Accessories/ultimate Docking Station Thread

[jhoff80]

I want a pandora controller so that I can play multiplayer onone system with my friends.

Most USB gamepads should work without any problems.


Maybe a standard one for the Pandora would be better then having seperate controllers for psx,snes etc.


There are USB gamepads that aren't specifically for SNES, and PSX and that sort of thing. Hell I wonder if I will be able to attach a wired 360 controller to it and use that

Just looking around though, I did see these two which both ironically are called the Pandora as well, and are designed for portable use (one has a retractable cord, the other has a cord that fits inside the controller when not in use.)

http://www.geniusnet.com/geniusOnline/onli...=portlet-action
http://www.geniusnet.com/geniusOnline/onli...=portlet-action

 

[PolloLoco]

The ARCHOS PMP's have a DVR station which connects to the player through a proprietary connector. The DVR station has component, S-Video, and surround sound connections. The DVR station can also record video, and has an included remote control - the most recent ones also have a keyboard for online use. They sell for $75.

This would be the ideal for me, but is it even feasible? Can all of this data be passed through the USB port instead of a proprietary connection?

 

[Paradox]

http://www.geniusnet.com/geniusOnline/onli...=portlet-action

if only it had a d-pad... haha

 

[Joppu]

How about usb-hub like this?

 

[sindbad]

How about usb-hub like this?

Perfect. That's what I was thinking of, but for some reason making an image didn't cross my mind.

 

[zohnnyg]

hi a few people were asking if pandora was going to have a docking station. i dont know if pandora will have one but what is a docking station and what does it do?

 

[magicman5421]

A docking station is a non-portable (mostly) base that you can plug a portable device (i.e laptop, pandora) into to extend the functionality. For example, a pandora dock would probably plug into either the usb or the extension port and have features like mic in, extra usb ports, ethernet in, etc...

 

[izzie]

what I'm going to say has already been said.

* Most important to me, the ability to charge a spare battery, preferably an improved one.

* The ability to go multiplayer (at least 4 but 6 would be great) on a large screen (which implies connectors to a pc monitor or tv-set), without having battery life coming in the way.
This means 6+ usb ports, a/v and vga connectors, a powered dock.

* Turning the pandora into a media center, which implies several usb ports, IR to use a remote, wired ethernet for networking, powered dock to avoid battery running out in the middle of watching a movie, tv-out / vga / audio connectors, maybe additional connectors to plug in a camcorder or another external source.

 

[javaJake]

I agree with izzie! Turning the Pandora into more of a console (which nowadays handle media as well) would be great!

 

[chad78]

USB 2.0 (x5)
VGA Out
DVI Out
Ethernet
Coax Out
S-Video Out
Audio Out
HDMI Out
Composite Out
Component Out
Mic In (x2)
BlueTooth 2.0
Charger
IR Receiver
AM/FM receiver
Video *IN* (for TiVo/MythTV type applications.)
Multi-Card Reader (30 - 50 formats at least)^^^
BluRay/HD-DVD/DVD/CD-Burner-LightScribe MegaOptical Drive
1 TB SSD hard drive
5000 x 3000 pixel True Color pico-projector
Laser keyboard
16 MP webcam

And I want it all to weigh less than 1 pound, be only slightly larger than a CD, add two more shoulder buttons, attach beneath the Pandora, be Shock (drop) proof, and water proof, add 8 GB of RAM, and 8 more 3.2 GB Cores, and not make a sound or raise a degree when in full use.

Oh yeah, and I’d pay about $25 for it.

...

okay, enough joking, read up until the ^^^ and then say I’d pay $75 for it.

 

[BenTolputt]

Coming from the point of view of an integrator - a car charger (i.e. plug for the standard in-vehicle "cigarette lighter") is a must have.

After that, I'd be interested in the GPS and/or GSM/GPRS integration.

While not high on the "geek-toy" factor, it would ramp up the unit's desirability in other forums (especially the GSM/GPRS connection for "roaming" connection to the Internet - Australia doesn't have much in the way of WiFi).

--BenT

 

[Dingo_aus]

It would be nice to have a serial port or two on a docking station - even if it was just a FTDI bridge chip from a USB.

I would envisage using it to flash microcontrollers or other embedded systems. It would be handy to be able to use the Pandora to tweak source code for robots at meets
.....I'm hoping the standard usb-to-serial cables will work out of the box.

I'd pay $10-$20 extra for a docking station that had this

 

[vhangell]

hmmm
IR Transceiver
Bluetooth
3port USB Hub
Mintyboost
Mic in
gpio
jtag circuitry to usb cable
extra stylus with a hole to put it in
edit: accelerometer

Go Pandora!

 

[javaJake]

Well, this probably wraps things up. Craigix no doubt knows exactly what kind of cradle to make now.

