Rockbox

Rockbox is an operating system for MP3 players, which is released under the GPL. The project was initiated in late 2001 by the Swede Linus Nielsen Feltzing up because the user did not want to live with the limitations of the native operating system of the " Archos Jukebox ". Rockbox should provide all the functionality of the device is available. The first version of the alternative operating system has therefore been developed for MP3 player from Archos. Meanwhile Rockbox supports more MP3 players from various manufacturers, including the Apple iPod as well as some series of iriver.

Rockbox can be installed on supported players parallel to the original firmware and offers the possibility to make the player a multi- boot system.

  • Archos 3.1
  • 3.2 iriver
  • 3.3 Cowon
  • 3.4 Olympus
  • Samsung 3.5
  • 3.6 Apple
  • 3.7 SanDisk
  • Toshiba 3.8
  • 3.9 Packard Bell
  • 3:10 future

Functions

Rockbox expands the range of playable audio codecs so that restrictions must be taken into account only on the basis of the given hardware. Supported file formats MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, WAV (or AIFF), FLAC, AC3 (DVD - Audio ), the famous of the MiniDisc ATRAC3 format and AAC, the AAC decoder is not yet completed. With MP2, MP1, Musepack, WavPack, Shorten, Apple Lossless, MOD, SPC and NSF also quite exotic file formats are supported.

On the older Archos Jukeboxes only MP2 and MP3 files can be played from the factory, since in these devices is MP3 De - and Encoding taken from a difficult to program additional chip Micronas ( at the recorders ). In Rockbox however, one can also play files in the WAV format by using a plug-in. However, this feature is not yet fully integrated.

The operating system provides seamless playback and volume balance ( Replay Gain ) for all codecs. On devices with software codec also a 5 -band equalizer is offered. Usual functions such as random play, stereo recording ( 16-bit, 44.1 kHz WAV or MP3 with bitrates 64-320 kbit / s) as well as " on the fly " playlists are supported as well as FM radio with recording, remote controls and digital inputs and outputs ( S / PDIF, if any).

The user interface of Rockbox is customizable. Users put " Themes " are available which change the fonts to be used and sizes, the background, the layout and design of various elements of the surface.

Through the optional voice-based user interface MP3 player with Rockbox are suitable for use by blind and visually impaired.

Rockbox has besides music database and a file browser which it, inter alia, allows you to create folders and files directly on the device, rename, copy and delete them to make space for new recordings and organize files. An MP3 recorder with Rockbox can be so even without the addition of drag, a computer, such as traveling, be used wisely.

Plug -ins

Rockbox supports the extension and customization of the system via plug-ins. Below is a selection of popular plug- ins:

  • JPEG Viewer allows you to view JPEG images in any resolution ( zoom function)
  • Various benchmarks
  • Graphic Demos ( inter alia, the Rockbox logo, a rotating cubes, a clone of the screen saver " Starfield " from Windows 3.x, etc. )
  • Mpegplayer allows the playback of video in MPEG -2 format
  • Pictureflow, a virtual 3D environment for viewing the album cover similar to the Cover Flow Apple
  • Rockboy, a port of the Game Boy emulator gnuboy
  • Games: Doom (porting the GPL Doom engine ), Bubbles, Chess, Snake, Solitaire, Sudoku, Tetris, Minesweeper, Pong and more
  • Stopwatch
  • Calculator, Euro Converter
  • Text Editor
  • WAV to MP3 Encoder
  • WAV to WavPack encoder -
  • Dictionary
  • Calendar
  • Alarm clock

Missing Features

Functions that users of Rockbox compared to the original operating systems might be missing (as of 2/2009):

  • Digital rights management
  • " USB On- the-go" ("USB OTG " )

Data transmission via Rockbox directly and not via the firmware the manufacturer has been added in the meantime.

Patches

Through the open source status take many developers and users participate in the development of Rockbox. For rapid expansion of functionality a patch system was established. This makes it possible, in a future official version of Rockbox standard available features to use, without having to wait.

In patch system Interested patches can provide, change the functions of official Rockbox (SVN ) or add new ones. These patches can be both for all individual or groups of devices (eg, devices with scroll wheel ) apply. For example, some patches to improve the implementation of radio receivers or change the assignment of the buttons (Button - Map). Patches may represent, for example, more games, additional plug-ins (see above).

Also Rockbox versions ( builds) are offered which have been pre-integrated some patches so that everyone gets the opportunity to get the right build for him, without the need for programming skills.

Builds that have been patched are not officially supported by Rockbox developers team. Errors that occur in these builds, must either occur in the official build, or where the error occurred patches Builder shall provide support. However, the Rockbox developers team looks at the patches and integrates them into the original Rockbox version if it for clean programming, meet their needs low resource consumption and meaningfulness. They also reject workarounds circumvent the problems instead of solving them.

Supported Devices

Rockbox is for each supported model at any time in development. It is between

  • " Supported"
  • " Unstable" and
  • Distinguished " Unusable ".

In order for a model reaches the " Supported" status, must Rockbox work without problems on the player. An instruction manual and installation by an automatic installation program must be available. "Unstable " models are in a suitable condition for experienced users. " Unusable " The models are called for which work has already begun on Rockbox, which, however, are still in an early stage about the status of " Unstable". Unusable models are mainly of interest to developers.

In principle Rockbox could be developed for use with portable MP3 players that have a GNU CC port.

Archos

  • Archos Jukebox series: Jukebox 6000
  • Jukebox Player / Studio
  • Jukebox Recorder

Iriver

  • H10 series (H10 5, 6, and 20 GB)
  • H100 series ( H110/H115/H120/H140, aka iHP-110/115/120/140 )
  • H300 series ( H320/H340 )

Cowon

  • X5 and X5L
  • X5V
  • M5 and M5L
  • M3 and M3L
  • D2 ( also )

Olympus

  • M: Robe 100

Samsung

  • YH -820
  • YH -920
  • YH- 925

Apple

  • IPod 1st Generation
  • IPod 2nd Generation
  • IPod 3rd generation
  • IPod 4th generation (grayscale display and Color / Photo)
  • IPod 5th and 5.5 generation (video)
  • IPod 6th and 7th generation (all Classic models ) with increased installation costs
  • IPod mini 1st generation
  • IPod mini 2nd Generation
  • IPod nano 1st generation
  • IPod nano 2nd generation

SanDisk

  • Sansa c200 V1, V2
  • Sansa e200 V1, V2, R
  • Sansa Fuze V1, V2
  • Sansa Clip V1, V2
  • Sansa Clip
  • Sansa Clip Zip

Toshiba

  • Gigabeat F models
  • Gigabeat X models
  • Gigabeat S models

Packard Bell

  • Vibe 500

Future

Since the advent of smart phones, which provide most of the house from extensive options for playing music, the market for MP3 players is steadily shrinking. The developer therefore already working on porting Rockbox as a mobile app, so as to enable a continuation of the project. With " Rockbox as an Application " (in short " RAAA " ) for Android or Maemo already exists an early test version.

Audio Interchange File Format Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding MPEG-1 Audio Layer II MPEG-1 Audio Layer I Shorten (file format) SPC700 sound format NES Sound Format Benchmarking Game demo Screensaver Snake (video game) Patience (game) Olympus Corporation Android (operating system) Heise
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