[mythtv-users] OT: Hard drive firmware was 2 TB Hard Drive Recommendations

[Richard Morton]

On 6 December 2010 11:17, Jean-Yves Avenard <jyavenard at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi
>
> On 6 December 2010 21:41, Andre <mythtv-list at dinkum.org.uk> wrote:
>> I'm sure it's possible to have one track that's low density and readable without all the clever trickery usually used, then a minimal firmware bootstrap loader that knows only this track could load up the full firmware. Sounds like a common practice, should be ok provided the bootstrap loader knows how to re-write the firmware track!
>
> I'm not sure if you've ever designed embedded firmware before (btw,
> that's what I do for a living), but the amount of smarts required to
> start spinning the disk, move the head to the right spot, read the
> data, load the firmware in RAM and start is quite massive to start
> with.
>
> As you said, you would need a firmware for just that (probably on
> flash). Constraints on flash make them all of a minimum size to start
> with.
>
> The drive needs a writing location to record the bad sectors and other
> bad spot detected on the disk too..


Hiya,

Sorry a little late to this thread; but have reading with interest. I
find it confusing that there doesn't seem to be a consistent
definition of firmware. I always thought firmware was distinct from
embedded software. Firmware being software code that is converted to a
representation in logic gates that are reconfigured on a chip and run
directly at hardware speeds within a programmable logic array. Whereas
embedded software being software that runs on a micro-controller or
processor and runs at software speeds.

The question I have (based on my above definition), is a drive run
using firmware or embedded software?

Due to the performance needs (relative) simplicity of its task, and
cost considerations (less processing power demands, therefore simpler
chip probably relating to a lower unit cost) I would have thought
firmware. Thoughts?

R