2526d5b087
Bluetooth (RTL8723D USB combo chip): - GPIO pin 357 (active low) enables WiFi/BT hardware via x6200_gpio_set() - bluez5_utils 5.64 (downgraded from 5.79 — HID input plugin broken in 5.79) - rtl8723d_config.bin added to overlay (missing from linux-firmware package) - S45wifi-bt: GPIO enable + modprobe btusb/uhid/hidp at boot - S85bt-keyboard: auto-connect loop with scan+connect every 20s WiFi (RTL8723DU): - out-of-tree lwfinger/rtw88 driver (RTW88_8723DU not in kernel 6.1 mainline) - linux-firmware RTL_RTW88 for rtw88/rtw8723d_fw.bin - regulatory.db for cfg80211 - wpa_supplicant with multi-network config in /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf - S46wifi: wpa_supplicant + udhcpc at boot Key findings: - RTL8723D USB WiFi (0bda:d723) requires out-of-tree rtw88 on kernel 6.1 - BT and WiFi share same USB device, both need GPIO 357 = 0 to power on - bluez5 5.79 HID input plugin not linked into bluetoothd (build system bug)
120 lines
7.6 KiB
Markdown
120 lines
7.6 KiB
Markdown
# Mestre
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> An open-source control head for software-defined radios — built on the Xiegu X6200.
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## What is Mestre?
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Mestre turns a [Xiegu X6200](https://www.xiegu.eu/) into a dedicated, tactile remote control head for any networked SDR transceiver, starting with the [Hermes-Lite 2](http://www.hermeslite.com/).
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The motivation is simple. Concepts like FlexRadio's Maestro prove that a dedicated piece of hardware — real VFO knob, real buttons, no laptop — gives the operating experience that touchscreens and mouse-driven SDR consoles don't. But Maestro is closed, expensive, and locked to the FlexRadio ecosystem.
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Mestre uses a radio you may already own (the X6200) and turns its physical controls into a Maestro-class experience for radios you may already own (HL2, ANAN, anything HPSDR-compatible). Open hardware, open software, open protocol.
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```
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┌─────────────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐
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│ X6200 │ │ Hermes-Lite 2 │
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│ ┌───────────────────┐ │ │ │
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│ │ Knobs, buttons │ │ │ (or any HPSDR rig) │
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│ │ Touchscreen, LCD │ │ │ │
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│ └─────────┬─────────┘ │ └──────────┬───────────┘
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│ │ │ │
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│ ┌─────────▼─────────┐ │ Network (HPSDR) │
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│ │ Mestre service │ │ │
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│ │ (evdev → MIDI) │ │ │
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│ └─────────┬─────────┘ │ │
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│ │ │ │
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│ ┌─────────▼─────────┐ │ │
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│ │ piHPSDR │◄─┼───────────────────────────┘
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│ └───────────────────┘ │
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└─────────────────────────┘
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```
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## Mestre vs Virtuoso
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The project is **Mestre** — the build system, services, and software stack.
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The product name **Virtuoso** is reserved for when (if!) Mestre actually delivers a Maestro-class experience. It must be earned.
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## Project Status
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🚧 **Early development.** Building the foundation.
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| # | Milestone | Status |
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|---|----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
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| 1 | Boot a recent Buildroot LTS on the X6200 (serial console) | ✅ 2026-05-03 |
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| 2 | Working audio stack | ✅ 2026-05-06 |
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| 3 | WiFi and Bluetooth keyboard and mouse | ✅ 2026-05-09 |
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| 4 | Forward-port LCD panel driver — full display output | ✅ 2026-05-03 |
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| 5 | piHPSDR running on X6200, controlled by mouse and keyboard | ⚪ Planned |
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| 6 | piHPSDR audio — HL2 audio via SoC speaker | ⚪ Planned |
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| 7 | `mestre` service: evdev → ALSA virtual MIDI bridge | ⚪ Planned |
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| 8 | End-to-end: X6200 controlling Hermes-Lite 2 as a control head | ⚪ Planned |
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| 9 | First-boot wizard, settings persistence, polished UX | ⚪ Planned |
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| ∞ | Earn the right to call it Virtuoso | ⚪ TBD |
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## Architecture
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Mestre is built as a Buildroot-based Linux distribution for the X6200. The system runs three cooperating components:
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- **piHPSDR** — handles the SDR protocol, audio, waterfall, and overall radio UI on the X6200's LCD. Connects over the network to the actual transceiver hardware (HL2 or other HPSDR rig).
