Re: modem firmware

[Troy Benjegerdes]

> On the note of "if only we could properly finance you", I actually
> happen to know some very good recently retired ASIC design engineers,
> and if there were "proper" financing available, I might be able to
> convince them to come out of retirement and work on a libre LTE modem
> ASIC project with me.  But the "proper" financing for a project of
> that sort would need to be well into millions of dollars, hence I am
> not holding my breath for any such venture.
> 
> On the other hand, you can have a libre modem for GSM/2G based on the
> elderly Calypso chipset for much much less: the already-developed
> FCDEV3B modem boards for hobbyists and tinkerers will probably go for
> somewhere in the $500-600 USD range retail, and if you are interested
> in an SMT modem module (directly competing with SIM900 etc) based on
> the FreeCalypso core, the development cost would be somewhere in the
> low 5 digits USD, as opposed to the 7 digits for a new LTE modem ASIC.

Have you looked at the crazy things that have raised stupid amounts
just because they say 'blockchain buzzword buzzword PROFIT' recently?

If there was ever a time to do a $100 million dollar coin offering
for open-source hardware silicon, it would probably be now.

Choice of venue to incorporate said offering should be left to
supporting blockchain partner company lawyers.

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Re: modem firmware

[Mychaela Falconia]

Troy Benjegerdes wrote:

> Please advise how I may best encourage you to stop talking
> and take my money.

Take your money?  Which product are you seeking to buy?  An FCDEV3B
board?  I am hoping to have those boards available for retail sale by
the end of September, i.e., only one month of waiting left.  I have an
outstanding order for a batch of boards with my contract manufacturer,
the CM acknowledged the order on 20170810 and said it was going to be
3 to 4 weeks, so they are supposed to deliver by Thursday of next week
(20170907) and I am going to bug them at that time if they don't
deliver by then.  Once the CM delivers the assembled boards to me, I
will need to take them to my home lab and put them through the
production test and calibration process (I have successfully recreated
the CMU200-based RF calibration process despite never having obtained
a copy of OM's original software for it), that production test will
reveal how many of the assembled boards are actually good (so far the
good yield has been about 50%), and then the good boards will become
sellable.

> Now if only we could
> properly finance you to find bugs and reverse-engineer a
> better 4GLTE software defined radio...

Reverse engineering and SDR do not go together; with an SDR approach
there is nothing to reverse-eng and instead you have to forward-eng
everything yourself from scratch.

However, none of the mainstream commercial 4G/LTE modems are SDR-based,
instead they all use custom silicon.  USRP-style SDR approach is
totally unsuitable for a cellphone which you could carry in your
pocket, instead you would need custom silicon of the kind that
Qualcomm and MTK and their ilk make.

On the note of "if only we could properly finance you", I actually
happen to know some very good recently retired ASIC design engineers,
and if there were "proper" financing available, I might be able to
convince them to come out of retirement and work on a libre LTE modem
ASIC project with me.  But the "proper" financing for a project of
that sort would need to be well into millions of dollars, hence I am
not holding my breath for any such venture.

On the other hand, you can have a libre modem for GSM/2G based on the
elderly Calypso chipset for much much less: the already-developed
FCDEV3B modem boards for hobbyists and tinkerers will probably go for
somewhere in the $500-600 USD range retail, and if you are interested
in an SMT modem module (directly competing with SIM900 etc) based on
the FreeCalypso core, the development cost would be somewhere in the
low 5 digits USD, as opposed to the 7 digits for a new LTE modem ASIC.

M~

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Re: modem firmware

[Troy Benjegerdes]

> > and thus will void your device's (FCC/CE/...)
> > approval
> 
> The fact that a modem running your official firmware that falsely
> believes itself to be quadband when running on triband-calibrated hw
> VIOLATES the actual technical specs for the transmitted signals can
> only mean that the approval you got was fraudulent or at least
> erroneous (the certification testers overlooked the technical spec
> violation), and the actual radio operation of the modem with my fw is
> in BETTER compliance with the specs than with your fw.

Please advise how I may best encourage you to stop talking
and take my money. This is quite likely the most usefull
public service I have seen done in quite awhile.

It is unfortunate that previous bankrupt vendors released a
product with shoddy qualifications. Now if only we could 
properly finance you to find bugs and reverse-engineer a
better 4GLTE software defined radio...

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Re: modem firmware

[Mychaela Falconia]

joerg Reisenweber wrote:

> the moral aspects of calling somebody out for removing "no parking" signs so
> people would have to pay tickets for unknowingly parking there, or not telling
> people that they are in danger to even *do time in jail* when they install and
> use a firmware that person provides, are not arguable in my world.

