July News?

[MugenSC]

I was wandering how the dpad works on the OpenPandora? I'm a big fighting game fan and having a dpad that's imprecise or just plain hard to control is a pain (like on the PSP). Has anyone who currently owns a developers version been able to test the device with a fighter and see how the D-pad holds up?

I didn't want to make a separate thread for such a simple question. :unsure:

Anyways, I'm very hyped for this device and hope it takes off in a very successful fashion. I'm especially drawn to this since it will suit me better than my PSP; I use it for everything, but playing actual PSP games (homebrew, portable PDF reader, internet browsing, calculator...etc). andora1: (cool emoticon)

 

[God Ginrai]

If you look at the older board picture..

..you can see that the audio jack is already attached and the AV port is also on with the older style AV port already hooked up.

I don't see any reason why changing the AV port would require modifying anything other than the back of the case design?
It's a bit too late in the game for board re-design, so chances are they went for a better AV port with the same pin-outs as the old one and haven't even touched the audio jack in the front.

You never know though :lol:

Where do you see room on the back for an AV port? We've already got Power, Mini, and USB Host back there, as well as 2 shoulder buttons.

I was wandering how the dpad works on the OpenPandora? I'm a big fighting game fan and having a dpad that's imprecise or just plain hard to control is a pain (like on the PSP). Has anyone who currently owns a developers version been able to test the device with a fighter and see how the D-pad holds up?

I didn't want to make a separate thread for such a simple question. :unsure:

Anyways, I'm very hyped for this device and hope it takes off in a very successful fashion. I'm especially drawn to this since it will suit me better than my PSP; I use it for everything, but playing actual PSP games (homebrew, portable PDF reader, internet browsing, calculator...etc). andora1: (cool emoticon)

I don't think any of the devs have the dPads yet. As far as I know, they've only got the dev-boards, which includes screens, but doesn't have buttons. (Although, if I'm wrong, I'd be glad to be enlightened on that subject)

-God Ginrai

 

[Game_over]

look at the "What are you doing RIGHT now" post on the blog.

EDIT: oh you are talking about the other devs, that's a good question. I'm sure a couple do.

 

[MugenSC]

I didn't know I could post in the Dev section since I'm not one lol.

Well, I appreciate the reply's though. So the current development boards don't have buttons attached to them huh.

Well, I'll hope for the best. I am definitely anxious to get my hands on this regardless.

 

[Trip]

Where do you see room on the back for an AV port? We've already got Power, Mini, and USB Host back there, as well as 2 shoulder buttons.

My bad :huh:
I mistook the USB host port for the AV connection, doesn't look very USB on the older renders. It looks in the videos like the dev stuff is currently running from the pins on the sides (completely missed the part where it said JTAG :lol: ).
Seems a strange place to put the TV-out etc., maybe there will be a different final revision board then or maybe it will just be connected by cables and not attached to the board itself? Has anyone actually mentioned where the port was supposed to be before?

 

[Game_over]

Yeah there is not going to be any location changes as it seems everything hw-wise is locked up.

 

[God Ginrai]

Where do you see room on the back for an AV port? We've already got Power, Mini, and USB Host back there, as well as 2 shoulder buttons.

My bad :huh:
I mistook the USB host port for the AV connection, doesn't look very USB on the older renders. It looks in the videos like the dev stuff is currently running from the pins on the sides (completely missed the part where it said JTAG :lol: ).
Seems a strange place to put the TV-out etc., maybe there will be a different final revision board then or maybe it will just be connected by cables and not attached to the board itself? Has anyone actually mentioned where the port was supposed to be before?


I'm pretty sure that the standard headphone jack will be replaced with the AV connection.

-God Ginrai

 

[MWeston]

No, the headphone jack is the standard 3.5mm and is on the front. It supports tip-ring-ground for normal audio usage and tip-ring-ring-ground for headsets with a built in microphone.

The AV port is now on the back as most have requested. From the back, the button/jack configuration is as follows:

Right shoulder ---- USB OTG ---- AV port ---- USB Host ---- DC jack ---- Left shoulder

 

[whiskthecat]

Awesome, I was hoping a headset could be used.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

Awesome, I was hoping a headset could be used.

I'd be excited about the news, too, but have you forgotten? Bluetooth headsets, baby!

