Is there really a light at the end of the journey...?


EvilDragon

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Well, well, well.
Are we really getting there?
Yes, it could be the case.

4GB RAM CPU Boards are working!

Finally, after a long, long search for the reason, Tony Lindgren found the real issue for 4GB RAM crashes.
It was a hardware and software fix. Even the previously produced boards work better now - and maybe a lot better with some changed timings :)e.

That does mean... well, the CPU boards should now be 100% finished.
And we might even be able to use the 500 bare PCBs we already have - if they can still be populated (as they have been sitting around for quite a while now).

A memory stress test still crashes after 10 minutes, but that is due to overheating, as it doesn't do this if a heatsink is added to the CPU board.

10 minutes without a heatsink is quite good though, as a memory stress test both fully stresses the CPU and memory, and doesn't happen in real life.

Nikolaus ran a 4GB Board without heatsink and 1,5GHz and did an apt-get upgrade which installed 400 new packages... without any issues.
After a few hours, he shut it down again. Without any crash or overheating!

Once the mainboards are finished and the new case has arrived, I'll assemble a full unit including our cooling solution, and then we'll no for sure.

This issue together with the rotation issue we had are most probably due to TI mostly having abandoned the OMAP5.
There are not many devices out there using the OMAP5 and therefore, no one has run into that issue before.
So yes, we might have some more low-level software work ahead of us compared to the Pandora, but it surely will be fun seeing the system evolve :)


The Mainboards

Well, with the CPU boards and the DIsplay boards final now, the last thing missing are the mainboards.
What's up with those, you might ask?

Well, the have arrived at Global Components - but there was an issue. Some of the silk layer (that's the white print on the PCBs) are too close to some of the BGA pads. And as we don't populate single PCBs but multiple ones at once, the tolerance is an issue - and some BGAs might not be populated properly.

Unfortunately, the chinese manufacturer hasn't checked that thoroughly (last time, they fixed that issue themselves without telling us upfront). It would be possible to populate them by doing some VERY accurate measurements - but that would cost over 3000 EUR.

That was pretty annoying - but luckily, producing another set of bare PCBs WITHOUT this layer is a lot faster now, as all the tools have already been created and the software for the machines has been written.

The new PCBs will arrive June 18th (so in around a week) and will be populated shortly afterwards.

That leaves...

The Case

Well, according to my contact, a (hopefully) final case is already on the way to me.
It has been shipped a while ago via DHL but has not arrived yet.
He'll try to get a tracking number for me, and hopefully, it'll arrive this week.

This case should have the logo and everything glued in. But I won't assure that until we have it here.


... and then?

When the case is fine, 500 transparent cases will be produced, which will be used for the prototype preorders.
After that, the moulds will immediately be moved to the new company so we can produce the remaining cases in proper color. As most companies close down in August in Greece, we have to be fast here. Hopefully, that'll work out - then we could have a small release party at the GamesCom this year and who knows, maybe some users can already pick up their units there.

But yeah, that would be a miracle, as we also need to get the pre-cut material for the heat dissipation and I don't know yet how long the production will take. That said, it's existing material that just needs to be cut - so it shouldn't take long.

So who knows - one can dream, right? :)

With all the boards and the case finished, it's also time for CE / FCC testing, which we're planning for early July.

So yay.. we got another few steps closer to release :)

Final round... Fight!
 
Sounds great,
Gamescom is a Date, that is more touchable than
“2 Months ️”

But I will believe a Release Date only when the Package is on my Desk and I open it whit my Swiss Army Knife,
Whit this Layer is a bit disappointing,

You write that they will make new one whit out the layer,

Wasn’t the Layer important???

Some time I miss the days when you also wrote the news in the German Boards, because it’s a bit better to understand for me, but on the other side:
Thanks to the Pandora and Pyra Project, my English Knowledge is growing constantly
 
Fantastic news! Sooner or later the 2 month prediction will actually become a reality :-D

Now I'm really excited for the next updates, and hopefully videos!

Thanks so much ED for all the hard work, meticulous attention to detail, and patience :)
 
This sounds really good.
I would not want one of the 500 non-optimized PCBs but I would be willing to pay for one to help out recycling them for something else.
The fact that there is a "planned" release date now reintroduces the pleasant anticipation for the Pyra for me.
Let's all hope for the best.
If there would really be the chance to get a final unit on Gamescom this year, it would be the first time I'll go there :)
 
You write that they will make new one whit out the layer,

Wasn’t the Layer important???