Please explain *just how* someone can be in danger of doing time in
jail for installing and using my bugfix updates for your buggy fw when
the actual radio transmissions from the modem remain exactly the same
whether you run the old buggy fw or one of my newer versions.  They
remain exactly the same because:

a) The hardware is obviously unchanged.

b) The RF calibration values in FFS originally written there on your
factory production line remain the same.  I do plan on offering a
recalibration service whereby a GTA01/02 device owner can send their
device to my FreeCalypso warranty service center, it gets recalibrated
at my family company on our R CMU200 (the same RF test machine we
use to calibrate the new FreeCalypso devices we produce ourselves) and
sent back to the owner with this fresh calibration, but this service
is not up yet, and when it does become available, it is naturally quite
separate from an end user merely installing a firmware update.

c) The L1 code in my current firmware is a perfect match in logic to
TI's 20070608 version which appears in your old fw versions moko3
through moko8, inclusive, a range which certainly includes whatever fw
version you used in your type approval process.

d) The radio protocol stack layers above L1 (collectively called L23)
have not changed since moko8 all the way through my current moko13,
with the exception of a few functional bugfixes which do not affect
radio operation in any way.

The only way in which the modem's radio operation can be changed after
installing one of my fw updates would be if the user not only installs
the actual fw update, but also changes the /gsm/com/rfcap file afterward
(with the fc-fsio utility's set-rfcap command) to reflect the actual
triband configuration of the hw.  But even in that case the only change
will be that the modem will no longer attempt to operate in the
unsupported and uncalibrated 4th band, which means *less* possible
radio transmission, not more.

Or are you saying that my fw updates are illegal simply because you
have made that public post from an openmoko.org email address saying
that is not officially endorsed by Openmoko the company?  If that is
your argument, then it can be easily proven that Openmoko the company
no longer exists as a legal entity in any country and that you
personally as a mere ex-employee of that no-longer-existing company
have no special power to make statements on its behalf.

And please give me at least one documented example of any police force
using extrasensory psychic powers to detect and arrest a user of a
phone whose firmware has been updated in a way which they deem to be
illegal.  Given that the actual radio transmissions remain absolutely
unchanged, they would need ESP in order to detect such an illegal fw
update.

> telling OM about alleged violations of rules while bluntly admitting that you
> yourself don't care abouzt rules, have no clue about them and think they are
> made to get violated... YES that is the spacefalcon we know and love ... *NOT*

While I do not care for any of the laws imposed by any of the self-
appointed and ultimately illegitimate national governments, as an
engineer I am very diligent about making my very best effort to comply
with sensible technical standards, and I continue to argue that my
products are better in this regard than yours.

M~

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Re: modem firmware

[Mychaela Falconia]

Fernando  wrote:

> Having said that, I find the physical threats out of proportion
> for the intended benefit. Not to mention counterproductive.

Please cite at least one physical threat within the last 4 y, i.e.,
later than 2013-08, after the FreeCalypso social justice project
successfully ended and the FreeCalypso technical project began.

OTOH, if you are still hung up about ancient history, i.e., about the
unpleasant things I had to do back in 2013, I am sorry if you don't
like it, but there was no other way.  The people in question were
sitting on the *world's last remaining copy* of TI's TCS211 firmware
for the Calypso+Iota+Rita chipset, *no one else in the world* including
TI had a copy of this chipset fw any more, all other available TI
sources were only for their later LoCosto chipset.

The TCS211 source in question has been liberated in the fall of 2013
thanks to another comrade who did what I was not able to do myself.
It is unfortunate that no such person had stepped forward sooner, but
willingness of other people to step forward and do something which I
could not do myself is not something that I ever had any control over.

joerg Reisenweber wrote:

> wanna come shoot me once more?

For what purpose?  Just to shut you up, to stop the flow of negative
commentary from your mouth/fingers onto this list?  No thanks, I have
no interest in spending the rest of my life in prison for killing
someone who does nothing more than post a bunch of bitter commentary
on mailing lists - instead I would much rather spend my life doing
some actual productive work, like building new libre phones and modems
with the Calypso chipset and finishing the deblobbing of their fw.
Wanna show us some examples of some actual productive work YOU have
done lately?

Have a nice day!

M~

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Re: modem firmware

[Fernando]

Obviously freecalypso should have a disclaimer about the legal aspects 
involved, but I guess people actually interested in this would be aware (e.g., 
discussed many times) and the lack (?) of such a disclaimer is not necessarily 
done in bad-faith as you claim ("lure"). But I do understand you are entitled 
to a fair bias against the possible good faith of their actions.

