User guide

13.2 The IP04 Open Hardware IP-PBX

The IP04 is a 4 port IP-PBX that runs Asterisk and uClinux on a powerful embedded Blackfin

processor

. To build an Asterisk IP-PBX you normally need a x86 PC plus PCI card for the analog

ports. With the IP04 you get all of that functionality in a tiny, low cost, low power, silent box with no

moving parts.

Unlike many other embedded processors, the Blackfin has enough DSP horsepower to handle multiple

channels of echo cancellation and speech compression. This means that the IP04 is a complete IP-

PBX with 4 analog ports. It is around 10 times as powerful as a WRT54G, yet consumes only a few

watts. No PC required - not even for configuration!

The IP04 is an open hardware IP-PBX design. This means the design is available for anyone to modify,

improve, or manufacture. As it runs uClinux and Asterisk (open source OS and IP-PBX application

software) the software is also freely available.

For the developing world, open hardware offers many exciting opportunities, for example:

• The IP04 can be manufactured at near-cost price (sub $100 for a 4 port IP-PBX in Qty 1,000),

and distributed through non-traditional methods (e.g. a NGO could arrange for manufacture of

a batch and distribute through their channels). This is the same pricing model as the the OLPC,

if we reduce the overheads the end-user price or IT hardware can be reduced by 75%.

• The IP04 hardware and software can be customised to suit local conditions, for example multi-

lingual voice prompts can be installed to allow easy configuration and installation, or perhaps a

simple user interface. The hardware could be combined with a wireless chipset and solar

charge controller to produce a "turn key" solution to bring VOIP over WiFi to remote villages at

extremely low cost.

13.3 The Free Telephony Project

The IP04 is the first product released by the Free Telephony Project. The Free Telephony project aims

to release a range of open (free as in speech) reference designs for embedded (non x86) telephony

products.

The project was started in 2005 by Dr. David Rowe, an Australian engineer who has 20 years

experience in developing voice processing hardware and software. David founded, grew, and

successfully exited www.voicetronix.com; a manufacturer of PCI based computer telephony hardware

54. Blackfin Linux Project, http://blackfin.uclinux.org

Page 52 TRICALCAR | www.wilac.net/tricalcar – Version: February 2008