 

[icurafu]

Considering the Pandora is light enough to carry, I don't see why you would use a bluetooth headset, unless you wanted:
-Less battery life
-Reduced quality audio
-Amaze and bemuse friends with you wireless communication, mysteriously into the air like magic
-Look like a w@nk

 

[CoMiKe]

No, the headphone jack is the standard 3.5mm and is on the front. It supports tip-ring-ground for normal audio usage and tip-ring-ring-ground for headsets with a built in microphone.

The AV port is now on the back as most have requested

Perfect!! Would like to see a new render with the final design, containing all elements.

Or better, a real picture of a complete Pandora... can't wait to see it.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

Considering the Pandora is light enough to carry, I don't see why you would use a bluetooth headset, unless you wanted:
-Less battery life
-Reduced quality audio
-Amaze and bemuse friends with you wireless communication, mysteriously into the air like magic
-Look like a w@nk

What, are you assuming I'm using a Bluetooth headset for music or something? :lol: The reference is to microphone support; microphone support is used for games. Are you trying to make the argument that using a bluetooth headset for VoIP and games is worse than using a wired mic? 'Cause if you are, I'd have to call you out for your tomfoolery, good sir.

 

[God Ginrai]

No, the headphone jack is the standard 3.5mm and is on the front. It supports tip-ring-ground for normal audio usage and tip-ring-ring-ground for headsets with a built in microphone.

The AV port is now on the back as most have requested. From the back, the button/jack configuration is as follows:

Right shoulder ---- USB OTG ---- AV port ---- USB Host ---- DC jack ---- Left shoulder

That's good to hear. I'm surprised we had room back there. Any chance we can see a pic of what the port will look like?

-God Ginrai

 

[icurafu]

Considering the Pandora is light enough to carry, I don't see why you would use a bluetooth headset, unless you wanted:
-Less battery life
-Reduced quality audio
-Amaze and bemuse friends with you wireless communication, mysteriously into the air like magic
-Look like a w@nk

What, are you assuming I'm using a Bluetooth headset for music or something? :lol: The reference is to microphone support; microphone support is used for games. Are you trying to make the argument that using a bluetooth headset for VoIP and games is worse than using a wired mic? 'Cause if you are, I'd have to call you out for your tomfoolery, good sir.


Yes, one goes directly across a line to a device and is nearly impossible to interfere with, the other does not. Have you ever used a wireless headset. The quality of the call degrades as you walk away from your device. If you carried your device on person, why would you use bluetooth to begin with?

 

[emil10001]

Hey, I'll take the lower sound quality, and lessened battery life for no wires and remote control on the headphones. I enjoy my bluetooth headphones, they have been really convenient for me. The wires to my head are too annoying at work, and on my bike, or anywhere else for that matter.

I have hope that future generations of bluetooth headphones will have improved sound quality, but honestly, the quality isn't that bad, unless you're really paying attention to it.

 

[icurafu]

CTFan was talking about recording your voice like in a call (game is the same thing). I did this for a while with a bluetooth skype phone but replaced it with a wired headset because I just didn't need it if my PDA was with me anyway. When I left it on my desk to get a coffee (we're talking one wall and a few meters) is would start dropping bits. But hey, if you've got a bluetooth headset and no wired, why not. You can just use it and it saves you a few bucks. And now that I think about it, the cable won't get in your way, which is probably more important for gaming as opposed to voip and music. (Not that I had the problem with my DS/GP2X/PSP/PDA before.)

Anyway, I know a guy at work who has a phone with a wireless headset he uses on his bike. When he gets a call, the song is interrupted and it goes into voice recognition, so he can say answer, ignore or drop. That's a really cool application for bluetooth headsets.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

Yeah, I use a Bluetooth headset with my PS3 and my phone and I love it. It's far more discreet and less of a hassle than a wired mic, and will come in much handy after I pair my Pandora with a wireless mouse and keyboard and hook it up to my 42" LCD to play some Quake 3.

 

[chad78]

The reference is to microphone support; microphone support is used for games.
Genuine question... okay, maybe half genuine...

What games do you plan on playing on a handheld that need a microphone? This thing won't play DS games - so whistling for your Nintendog is out, so is blowing out WarioWare's candles. And, unless this TINXL (or whatever it's called) thing actually happens - cussing out the n00bz you just pwned in your FPS is pretty much out, too.

 

[crasherball]

i think there should be some kind of detector, wheater u play quake with a mouse or not!..

there should be mouse-servers
and joystick-servers

otherwise I get my ass pwnd from mouseusers