What is the Firmware..?

 What is the Firmware
In electronics and computing, firmware is a term often used to indicate the program remain, usually rather small, and / or internal data structures that control various electronic devices. Examples of devices that contain a range of firmware from the product end users such as remote control or a calculator, through the computer and devices such as hard disk, keyboard, TFT screen or memory card, all the way to scientific instrumentation and industrial robotics. Also more complex consumer devices, like cell phones, digital cameras, synthesizers, etc., containing the firmware to allow operation of the device and perform the basic functions of a higher level.

There is no definite boundary between the firmware and software, as both the descriptive term is quite broad. However, the term firmware was originally created to further the software leads to a higher level (Update) which can be changed without replacing hardware components, and firmware is usually involved with low-level operations are very basic without the device actually does not work. Firmware is also a relative term, as an embedded device firmware contains one level of data that already exists. Subsystems such as CPU, flash chips, communication controllers, LCD modules, and so on, has its own program code (usually fixed), they or the microcode is considered as "part of the hardware firmware" with a high-level.

Low-level firmware usually located in the structure of the PLA or ROM (or OTP / PROM), while the high level firmware (often in the limit to the software) typically uses flash memory to perform the update, at least in modern devices. (A common reason for a firmware update includes bug fix or adding features to the device. To do so usually involves creating a binary image file provided by the manufacturer into the device, in accordance with certain procedures) It is sometimes meant to be done by end users.

So, while a high level of firmware (or software) are usually stored as an advanced configuration, while a low level, sometimes called firmware may often regarded as the actual hardware in itself. For example, an older firmware is often implemented as discrete semiconductor diode matrix. Modern equivalent is a matrix of integrated field effect transistors where 0 and 1 are represented by whether a particular component in the ROM and / or PLA matrix is present or not.

Personal Computers

In some ways, the various components of the firmware is as important as the operating system in the workings of computers. However, unlike most modern operating systems, firmware rarely have either evolved a mechanism to update itself automatically to correct any functionality problems detected after delivery of the unit.

Currently, one can quite easily update the BIOS on modern PCs, devices such as video cards or modems frequently rely on firmware are loaded dynamically by the device driver and thus can obtain an updated transparent through the mechanism of the operating system update. Instead, the firmware on the storage device is rarely updated, even when the flash (not ROM) storage is used, no standard mechanism to detect and update the firmware version. However, in practice, these devices have a low level compared to functionality issues with the part where the firmware can be updated.

Firmware 'hacking'

Sometimes third parties can write a new version or modification unofficial firmware to provide new features or to open a hidden function. Examples include:

    * Rockbox for digital audio players.
    * And Magic Lantern CHDK for Canon digital cameras.
    * OpenWRT for wireless routers.
    * RouterTech - for ADSL modem / router is based on Texas Instruments AR7 chipset (with Pspboot or bootloader Adam2).
    * Region free firmware for the DVD-drive, which is not region free with official firmware.
    * SamyGO, firmware replacement for television SAMSUNG. [4] [4]
    * Many homebrew projects for gaming consoles. This can often open up a general purpose computing functions in the device was previously limited (for example, runs Doom on iPod).

Most firmware hacks free software with open source as well.

These hacks usually take advantage of the facility updates the firmware on many devices to install or run themselves. Beberapa, Some, however, have to resort to exploitation in order to run, because the manufacturers have tried to lock the hardware to stop it from running the code is not licensed.

Posted in: Hardware