6 ms·

Getting Docker running on a high-end 64-bit ARM gaming console

58 points by beagile 11y ago

captainx 11y ago
Hey, are you serious? You are running Docker containers on a gaming console? Wow, and what free games are already available?
jimmcslim 11y ago
Would be great if it were possible to keep Android TV on there, AND run Docker containers at the same time...
- Quintus23M 11y ago
  That would be absolutely great and amazing. And I think this is really possible, but will take a great effort to build a recent Linux kernel with better container support - a 4.x would be fantastic. And then running Android within a container. I've seen some research on this topic, and one guy had already run Android within a LXC container almost two years ago. This being said, it strongly depends on the kernel support and if we're able to get all the Nvidia specific drivers supported within Docker containers. As soon as Nvidia is helping in this effort, we are on a good track. This will take some time, but I honestly believe it comes true!
- justincormack 11y ago
  It is possible to run Android on something much closer to a Linux kernel, eg with namespaces and cgroups and other useful features normally missing from Android. So it might be possible. Not on a stock Android kernel though.
Gracana 11y ago
What's the open source driver situation like for these things? Is it worth supporting nvidia by buying one of these, or are they likely to crack down on developers to keep this thing closed? It is an awfully interesting device, but I'd hate to buy one and find I could only really use it as an android device, especially after reading reviews about that lackluster functionality.
- cvs268 11y ago
  NVIDIA has opensource Linux support for its SoCs in the form of L4T - Linux for Tegra. Also checkout Tegra Shield Tablet running Ubuntu natively. http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet/development/running-ubuntu-natively-shield-tablet-t2985238/post57775988#post57775988 http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet/development/ru...
  - Gracana 11y ago
    Wikipedia says L4T contains proprietary drivers, but nvidia's having a third party make experimental open source drivers for mainline linux. Is that information out of date? The sources are from 2012 and very well could be. I'm trying to look for info but there's a lot of uninformative crap out there.
    - cvs268 11y ago
      AFAIK, in the above, the bit about experimental open-source drivers for mainline Linux is the latest news update. Note that this last bit proprietary blob is only the low-level GPU driver. Linux device-drivers of the other controllers of the Tegra X1 SoC already appear to be available in source form at https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git/ https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git... (search for 'Tegra X1' or 'T210' or 'Tegra 210'). Also https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/linux-tegra https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/linux-tegra contains source-code(with supporting documentation) for the non-kernel parts like for boot-loader(u-boot), OpenCV, OpenGL, X11, Gstreamer and even CUDA on Tegra X1.
      - Quintus23M 11y ago
        I think, Nvidia is well organised and you'll get a ton of developer informations for the Tegra DevKits on their website and forums. The community is pretty active and helpful as well. They provide a lot of drivers for CUDA and the DevKit boards, namely the Jetson TK1 and Jetson TX1. And some of the users also reported that the Shield TV has a lot in common with the TX1 boards.
beagile 11y ago
@Nvidia: It would be awesome if we could get in contact with someone from Nvidia to push this further... anybody?
- cvs268 11y ago
  From the kernel commits Alexander Courbot appears to have worked on it recently. Even going back to the early days of previous-gen Tegra K1 support. http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/dri-devel/2014-January/053028.html http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/dri-devel/2014-January... Also Thierry Reding is the Maintainer of the Linux kernel Direct Rendering Manager framework support for Tegra. https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git/tree/MAINTAINERS#n3115 https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git... I'm sure the relevant devs hang-out on the LKML (if not here...) http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-tegra http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-tegra
  - thierryreding 11y ago
    The linux-tegra mailing list is the canonical communication channel when it comes to upstream Linux kernel development. I should add here that both Alex and I focus almost exclusively on upstream development, which may or may not be what you're looking for. On one hand, upstream is where most of the new technologies are developed, so it's the "bleeding edge" from that point of view. On the other hand the amount of manpower that goes into upstream development is limited, so the upstream kernel might lack a bunch of features that you might be interested in. That said, we are working very hard on getting upstream closer to L4T/Android from a feature perspective and would very much welcome contributors. We also have an IRC channel (#tegra on Freenode) that we use for realtime communication. If you're interested in chatting with us, feel free to drop by.
leavethebits 11y ago
Hehe, what about playing a game in this container? :-) I mean it's a containerized gaming console, isn't it?
nobody_ist_der 11y ago
What about running the original android system in a container?
maryann 11y ago
Just a side note: the Nvidia Shield TV is on special sale in the UK for £129.99 only, http://www.amazon.co.uk/NVIDIA-Shield-Android-Box-Controller/dp/B015CM435I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451382619&sr=8-2&keywords=nvidia+shield+tv http://www.amazon.co.uk/NVIDIA-Shield-Android-Box-Controller... I already have mine on order...
moul 11y ago
Here is a set of arm64-ready Docker images docker run -it --rm multiarch/busybox:arm64 /bin/sh docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-wily docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-trusty docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-utopic docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-vivid docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-xenial docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-debootstrap:arm64-wily docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-debootstrap:arm64-vivid docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-debootstrap:arm64-trusty docker run -it --rm multiarch/debian-debootstrap:arm64-sid docker run -it --rm multiarch/debian-debootstrap:arm64-jessie docker run -it --rm scaleway/ubuntu:arm64-wily Source code: https://github.com/multiarch https://github.com/multiarch

58 points by beagile 11y ago

Hey, are you serious? You are running Docker containers on a gaming console? Wow, and what free games are already available?

jimmcslim 11y ago

Would be great if it were possible to keep Android TV on there, AND run Docker containers at the same time...

