Mockup: Extension Bar

[conso]

Hi!

I made a very optimistic mockup of an extension bar. I'm very sure it has design-issues I'm not aware of, still I want to publish it, since I think it would add a whole lot of functionality to the pandora, while perhaps costing more then the pandora itself

Here's the picture:

In my very optimistic guessing, this bar would add about 2 centimeters of width to the pandora. First thing is it would have two shoulder-buttons at each side. DC and Mini-USB would just be replicated. tv-out is not needed, since this addon is for on-the-go-experience
The four buttons on top of the bar are thought as additonal gaming buttons as long as the lid is opened. Together with the left shoulder-button (controlled by the thumb) they would be very usefull in games like frets on fire.
As soon, as the lid gets closed, all buttons on the extension would be used for media-control. I guess the symbols should be quite clear. The log-trigger could also be usefull as a gaming-throttle The blue button would activate the build-in camera, again only when display is closed. When opend, an raw-camera-programm should handle all available options. To be extremely unrealistic: the camera could be detached from the bar and placed on top of the display for being a webcam. ;D
The build-in gps would be for geotagging every picture taken and nerdy stuff like navigation, open-streatmapping or that crazy game of searching for hidden objects.
The accelerometer could help out when there is no GPS-signal available + add another controll-mode for gaming. Think of marble-games, flight-simulators and even fps, The pandora is small enough to place it on a gun-shaft and walk around with it on a huge free place, shooting enemies Yeah, I know it would look stupid. Go to some farming-area where nobody knows you.

Last but not least, the umts-modem for unlimited online experience, even when walking around stupid on a field

 

[PSyMastR]

Seems cool. Only thing is, isn't it a bit early for figuring out massive extension accessories considering the Pandora isn't even in final production yet?

 

[conso]

Seems cool. Only thing is, isn't it a bit early for figuring out massive extension accessories considering the Pandora isn't even in final production yet?

I don't want craigx and the others get bored. They can start realizing it as soon as the pandora is in production

 

[PSyMastR]

The DC port is there?

 

[mechanizeddeath]

i don't see how you'll be able to use those buttons with the screen open. at least i wouldn't be able to fit my fingers into the resulting gap between the screen and buttons.

while accessory media controls would be nice, i think they would be best on an inline controller with wired headphones, or hanging off the OTG port.

 

[impreziv]

cool idea, except lose the Play - Stop - Rec - Cam buttons.

the screen hinge will be very much in the way of those buttons. if anyone is going to be playing any guitar games, they will surely opt to use F1-F5 keys, or another set of 5 keys on the keyboard.

when you say that its an optimistic design, you arent kidding. im not very confident in anyones ability to fit all of those features in a bar that small. out of the Accellerometer, UMTS, GPS, and Camera... id say pick two of those to fit.

if someone is going to make an addon brick dealy for the pandora, all i would want added is an Aux battery, and maybe 4 USB ports.

 

[Gilrad]

I think the idea is to use those buttons when the P is closed. Like a camera/mp3 player sort of thing.

 

[impreziv]

I think the idea is to use those buttons when the P is closed. Like a camera/mp3 player sort of thing.

yes their labeled funtions could be used when closed. but they look like theyre also intended to be used for a Guitar Hero type of game. the screen clearly needs to be opened for that.

 

[Kings]

I like it, but I would drop the camera and accelerometer and throw in a video-out. The camera is awkward in that position. The accelerometer is useless outside the Pandora proper, because devs now choose whether to support something that isn't available to everyone.

How would the bar clip on and stay together while in a pocket? I have this odd feeling that its designed primarily for frets on fire, and that the rest is just to justify manufacturing it on a large scale...

 

[sindbad]

I'd like a bar too, but much simpler. Just a usb hub that sticks to the pandora, as wide as possible while still not covering the shoulder buttons. I don't see much use for a camera or the buttons on the top.

 

[conso]

i don't see how you'll be able to use those buttons with the screen open. at least i wouldn't be able to fit my fingers into the resulting gap between the screen and buttons.

while accessory media controls would be nice, i think they would be best on an inline controller with wired headphones, or hanging off the OTG port.

Looks like you didn't try out^^

I've got pretty big hands and tested those buttons on my paperfold-pandora. They are really easy accessible while the display is opend about 105°. that's more then enough for having perfect guitar-feeling. The keyboard-buttons of the pandora seem rather unusable for guitar-games, because they are so very small. Also think of the multimedia-functionality.