It's the silkscreen layer, just a few labels and boxes to help you navigate the board. Labelling the JTAG ports and alternate power points and things like that, which are mainly important for third parties trying to maintain the hardware down the road, and can probably be skipped for the prototype phase, especially if the alternative is months of waiting or an extra 3000+EUR.

Edit: Awesome news that we're finally on the straight and narrow now, it seems. Maybe some of those using an advanced prototype for fixing things like this 4GB issue could use fixed up boards even before the 500 transparent cases have been produced.
 
When the case is fine, 500 transparent cases will be produced, which will be used for the prototype preorders.
After that, the moulds will immediately be moved to the new company so we can produce the remaining cases in proper color. As most companies close down in August in Greece, we have to be fast here. Hopefully, that'll work out - then we could have a small release party at the GamesCom this year and who knows, maybe some users can already pick up their units there.

But yeah, that would be a miracle, as we also need to get the pre-cut material for the heat dissipation and I don't know yet how long the production will take. That said, it's existing material that just needs to be cut - so it shouldn't take long.

I have time during August.
If that's the only part missing I'll come and cut the first batch.
Simply give me the raw material.
 
Hi all !

@EvilDragon : the GamesCom will take place from the 21st to the 25th of August (i.e in just over two months™ :p ). It's a tight schedule, but I'm certain you can make it !

Cheers, Magic Sam
 
I think my original estimate of a release date may have been a little too conservative.
 
When the case is fine, 500 transparent cases will be produced, which will be used for the prototype preorders.

Are all this cases going to prototype preorders actually? I thought there were only a dozen or so. Or do you meant prototype and pre-preorders?

Anyway: Awesome news! Keep going on with your fantastic work.

A2000
 
Are all this cases going to prototype preorders actually? I thought there were only a dozen or so. Or do you meant prototype and pre-preorders?
There are 20 prototype level users as I recall. These clear cases will go to their 20, and the remainder will be released for sale on the shop at some point. The pre-preorderers should get exactly the same unit as normal pre-orderers, except they'll just get a lower serial number and once upon a time got a free v5 mainboard (unpopulated but signed).
 
Shoot, does this mean preorders are about to end? Now I won't get a fancy preorder number. :(
FWIW, I assume serial numbers are just going to continue on from wherever they get to at the end of the pre-order phase. The only way to get a sub-200 number was to get a pre-preorder when those were released, but all that's available right now are 1119+ numbers. I suspect the only way to tell the difference between a pre-order and a release unit is to remember exactly at what number the preorders were at when mass produced units started to become available from stock.
 
Oh damn it... :(

I mean, don't get me wrong.
I am very happy about the progress that has been made so far and I am still looking forward to the Pyra.

I still had hope that I could take it with me on a month long train-journey around Europe in August until now.
(I'd have plenty of time to setup a development environment on it during the trip and use it for navigation)

I managed to break my phone a little while ago and have been running with a call and SMS only phone for the last weeks, but that isn't going to cut it for the trip.
So I'll have to get a new one for the time until the Pyra is released.

Oh well... I'm still very happy about the progress that has been made!
Good work ED!
 
a fancy preorder number
More than having a nice preorder number or serial number in a place you can not see... I would want to have the luck some had with the Golden Pandora CPU's that could get overclocked to insane numbers... like 1.4 Ghz. I could reach 1.2Ghz and those 0.2Ghz made *dont remember 3D game* go like 4 FPS faster... which does not seem like a lot, but oh boy the enjoyment I took out of it...

I just hope there are some Golden CPU/GPU Pyra's out there...
 
After that, the moulds will immediately be moved to the new company so we can produce the remaining cases in proper color.
What color would that be?

As most companies close down in August in Greece, we have to be fast here.
*Checks calendar*
So, 2 Months. Got it!

veruca-salt.gif
 
I am calling it now.
  • Something happened to the cases in transit
  • Once they do finally arrive a week late it turns out a minor correction is still needed
  • Transparent case production takes a bit too long
  • Cases are transferred to the new company
  • August happens
  • Second week of September case production begins
Naturally, I hope that I am wrong, but based on historical results I am probably too optimistic.

Pessimistic jokes aside, some important steps forward have been made. I am thankful for the update ED. Sorry for the impatience, the wait is not easy.
 
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