linktitle: cp210x
parent: projects
ctime: 2009-12-10
-mtime: 2012-07-03
+mtime: 2014-08-18
Repositories: [cp210x](/gitweb/?p=cp210x.git;a=summary), [[aptrepo]].
[Silicon Labs](http://www.silabs.com) sells a single-chip USB to UART bridge,
the
[cp210x](http://www.silabs.com/products/interface/usbtouart/Pages/default.aspx).
-For windows platforms, Silicon Labs offers manufacturing support for setting the
-various USB descriptor fields, port configurations, etc. They also offer a DLL
-and example programs showing how to manipulate the GPIO pins available on the
-cp2103 part.
+For windows platforms, Silicon Labs offers manufacturing support for setting
+the various USB descriptor fields, port configurations, etc. They also offer a
+DLL and example programs showing how to manipulate the GPIO pins available on
+the cp2103 part. This driver is a strict superset of the driver supplied with
+the Linux Kernel, but we have not tested the extended features with newer
+chips, like the cp2104.
+
+The `cp210x-module-dkms` package in the TMI APT repository has been tested on
+the following Ubuntu distributions:
+
+* 14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr)
+* 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)
+* 11.04 (Natty Narwhal),
+* 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat)
+* 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx)
+* 9.10 (Karmic Koala)
+* 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron)
+
+In our shop we use Xubuntu, but any Ubuntu distribution flavor should be fine.
+We are now exclusively using 64-bit packages internally. The 32-bit
+packages are still built, but don't receive much testing.
With support from Silicon Labs, TMI has modified their GPLv2 licensed reference
Linux driver to support all of the features their Windows DLLs and utilities
target using a USB/serial connection, by leveraging two of the four additional
GPIO pins present on the cp2103.
-TMI completed these driver changes were originally completed in late 2007, but
-have been periodically updated since then to track changes to the linux kernel
-source. Silicon Labs was to push these changes through to the mainline kernel,
-did not do so. In mid 2010, TMI had discussions with the
-linux-usb developers, and a decent number of changes need to be made before they
-will include our modifications upstream. Specifically, they want to see all
-ioctl calls replaced with another mechanism. Perhaps we can allocate some time to
-work on these issues in the future. Meanwhile, TMI will continue to maintain
-its branch of the cp210x driver.
-
-The `cp210x-module-dkms` package in the TMI APT
-repository has been tested on (X)Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron), 9.10 (Karmic
-Koala), 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx), 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat), 11.04 (Natty Narwhal),
-and 12.04 (Precise Pangolin). Because the driver uses the dkms facility, the
-driver should build for both 32 and 64 bit systems. Some testing has happened
-using older versions of 64-bit (X)Ubuntu, but TMI developers predominantly use
-32-bit Xubuntu 12.04 at the moment (2012-07-09).
-
-Note: Silicon Labs has introduced new USB/Serial chips, like the cp2104. The
-latest merge of the mainline cp210x driver, as present when used on 12.04
-systems, may be compatible with these newer parts. TMI has not tested for this
-compatibility.
+## Driver Differences
+
+* The in-kernel driver does NOT include GPIO or manufacturing features.
+
+* Silicon Labs has added GPIO features in the driver available on their
+ website, but none of the manufacturing capability. At one point,
+
+* This driver supports both GPIO and manufacturing capabilities, and includes
+ a user-space header for accessing those features conveniently.
projects / oss-web.git / blobdiff