03/29 Blog Entry

[emil10001]

The changes we'd like to test will only require one piece to be re-made, not the entire case. This won't cause any delay at all, as the changes are very minor and none of the other steps (aside from final case production) need to wait for the new piece. The Pandora is being sent out for CE / FCC testing as-is.

While it's good that it won't require more than a single part to be redone. That part, once CNC'd will still need to be sent to the devs, tested and verified as 'good' before the mold can be built. That mold seems to be *the* thing here, since it takes a bit over a month to build. I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, as I am glad that they are making sure that they get the parts right before rushing ahead, but I would like to get some honesty in terms of the actual time impact here. At this point, I don't think that anybody is going to get up-in-arms about another week or two delay (though I could be wrong).

 

[borgqueenx]

more delay...only if it is a few days...with all these small delays, i guess we'l get out pandora's in mid summer....
I really want it before the holidays start. then i have massive time to mod, install and play with it.

 

[conso]

The changes we'd like to test will only require one piece to be re-made, not the entire case. This won't cause any delay at all, as the changes are very minor and none of the other steps (aside from final case production) need to wait for the new piece. The Pandora is being sent out for CE / FCC testing as-is.

While it's good that it won't require more than a single part to be redone. That part, once CNC'd will still need to be sent to the devs, tested and verified as 'good' before the mold can be built. That mold seems to be *the* thing here, since it takes a bit over a month to build. I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, as I am glad that they are making sure that they get the parts right before rushing ahead, but I would like to get some honesty in terms of the actual time impact here. At this point, I don't think that anybody is going to get up-in-arms about another week or two delay (though I could be wrong).

You forget that both CE/FCC AND CNC'ing of the changed part are blockers to mold-production. So, unless CNCing takes a lot longer then CE/FCC testing, chip is right and there won't be any additional delay.

That leads to another question: is the device already in CE/FCC-testing?

 

[GuSec]

Well we shouldn't worry, it shouldn't delay it, and if it does, it shouldn't be by much.

That leads to another question: is the device already in CE/FCC-testing?

I would love to hear something about this too. It would be awesome since it has been quite for a while.

 

[Vorporeal]

One option they have (could be wrong about this though) is that they could always start making the molds for the pieces that they know fit, and leave the making of that one piece till the end. That could cut down a bit on delays, but it might not be possible/make a significant enough difference to make it worth the effort.

 

[Mithrildor]

One option they have (could be wrong about this though) is that they could always start making the molds for the pieces that they know fit, and leave the making of that one piece till the end. That could cut down a bit on delays, but it might not be possible/make a significant enough difference to make it worth the effort.

I was already thinking of that.

 

[fischju2000]

Hey, if they have the rest of the components, I'll be glad to get my board, battery, and screen with a case to be shipped later

 

[aliking]

One option they have (could be wrong about this though) is that they could always start making the molds for the pieces that they know fit, and leave the making of that one piece till the end. That could cut down a bit on delays, but it might not be possible/make a significant enough difference to make it worth the effort.

Yeah, Chip seems to be suggesting that the ordering of the case mold does not need to wait for this part, although I wonder if the factory will actually allow that.

Anyway, so far as we know, the case molds have not been ordered yet. I'm personally expecting 2 months to delivery after the molds are ordered. Every day I don't hear they have been ordered, I add another 2 months to my expected receipt date.

a

 

[Phawx]

Well we shouldn't worry, it shouldn't delay it, and if it does, it shouldn't be by much.

That leads to another question: is the device already in CE/FCC-testing?


I would love to hear something about this too. It would be awesome since it has been quite for a while.

We have a little more information:

From Chip, "The Pandora is being sent for certification as-is" in the "Between a rock and hard place" thread.

@Chip

I was not attacking with that thread. And if you read what I said, if you did not have a date, than just tell us you do not know. [which has been done.] Because the other thread is now closed, to reply to you, "so I don't know where your imaginary information deficit is coming from."

