A physical Dummy, Power Usage and MIPI

[bzar]

It's not a phone. There aren't hundreds of thousands of euros sitting around to make it one.

No, it's not. No, there doesn't need to be. It has everything needed except software AFAIK.

 

[Tensuke]

I would rather a barrel power port and microUSB, so you could use both at the same time, but if microUSB only is the way to go, I'm not complaining.

For the battery, before I got my Pandora I'd say it wasn't as important, but having such a large battery and constant 10+ hours of use with even fairly demanding stuff, I'd say it's much more important. I don't want to limit the speed of the SoC or anything like that, so if a bigger battery is possible, that would be the way to go imo. Size would work itself out I think and not be an issue, a few extra mm on the Pandora's size is no big deal.

 

[Natsu]

Barrel power charger will be less available and the port could/would take up precious room.

 

[Exophase]

I would rather a barrel power port and microUSB, so you could use both at the same time, but if microUSB only is the way to go, I'm not complaining.

I basically look at it this way - the microUSB connector is smaller than a barrel connector and the SoC is probably not running out of USB connections very easily, so it becomes a matter of whether you want that barrel connector or the microUSB. The latter gives you more than the former, although it's not as mechanically stable.

 

[WizardStan]

My only problem with USB only charging is we still don't know if it can charge and use the USB3.0 host at the same time. It should be able to, even if only in a dock, but there's a lot of devices which don't follow that part of the spec.

 

[Neelix]

I don't understand why so many are against having a barrel jack charging port. It's not like it would keep you from charging from the already committed micro-USB port which would also be there anyway.

- Neelix

 

[God Ginrai]

I don't understand why so many are against having a barrel jack charging port. It's not like it would keep you from charging from the already committed micro-USB port which would also be there anyway.

- Neelix

Except that's exactly what they are saying. Because you would have to make room for it somehow. EvilDragon said the reason he wasn't including a barrel jack was because there was no room for it.

Trust me, I'd be all over getting a barrel jack if I could get it.

-God Ginrai

 

[Neelix]

No, it's not. I'd sooner give up one of the full sized USB2 slots than the microUSB3/OTG slot.
I never saw even a single suggestion by anyone requesting a barrel jack for power that the microUSB slot should be removed.

My original request for this though was based on the fact that in the original image of the dummy board in ED's post it looked like it would be possible to make room to add a barrel jack without removing any other ports by shuffling the positioning a bit. (the ports had a lot of space between them)


- Neelix

 

[ssokolow]

What about selling barrel-to-µUSB adaptors? I've got two Pandora power supplies (one in my travel bag and one which I leave plugged in on my desk) and a 2A PSP charger that's used with my PRS-505 eReader.

I can use any of those with either my Pandora or my PRS-505 eReader. It'd be nice to extend that interchangeability to the Pyra.

 

[Neelix]

I suppose you could do that,   but I wouldn't bother if there is any chance of getting a barrel jack on the device itself.   Making use of existing pandora power adapters would be a nice bonus,  but is not the primary reason for wanting the barrel jack on the device in the first place.

Does anyone know if any of the ports would fit on top of the board under the hinge area?  Looking at the back of the pandora it looks like there might be just enough space to fit something there but I'm not sure whether that would actually work.

- Neelix

 

[moxie]

What about selling barrel-to-µUSB adaptors?

 
Probably possible, but really doesn't adress the point, which is the trouble of not being able to charge whilst using the single USB3-port.

I, like Neelix, would happily trade one (not all!) of the full-size USB ports for a barrel jack.

 

[comradekingu]

microUSB is the standard, and it serves double purpose in a finite space arrangement. Not having to worry about a AC/DC converter is convenient for byer in that you dont have to pay extra, for seller in that you dont have to provide, and for the environment in that this redundant piece of equipment doesnt have to be produced. At any monetary and/or human working condidtions cost. You can even use it for marketing, costs less, saves the environment more. Everyone wins.

A usb input is always 5V, with a barrel jack you can have the wrong voltage, or in rare instances swapped polarity. That is a cause for concern in that its easy enough to slip something into it that shouldnt have gone in there.

