Bugs and Calculations

[EvilDragon]

Time for another update!
Slow but steady we're moving along.

Let's start with some...

1. Bugs!

Luckily, no hardware bugs, but some more software quirks that make the hardware look bad.
Remember that we currently are running the Pyra prototypes with a maximum speed of 1GHz because otherwise it freezes?

Well, seems like Nikolaus finally found the culprit for the power issues. It's not hardware, it is a buggy driver. To be exact: The driver we used for the battery charging / power distribution chip.
Nikolaus used an Android driver he found, but that one doesn't work as it should. For example, VSYS (the system voltage) is always set at 3.2V - which is the absolute minimum to run the system, and therefore will cause instabilities when there's the OMAP5 needs a lot of power.
Additionally, even though it claims it charges the battery with 900mA, it only provides 150mA.

The chip itself can do that, but the driver doesn't really do as it should.

So it's time to study the datasheets and fix the driver. That was basically the last bigger issue we had, and it looks like it' finally fixed soon.


2. Calculations

Askarus and me are currently working on the calculations of the Pyra to find out how high the preorder downpayment has to be and how high we have to set the final price.
It's no easy task, balancing out everything.

Our money is little, we will need every cent of profit we can get, but setting the price too high will lower the amount of preorders we get.
The problem would be fully gone if we can reach 1500 preorders, that would lead into normal production runs without any further preorders needed.
If we reach less, then the second batch also needs to be done with preorders - so hopefully, we can sell enough units so that no further preorders are needed.

We'll finish the calculations, we're still missing a few parameters (like costs for the case or the packaging) before I can let you know the details.

Also, I need to contact PayPal and ask about taking preorders.

Once all that's done, the preorders will start. Yes, really

Let me know if you got any further questions

 

[Ziggurat]

Wow, looking forward to seeing better performance and also a price.

 

[Sebzy]

As we are approaching the final stage before preorders could an estimated delivery date be given?

 

[EvilDragon]

As we are approaching the final stage before preorders could an estimated delivery date be given?

Not before I receive the final keymat and case.

PCB-wise, once we can approve everything to be working fine, it'll take about 2 - 3 months until the production can happen.
Cases and keymats won't be needed before that, so we shouldn't be too far off.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

I am eagerly awaiting the news about the MOQ of the US 4G chips.

 

[levi]

Nikolaus is really doing amazing work with this device! It's rare to find a person who can layout a board and work on software problems like this.

I'm a bit surprised you need to ask Paypal about preorders. Couldn't preorders be made as a voucher against a full Pyra in the same way the pre-preorder vouchers were just vouchers against a future preorder at the store?

 

[slimeycat]

Are you using only PayPal? Wire transfers or similar may reduce your costs and improve margins a little.

Just a thought.

 

[Xcl4m4t10n]

@EvilDragon, the preorders, will be full price or half price as you stated some time ago? If it is half price, can we get the Pyra "when" we want? Obviously when we want and we there's stock.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Perhaps use Square instead of Paypal?

 

[levi]

ED's shop already supports wire transfers, direct CC payments and Paypal, but some users will want to pay using Paypal, so that needs to be supported too.

 

[codifies]

Once all that's done, the preorders will start. Yes, really

exciting times indeed, can't wait to get open source FPGA tools working on this beasty FPGA's you can actually program in the field....!
then of course there's games and (hopefully) Void Linux to get working ...ahh happy hacking ahead!

 

[Wally]

Are you using only PayPal? Wire transfers or similar may reduce your costs and improve margins a little.

Just a thought.

Wire transfers are often slow and not really reliable for international users as they cost a lot more, PayPal / Credit card payment works best and is more secure. We wouldn't want ED to suddenly turn into Craig!

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

ED as I have a large voucher from link that will cover the majority of a pyra's cost, can a portion or all of the voucher be used as a downpayment for the pre-order?
I ask because I simply cannot afford to pay half the cost of a pyra at this time, even if you were to later refund the difference.

By the time the pyra is released I'll have the additional 150 euros saved up as you say it will be a few months away.