To answer Conso"s question, the information is in another topic. Information is scattered ALL over the place. It is not imaginary. To get a clear picture of what is happening we have to asks step-by-step questions.

So I will go back to my original point. If the only information that we get is riddled with more questions, do not give us the information. That is all. This is my opinion, however I feel you would have a lot less confused people.

@Vorporeal

Chip also said in the other thread "final case manufacturing cannot start before that [PHAWX EDIT: "that" refers to CE Certification] has finished anyway. By the time certification is done, we should have the new piece (one piece, not the whole case) and if all is well the factory starts cutting the molds."

 

[manimal]

You must have missed where I answered this question last week:

This will however add at least another month to wait for a new CNC build. That's being optimistic, we don't have Chinese New Year this time around, but the shipping from China to Fatih to Mweston takes awhile. But at the very least it is realistic.
That is a pretty big assumption. It is also incorrect.

The changes we'd like to test will only require one piece to be re-made, not the entire case. This won't cause any delay at all, as the changes are very minor and none of the other steps (aside from final case production) need to wait for the new piece. The Pandora is being sent out for CE / FCC testing as-is.

Chip,

I think every one is getting anxious because it isn't clear what progress is being made on Pandora development right now. When we were all waiting for the CNC case, everyone knew that we what we were waiting for and about when that step would be complete. Right now though, no one knows what we are waiting for. The one new CNC part? CE testing? MWeston's assembled prototype to ship to ED? The result is that all these threads keep popping up asking for a release date. It might be worth giving folks an idea of what we are waiting for right now.

 

[Mithrildor]

Yup , we want a timeline which isnt vague. We want to know how much time things need (as much as the OP knows) and which things on the timeline can happen at the same time.

 

[Chip]

So I will go back to my original point. If the only information that we get is riddled with more questions, do not give us the information. That is all. This is my opinion, however I feel you would have a lot less confused people.
Except that none of these questions exist until you invent them. The problem isn't cryptic communication, it's deliberately cryptic interpretation.

ED posts "There is SOME stuff to be fixed, but nothing that major. We don't want to deliver a non-perfect case to you, though (and I'm sure you all agree), so we'll work on it for the next few days."

And instead of taking that at face value, you decide to interpret that as somehow adding months of delays and post an extended rant about how "disrespectful" we're being by lying to you. Every question you asked in your rant has been addressed already. If you didn't believe the answers the first time around, why should I bother answering them again?

There are no secret inner truths. We're just giving you updates as they come up, and you're inventing the conspiracy all on your own. If you just assume that we mean what we say instead of searching for hidden meaning that isn't there, the mystery and confusion dissolve.

 

[G189]

Just my two cents - we're all going to have the Pandora for much longer than we've been waiting for, so a minor delay now is nothing to worry about if the case is being perfected (which we all know it will be).

We've seen Quake, we've seen the prototype in action, we've seen the beginnings of possible PSP and Dreamcast emulators and lot s more - all within the last couple of weeks.

I can understand why people are getting frustrated but I do think we're getting told the reasons why. The problem is that, until the team are happy with the machine, they can't push the button, and there are too many indeterminates to be able to say exactly how long it's going to be.

I can't wait for my Pandora, but I want it to be right, and only the OP team know how to do that. I wouldn't have a friggin' clue where to start building something like this.

Chances are we'll get a new vid in the next few days and everyone can breath again for a bit

All the best to the OP team. We're rooting for for you.

 

[emil10001]

@Phawx I think I get what you're asking for. The major problem that I see with your request, is that we are fairly lucky to get the updates that we do. We can't necessarily expect that in the dev's rush to get us information, in between doing actual work, that they will sit there and try to figure out the questions that we will have about their post. It is perhaps more efficient for them simply to give us the info when they have a chance, and then we ask the questions that the update raises for us. Especially since my questions will likely be different from your questions.

I agree that giving out a solid date is not the greatest idea, but they really haven't done that in a while. There have been some guesses, but I don't recall a dev team member handing out a solid date for delivery in the past two months. They have mostly been pointing us to a relative time-line, which, to me, is more helpful anyways.

