A Pandora set top console with digital output?


Grench

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This thread about Pandora units with known defects has me thinking...

http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php/topic/13242-tv-out-cables-new-forum-sections-and-partly-broken-units-2013-05-24/

My assumptions and what I recall from other discussions - may be wrong:

We know that the SoC has two video outputs - one of them being the analog output that many of us are waiting on video cables for.  The other is digital going to the LCD.

My thought is to take a Pandora lower unit and adapt out the LCD's digital connector to DVI.  Can this be done?  Is that ribbon cable just a very tiny DVI connector electrically - or something else entirely?

The stock resolution of 800x480 on the LCD is clearly possible - but what other resolutions can the SoC run on the digital side?  Can it do 1080i?  720i?  other?

So - the dream is to go from the ribbon cable connector on the motherboard to a DVI port on a Pandra without the flip up screen panel to connect directly to my 55" 1080p TV at 1080i or 720i even resolution then control the mess from the couch using an ICP2 (someday - maybe - hopefully).

So...

What are the electrical and signal specs on the motherboard for the ribbon cable?

What are the electrical and signal specs on a DVI connection?  (should be able to find via searching).

What are the available resolutions that the SoC can support?

Is this an easy hack (all electrical lines up neatly and it's a matter of adapters)?

Is this a hard hack (some translation box, processor, logic has to go in between)?
 
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http://beagleboard.org/hardware-xM

Same SoC as a 1Ghz Pandora, just add a USB controller.. install angstrom add the pnd libraries and you just about have a Pandora desktop..

Only issue is you would be supporting CircuitCo.
 
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Pandora's LCD pinout is in section 13 here:

http://www.openpandora.org/downloads/PANDORA_Hackers_manual_v100.pdf

The interface is digital parallel RGB. 8-bits for R, G, and B each, as well as a clock, hsync, vsync, and enable.

DVI and HDMI use a totally different interface.. the color channels use serial differential signals with a unique encoding. You would need a transmitter chip/circuit to convert from one to the other. There are chips for this and they aren't especially expensive, for instance the one used in Beagleboard (http://www.ti.com/product/tfp410). But making a PCB, cables, etc to support all of this could be a lot more costly..
 
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So - possible in theory, but a 'hard hack' requiring intermediary hardware and logic.  Thank you for your answers!
 
Pandora's LCD pinout is in section 13 here:

http://www.openpandora.org/downloads/PANDORA_Hackers_manual_v100.pdf


The interface is digital parallel RGB. 8-bits for R, G, and B each, as well as a clock, hsync, vsync, and enable.


DVI and HDMI use a totally different interface.. the color channels use serial differential signals with a unique encoding. You would need a transmitter chip/circuit to convert from one to the other. There are chips for this and they aren't especially expensive, for instance the one used in Beagleboard (http://www.ti.com/product/tfp410). But making a PCB, cables, etc to support all of this could be a lot more costly..

So would it be similar to VGA then?

vga_pinout.jpg


Could one simply use a DAC to get the RGB to work, pipe HSYNC and VSYNC straight to their respective pins (possibly adjusting voltage) and then ignore the clock and enable pins? or are those last two required?
 
No it's nothing like VGA. It's digital and differential (positive and negative pins for each channel).
 
had a similar thought when i read ED's thread but it would be easier to use the soon to come TV out cable.

ok Picture now on the TV . my next thought is can we use a PS2 controller with the pandora? or is there a better option?
 
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had a similar thought when i read ED's thread but it would be easier to use the sone to come TV out cable.


ok Picture now on the TV . my next thought is can we use a PS2 controller with the pandora? or is there a better option?
Sure, there are PS2 to USB-Adaptors.


Some even have hubs included.
 
Do you mean ps/2 like for mouse or keyboard or Playstation 2 controllers?


Both have adapters for USB, but there is not really a need to use them as every USB Dualshock clone will work just fine :)


Edit: You may need some tool to map them to the normal keycodes for the Pandora actionbuttons though as not every game will support joypads. For something like MAME there shouldn't be any problem though.


Does Minimenu have external joysticksupport btw?
 
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that was a typo. i meant PS3 Dualshock 3 BT controller if im going to have a Pandora console sitting next to the TV it would be nice to have wireless controller. if not BT then is there wireless PC controllers that could be used? would there be a driver problem getting a wireless controller to work ?
 
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