 

[kagato]

It looks like there has been some success with USB to VGA adapters under Linux:
http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/AddVGAAdapter

And I thought of one idea that hasn't been mentioned yet -- a Pandora car kit:

• docking station cradle with a couple of mounting options (suction to dash, windscreen etc)
• lighter socket power adapter
• line out for car stereos that support it; if not connected, use internal speakers
• optional USB GPS unit

You could drop your Pandora in the cradle and use it as your car entertainment system, GPS, trip computer etc.


What would be awesome is if the Pandora could identify an accessory when it's connected, and launch the appropriate program automatically.
So if it's plugged into the car cradle, it switches to a high-visibility touchscreen GUI with big buttons (so it's easier to use when driving, without causing accidents )

 

[magicman5421]

For the above, I know that various companies sell those little fm adapters that let you broadcast your audio from an ipod or other mp3 player to some fm station. would it be feasible to have one of those in a pandora car system? you certainly don't want to be listening to music for a long time on those little speakers...

 

[.Gogeta§§J4BR.]

Most of the commonly requested stuff is available already from third parties: Bluetooth, USB hubs, battery chargers, webcams, etc. I propose you resell existing products in these categories instead of manufacturing Pandora-specific versions. Since most USB or SDIO accessories will need drivers to make them work, who better to write them than the guys who built Pandora in the first place? Pick one model of each device (preferably the smallest one that is easily available), write drivers for it, and sell it as an official Pandora accessory.

End users will get the benefit of knowing that it will work out-of-the-box with no problems. They will also get the satisfaction of knowing that their purchase is furthering the cause of Pandora hardware development. You guys will get to make a reasonable markup without actually having to manufacture anything.

Although, if you do want to manufacture a Pandora accessory that we could really use, I have a suggestion for that too. According to TI's OMAP3530 stats, it is capable of 30fps 720p MPEG4 playback. As it stands, we don't have any way to get HD video off of the system. I've seen a few USB-to-VGA and USB-to-HDMI boxes available online, but they're expensive and who knows what the driver situation is for them.

Back in one of the many "What, no component video out!?!?" threads, you mentioned that the main reasons you couldn't add a DVI chip were cost and board space. Well, now that we're entertaining the possibility of external accessories, neither of those are really a concern I guess the question now is whether the USB 2.0 bus has the bandwidth for it.

There have been many requests for HD video out, and making a Pandora-specific converter is probably the cheapest (and possibly only) way to do it. Heck, I'd definitely buy one if it were in the $50 range.


couldn't agree with you more. GPS would be a kickass addition to the portable, lots of people would buy it if the app running is nice (and it can get way better than most commercial solutions!)

pandora could sell A LOT with some simple software solutions, also.
an easy DVD-2-PANDORA app (plus a good player with subtitles) could be a HUGE selling point.
the pandora hardware (processor, screen, size) is PERFECT for dvd playback.
anyone's pc has a dvd reader and is fast enough to encode to a smart format.
make it EASY for anyone to put a dvd and have it stored in the pandora and you will simply have the BEST dvd-less dvd player on the market!

 

[chad78]

pandora could sell A LOT with some simple software solutions, also.

which is why I really hope Maemo is ported to the Pandora.

QUOTE

an easy DVD-2-PANDORA app (plus a good player with subtitles) could be a HUGE selling point.



Actually, the only thing we'd need to do is get the people at HandBrake to include that choice - we don't need a specialized program just for Pandora.

MPlayer or VLC would work - MPlayer is already promised, and I've used it on my N800 (same resolution screen - the size is similar 4.1") and it's *great!*

QUOTE

make it EASY for anyone to put a dvd and have it stored in the pandora and you will simply have the BEST dvd-less dvd player on the market!



Rip the DVD with Handbrake, stick it on a SD card - stick the SD Card in Pandora.

 

[.Gogeta§§J4BR.]

maemo looks nice!
wow great reply, man!!!! thanks!! it's great to see solutions are already there...

but i'm talking mostly about the average joe who has never messed with video encoders and would simply buy a regular internet tablet, or mp4...
if you make an easy setup for him to put the dvds on the Pandora the best&easiest way possible, this means a big selling point.

Simply including the apps in the pandora cd (or dvd, full of nice things) with a nice how-to, plus making it a marketing appeal, will serve the purpose

 

[javaJake]

an easy DVD-2-PANDORA app (plus a good player with subtitles) could be a HUGE selling point.
the pandora hardware (processor, screen, size) is PERFECT for dvd playback.
anyone's pc has a dvd reader and is fast enough to encode to a smart format.
make it EASY for anyone to put a dvd and have it stored in the pandora and you will simply have the BEST dvd-less dvd player on the market!

Look to mplayer for subtitles. I hear VLC is lacking in that department.

As for re-encoding, it's pretty easy. Really the only value you end up playing with, in my experience, is the bitrate. If you just re-encode 5 or so minutes of a particular part and play around until you get the right settings, you're good to go. Gentoo also has a nice mencoder guide with guidelines about which bitrates get you what level of quality.