ifp899 and linux

[makhand]

Hey, I just got my new ifp899 today. I'm trying to make it work with linux. Basically, first, I tried to use the ifp-line, ifp-gnome and such products. All of those said one things to me:

Error: Device is busy.  (I was unable to claim its interface.)

So, since I've been browsing and looking at many things, I've seen a lot. I then assumed it must have the UMS firmware installed. I was able to verify that my computer does recognize that the devices is connected to a usb, but dont know how to mount it if it is acting as a UMS device.

Has anyone gotten ifp899 to work with linux?
I'm running Ubuntu Hoary

andrei

[assa9]

A patch (driver) is needed to make a new one (managed firmware) work with ifp-line... and it's not easy.
It sounds like you need to install it on a windows pc and update to UMS firmware after which you won't need ifp-line, drivers, etc. It should 'just work' as a flash drive without any weird software afterwards.

[Triskelios]

So, since I've been browsing and looking at many things, I've seen a lot. I then assumed it must have the UMS firmware installed. I was able to verify that my computer does recognize that the devices is connected to a usb, but dont know how to mount it if it is acting as a UMS device.

The alternate UMS firmware makes the player act like a standard USB Mass Storage device, NO additional drivers or tools are needed in Linux or any other modern OS; just mount the device. The usb-storage driver in Linux makes the devices emulate scsi disks - see linux-usb.org if you need help with that.

Check /proc/bus/usb/devices to see which driver, if any, is claiming the device. If a driver hasn't recognised it, it's probably still the default "Managed" firmware.

The error from ifp-line sounds like you might not have permission to access USB devices, follow the instructions at http://www.roback.cc/projects/iRiver/ to fix that. Please also read my last post for info about better tools for iFP players; ifp-line is rather old, and is only really useful for performing firmware updates.

A patch (driver) is needed to make a new one (managed firmware) work with ifp-line... and it's not easy.

That's simply not true. The entire purpose of ifp-line and the newer libiriver tools is to control the "Managed" firmware that ships with the iFP-series players. By my experience the tools work just fine. What's the basis of your claim?

[risager]

I have a iFP895 which is working great with Ubuntu Hoary. I didn't change the firmware (I want ogg support). It should be identical to the iFP899 except that yours have more memory. I got the same error as you did at first. The problem was, in my case, root related. Try running ifp-gnome as root i.e

sudo ifp-gnome

I think the readme file of ifp-line explained how you can run it for non-root users also, but I'm not sure thats where.

Let us know if it works.

[Triskelios]

Originally Posted by risager

I have a iFP895 which is working great with Ubuntu Hoary. I didn't change the firmware (I want ogg support). It should be identical to the iFP899 except that yours have more memory.

As far as I know, UMS firmware has identical Ogg Vorbis
support to the Managed firmware, so you won't lose much except the max recording bitrate and the ability to show player info on a computer.

Originally Posted by risager

I got the same error as you did at first. The problem was, in my case, root related. Try running ifp-gnome as root i.e

sudo ifp-gnome

I think the readme file of ifp-line explained how you can run it for non-root users also, but I'm not sure thats where.

Let us know if it works.

Take a look at http://www.roback.cc/projects/iRiver/ under "Hotplug Tips/Howto" for instructions on correcting the permissions for accessing the device.

[risager]

It seems the link to the hotplug section is only relevant if he has the UMS firmware.

Originally Posted by Triskelios

As far as I know, UMS firmware has identical Ogg Vorbis
support to the Managed firmware, so you won't lose much except the max recording bitrate and the ability to show player info on a computer.

Does it? I thought the UMS firmware didn't have ogg support at all? But do I gain much from UMS? Its somewhat slower right?

[Triskelios]

Originally Posted by risager

It seems the link to the hotplug section is only relevant if he has the UMS firmware.

No, all of the information ONLY applies to Managed firmware. Device permissions are NOT involved for UMS (and besides, the USB IDs are probably different).

Originally Posted by risager

Does it? I thought the UMS firmware didn't have ogg support at all? But do I gain much from UMS? Its somewhat slower right?

No release notes or FAQs like this one for example) mention any changes to Ogg support, or any other format except the limit on the recording bitrate. You gain the ability to use your player as a normal USB storage device ("pen drive"), to transfer data between computers without special software, and there are also no restrictions on downloading songs like with Managed firmware. It is somewhat slower (something like 3/4 the normal transfer speed, iirc).