On August 29, 2017 at 11:20:29 am +02:00, joerg Reisenweber 
 wrote:

> the moral aspects of calling somebody out for removing "no parking" signs so
> people would have to pay tickets for unknowingly parking there, or not telling
> people that they are in danger to even *do time in jail* when they install and
> use a firmware that person provides, are not arguable in my world.
> 
> I won't comment the rest since it's totally missing the point
> 
> BR
> /j
> -- 
> () ascii ribbon campaign
> /\
> against html e-mail - against proprietary attachments
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  (German)
>

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Re: modem firmware

[joerg Reisenweber]

the moral aspects of calling somebody out for removing "no parking" signs so 
people would have to pay tickets for unknowingly parking there, or not telling 
people that they are in danger to even *do time in jail* when they install and 
use a firmware that person provides, are not arguable in my world.

I won't comment the rest since it's totally missing the point

BR
/j
-- 
()  ascii ribbon campaign
/\  
against html e-mail - against proprietary attachments
http://www.georgedillon.com/web/html_email_is_evil.shtml  
http://www.nonhtmlmail.org/campaign.html
http://www.georgedillon.com/web/html_email_is_evil_still.shtml
http://www.gerstbach.at/2004/ascii/ (German)


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Re: modem firmware

[Fernando]

I think it is good that you warn people about the illegality of the situation.

I don't think it is good you claim the high ground of morals. According to your 
definition of right, the status of society would never change. Yes, one could 
do the legal fights to change the law, I guess. Good luck with that.

You appear to disregard that society has changed mostly with revolutions, 
fights for workers rights, etc, to arrive to a better world from which you 
probably benefit. And there is clearly room for improvement for a better 
society.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists 
in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the 
unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw 
,

Having said that, I find the physical threats out of proportion for the 
intended benefit. Not to mention counterproductive.

Regards,
Fernando Martins

On August 29, 2017 at 10:14:57 am +02:00, joerg Reisenweber 
 wrote:

> On Mon 28 August 2017 22:33:03 Mychaela Falconia wrote:
> 
> > > thus rendering any operation of the device outside controlled self-
> > > contained lab environment illegal.
> > > 
> > 
> > Yup, just like using hormonal birth control from an overseas pharmacy
> > without allowing a doctor to sexually violate you under the guise of a
> > necessary exam. Laws like that are MEANT to be broken.
> > 
> Thanks for taking care to lure users into breaking laws that need to get
> broken according to your definition. Just, I don't need any help on that, I
> need clear information about what I into when I follow your advice.
> 
> Can't you see how you're acting wrong?
> 
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> 
> 
>

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Re: modem firmware

[joerg Reisenweber]

for the rest:
telling OM about alleged violations of rules while bluntly admitting that you 
yourself don't care abouzt rules, have no clue about them and think they are 
made to get violated... YES that is the spacefalcon we know and love ... *NOT*

wanna come shoot me once more? Or do you think you tricked us once more? 
Honestly you never were close to that. The only one's foot you are constantly 
shooting is your own.

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against html e-mail - against proprietary attachments
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http://www.nonhtmlmail.org/campaign.html
http://www.georgedillon.com/web/html_email_is_evil_still.shtml
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Re: modem firmware

[joerg Reisenweber]

On Mon 28 August 2017 22:33:03 Mychaela Falconia wrote:
> > thus rendering any operation of the device outside controlled self-
> > contained lab environment illegal.
> 
> Yup, just like using hormonal birth control from an overseas pharmacy
> without allowing a doctor to sexually violate you under the guise of a
> necessary exam.  Laws like that are MEANT to be broken.

Thanks for taking care to lure users into breaking laws that need to get 
broken according to your definition. Just, I don't need any help on that, I 
need clear information about what I into when I follow your advice.

Can't you see how you're acting wrong?

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Re: modem firmware

[Mychaela Falconia]

joerg Reisenweber wrote:

> Please carefully note that this update is not based on the original licensed
> firmware for Openmoko devices,

Your original licensed firmware has bugs in it; the updated firmware
has some of these bugs fixed.  Want examples?  Here are just a few in
no particular order:

* Your firmware configures many Calypso signals which are unconnected
in the hardware as inputs, resulting in floating inputs.  As an EE you
surely know that floating digital inputs are generally bad.  I even
found a document from TI specific to the chips in question that says
that such floating inputs can result in excessive current draw, wasting
the battery:

https://www.freecalypso.org/LoCosto-docs/SW%20doc/0002_4006_power_consumption_APN.PDF

* In April of 2008 some clueless moron at TI-Taiwan sent you a patch
for L1 in the form of a binary blob with mystery content that attempted
to fix the infamous bug #1024.  Later you figured out that it was a
hardware bug that cannot be fixed by firmware means, but even before
that realization you knew that TI's patch from 20080421 did not improve
anything, and you even knew that the patch in question was unofficial
from TI's perspective and had not passed TI's internal quality assurance
processes:

http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/openmoko-devel/2008-April/002582.html

Yet you included that bogus patch in moko10 and moko11, and unfortunately
I also kept it in moko12 (my first post-OM-Inc fw from late 2013) because
I didn't know any better back then.  In moko13 the bogon has been
removed, restoring L1 to the way it was in TI's baseline TCS211 firmware,
but even better, I have successfully reconstructed recompilable C source
that compiles into a bit-for-bit match to the original blobs, i.e.,
essentially the lost source which TI had wrongfully withheld from various
customers including OM has been reconstructed and We The People now have
the Corresponding Source to what used to be a bunch of blobs.

