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author | tzafrir <tzafrir@5390a7c7-147a-4af0-8ec9-7488f05a26cb> | 2007-07-06 23:24:46 +0000 |
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committer | tzafrir <tzafrir@5390a7c7-147a-4af0-8ec9-7488f05a26cb> | 2007-07-06 23:24:46 +0000 |
commit | 4dd9b2c9b3e0a278c96ca7f72611a321ba01a77f (patch) | |
tree | 759de51773e4384e9526fbfa6fa7a17092328efa | |
parent | 4d0df442c18f9c15c102feb2c350be4a18ece700 (diff) |
Two more sections to the README. Though I'm not quite happy with
their style.
git-svn-id: http://svn.digium.com/svn/zaptel/branches/1.4@2703 5390a7c7-147a-4af0-8ec9-7488f05a26cb
-rw-r--r-- | README | 58 |
1 files changed, 58 insertions, 0 deletions
@@ -165,6 +165,64 @@ instalnce: perldoc ./xpp/utils/xpp_blink +Zaptel Device Files +------------------- +Userspace programs will usually interact with Zaptel through device +files under the /dev/zap directory (pedantically: characted device files +with major number 196) . Those device files can be generated statically +or dynamically through the udev system. + +* /dev/zap/ctl (196:0) - a general device file for various information and + control operations on the zaptel channels. +* /dev/zap/NNN (196:NNN) - for NNN in the range 1-249. A device file for + zaptel channel NNN. It can be used to read data from the channel + and write data to the channel. +* /dev/zap/transcode (196:250) - Used to connect to a zaptel transcoding + device. +* /dev/zap/timer (196:253) - Allows setting timers. Used anywhere? +* /dev/zap/channel (196:254) - Can be used to open an arbitrary zaptel + channel. This is an alternative to /dev/zap/NNN that is not limited to + 249 channels. +* /dev/zap/pseudo (196:255) - A timing-only device. Every time you open + it, a new Zaptel channel is created. That Zaptel channel is "pseudo" - + Zaptel recieves no data in it, and only sends garbage data with the + same timing as the Zaptel timing master device. + + +Zaptel Timing +------------- +A PBX system should generally have a single clock. If you are connected +to a telephony provider via a digital interface (e.g: E1, T1) you should +also typically use the provider's clock (as you get through the +interface). Hence one important job of Asterisk is to provide timing to +the PBX. + +Zaptel "ticks" once per millisecond (1000 times per second). On each +tick every active zaptel channel reads and 8 bytes of data. Asterisk +also uses this for timing, through a zaptel pseudo channel it opens. + +However, not all PBX systems are connected to a telephony provider via +a T1 or similar connection. With an analog connection you are not synced +to the other party. And some systems don't have Zaptel hardware at all. +Even a digital card may be used for other uses or is simply not +connected to a provider. Zaptel cards are also capable of providing timing +from a clock on card. Cheap x100P clone cards are sometimes used for +that pupose. + +If all the above fail, you can use the module ztdummy to provide timing +alone without needing any zaptel hardware. It will work with most +systems and kernels. + +You can check the zaptel timing source with zttest, which is a small +utility that is included with zaptel. It runs in cycles. In each such +cycle it tries to read 8192 bytes, and sees how long it takes. If zaptel +is not loaded or you don't have the device files, it will fail +immedietly. If you lack a timing device it will hang forever in the +first cycle. Eitherwise it will just give you in each cycle the percent +of how close it was. Also try running it with the option -v for a +verbose output. + + What is the license for the zaptel driver? ------------------------------------------ libpri is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License, |