Is Everything On Track For Early April Production?

[fretfrenzy182]

Mildly recent tweet for craig

​

"I wish we had never put a bloody wifi chip in the Pandora, it has been nothing but trouble. We should have just used a generic wifi dongle."
Trouble?

 

[kingoddball]

That was mentioned a few pages back. Which is why E.D is offering Wifi USB dongles.

Do any other devices use the came wifi chip?

What wifi chip is it? Is it a texas instruments chip? TI 1271?

 

[LineOf7s]

Mildly recent tweet for craig

​

"I wish we had never put a bloody wifi chip in the Pandora, it has been nothing but trouble. We should have just used a generic wifi dongle."
Trouble?

Have you read *any* of this thread?

 

[BackAssward]

notaz is working on the kernel, but not deciding with us.

Well, the module initializes and talks to the board, that's what we know for sure.

One thing I can promise: If it REALLY turns out to be a hardware fault, you can be sure we'll either fix it for you or exchange your board for free as soon as we can afford it (maybe after the second batch, when we got some money back).
So either way, you won't be screwed. (I remember I had to fix over 200 gp2x First Editions as they had a flickering LCD...)

We just wanted to make an offer that you can use WiFi right from the start, that's why we want to offer you a small WiFi dongle and your Pandora NOW.

Well, that raises another question, was a USB 2.0 HighSpeed dongle actually found? That one pictured looks to be FullSpeed "Compatible to USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 interface", and I didn't see the HighSpeed logo anywhere. I can't find a HighSpeed one so far in my searching (Some say high speed, but they are referring to the WiFi, not the USB, so far in my research).

Was that little detail overlooked in this plan?

Edit @ Prometheus: Give how the little details frequently get overlooked, I enjoy your optimism, but go ahead an try to find one yourself (if it was an example of what they were looking at, they'd just post a pic of what they were looking at). It is far more likely that they forgot about that caveat; looking at the big picture, forgetting the devil's in the details.

 

[Prometheus]

Logically, it's probably just an example of the sort of dongle they're looking at, I suspect.

 

[EvilDragon]

Well, that raises another question, was a USB 2.0 HighSpeed dongle actually found? That one pictured looks to be FullSpeed "Compatible to USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 interface", and I didn't see the HighSpeed logo anywhere. I can't find a HighSpeed one so far in my searching (Some say high speed, but they are referring to the WiFi, not the USB, so far in my research).
Was that little detail overlooked in this plan?

Nope. You never know unless you can try it... I already ordered a few of those small sticks.

 

[wejp]

I think, it can't be a hardware Problem. Makes no sense and is completely unlogic. I mean, after 4 (or 5) Board revisions, WiFi should work like it does onto every other device does. Because exactly this was actualy the reason, why it had so many Board revisions.

The first board revision didn't even have a wireless chip at all. Even though at least some of the following revisions had the wireless chip, I can't remember seeing anything that has shown a working wireless setup.

I'm sure, there are reasons why MWeston choose to use SDIO instead of SPI,

The reason for that decision could simply be that TI recommends that type of connection for this wireless chip.
SPI is simpler than SDIO considering both hardware and software. SPI's maximum transfer rates are also slower than SDIO's maxmimum speed, but this wouldn't matter much with 54 MBit wireless.

even if the SDIO Problems under Linux are long time known.

Which problems are you referring to? Except those problems with the Pandora hardware, SDIO under Linux in general is in a working state. Just as an example, some people have been using a microSDIO wireless card (54 MBit) with their Ben NanoNote devices and achieved transfer rates of about 2 MB/s, which isn't too bad.

And I'm sure, the Chip-Manuacturer makes sure to deliver a WORKING Chip.

They do, but that doesn't mean there is no way of messing it up. It is not a trivial task to design a board, so there are lots of things that could cause problems.

So if the Board is not the source of the errors

There hasn't been any proof that this isn't the case, yet.

 

[Prometheus]

Edit @ Prometheus: Give how the little details continually get overlooked, I enjoy your optimism, but go ahead an try to find one yourself (if it was an example of what they were looking at, they'd just post a pic of what they were looking at). It is far more likely that they forgot about that caveat; everyone looking at the forest, forgot that one tree standing there. It takes someone as anal/ocd as me to remember these things (it didn't occur to you until you saw my post, did it?)

