Dell Axim X3
This page is specifically for the X3 (and X3i), see DellAximX5 for info on the X5.
Status
http://homepage.mac.com/laulandne/axim/ (patches that haven't made it into CVS, pictures of take-apart, and more x3 fun!)
For other Axim related status, please see http://www.handhelds.org/projects/axim.html
No real support for the X3 yet. It is different enough from the X5 (no MediaQ chip), so it needs a different kernel and/or set of drivers. We have a more/less working copy. We will publish it soon.
The porting effort
People involved:
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Nick Lauland, http://homepage.mac.com/laulandne/axim/
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Mario Arias Gallego, aka McK
The X5 people:
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Andrew Zabolotny, http://www.ozerki.net/homepage/zap/
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Martin Demin
Hardware info
The Axim X3 lacks the MediaQ chip that the X5 has, using the built in functionality of the XScale PXA for the most part.
Devices being worked on:
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Frame Buffer (standard pxa, working, backlight control working, except switch lcd on and off ~mck)
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Buttons (Driver working, opie still doesn't manage them with kernel 2.6)
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UDC ( Usb connection working, we can communicate to axim by ssh, and mount root over nfs. Thanks to 2210's project people as we are using a modified version of their initrd and rootfs. More information: HpIpaqH2200ssh. We will publish all needed files soon, so you can try it on your own axim )
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AC97 code (It is the same as the X5. Andrew wrote a driver which uses dma for touchscreen, but there are some bugs so it locks when using sound too. He is waiting for ac97 code under alsa to try to resolve it. On X3, the touchscreen now works using dma, but not without it, so we couldn't test sound.)
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SD/MMC (We found a chip which is just a SD/SDIO and MMC controller. We found a datashet what may help us a lot (http://www.winbond.com/e-winbondhtm/partner/PDFresult.asp?pname=905). We have to guess how that chip is connected to pxa to use it,maybe memory mapped. Another possibility is that that chip isn't used for sd slot, and it is used to communicate to wifi chip.)
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IR port (Standard pxa, not tested)
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Serial (I don't have a serial cable, but looks the same as the X5's)
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ROM (We found how to flash rom from a SD card img, we have a few clues but we must ensure it wont brick our axim before any tests. We now can read intel strataflash rom from linux, maybe we can use the builtin storage to save the rootfs.)
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Wifi (We think it is a prism3 chip made by sychip, so if we find how to communicate to it, it seems to be more less easy. Maybe pcmcia? Maybe sdio?)
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Battery (Charge and discharge notification works. We can get the voltage value through the standard ac97 protocol. We need to get the discharge curves to show the charge value in percentage to userspace.)
User Questions
hello, i just buy an AximX30, wifi, with win mobile 2003, & need put linux into, this fork is useful, for my proposit? thanks, Jordi, laseunet @ seudigital . net
Hi, AFAIK the Axim X30 hardware should be very similar to the X3's one, so it should work. Anyway It will need a few changes as X30 uses the newer processor pxa270. We need a few photos of the X30 internals and a few tests to ensure that they have the same hardware. We need people with X30s getting involved in the project to help in the debug too. McK.
if you need a machine to do some testing on (without opening it) i would be happy to help, i have the axim 30h (624Mhz) and would like to get linux up and running, if there are some tools or things to run to get an idea of what it has just mail me at jaycoles (at) yahoo.com also had a look at the pxa270 spec and it seems we can multiplex USB host/Client throgh the same pins, i am nt 100% sure about this but if it is not USB host then at the very least it is On the go complient, may need some extra hardware but it is nice no know there is a chance to be able to hook up some USB devices.
I'd be glad to lend a hand. I actually just sold my palm Zire71 for the new Axim X30. I'm not sure about how much help I'd be, but I don't really have a Windows install anywhere in my house... and I'd like to keep it that way.
I'm very interested in helping port linux to the Axim, just tell me what to do. I can fill in the research that will be needed on my part. Thanks.
Machine number has been allocated (see http://www.arm.linux.org.uk/ number 655), and most chips have been identified (took the plunge and opened it) but i havent tried to make a seperate page to put the data yet if any one cares to contact me or start a page (cant work out how) i will release the details (jaycoles (at) yahoo.com )
That is great!. I'll be glad to help you. Feel free to ask me about x3, I think there are a lot of things in common between x3 and x30 beyond the case
McK.
x30 page created at http://www.handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/AximX30
