[hpsdr] PowerSDR on Linux???

[George Byrkit]

Dear Aivars:
Regarding porting PowerSDR to Mono (on Linux):
The short answer is 'not really'.

Here's the long answer:
PowerSDR (and KISS) are now built with Visual Studio 2010.  Using .Net Framework 4.0.  I
may be wrong, but Mono currently only supports .Net Framework 3.5 and earlier.  It's
'technically possible', but would be a lot of work, as all the low-level code would have
to be re-written where it tries to access the Windows LibUSB0 device driver.  And access
audio drivers and such.

I had asked similar questions back in 2008 or 2009, when I first got involved with
OpenHPSDR.

I also understand that since Novell was purchased by Attachmate, their commitment to Mono
has dwindled.

But if some brave soul with lots of time on their hands stepped forward, they might be
able to eventually get something working on Linux.  But the code base wouldn't be too
compatible with Windows, I'm afraid.  If PowerSDR were JUST a .Net application, it would
be more possible.  However, it's a .Net UI with a lot of C code behind it...  You'd have a
better chance of porting KISS code, I think, as it's almost all C#, including the SharpDSP
code for FFT work, although it does depend on FFTW (like PowerSDR...).  But FFTW is also
available on Linux.  The real issues for PowerSDR come about with the CAT interface, VAC,
and all that.

73, 
George Byrkit, K9TRV


 1354902960.0