OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

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hackro
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OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by hackro »

I'm sure most of you are aware of the UndergroundFPV/FlySky NV14 Nirvana (Dark Knight)
They are clearly using OpenTx and are not releasing builds publicly.
UndergroundFPV is now shipping working units to reviewers and FlySky is also shipping units.
They both are shipping without firmware.
The FlySky Documentation references a Dropbox address for Nirvana firmware V1.6 and also has V1.9 posted in their download center.
UndergroundFPV is shipping units to reviewers with a "secret" link to firmware updates.
I has asked a few reviewers and they say the were explicitly told to not share or release the firmware.
I have asked undergroundFPV directly for the Firmware and they have refused.

Is this a GPL Violation??

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Kilrah
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Kilrah »

No.

We are working with them, nobody has shipped anything yet, and everything will be in order when they do.

The people who got hold of hardware got it illegitimately (they were apparently early protos given to testers for mechanical feedback in China that those decided to sell or otherwise pass on without authorization).
stewlg
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by stewlg »

Kilrah, I'm glad to hear you're working with FlySky/Underground FPV and that they intend to make their work public.

I will say though that I believe the original poster is technically correct, at least as of this moment. I helped a YouTube reviewer friend get his NV14 set up last night with OpenTX, and I downloaded a binary from FlySky to do so, which counts as distribution under the terms of the GPL. There's no public repo for their OpenTX work that I can find, so they would appear to be in violation of the GPL. Or is there a repo in that's public that I don't know about?

There are also confusing rumors here (check the comments) about Underground FPV distributing a custom version of the OpenTX firmware with serial numbers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryUhUhXI4BI

I've no idea if any of that is true.

Again, I downloaded a binary and I can't find public source, which is a straight GPL violation, even if it turns out to be a transient and well-intentioned one. The GPL doesn't care if the product has "shipped" according to the language of commerce. It's about distribution, and anyone who downloads the OpenTX binary for the NV14 has the right to see the source, even if they never run it, and even if the relevant product its supposed to work on never ships.
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Kilrah
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Kilrah »

To be clear most of the work on this has been done by us (OpenTX team).

There will be 2 firmware variants, one "Standard OpenTX" distributed by us as usual via companion and flashed by default to FlySky-supplied radios, and one UFPV one, also distributed by us via companion and flashed by default to UFPV radios. The source for both will be part of the main OpenTX repository with the 2 different versions provided by build options exactly like all the others.

It's just nowhere near ready, just like people having radios at this point is only the result of both companies being in panic mode following major project management screwups and all trying to "fix it" in their own ways.

We are going to push the dev work into the main repo soon but it's currently so messy it has to be sorted out first and it would help no one to move it just now.
If you want the exact source code for the binary versions that are being distributed you have you should ask UFPV/Flysky to provide it, since even we have no idea what they used, all we know is that it shouldn't be used at this point and those who have radios should rather shelve them until something worthy is ready.
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3djc
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by 3djc »

We are doing a lot of efforts to move this work forward, but we also need to balance it with existing OpenTx users that also deserve our support.

When we believe the software is a state where it can start to be used as beta (it may not have all features, but enough to be safely used), it will be announced and made available through our regular Companion nightly/beta distribution channels.

We understand also there are a lot of question such as "when wil it include INSERT FEATURE HERE ?", or simply "when will it be ready ?". The simple truth is we do not know yet, and we are simply unable to answer those, but once we are in nightly/beta stage, you'll be able to track things using our regular github issue tracker.

hackro
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by hackro »

@Kilrah Thanks for the clarification!
stewlg
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by stewlg »

FlySky staff claim this is their NV14 repo:

https://github.com/chevyhu/Flysky-OpenTX-Test-Branch

see https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpos ... tcount=811 and earlier in the thread.

I haven't looked to verify the claim; if someone does let us know.
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Kilrah
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Kilrah »

Yeah, they have just made it this morning.

Not that we're happy about it, it seems every time we complain about things already being "worked on" by too many people in too many different repos without coordination the result is someone opening yet one more to ensure it's going to be months of hell before all of that can be consolidated into one properly working codebase.... someone makes yet another one.

But I guess at least people can see something...
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3djc
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by 3djc »

FYI, we have started merging NV14 in our official repo, but bear with us, there is a lot to do still :

https://github.com/opentx/opentx/tree/kilrah/nv14merge
Mordhorst
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Mordhorst »

Flysky just released the first beta-version of the firmware for the Nirvana.
Does that mean that there will be a forum for that TX soon?

I've already flashed and used it :)
malatesta
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by malatesta »

Try to update to last version, and i have this error... some help? I have a few question.. lua not work yet? As a external module flash.. is correct?Image

Inviato dal mio SM-N950F utilizzando Tapatalk

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3djc
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by 3djc »

Companion does not handle NV14 yet, and since we are not offering firmware for those yet, you need to ask them for instruction on how to flash it
Ask1me
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Ask1me »

Hi..apologize for my noob Q :

Does the opentx firmware for nv14 support external RF for multiprotocol modules such as JUMPER JP4in1/ IrangeX Irx4 yet?

thank you for the information
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Kilrah
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Kilrah »

Official OpenTX for the NV14 doesn't even exist yet.

The "draft" firmwares published by the vendors do not support multimodule serial, but you can use PPM if your multimodule supports it.
hackro
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by hackro »

Kilrah wrote: Sat Sep 01, 2018 8:07 am No.

We are working with them, nobody has shipped anything yet, and everything will be in order when they do.

The people who got hold of hardware got it illegitimately (they were apparently early protos given to testers for mechanical feedback in China that those decided to sell or otherwise pass on without authorization).
So now that the Nirvana has been shipping for well over a month now and it still has incomplete firmware.
It looks to me that UFPV is keeping their FW somewhat "closed" What I mean by that is that OpenTX will not support their version within the companion and you need to use a update tool that verifies a UID before being allowed the update. They are essentially creating a closed branch which, as I read the GPL is a violation.

I'm honestly ok with all that, I do have both versions (UFPV and FS)

My concern is that this might go down the same path as FlightOne/raceflight and Helio.
I love the NV14 and would hate to see development go stagnant because of fighting over the GPL.
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3djc
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by 3djc »

As far as we know, what Kilrah wrote in his second post of this thread is still true, the plan is to have both supported into companion. If that was to change, we would obviously do whatever the situation requires.

The development is not slow over dispute or anything like that, simply, the radio got into the market (I'm not sure it can be called released) in an incoherent, unplanned way, and at no point in time was the firmware supposed to be ready by now
HazMatFPV
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by HazMatFPV »

So when can we expect the FIRMWARE to be ready? Are we looking at 2.2.3 release?
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Kilrah
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by Kilrah »

No, 2.3. A few months likely.
backman8571
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Re: OpenTX GPL violation? Nirvana NV14

Post by backman8571 »

So how can i get the opentx-NV14-2.2.2

If you have a google drive download to that and then share the link

If anyone can do that please

PB

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