To the others: If I had to choose two modules would have to go, I'd probably choose umts + gps. An accelerometer should stay in the bar because it adds so much gameplay + has to be directly connected to the pandora to work. GPS on the other side can be used over bluetooth if one really wants it. A camera inside the bar would replace a hole additional gadget. If detacheable, 2 gadgets. plus it can be used for some individual games Wlan should be enough for wireless connectivity, so UMTS is not really needed, though it would still be nice

 

[JayFoxRox]

I m sumat more interested in a device-powered usb hub which will be in form of a bar so it can be attached quite easily
//Edit: It should be noted that such a huge bar won't be possible because your contacts would break. There seem to be no screwholes in the back of the pandora (which is really stupid imo) to hold such a device. On the PSP, not even the camera works correctly if you leave the screws out because everytime you move the PSP around, the camera starts bending its contact - its just too loose, lets hope it works a bit better on the Pandora.

 

[peca]

I m sumat more interested in a device-powered usb hub which will be in form of a bar so it can be attached quite easily
//Edit: It should be noted that such a huge bar won't be possible because your contacts would break. There seem to be no screwholes in the back of the pandora (which is really stupid imo) to hold such a device. On the PSP, not even the camera works correctly if you leave the screws out because everytime you move the PSP around, the camera starts bending its contact - its just too loose, lets hope it works a bit better on the Pandora.

Look at this foto It's screw at bottom of Pandora. I have an idea, that replace standard screws by screws with bolthole, so you can screw something into that screws. Extansion bar have to have some leading iron, that can be screwed at bottom screw near. I try make picture...

 

[conso]

I m sumat more interested in a device-powered usb hub which will be in form of a bar so it can be attached quite easily
//Edit: It should be noted that such a huge bar won't be possible because your contacts would break. There seem to be no screwholes in the back of the pandora (which is really stupid imo) to hold such a device. On the PSP, not even the camera works correctly if you leave the screws out because everytime you move the PSP around, the camera starts bending its contact - its just too loose, lets hope it works a bit better on the Pandora.

Look at this foto It's screw at bottom of Pandora. I have an idea, that replace standard screws by screws with bolthole, so you can screw something into that screws. Extansion bar have to have some leading iron, that can be screwed at bottom screw near. I try make picture...

great idea! totether with (dummy)plugs for all connectors at the back of the pandora, this would be an very tight connection

 

[JayFoxRox]

yet we would have to change parts of the pandora hardware itself which is not a good solution in my opinion..

 

[peca]

and here is my try about schematic picture :-/

edit: L/R buttons are made just by solid plastic that leads pressure from fingers to original shoulder buttons.

yet we would have to change parts of the pandora hardware itself which is not a good solution in my opinion..

I guess that my idea doesn't require changing anything but screws.

 

[Chip]

I guess that my idea doesn't require changing anything but screws.

It's not a bad idea, but you're covering up more than you're adding.

The back edge of the unit is already pretty crowded. You're not going to get more stuff into the same area without cutting something out. You could make the addon taller than the Pandora's base, but that would mean you couldn't open the lid completely.

I don't see a practical solution for this proposed addition.

 

[peca]

It's not a bad idea, but you're covering up more than you're adding.



Take it easy, this is only schematic how to screw it together. Someone other suggested expansion bar that has totally different design.
I personally much more like some "big" expansion, that is mounted on bottom of Pandora and is connected trough USB host. This left back side of Pandora untouched and keep space for another battery, internal storage, GPS and many other USB connected things.

 

[tazg]

I would really like to see something like this actually made. I think the best design would be a bottom attachment with a small piece connecting it to the rear usb, instead of something sticking out the back (which would be flimsy and possibly not even feasible to engineer due to space).

2 suggestions:

- 4-port usb hub.

- if there is going to be a camera, it should be on the bottom, with button(s) on the back. Then you would orient it like a regular handheld camera, and optionally flip open the screen to look at a camera viewing app.

the blue part is the addon, red = camera, yellow = buttons. This is the only way a pandora-cam would be practical as far as I'm concerned...

 

[lucidchaos]

I find the idea of an expansion intriguing, although I would probably never buy one myself. If such a contraption were offered, here is what I would look for:

Lose the camera. It takes quite the commitment to find a cell phone without a camera on it, and not many people will buy a pandora without a cell phone.

Lose the GPS. You can get a bluetooth GPS receiver for $30.

Two trigger buttons - Great idea! From a standpoint of ergonomics I'd like to see them oriented side-by-side rather than over-and-under.

Accelerometer - Seriously now, if you have room to wield the pandora like the mighty wii remote, you probably have enough room to just bluetooth a wii remote to it. Also, you'd look like a fool. A fool having a great time, but a fool nonetheless.

USB hub - At first i liked this idea, but the more I thought of it, the more I thought it silly. IF you're going to hook up four different devices, you need to invest in a laptop.

So in conclusion, i will be stapling two extra shoulder buttons to mine, perhaps on the sides so my pinmame experience is as lifelike as possible.

I will now be searching to see if anyone's working on a pinmame port... i'm wet just thinking about it.