Intel updates mysterious ‘software-defined silicon’ code in the Linux kernel

Re:Intel updates mysterious ‘software-defined silicon’ code ... by squarefoot on Wednesday December 08, 2021 @05:22PM (#29491326)

It's a very common practice, not just in computers. Many digital oscilloscopes (and probably other instruments too) can be hacked by just editing a file or flashing a new firmware. The purpose in scopes is making them behave as more expensive models with much higher bandwidth, which means that faster ADCs and circuitry is already there, but not used to its full potential so that the device can be placed in a lower market segment and sold cheaply.

https://nyctomachia.wordpress.com/2018/09/02/riglol-unlock-e...

https://www.makermatrix.com/blog/hacking-the-siglent-1104x-e...

..etc.

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Re:Intel updates mysterious ‘software-defined silicon’ code ... by analog31 on Wednesday December 08, 2021 @06:47PM (#29492110)

And if anything goes wrong, it will just halt during boot and that's a $4000 repair.

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Re:Intel updates mysterious ‘software-defined silicon’ code ... by squarefoot on Wednesday December 08, 2021 @07:09PM (#29492311)

Make it at least an order of magnitude less; most of those models are in the $250-$500 range.

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Re:Intel updates mysterious ‘software-defined silicon’ code ... by analog31 on Wednesday December 08, 2021 @07:20PM (#29492366)

Probably true. I was thinking of a particular "major" brand. I do own a couple scopes of those lower priced brands.

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