 

[Patrick R Ludvigsen]

Yeah, seeing PSP and Dreamcast emulators in rudimentary stages, with great devs... seriously I'd say I'm pretty happy right now

 

[lingenfr]

I would suggest that the devs consider posting a weekly update on the blog with three sections:

1) This weeks activity:

2) Next weeks activity or next steps:

3) Remaining steps and estimated time to complete:

Post that COB each Friday and answer additional questions very, very sparingly. Assign one team member to do that so the message is consistent. I understand the devs are busy. I don't think a message once a week is too much to expect. I would rather have one consistent update each week than having to try and glean information by reading a multitude of posts throughout the week that tend to disrespect the devs and waste their time. I agree with Chip that all the Junior G-Men Engineer wannabe's don't help the rest of us understand.

On a side note, delays bother me for one reason and one reason only... they continue to be accompanied by discussions of the next gen Pandora. If the devs agree to a two-year feature freeze or some type of economical upgrade path, I'm OK. If the Pandora 2 comes out a year or less after the first gen thereby discouraging developers from continuing to support the original Pandora, I will be very disappointed. Bottom line, I would like some reasonable period of time to use my Pandora before I am forced to forklift upgrade in order to run the latest software. I think that helping us retain the value of our investment is not to much to ask. Yes, Moore's Law chaps my arse. :lol:

 

[Phawx]

@Chip

You gotta relax, guy. First try not exaggerating what I said. When Craig first said a tweak to the case was necessary, that was all the info he has given and when I asked if he could clarify that, he basically said the same thing.

A tweak to the case to me meant that the physical case would need to be tested and based on prior turn around times with getting things to Fatih to Mweston I said it would take an extra month <---- notice this is singular not plural.

Second, I never said we were being *lied* too. I said to be straight with us. As in, if you have information please be kind to answer the questions that will arise from that.

Seriously, after Craig said, "Just some final tweaks to the case." at post #50 in the thread "New Video: Complete, Working, Portable Pandora, from Craigix" What do you want to me pull from that? If you think reasoning that this would add a month delay based from prior knowledge that the FDM and CNC both took that long to get, why would that be "deliberately cryptic interpretation"?

I based it off of what we saw. However, if he was just *straight* with me when I asked the question on Post #49, we would not be down this road. Once again. He did not lie. He just did not answer my question. I am afraid this is not coming across clear, *I do not want a guaranteed date.*

Look it is pretty simple. If you are going to give information, why not divulge everything that pertains to it? Before anyone gives me the shpeel about "how they would rather OP spend time on the Pandora than here typing to us" I am not asking for paragraphs of information. Literally, Craig could have answered my question in five words.

Please stop misinterpreting what I say.

EDIT: Also my question was why OP was afraid to be straight with us. Hence the topic "Between a rock and a hard place". That was the only question in the thread I wanted addressed and it has never been addressed before and you still won't bother to address it now.

 

[EvilDragon]

Just phoned with the CE / FCC guys.

Testing does take two days, CE can be done with the CNC prototype, only for FCC the final unit is needed (by american law).

However, as the final case won't change any of the stuff we need to test to pass, we can be sure that FCC will be fine when we have the CE, so as soon as the final unit is out, it needs about a week after testing to receive the licensing. So US guys might get the unit a bit later, but that's the american law.

So, this issue doesn't hold up the CE Testing

 

[Phawx]

Thank you, ED.

 

[emcp]

Just phoned with the CE / FCC guys.

Testing does take two days, CE can be done with the CNC prototype, only for FCC the final unit is needed (by american law).

However, as the final case won't change any of the stuff we need to test to pass, we can be sure that FCC will be fine when we have the CE, so as soon as the final unit is out, it needs about a week after testing to receive the licensing. So US guys might get the unit a bit later, but that's the american law.

So, this issue doesn't hold up the CE Testing

hahahahahahhahahahaha YES

so glad we get a leg up over the americans for once, sorry guys lololololol