 2/9 | No |
| Vivante GPU | ?? | No | 5/9 | 2/9 | No |
Mali GPU
The Mali is used in most Samsung phones (12) from the S2 to the S7 which sold over 100 million units combined (1, 2, 3). They can easily be purchased second hand world wide. Reverse engineering is made easier because the driver is in user space and all dialogs with the hardware via a kernel driver published as free software. It is very useful because the device cannot be used without a display. The Lima project exists and is useable in some cases. But is incomplete and did not see much activity since 2016.
BCM4334 Wifi
The BCM4334 Single Chip IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n MAC/Baseband/Radio with Integrated Bluetooth 4.0 + HS and FM Receiver is used in the Samsung Galaxy SIII which sold over 70 million units. It can easily be purchased second hand world wide. Reverse engineering would is very difficult. It would be very useful because it would enable Replicant. There are no ongoing reverse engineering projects for this chip.
BCM4334 Bluetooth
It is a part of the BCM4334 chip which also includes [[#BCM4334 Wifi|wifi], only it is less useful and the difficulty is unknown.
BCM43438 Wifi
The BCM43438 Single-Chip IEEE 802.11ac b/g/n MAC/Baseband/ Radio with Integrated Blue tooth 4.1 and FM Receiver is used in Raspberry Pi which sold over 10 million units. The user base is large and could upgrade to a free software driver. Reverse engineering would is very difficult. Although the bootloader is free software other hardware parts do not work wihout nonfree software. Since there also is an ethernet port, the availability of the wifi is not a blocker to operate the Raspberry PI.
Vivante GPU
The Vivante GPU is used in the i.MX_6 SoC which is used in the Novena laptop which sold ??? units. Reverse engineering is made easier because the driver is in user space and all dialogs with the hardware via a kernel driver published as free software. The Etnaviv project exists and is useable but it needs completion.
The only other part in the SoC requiring reverse engineering is the VDU.
