Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth has announced at the Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS) the new VGA Switch (VGAS-01). It is the Ubuntu project's first open hardware device and allows disconnecting a VGA display from a system under test.
"A device was required to allow simulating plugging and unplugging a monitor connected to a computer in an automated test framework. In addition, developers who were debugging or developing hotplug code were experiencing failures of the VGA connectors on their system. Using a switch device could eliminate that wear and tear, and make it much easier for the developer to simulate hotplugging," the company explained at the Ubuntu wiki page for the device.
The VGA Switch uses relays to connect and disconnect all 15 pins for the VGA connector. It has a manual rocker switch on the side, which enables developers and testers to connect and disconnect the VGA device. For operation in an automated test system, the power supply for the switch is connected to a networked power outlet and switched under software control.
This project has been released as open hardware under the Apache 2.0 licence.
No comments:
Post a Comment