[Cancelled] Aluminium cases are NOT being made!

[TrashyMG]

I'm sure there must be some sort of stress test the cases could be put through before final production is started.


Its hard to believe we are still discussiñg cases so many years on.


How about a wooden hardwood case varnished in satin varnish now that would be something.

The original cases were manufactured 5 years ago, the silver ones what 3 almost 4? Tests and redesigns cost big money the project doesn't have... The Pandora is end of life, It was bound to happen.  

 

[Seamus]

But that's the luck of the draw you are one of the lucky ones.


Sorry this a reply to "edgex"

 

[edgex004]

But that's the luck of the draw you are one of the lucky ones.


Sorry this a reply to "edgex"

It is, but if it really bothers you, you can always send it to ED for repair, and you can always replace just the broken piece, rather than the whole case.

 

[rygD]

Well I dont know! what materials are Notebooks Tablets and Laptops made of.


They get pleny of bashing around the place and don't seem to crack.


The Pandora develops cracks without any interaction.


My Pandora never leaves the house, was treated with "kid Gloves" but just cracked all on its own.


The silver case cracking was really a let down there there is no point replacing the case at


another major cost. Do we need the Prya? all the classic machines are available on the Pandora.


Maybe we will need it in 10yrs time to emulate a PS4.


So I say keep the present machine with a more durable case. You cannot show an non believer


a super machine with cracks visible on the outside.

Not all cases crack. I have dropped,bashed, and crushed my silver case, and it is still in one piece. There is a dent from dropping another computer on it though...

And many laptops do crack.  A couple of mine are in pretty rough shape, with one missing all the plastic in the area around one hinge.  Oh, and tons of scratches on anything painted or shiny.  For that reason I really want the plastic for the Pyra case not to be painted.  Look at old Game Boys.  I abused the hell out of my first one, and it might have had gashes, scrapes and scratches, yet still looked decent enough due to the rough texture and no paint.

 

[WizardStan]

I abused the hell out of my first one, and it might have had gashes, scrapes and scratches, yet still looked decent enough due to the rough texture and no paint.

Like Grench says as well, softer plastic scratches easily but otherwise survives abuse. Something something strongest trees bow to the wind something.

 

[kirkanoss]

thanks idv for trying was hoping for the best but o well. and as for weak cases guess i got lucky with my 1st batch rebirth  has been from ny to cal and back to ny and been used alot and no cracks or anything wish it was the same for everyone

 

[rygD]

I abused the hell out of my first one, and it might have had gashes, scrapes and scratches, yet still looked decent enough due to the rough texture and no paint.

Like Grench says as well, softer plastic scratches easily but otherwise survives abuse. Something something strongest trees bow to the wind something.

So another person for a wood case?  I could go for that too, I suppose.

I knew that softer plastic was less brittle.  In the case of Game Boys the texture probably had a few benefits and was more acceptable than I imagine such a choice would be for the Pyra.  Early HP Palmtops also had some texture to them, and I think they look and feel nice (and "professional" or something).  Does anyone have any strong feelings either way about doing that for the Pyra?

I do hope the Pyra case can survive wind.

 

[FBnil]

 

[Wrath Of Khan]

Ah well, I have a shed that could use some aluminum...

The best laid plans and all that Jazz.

 

[EvilDragon]

I'm sure there must be some sort of stress test the cases could be put through before final production is started.

Of course there is.

You can do simulations - but that software is horribly expensive, Dave (the designer) didn't have it.

The chinese company also didn't have the newest technology.

But still, a real stress test needs molds produced, cases tested, and then new molds produced (each time around 60K EUR).

If we had done that, the Pandora simply wouldn't exist.

So the choice basically was:

Pandora with case that's not 100% perfect or no Pandora at all.

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy.

It depends on the machine used, the plastic used, how the plastic flows into the mold, the thicknesses, etc.

There are SO many parameters that hang together... it's a LOT more complex than most do think.

 

[pmprog]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy.

Should have started out with aluminium then

 

[elwing]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy. It depends on the machine used, the plastic used, how the plastic flows into the mold, the thicknesses, etc. There are SO many parameters that hang together... it's a LOT more complex than most do think.

I think we were pretty lucky on the case quality, sure there's stress point, and I think all case will crack at some specific point (near USB port as exemple...), but I have these cracks for years now and things do not get worst, it's still as sturdy as before.

 

[rygD]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy. It depends on the machine used, the plastic used, how the plastic flows into the mold, the thicknesses, etc. There are SO many parameters that hang together... it's a LOT more complex than most do think.

I think we were pretty lucky on the case quality, sure there's stress point, and I think all case will crack at some specific point (near USB port as exemple...), but I have these cracks for years now and things do not get worst, it's still as sturdy as before.

I kinda agree with this.  I read the stories about the early cases and was a little concerned that some people seemed to be having issues with the newer ones.  I do treat mine a bit gently, but if the newer cases were truly bad mine would have been broken when put in my front pocket with other stuff banging against it, or when pressure is applied when I sit.  It is nice to know that cracks don't always require replacing the case, although I might try to do something to reinforce it if they are in troubling locations.  They could be better (which is what some of us wanted to buy) but they could be much worse.

 

[Nintendo]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy.

Should have started out with aluminium then

More expensive.

 

[elwing]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy.

Should have started out with aluminium then

More expensive.

more expensive? I'm not so sure... 60k euros vs the tiny amount of case produced? if it is really possible to produce aluminium case for 100euros you can produce a lot of these before it being more expensive...

but it would definitely have been heavier and with more wifi performances problems...

 

[pmprog]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy.

Should have started out with aluminium then

More expensive.

Urm, am I needing to explain the joke?

 

[Nintendo]

Nah, no need, mate. All good.

 

[fusion_power]

Designing a plastic case is anything but easy.

It depends on the machine used, the plastic used, how the plastic flows into the mold, the thicknesses, etc.

There are SO many parameters that hang together... it's a LOT more complex than most do think.

+Experience of the company that make such parts. I'm sure this could also help to make better cases for the Pyra. This and the "right stuff" of plastic this time.We may never get Alu-cases but I expect at least the best possible plastic material for the Pyra.

 

[Jumpman]

Hell, Nintendo, Sony and Nvidia have really deep pockets, and I've had DS's crack on several occasions, and I've seen tons of reports of the Shield tablet cracking at the corners. Considering what was involved with the Pandora, and what it cost, it really is pretty good overall. 

I would have loved this case, due to the improved durability, but I'm not really surprised it didn't happen.

Chris

 

[Seamus]

I have a gp2x which I bring everywhere with me.


There are no really visible scratches as the case is white plastic not painted.


The Pandora is beginning to look older than the gp2x.


Surely this material was a better bet than the pandoras case.