RTEMS Statement Deepens Libogc License Controversy

May 14, 2025 by 41 Comments

Earlier this month we covered the brewing controversy over libogc, the community-developed C library that functions as the backbone for GameCube and Wii homebrew software. Questions about how much of the library was based on leaked information from Nintendo had been circulating for decades, but the more recent accusations that libogc included code from other open source projects without proper attribution brought the debate to a head — ultimately leading Wii Homebrew Channel developer Hector Martin to archive the popular project and use its README as a central point to collect evidence against libogc and its developers.

At the time, most of the claims had to do with code being taken from the Real-Time Executive for Multiprocessor Systems (RTEMS) project. Martin and others in the community had performed their own investigations, and found some striking similarities between the two codebases. A developer familiar with both projects went so far as to say that as much as half the code in libogc was actually lifted from RTEMS and obfuscated so as to appear as original work.

While some of these claims included compelling evidence, they were still nothing more than accusations. For their part, the libogc team denied any wrongdoing. Contributors to the project explained that any resemblance between libogc code and that of either leaked Nintendo libraries or other open source projects was merely superficial, and the unavoidable result of developing for a constrained system such as a game console.

But that all changed on May 6th, when the RTEMS team released an official statement on the subject. It turns out that they had been following the situation for some time, and had conducted their own audit of the libogc code. Their determination was that not only had RTEMS code been used without attribution, but that it appeared at least some code had also been copied verbatim from the Linux kernel — making the license dispute (and its solution) far more complex.

Continue reading “RTEMS Statement Deepens Libogc License Controversy” →

RADUGA: The Retro Computer From Behind The Curtain

May 14, 2025 by 7 Comments

When [Kasyan] was six years old, he saw a RADUGA computer, a Russian unit from the 1990s, and it sparked his imagination. He has one now that is a little beat up, but we feel like he sees it through his six-year-old eyes as a shiny new computer. The computer, which you can see in the video below, was a clone of the Spectrum 48K.

The box is somewhat klunky-looking, and inside is also a bit strange. The power supply is a — for the time — state-of-the-art switching power supply. Since it wasn’t in good shape, he decided to replace it with a more modern supply.

The main board was also not in good shape. A Zilog CPU is on a large PCB with suspicious-looking capacitors. The mechanical keyboard is nothing more than a array of buttons, and wouldn’t excite today’s mechanical key enthusiast.

Continue reading “RADUGA: The Retro Computer From Behind The Curtain” →

Version Control To The Max

May 14, 2025 by 42 Comments

There was a time when version control was an exotic idea. Today, things like Git and a handful of other tools allow developers to easily rewind the clock or work on different versions of the same thing with very little effort. I’m here to encourage you not only to use version control but also to go even a step further, at least for important projects.

My First Job

The QDP-100 with — count ’em — two 8″ floppies (from an ad in Byte magazine)

I remember my first real job back in the early 1980s. We made a particular type of sensor that had a 6805 CPU onboard and, of course, had firmware. We did all the development on physically big CP/M machines with the improbable name of Quasar QDP-100s. No, not that Quasar. We’d generate a hex file, burn an EPROM, test, and eventually, the code would make it out in the field.

Of course, you always have to make changes. You might send a technician out with a tube full of EPROMs or, in an emergency, we’d buy the EPROMs space on a Greyhound bus. Nothing like today.

I was just getting started, and the guy who wrote the code for those sensors wasn’t much older than me. One day, we got a report that something was misbehaving out in the field. I asked him how we knew what version of the code was on the sensor. The blank look I got back worried me. Continue reading “Version Control To The Max” →

A Brain Transplant For A Philips Smart Lamp

May 14, 2025 by 25 Comments

As the saying goes, modern problems require modern solutions. When the modern problem is that your smart light is being hijacked by the neighbors, [Wejn]’s modern solution is to reverse engineer and replace the mainboard.

The light in question is a Phillips Hue Ambiance, and [Wejn]’s excellently-documented six part series takes us through the process of creating a replacement light driver. It’s a good read, including reverse-engineering the PWM functions to get the lights to dim exactly like stock, and a dive into the Zigbee protocol so his rebuild light could still talk to the Philips Hue hub. The firmware [Wejn] wrote for the ESP32C6 he chose to use for this project is on GitHub, with the PCB in a second repo.

We want to applaud [Wejn] for his excellent documentation and open-sourcing (the firmware and PCB are under GPL v3). Not only do we get enough information to replicate this project perfectly if we so choose, but by writing out his design process, [Wejn] gives everyone reading a good head start in doing something similar with other hardware. Even if you’re scratching your head wondering why a light switch isn’t good enough anjymore, you have to appreciate what [Wejn] is offering the community.