* A different clueless moron (this one had to be an employee of OM, as
the bogon in question is present in your code but not in TI's reference
version) has put in a "gem" in fw versions moko6 through moko11,
inclusive, that tells the RR (Radio Resource) layer of the G23M protocol
stack that the hardware is quadband, when it is only triband in reality.
As a result the fw will attempt to search for GSM cells in all 4 bands,
and you even posted on this list back in 2014 that you had a US-band
FreeRunner kinda-sorta-work in the 900 MHz band.

However, the factory production line calibration on GTA01/02 devices
was only performed for the 3 properly supported bands, not for the 4th
band, hence if the fw allows the use of that 4th band and the modem's
Rx tract manages to pick up a particularly strong signal that passes
through the wrong-band SAW filter, when the modem subsequently turns
its transmitter on in that band, it will be transmitting without
calibration.  When no calibration has been done for a given Tx band,
the fw will use its hard-coded values, but because you have always said
that you only got binary blobs and no source for that part of the fw,
I have every good reason to assume that those hard-coded values (which
are overridden by factory calibration values written into FFS for the
3 properly supported bands) are not correct for Openmoko hardware at
all, and were probably set up for some earlier TI board, most likely
Leonardo.  The RF tract on TI's historical Leonardo boards was quite
different from yours, including a different RF PA, hence when your
bogus firmware operates the modem in an uncalibrated band, the Tx
power levels are going to be wildly out of spec.  I will have some
actual measured dBm numbers for you in a few months when I save up the
money to get my CMU200 properly recalibrated by Rohde

The firmware bug in question has been fixed in moko12 and moko13: these
newer fw versions no longer overwrite the /gsm/com/rfcap file in FFS
on every boot, so if you do a 'set-rfcap tri900' or 'set-rfcap tri850'
via fc-fsio as appropriate to your GTA01/02 hw variant, your correct
rfcap setting will stay, the modem will no longer waste time trying to
receive in the unsupported 4th band, and it will never act as an out-
of-spec transmitter in that 4th band.

> has not been checked and is not endorsed by
> original manufacturer Openmoko

And what exactly is the worth of an endorsement by the dead ghosts of
a no-longer-existing company that did a shitty job of supporting this
modem back when it was in business?

> and thus will void your device's (FCC/CE/...)
> approval

The fact that a modem running your official firmware that falsely
believes itself to be quadband when running on triband-calibrated hw
VIOLATES the actual technical specs for the transmitted signals can
only mean that the approval you got was fraudulent or at least
erroneous (the certification testers overlooked the technical spec
violation), and the actual radio operation of the modem with my fw is
in 

Re: modem firmware

[mail]

hi Joerg

>Can't find any such link to release notes in the howto

https://www.freecalypso.org/pipermail/community/2017-August/000452.html

for the beta release of the firmware (the moko13 release has no significant 
changes from the beta) and

https://www.freecalypso.org/pipermail/community/2017-August/000464.html

for the latest release of fc host tools

Both those links are in the howto

--
David Matthews
m...@dmatthews.org


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Re: modem firmware

[joerg Reisenweber]

On Mon 28 August 2017 11:29:17 m...@dmatthews.org wrote:
> The relevant howto includes a link to the release notes which include
> reasons why you might wish to do this.

Can't find any such link to release notes in the howto
/j

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Re: modem firmware

[joerg Reisenweber]

On Mon 28 August 2017 11:29:17 m...@dmatthews.org wrote:
> hello
> 
> There are step by step instructions to upgrade the modem firmware of your
> freerunner to the latest moko13 release from the freecalypso community.
> 
> https://www.freecalypso.org/members/david/howtos/
> 
> The relevant howto includes a link to the release notes which include
> reasons why you might wish to do this.
> 
> --
> David Matthews
> m...@dmatthews.org

Please carefully note that this update is not based on the original licensed 
firmware for Openmoko devices, has not been checked and is not endorsed by 
original manufacturer Openmoko and thus will void your device's (FCC/CE/...) 
approval thus rendering any operation of the device outside controlled self-
contained lab environment illegal.

Best Regards
jOERG
(OM EE)


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