Accessories Update ?

[Karel Jansens]

Kind of. What really distinguishes the Pandora from the beagleboard is the proprietary hardware that's been added to the design -- Bluetooth and wi-fi antennae, d-pad and gaming controls, etc -- and the fact that it's packaged in a nice, polished case. It's a consumer device.

The beagle board lacks many of these advantages, although it's based on the same system-on-a-chip. I wouldn't recommend anyone consider using a beagle board as their desktop machine, or even as a specialty set-top device unless they're <i>really</i> comfortable hacking together their own linux distro from scratch or have a lot of experience with embedded linux. Honestly, it's more of a hobbyist's board anyway.

The Pandora, on the other hand, should be fairly newbie-friendly once the community's had a couple months to play with it.
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Also, is the Beagleboard not still on the "old" hardware specs? 128 MB RAM and 256 MB flash?

For me, it's indeed mainly the hacking aspect that put me slightly off the Beagle. As I wrote, I'm looking for something that'll basically be an appliance computer, hiding behind the TV. I'd want that to be as polished as possible, reason why I asked for the possibility of a Beagle-like Pandora derivative.

Apologies for bumping my own post, but is there any news (from the developers, that is) on the possibility of a "settop" Pandora derivative? By which I mean: a Pandora minus LCD, keyboard and battery (but with powersupply preferrably built in and a HDMI/DVI-D/Component video out), that comes in a nice case that fits behind the tv?

I'm still in the market for a few of those, as experiments with Linutop pcs turned out disappointing and the Beagleboard frankly scares me.

Are we allowed to bump a post twice?
(see how I -- very surrepticiously, of course! -- did just that?)

 

[mali]

We had a discussion a few weeks ago. I think a Pandora Cube is still planned but digital video out is unlikely(you would be stuck with composite/s-video).
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/50558-question-on-ordering-board-only/

 

[Pleng]

(see how I -- very surrepticiously, of course! -- did just that?)

I'm surprised you didn't get crucified for doing it the first time. Folks around here must like ya!

 

[Karel Jansens]

We had a discussion a few weeks ago. I think a Pandora Cube is still planned but digital video out is unlikely(you would be stuck with composite/s-video).
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/50558-question-on-ordering-board-only/

Thanx for the link; my 'net access is severely limited ATM, so I don't visit here as often as I'd like to.

I also recall Craig asking about a "headless" Pandora, but his proposal was not what I had in mind (leaving the keypad and buttons in place and essentially changing nothing about the connectivity options) and I seriously doubt whether I would buy one of those if they became available. Then again, I dig his reservations on starting work on an entirely new device before this one has proved itself.

Re digital video: I seem to remember that Pandora's board allows for one digital video out option, but that in the current device this bus was taken up by the LCD controller.

 

[Karel Jansens]

(see how I -- very surrepticiously, of course! -- did just that?)

I'm surprised you didn't get crucified for doing it the first time. Folks around here must like ya!

People tend to be nice to the slow kid...

 

[SNESFAN]

curious as to knowing if OP has been contacted by 3rd party accessories companies yet?

I know the market is small atm (see non existant) but curious if like zagg or seidio or similar has contacted you guys on the specs, dementions of the case, stylus, viewable screen, battery compartment dimentions voltages etc. It seems as if they guys try to release their accessories along with release dates of new gadgets on the market.

Having your device even listed on their site gives you backwards exposure to new clients as well. If they haven't contacted you, maybe a getting in touch with them as a solid release date seems right around the corner. (for real this time )