We’ve covered domestic brain transplants in the past — which is easier in this sort of light than the close confines of a smart bulb. If you’re still wondering why not just use a light switch, perhaps you’d rather hack the light to run doom instead.

Before you go, can we just take a moment to appreciate how bizarre the world has become that we have a DOOM-capable computer to run fancy light fixture? If you’re using what might have been a decent workstation in days of yore to perform a painfully mundane task, let us know on the tips line.

Turning A Chromebox Into A Proper Power-Efficient PC

May 14, 2025 by 21 Comments

Google’s ChromeOS and associated hardware get a lot of praise for being easy to manage and for providing affordable hardware for school and other educational settings. It’s also undeniable that their locked-down nature forms a major obstacle and provides limited reusability.

That is unless you don’t mind doing a bit of hacking. The Intel Core i3-8130U based Acer CXI3 Chromebox that the [Hardware Haven] YouTube channel got their mittens on is a perfect example.

The Acer CXI3 in all its 8th-gen Intel Core i3 glory. (Credit: Hardware Haven, YouTube)
The Acer CXI3 in all its 8th-gen Intel Core i3 glory. (Credit: Hardware Haven, YouTube)

This is a nice mini PC, with modular SODIMM RAM, an NVMe storage M.2 slot as well as a slot for the WiFi card (or SATA adapter). After resetting the Chromebox to its default configuration and wiping the previous user, it ran at just a few watts idle at the desktop. As this is just a standard x86_64 PC, the only thing holding it back from booting non-ChromeOS software is the BIOS, which is where [MrChromebox]‘s exceedingly useful replacement BIOSes for supported systems come into play, with easy to follow instructions.

Reflashing the Acer CXI3 unit was as easy as removing the write-protect screw from the mainboard, running the Firmware Utility Script from a VT2 terminal (Ctrl+Alt+F2 on boot and chronos as login) and flashing either the RW_LEGACY or UEFI ROM depending on what is supported and desired. This particular Chromebox got the full UEFI treatment, and after upgrading the NVMe SSD, Debian-based Proxmox installed without a hitch. Interestingly, idle power dropped from 2.6 watts under ChromeOS to 1.6 watts under Proxmox.

If you have a Chromebox that’s supported by [MrChromebox], it’s worth taking a poke at, with some solutions allowing you to even dualboot ChromeOS and another OS if that’s your thing.

Continue reading “Turning A Chromebox Into A Proper Power-Efficient PC” →

You Wouldn’t Download A Helmet?

May 13, 2025 by 33 Comments

Odds are, if you have ridden a bicycle for any amount of time, you have crashed. Crashes are fast, violent and chaotic events that leave you confused, and very glad to have a helmet. But what if there was another way of protecting your head? [Seth] decided to find out by taking a look at the Hövding airbag helmet.

The Hövding sits around your neck and looks somewhat akin to a neck pillow. It uses accelerometers situated in the fore and aft of the device to detect what it thinks is a crash. If a crash is detected, it will release a charge of compressed helium to inflate an airbag that wraps around the user’s head protecting a larger amount of the head then a traditional helmet. It also inflates around the wearer’s neck providing neck bracing in the impact further improving safety. The inflation process is incredibly fast and violent, very much akin to a car’s airbag. [Seth] demonstrated this on the process on two occasions to great effect, and to his amazement. While the idea of relying on computers to protect your head may sound ridiculous, studies have shown that the Hövding is safer than a regular helmet in certain situations.

Continue reading “You Wouldn’t Download A Helmet?” →

What’s An LCR Databridge?

May 13, 2025 by 6 Comments

[Thomas Scherrer] has an odd piece of vintage test equipment in his most recent video. An AIM LCR Databridge 401. What’s a databridge? We assume it was a play on words of an LCR bridge with a digital output. Maybe. You can see a teardown in the video below.

Inside the box is a vintage 1983 Z80 CPU with all the extra pieces. The device autoranges, at least it seems as much. However, the unit locks up when you use the Bias button, but it isn’t clear if that’s a fault or if it is just waiting for something to happen.

The teardown starts at about six minutes in. Inside is a very large PCB. The board is soldermasked and looks good, but the traces are clearly set by a not-so-steady hand. In addition to AIM, Racal Dana sold this device as a model 9341. The service manual for that unit is floating around, although we weren’t able to download it due to a server issue. A search could probably turn up copies.

Continue reading “What’s An LCR Databridge?” →