
				   libavc1394
				   ==========

1. About libavc1394

	libavc1394 is a programming interface to the AV/C specification from
the 1394 Trade Assocation. AV/C stands for Audio/Video Control.  Currently,
applications use the library to control the tape transport mechansim on DV
camcorders. However, there are many devices and functions of devices that
can be controlled via AV/C. Eventually, the library will be expanded to
implement more of the specification and to provide high level interfaces
to various devices.

	librom1394 provides the ability to read the Configuration ROM
on devices. It also permits the manipulation of ConfigROM images
for the Linux 1394 host when used in conjunction with new libraw1394
functionality to load and save config rom images. Configuration ROM is 
addressed in a number of standards and specifications that build upon 
the foundational standard IEEE P1212. At this time, it is only possible
to update the rom directories by changing the root directory, updating
the existing textual leaves of the root, and adding unit directories
with simple ASCII textual leaves. It is not yet possible to remove unit
directories or handle fancy stuff like icon decriptors.

2. Usage Information

    The library comes with a console utility called dvcont that lets you
send commands to the tape mechanism on your DV camcorder with IEEE-1394.
There is a man page for it, so after installation 'man dvcont' for more
information on how to use it. There is also a utility named motdctcmd to
control Motorola DCT series settop boxes--e.g., change the channel.

3. Copyleft

	libavc1394 itself is licensed under the Lesser General Public License
(short LGPL, see file COPYING in the source distribution).  Other files in
the source archives not belonging to but being part of the build procedure of
libavc1394 are under their own licenses, as stated at the top of the individual
files.

4. API documentation

	There is currently no external document describing the library
functions, but you can find documentation for all functions in the header file
avc1394.h or avc1394_vcr.h.  avc1394_vcr.h is a very high level interface
specific to the VCR AV/C subunit.  It implements the most common functions
that an application needs to control the tape transport meachnism on a DV
camcorder.  Both test/avc1394_vcr.c and test/dvcont.c are the best examples of
how to use the libavc1394 interfaces. There are also examples in the test 
directory for librom1394.

5. Maintainer
	Maintainer of libavc1394 is currently Dan Dennedy.  Send suggestions,
bug reports and fixes to dan@dennedy.org.  See the file AUTHORS
for a complete list of contributors to libavc1394.

	You can get updates through this project's homepage on SourceForge, see
http://sourceforge.net/projects/libavc1394 for more information.  You can
also submit bugs through this page.