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- **mestre service** — a small daemon that reads the X6200's physical knobs and buttons via `/dev/input/eventX` and translates them into MIDI control change messages on a virtual ALSA MIDI port.
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- **piHPSDR's MIDI mapper** — already built into piHPSDR. Subscribes to the virtual MIDI port and acts on the controls.
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The architecture is deliberately patch-free: piHPSDR is used as-is, and the MIDI protocol is the well-known, stable contract between the two halves.
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## Hardware
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- **Control head**: [Xiegu X6200](https://www.xiegu.eu/) (Allwinner R16 / sun8i-a33, 480×800 LCD, knobs, buttons, internal speaker)
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- **Transceiver**: [Hermes-Lite 2](http://www.hermeslite.com/) (open-hardware HF SDR), or any HPSDR-protocol radio supported by piHPSDR
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## Building
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> ⚠️ **Pre-1.0**: actively developed. Core build works; some milestones still in progress.
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### Prerequisites
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A recent Linux host with the [Buildroot prerequisites](https://buildroot.org/downloads/manual/manual.html#requirement) installed. Building inside the provided container is also supported.
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### Quickstart
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```bash
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git clone --recurse-submodules <repo-url> mestre
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cd mestre
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./scripts/build.sh
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```
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The resulting `sdcard.img` will appear under `build/images/`. Flash it to a microSD card with `dd` or your tool of choice and boot the X6200 from it.
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### Buildroot version
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Mestre is pinned to **Buildroot 2025.02 LTS** for stability — the LTS line is supported with security and bugfix updates for three years. Bumping is a deliberate, documented choice, not a continuous treadmill.
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## Repository layout
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```
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mestre/
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├── buildroot/ # submodule → Buildroot 2025.02.x
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├── br2_external/ # all our Buildroot customisations
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│ ├── configs/ # defconfig
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│ ├── board/x6200/ # linux config, U-Boot config, DTS, overlay
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│ └── package/ # custom packages (mestre service, etc.)
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├── docs/ # design notes, hardware notes
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├── scripts/ # build wrappers
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├── README.md # this file
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└── DESIGN.md # architectural decisions
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```
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## Credits & Prior Art
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Mestre stands on the shoulders of others. In particular:
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- **[gdyuldin/AetherX6200Buildroot](https://github.com/gdyuldin/AetherX6200Buildroot)** — the Aether project, from which Mestre inherits the X6200 device tree, U-Boot configuration, and LCD panel driver. Aether's project goal (improving the X6200 as a transceiver) differs from Mestre's (using the X6200 as a control head), but Aether's hardware enablement work made Mestre feasible from day one. Vendored files retain their original copyright headers.
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- **apritzel** (#linux-sunxi @ OFTC) — device-tree guidance for the X6200, acknowledged in the DTS source.
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- **Rui Oliveira** and **Oleg Belousov** — original authors of the Jinglitai JLT4013A panel driver, forward-ported here for use with current mainline kernels.
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- **The piHPSDR project** — the SDR console Mestre wraps. Mestre would not exist without piHPSDR's existing MIDI control infrastructure, which lets us avoid patching the console itself.
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- **The OpenHPSDR community** and **Steve Haynal (N0EJV / Hermes-Lite 2)** — for keeping open-protocol SDR alive.
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## License
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GPL-2.0-or-later, matching the kernel-derived components Mestre vendors.
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Userland components written specifically for Mestre may be re-licensed (e.g. to MIT) on a per-component basis where doing so doesn't conflict with this overall license; such cases will be marked clearly in the relevant subdirectory. |