[maemo-developers] [maemo-developers] CPUfreq not used?

[From: Frantisek Dufka]

Sven YANG wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm wondering whether CPUfreq is really implemented. N800 uses the TI 
> OMAP2420 chip, which supports CPUfreq and the code has been included in 
> the kernel distribution. However, when I check the kernel configuration 
> file, n800_defconfig, CONFIG_CPU_FREQ is not set. Wondering whether it 
> will lengthen the battery life if I recompile the kernel with CPUfreq.

Yes, it seems to be turned off both for n770 and n800. I guess because 
it does not save much in real life. Probably the CPU consumes very 
little when idle and underclocking does not save anything in idle state 
(since the clock is probably turned off anyway). And when the cpu is not 
idle you probably want full speed so it returns to idle state as fast as 
possible with the job quickly done.

I could have some use only if running something constantly at 100% which 
does not require full CPU speed (like Frodo C64 emulator).

Frantisek