 

[Letalis Sonus]

Wire transfers are often slow and not really reliable for international users as they cost a lot more, PayPal / Credit card payment works best and is more secure. We wouldn't want ED to suddenly turn into Craig!

I'm not too savvy on international payment methods, but is there a difference between wire transfer and bank transfer?

Within Germany it's a little bit different: bank transfers are safe, free and legally guaranteed to be executed within 2 working days while credit cards and even PayPal got a reputation for being unsafe and expensive - not allowing bank transfers is a huge dealbreaker, pretty much every German uses them to buy stuff online regularly and a LOT of Germans don't even own a credit card.

 

[comradekingu]

Maybe waiting with the vouchers is a better move.

 

[slimeycat]

In the us venmo is free and safe also. They earn money on the float of a few days.

I've never had issues with wire transfers either locally or internationally.

Might I make another suggestion? You make the final price a minimum? So that if people want they can add more.

 

[EvilDragon]

I am eagerly awaiting the news about the MOQ of the US 4G chips.

500 pcs, same as the other 4G chips
This is also one of the worries :/

I'm a bit surprised you need to ask Paypal about preorders. Couldn't preorders be made as a voucher against a full Pyra in the same way the pre-preorder vouchers were just vouchers against a future preorder at the store?

Yes, but I still want to make that perfectly clear with them.
There will (hopefully) be quite a flood of money coming, so they will most likely contact me. I want to make that clear before.

Are you using only PayPal? Wire transfers or similar may reduce your costs and improve margins a little.

Credit Card, Wire transfers, etc. are all possible anyways.
Though Credit Card costs about the same as PayPal, and international wire transfers also often cost 10 EUR.

@EvilDragon, the preorders, will be full price or half price as you stated some time ago? If it is half price, can we get the Pyra "when" we want? Obviously when we want and we there's stock.

It will most probably be 290 EUR (same as the pre-preorder), the rest doesn't need to be paid before the unit is in stock.
And yes, by that, you can choose when you want to get it. It'll ship once the payment is there.

Wire transfers are often slow and not really reliable for international users as they cost a lot more, PayPal / Credit card payment works best and is more secure. We wouldn't want ED to suddenly turn into Craig!

They are totally reliable, but cost a fee.
Don't worry about the speed, we'll have plenty of time before the unit will be ready

ED as I have a large voucher from link that will cover the majority of a pyra's cost, can a portion or all of the voucher be used as a downpayment for the pre-order?
I ask because I simply cannot afford to pay half the cost of a pyra at this time, even if you were to later refund the difference.

That's a hard question right now.
I know Link wants to offer those by deducting this from his profit, but right now, we need all the profit we can get with the first 1500 units, which is why I'll be the only one taking preorders.
So I think those vouchers can only be used later - but I need to check that with link.

If we get more than 1500 preorders, it won't be a problem though, as then Link can stock Pyras from us and sell them for his own profit.
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Might I make another suggestion? You make the final price a minimum? So that if people want they can add more.

Need to check how that would best work with the shop system

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Oh, crap. I really want to be able to use GPS and data, I hope you can find some way to make it work.

I kinda wish it was still the 3G worldband, then we'd have no such problem.

 

[EvilDragon]

Oh, crap. I really want to be able to use GPS and data, I hope you can find some way to make it work.

I kinda wish it was still the 3G worldband, then we'd have no such problem.

Hm, the problem was only with the 4G module?
Maybe we should switch back to 3G for the first batch (it'll be 20 - 25 EUR cheaper as well)

 

[Blue Shadow]

That's a hard question right now.
I know Link wants to offer those by deducting this from his profit, but right now, we need all the profit we can get with the first 1500 units, which is why I'll be the only one taking preorders.
So I think those vouchers can only be used later - but I need to check that with link.

I have a similar question. In order to do targeted money-saving, I already bought some gift vouchers at Dragonbox. (but much lesser, would just be a part of the downpayment)
So although you already have that part of profit, it would may be complicated to include it in your calculation.
So should I also better wait to use them for the final payment?