Rockbox Development > New Ports
Rio Karma
bascule:
At the risk of turning this thread into a dewy-eyed reminiscence session I too used to have a Karma and the physical interface was absolutely superb.
You could operate almost all the functionality from the corner scrollwheel via a combination of spinning or clicking it. You could have the current playlist as the WPS, so you could see further ahead, but still have playback and volume control.
It was the Karma that got me into MP3 players, but also introduced me (via their forums) to Vorbis and properly-tagged files. It is also why I now exclusively use the Rockbox Database, as the Karma was also fantastic in that regard, allowing insertion and deletion of whole albums or artists and automagically building playlists based on previous listening patterns (RioDJ, anyone? 8-) ).
It may also have been on there (although I forget now) that Rockbox was mentioned, leading me to this fantstic community once all (three!) of my Karmas had breathed their last via a combination of HDD and USB connectivity failures...
It was a sad day that the Rio brand was sold out, with all the technical and interface innovation now apparently lost, followed shortly by the infiltration and subsequent death-by-spamming of the forums.
Although I kind of like the idea of a Rockbox port, I don't think I'd go back now. I'm really loving my Rockboxed Sansa... which, incidentally, I use upside-down because having the wheel at the top makes the operation as close as I feel I can get on any of the current targets to a Karma and works really well for me, as I like to use one-digit operation as much as possible and I can now operate most function with just my thumb using the wheel and the Select button.
I'll shut up and get my coat now...
GodEater:
I think I agree - the Karma was the opposite of most of the Rockbox targets. The OF was actually really good, and only let down by the shoddy hardware. Mine went back to the CEO/CTO of Empeg himself at least once to get him to mend it.
LambdaCalculus:
No arguments here that the OF in the Karma was the bee's knees... but some of the reasons Rockbox would be beneficial are:
1) We can add in the missing codecs supported by Rockbox, such as Musepack, Monkey's Audio, and AAC.
2) Most everything in the Karma OF is already in Rockbox, and
3) Why not? :)
When the holidays are over, I'll hit eBay and get a lot of Karmas for the porting effort. My offer still stands to the devs!
GodEater:
--- Quote from: LambdaCalculus379 on December 07, 2007, 06:49:48 AM ---1) We can add in the missing codecs supported by Rockbox, such as Musepack, Monkey's Audio, and AAC.
--- End quote ---
Monkey's Audio on a decrepit PortalPlayer target? You're kidding right ? :)
--- Quote ---3) Why not? :)
--- End quote ---
Scarcity of working hardware. But by all means go ahead!
LambdaCalculus:
--- Quote from: GodEater on December 07, 2007, 09:13:58 AM ---Monkey's Audio on a decrepit PortalPlayer target? You're kidding right ? :)
--- End quote ---
;D
At least we can have Musepack and AAC, though!
Anyway, like I mentioned before, it turns out that the PP5003 in the Karma is very, very similar to the PP5002, except that (from what I read) the PP5002 had a "crippled" cache, and the PP5003 doesn't. So the PP5003 might be a little better performance-wise.
I'm going to hunt down datasheets and as much information for the unique hardware in the Karma, but since a lot of its internal hardware is also in some of the other targets we support (iPod and H10, I'm looking at you two! :)), that should make it less painful to start a port.
Oh yes, almost forgot... gotta see the firmware upgrade format on the Karma. I hope the Deities Above and Below are good to me and reveal that they're mi4-based!
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