It did occur to me, actually. Thankyou.

 

[Prometheus]

My sincerest apologies for the double-post, I feel that I should explain my logic.

Probably going to have to throw in something like this with the first ~1000:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HdtFh-oZL._SS500_.jpg

Sorry for forgetting to include it in the previous one.

 

[BackAssward]

It did occur to me, actually. Thankyou.

Yeah, I had already changed my post before your reply, the wording could have been better the first time.

Edit: Great, something like a Full-Speed dongle... I guess it depends on which 'like' qualities were are refering too. Without clarification, I am free to interpret that 'like' to mean the technical specs.

Anyway, ED is planing on testing some. However, if they don't show the HighSpeed logo, and the USB port only works with HighSpeed... Many people have posted on these forums that if there is no logo, it is not HighSpeed certified. I can only go off what have been told.

Edit: Frankly, I am within the 1000 so I sure hope he does find one. But better to point out a possible issue early on, then be surprised by one later.

Edit2: After going through a few, I did find one High-Speed, so at least there are some (and it's package does have the logo):
IOGEAR WiFi 54g USB Adapter - GWU523

 

[Prometheus]

Haha... I will clarify, then.

What I meant is the size (EDIT: and obvious functionality as a wireless thingamabob ), as there is only a picture linked to in the post I quoted. There is no technical information given that I can see. I certainly didn't feel like flipping that image over and hunting for the product with that brand, serial number and MAC address in order to obtain technical specifications.

 

[puppydee]

I'm not fussed about the wifi dongle just ship it

 

[amf66]

the SDIO Problems under Linux are long time known.

what problems?

Goddammit, Notaz, I really love you for working on the kernel and that awesome picodrive on my dingoo, but either give a detailed opinion or shut up. You are one of the 2-3 persons who could really describe the situation correctly and believable, instead you are teasing us.

I'm probably in the first 1000, not sure. Guess has more important things to do than answering me that. With my luck, I'll be 1001.
Would certainly take a pandora with a tiny wifi-dongle on my own risk.
What really worries me is Craig's "We won't release the last 3000 until the problem is solved." That may take f*cking long.

Good God man. Calm down.

 

[DaveC]

WiFi meh...If it doesn't make SNES run smoother I could care less..

 

[MarkoeZ]

i am in the first 1000, and i just want to play with it and program for it. So send me mine anyway.

But it did make me wonder: i know the bluetooth has been tested and is functional. But how is the speed for that, since it's on the same chip?

 

[Klarth]

So the blog's last entry states the chinese factory got a new machine. I REALLY doubt a fast working plastic injector can be callibrated and programmed this fast but oh well..

And if I was able to choose, which I'm prolly not (ordered this year), I'd definetly wait for a funny working WiFi unit but then again, I have not waited for years already.

EDIT: back to funny as I was spoted Bwahahaha

 

[puppydee]

So the blog's last entry states the chinese factory got a new machine. I REALLY doubt a fast working plastic injector can be callibrated and programmed this fast but oh well..

And if I was able to choose, which I'm prolly not (ordered this year), I'd definetly wait for a funny working WiFi unit

A funny working WiFi unit, lol

 

[gruso]

I think it's working pretty funny already.

 

[puppydee]

Oh I have a valid question! Will the first 1000 be emailed to ask if they want the wifi dongle or if they'd like to pass? Probably save 3000 emails going to pandora hq asking if they're in the first 1000 and that they'd like to have the wifi dongle?

Oops it's in bold so they wont miss it

 

[Klarth]

So the blog's last entry states the chinese factory got a new machine. I REALLY doubt a fast working plastic injector can be callibrated and programmed this fast but oh well..

And if I was able to choose, which I'm prolly not (ordered this year), I'd definetly wait for a funny working WiFi unit

A funny working WiFi unit, lol

We all wanna have some fun, don't we?????

Ah I'm tired from loooong study day, so typing in not native language takes a little brain power which I barelly have at this time. But it was funny, indeed. Ehehehehe.