Quintus23M 11y ago
That would be absolutely great and amazing. And I think this is really possible, but will take a great effort to build a recent Linux kernel with better container support - a 4.x would be fantastic. And then running Android within a container. I've seen some research on this topic, and one guy had already run Android within a LXC container almost two years ago. This being said, it strongly depends on the kernel support and if we're able to get all the Nvidia specific drivers supported within Docker containers. As soon as Nvidia is helping in this effort, we are on a good track. This will take some time, but I honestly believe it comes true!
justincormack 11y ago
It is possible to run Android on something much closer to a Linux kernel, eg with namespaces and cgroups and other useful features normally missing from Android. So it might be possible. Not on a stock Android kernel though.

Gracana 11y ago

What's the open source driver situation like for these things? Is it worth supporting nvidia by buying one of these, or are they likely to crack down on developers to keep this thing closed? It is an awfully interesting device, but I'd hate to buy one and find I could only really use it as an android device, especially after reading reviews about that lackluster functionality.

cvs268 11y ago
NVIDIA has opensource Linux support for its SoCs in the form of L4T - Linux for Tegra. Also checkout Tegra Shield Tablet running Ubuntu natively. http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet/development/running-ubuntu-natively-shield-tablet-t2985238/post57775988#post57775988 http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet/development/ru...
- Gracana 11y ago
  Wikipedia says L4T contains proprietary drivers, but nvidia's having a third party make experimental open source drivers for mainline linux. Is that information out of date? The sources are from 2012 and very well could be. I'm trying to look for info but there's a lot of uninformative crap out there.
  - cvs268 11y ago
    AFAIK, in the above, the bit about experimental open-source drivers for mainline Linux is the latest news update. Note that this last bit proprietary blob is only the low-level GPU driver. Linux device-drivers of the other controllers of the Tegra X1 SoC already appear to be available in source form at https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git/ https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git... (search for 'Tegra X1' or 'T210' or 'Tegra 210'). Also https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/linux-tegra https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/linux-tegra contains source-code(with supporting documentation) for the non-kernel parts like for boot-loader(u-boot), OpenCV, OpenGL, X11, Gstreamer and even CUDA on Tegra X1.
    - Quintus23M 11y ago
      I think, Nvidia is well organised and you'll get a ton of developer informations for the Tegra DevKits on their website and forums. The community is pretty active and helpful as well. They provide a lot of drivers for CUDA and the DevKit boards, namely the Jetson TK1 and Jetson TX1. And some of the users also reported that the Shield TV has a lot in common with the TX1 boards.

beagile 11y ago

@Nvidia: It would be awesome if we could get in contact with someone from Nvidia to push this further... anybody?

cvs268 11y ago
From the kernel commits Alexander Courbot appears to have worked on it recently. Even going back to the early days of previous-gen Tegra K1 support. http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/dri-devel/2014-January/053028.html http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/dri-devel/2014-January... Also Thierry Reding is the Maintainer of the Linux kernel Direct Rendering Manager framework support for Tegra. https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git/tree/MAINTAINERS#n3115 https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tegra/linux.git... I'm sure the relevant devs hang-out on the LKML (if not here...) http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-tegra http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-tegra
- thierryreding 11y ago
  The linux-tegra mailing list is the canonical communication channel when it comes to upstream Linux kernel development. I should add here that both Alex and I focus almost exclusively on upstream development, which may or may not be what you're looking for. On one hand, upstream is where most of the new technologies are developed, so it's the "bleeding edge" from that point of view. On the other hand the amount of manpower that goes into upstream development is limited, so the upstream kernel might lack a bunch of features that you might be interested in. That said, we are working very hard on getting upstream closer to L4T/Android from a feature perspective and would very much welcome contributors. We also have an IRC channel (#tegra on Freenode) that we use for realtime communication. If you're interested in chatting with us, feel free to drop by.

leavethebits 11y ago

Hehe, what about playing a game in this container? :-) I mean it's a containerized gaming console, isn't it?

nobody_ist_der 11y ago

What about running the original android system in a container?

maryann 11y ago

Just a side note: the Nvidia Shield TV is on special sale in the UK for £129.99 only, http://www.amazon.co.uk/NVIDIA-Shield-Android-Box-Controller/dp/B015CM435I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451382619&sr=8-2&keywords=nvidia+shield+tv http://www.amazon.co.uk/NVIDIA-Shield-Android-Box-Controller... I already have mine on order...

moul 11y ago

Here is a set of arm64-ready Docker images docker run -it --rm multiarch/busybox:arm64 /bin/sh docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-wily docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-trusty docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-utopic docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-vivid docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-core:arm64-xenial docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-debootstrap:arm64-wily docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-debootstrap:arm64-vivid docker run -it --rm multiarch/ubuntu-debootstrap:arm64-trusty docker run -it --rm multiarch/debian-debootstrap:arm64-sid docker run -it --rm multiarch/debian-debootstrap:arm64-jessie docker run -it --rm scaleway/ubuntu:arm64-wily Source code: https://github.com/multiarch https://github.com/multiarch