Line-In for the Pyra

[levi]

Ah, I'd missed that. Yeah, I stand corrected on that point, ta.

 

[Ligachamp]

A few corrections - serial console is NOT standard, or at least I very much hope it won't be. I'd hope USB host, or off (to save power) is the default, not serial TTY mode.

I think you're missing that the Pyra will have an additional micro-USB connector designed to be a dedicated charging/debugging port which will default to a serial console mode.   This is separate to the USB3/OTG micro-USB connector and the 2 USB A connectors.  I'm pretty sure that's the port that Ligachamp is suggesting be adapted.

- Neelix

Yep, I meant that connector.

So setting it to line in mode by default would be safer, and only switch it to USB mode once something's negotiated a USB connection, but I can't imagine many early adopters being happy waiting 2 months for a working USB connection. And wiring it up in a way that allows it to accept USB noise and analogue noise at the same time means my idea of blankly switching the lines wouldn't work, but there's probably a way to do it, but my electronic knowledge doesn't proceed that fair I'm afraid.

Also if my knowledge in this area isn't that good too, electrically there would be for sure a way to realize this. The question is how difficult it would be... It really might be better to set it as line-in by default to pretend wrong connections. I thought there could be a solution looking like this (also if this cable might work in an other way than I thought of):

And if the Pyra gets delivered with one of this cables as a standart accessory, I think it wouldn't be that confusing for the end user. There's only one (2.0) micro USB port on the Pyra (correct me if I'm wrong), so it should be selfexplaining. Switching the modes could also be realized through jumpers or dipswitches on the board. As a normal user I wouldn't ever use the TTY mode on that USB port. That ones who want to use it should be experienced enough to enable it by changing the jumper/dispwitch configuration (I hope). Ok, there would be the need of opening the case for that, which might end in damaging the board, but if I look how many users ever opened their Pandora to look inside or even fix something on their own without breaking everything, that should be a minor problem.

When this things get explained to the end user, there shouldn't be any issues by using "USB" for this purpose.

 

[Neelix]

There's only one (2.0) micro USB port on the Pyra (correct me if I'm wrong), so it should be selfexplaining.

That's not entirely correct.  The wide micro-USB port incorporates a regular micro-USB port, and can be used with regular micro-USB connectors.

- Neelix

 

[Ligachamp]

There's only one (2.0) micro USB port on the Pyra (correct me if I'm wrong), so it should be selfexplaining.

That's not entirely correct.  The wide micro-USB port incorporates a regular micro-USB port, and can be used with regular micro-USB connectors.

- Neelix

That's why I said (2.0) micro USB