With things pandora, making AC/DC adapters is not something that went as it should. I lose the end piece that adapts my adaptor to my pandora every now and then, and i forget to bring it alltogether. USB outlets are everywhere, cables weigh less. For every usb outlet i have there are 10 AC/DC adaptors laying about that just happen to have the wrong barrel jack diameter. It could have made more sense to compare, but sadly compatibility isnt it.

For every person that breaks their usb connector, how many do you hear about breaking their barrel jack? I think the number has something to do with wall plugs being close to the ground, and there is a trip-line in between that and your desk where electronic devices are most often kept. In the event you trip over that wire only to have the device itself plummet to the ground it may even break the whole thing.

The daisy chain model of having other electronics with usb ports feed the (smaller) device, and DC over AC for battery equipment in 2014 makes sense imo.

 

[_wb_]

I, like Neelix, would happily trade one (not all!) of the full-size USB ports for a barrel jack.

I wouldn't. More ports is better than more charging options. Having to fall back to USB2 in host-mode while charging is not a huge problem. It would be cool if the microUSB charger would be such that it allows plugging in a USB3 device while charging though.

 

[ssokolow]

What about selling barrel-to-µUSB adaptors?

 
Probably possible, but really doesn't adress the point, which is the trouble of not being able to charge whilst using the single USB3-port.

I, like Neelix, would happily trade one (not all!) of the full-size USB ports for a barrel jack.

I never said it did. I just wanted to bring attention to my use case since nobody seemed to have mentioned it.

I never use the Pandora as a USB slave device because:

• I never did get around to figuring out how to make the USB networking Just Work™ without a lot of fiddling every time I plug it in.
• I had to set up WiFi anyway and WiFi does well enough as an alternative. (Plus, it means I don't have to interrupt any YouTube video downloads to go wireless.)
• Because the Pandora doesn't use the UTF-8 filename encodings that desktop Linux does, it's a lot simpler to just use sshfs or rsync and let that translate than to use SD Mass Storage mode.
• I can't just pop out the SD card and get a performance boost on my desktop because:
  It seems the Pandora has a subtly different FAT implementation than my desktop Linux which means I have to stick to using the SD card in one or the other to keep dosfsck happy and my data reliably safe.
• I keep forgetting to replace the 3.5" internal card reader on my desktop with one with a working SD slot and it's a hassle to dig up the pocketable external USB SD adapter.

 

[slaeshjag]

• Because the Pandora doesn't use the UTF-8 filename encodings

This is a major flaw in the current OS. I have no idea why it hasn't been corrected yet

 

[notaz]

Because nobody submitted a patch.

Edit: oh wait, somebody did, hmh..

 

[Grench]

I, like Neelix, would happily trade one (not all!) of the full-size USB ports for a barrel jack.

 I wouldn't. More ports is better than more charging options. Having to fall back to USB2 in host-mode while charging is not a huge problem. It would be cool if the microUSB charger would be such that it allows plugging in a USB3 device while charging though.

If we're negotiating...

I'd give up one of the two full size USB 2.0 hosts for a microUSB 2.0 host and a dummy/charging only microUSB device jack - or barrel jack if it has to be.

 

[ExquisiteCorpse]

Hey notaz, you got a bitcoin address? Ping it to me and I'll send you some as appreciation for all your hardwork.


Nothing big but enough to get a few beers at least

 

[Neelix]

And I just got an object lesson in why it's not always enough to rely on a USB connection for charging power

I was playing widelands before bed last night...   ended up falling asleep while it was still running.  The Pandora was connected to my computer via a USB cable which is usually enough to keep it fully charged.   Not this time... I unplugged the Pandora and took it to another room, and it almost immediately shut down due to low battery.

- Neelix

 

[bzar]

Neelix: Does your computer negotiate an actual high-current charging mode with the pandora or is it limiting itself to 500mA as per USB spec? USB chargers do that and are typically ~1A, which should be plenty.

(EDIT: 1A * 5V = 5W, does pandora use more in those conditions?)