The recent Shark postings have aroused my interest.

What is a 'Shark'?

Thanks.

"Mark J. Foster" wrote:
> 
> Hello!
> 
> I've been working on a new device driver for the SHARK for Home Control
> applications, and thought I'd gauge the interest level in this work.
> Specifically, I'm creating a fairly large device driver which actually
> supports six devices on the SHARK, each of which is intended for home
> control applications.  As such, all of the devices (with the exception
> of the RS-232 port) record and playback "edge" transitions, which
> enables them to be used regardless of the communications protocol
> required by the equipment).
> 
> Three general device classes are supported:
> 
>     Consumer IR:   Full support for consumer IR input and output
>     Serial RS-232: For connecting to X-10 devices, etc.
>     Bitstreams:    For general purpose serial I/O, such as
>                    connecting your SHARK to your stereo or
>                    TV's proprietary control connection.
>                    Example: Sony's S-Link.
> 
> In total, six devices are created:
> 
>     av0: Transmit and Receive on Serial Port Data lines
>     av1: Transmit on RTS, Receive on CTS on Serial Port
>     av2: Transmit on DTR, Receive on DSR on Serial Port
>     av3: Transmit and Receive using hardware IR Controller
>     av4: Transmit on RTS, Receive on CTS (Internal Port)
>     av5: Transmit on DTR, Receive on DSR (Internal Port)
> 
> While the driver definitely isn't done yet, virtually of the code has
> been written,  and the code is heavily documented.  Perhaps most
> impressive, consumer IR now appears to be working quite well - for the
> first time this morning, I was able to control my VCR with my SHARK!
> 
> Even better, I've created this code so that it is compatible with the
> LIRC (Linux InfraRed Control) driver, which enables it to work directly
> with this applications suite for general purpose control.  While I'm
> still in the process of testing these apps, one thing works very well,
> indeed: consumer IR can not only be recorded and played back, the system
> can recognize specific buttons (well and quickly!), to allow you to
> control your SHARK or home!  Down the line, I'll be testing the other
> capabilities of this suite, such as being able to define buttons for use
> as a remote mouse under X, the ability for remote control buttons to
> execute arbitrary system commands, etc!
> 
> Some of once thought that SHARKs would run the world...  well, maybe now
> they can at least run your home theater system...
> 
> Any interest?
> 
> Thanks!
> Mark J. Foster
> 
> P.S.  This is definitely not ready for release yet.  Most significant of
> all is that, like many of us, I'm still running the original April
> release of the NetBSD code, so the code will need to be merged into the
> upcoming full EGCS+linked libs+??? snapshot.  That, plus miscellaneous
> bug fixes, IOCTLs for changing the UART and/or IR formats, etc, etc,
> etc.

-- 
David Feustel
Fort Wayne, Indiana
219-483-1857

http://www.d-feustel.com