My first impressions of the Pyra

[pengo]

I would still love to have a decent camera on the outside of the lid or at the back where the ports and shoulder buttons are, Also a good white and/or amber flash LED. I often take pictures of stuff I need to remember.
I know a lot of people do not want a camera on the Pyra so I figured maybe some add-on can be developed which would be way simpler and cheaper. I just came up with this concept when I read your post

May I present: The Pyra Porta-hub!

Great concept, will buy a Pyra Porta-hub!

Looks like one of these

 

[levi]

Nice idea, but bear in mind all ports need to reserve internal space where the lug that contains the connector goes. In your mockup all of the ports you've labelled would go inside the existing volume as defined by the pyra you have there, so in reality it would need to be significantly thicker.

 

[Letalis Sonus]

Well he's found a better greek case company now, who seem keen to make better moulds, especially now there's the the more imminent offer of hundreds of cases being made.

IIRC he already knew them from prior projects, but back then they were unable to create moulds with such a high complexity from scratch.

 

[jakko]

looking for some details on getting Sim (TMobile) to work

@Twiitcher Any progress?

Maybe try something like this in the terminal to check if the modem shows up:

sudo rfkill
sudo rfkill unblock wwan
sudo rfkill
mmcli --list-modems

The first three commands are checking and unblocking wwan. Last command is the modemmanager listing available modems.

If the modem shows up, I assume it should be possible to set up a connection by right-clicking the network manager icon in the panel, edit connections, plus sign to add a connection, choose mobile broadband, follow the guide.

Please note that I don't have a pyra. Just trying to help somehow

By hearsay, modemmanager should work (https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/my-first-impressions-of-the-pyra.99296/post-1686766)
However, currently the modem seems to be disappearing now and then (https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/pyra-mobile-broadband-performance.99310/post-1686276)
Also I don't know how to keep wwan unblocked, as it seems not enough to comment-out line 11 in /usr/share/pyra/scripts/wwan-off (https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/my-first-impressions-of-the-pyra.99296/post-1686773)
Performance hopefully can be further improved, nice hint (https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/pyra-mobile-broadband-performance.99310/post-1686324)

 

[Eight Bit]

Nice idea, but bear in mind all ports need to reserve internal space where the lug that contains the connector goes. In your mockup all of the ports you've labelled would go inside the existing volume as defined by the pyra you have there, so in reality it would need to be significantly thicker.

Details...

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

I would still love to have a decent camera on the outside of the lid or at the back where the ports and shoulder buttons are, Also a good white and/or amber flash LED. I often take pictures of stuff I need to remember.
I know a lot of people do not want a camera on the Pyra so I figured maybe some add-on can be developed which would be way simpler and cheaper. I just came up with this concept when I read your post

May I present: The Pyra Porta-hub!

I also meant outside camera. That hub looks great, even has USB-C and Ethernet (two connections I also miss). It reminds me a bit of the GBA Wireless Adapter.

I guess no one but me is interested in Infrared though. I always thought it is really cool that my N900 is also a universal remote. Makes me think, if I could get my GBC homebrew on my GBC then I could probably use the GBC as universal remote. But I think that GBC may has less range on it's IR port because I vaguely remember that we had to get really close for it to work when we were kids.

 

[Askarus]

Maybe the whole Pyra needs a redesign.
We could make a connector with lots of pins.
Those pins would be connected to the motherboard and to what the SOC has to offer.
The Pyra would have no rear ports but only that one connector. We then would be able to plug in custom rear modules that go a little bit inside the Pyra housing.
That would save space and offer a lot flexibility.

 

[matzesu]

This Solution sounds interesting, but then whe are back to the Apple Way: One Proproritär (Or how this called) , Port (Lightning), and you need Adapters, and maybe its own cables..

The Pyra dotnt need any Adapter: I can even Charge it whit my Roll On Cable i have in my Pocket, and the Powerbank,
You dont need anything to plug just every Mouse and Keyboard in..

 

[TrashyMG]

Maybe the whole Pyra needs a redesign.
We could make a connector with lots of pins.
Those pins would be connected to the motherboard and to what the SOC has to offer.
The Pyra would have no rear ports but only that one connector. We then would be able to plug in custom rear modules that go a little bit inside the Pyra housing.
That would save space and offer a lot flexibility.

Well a pin header would likely take a bit of space on the PCB, not entirely as space savings as one may think. especially if you consider how much offset you would need to make such a thing work and keep it flush with the case and all the other connectors. CPU location and all that would need to be considered as well.

Likely in the future modification to the casing will likely need to happen if future ports are added. perhaps a rectangular back plate for ports that can be swapped out if the main board changes.

 

[matzesu]

If i remember correctly: Wasnt the USB Port neccesarry to connect the Heat Spreader? So a Plug In on a Headder needs also to connect thermical

 

[ClockworkCoder]

Maybe the whole Pyra needs a redesign.
We could make a connector with lots of pins
.

I'd go the other way and add a serial/db9 joystick port and CF adapter...

 

[Askarus]

Maybe add 2 USB-C ports hidden inside the Pyra and connect the rear side via 2 internal USB-C connectors.
As they are internal we don't need to stick to the standard but we can if we want

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

Maybe the whole Pyra needs a redesign.
We could make a connector with lots of pins.
Those pins would be connected to the motherboard and to what the SOC has to offer.
The Pyra would have no rear ports but only that one connector. We then would be able to plug in custom rear modules that go a little bit inside the Pyra housing.
That would save space and offer a lot flexibility.

Kind of like the DS's GBA slot. I'd love that. I like cartridges!

Post automatically merged: Jan 27, 2021

This Solution sounds interesting, but then whe are back to the Apple Way: One Proproritär (Or how this called) , Port (Lightning), and you need Adapters, and maybe its own cables..

I do not really mind as long as it's all libre and well documented. My biggest gripes with Apple are the locks on their devices such as those making it impossible or needlessly difficult to install another OS on them or even to downgrade Apple's OS.

We already have kind of this situation with the USB 3 port anyway, which is actually a proprietary Pyra port, although this is somewhat mitigated by the proprietary Pyra port also supporting USB 2. I think it's pretty cool.

 

[gpb]

Maybe add 2 USB-C ports hidden inside the Pyra and connect the rear side via 2 internal USB-C connectors.
As they are internal we don't need to stick to the standard but we can if we want

Why not just USB-C on the outside? So you could select between special mobile pyra Port multiplier and existing usb-c dock.
The usb-c port with hdmi on my gpd micropc is something I really miss on the pyra. Because with 20 pin usb-c magnet adapter I come to my desk and the cable literally connects itself to the gpd. On the other end I have a thinkpad usb-c dock with attached Monitor, keyboard, Ethernet, power and whatever peripheral I need. This works even better than my Thinkpad x230 docking station.

I know I have to do without this easy docking on pyra. But my hope is we will sooner or later redesign a mainboard with usb c connector and maybe with the next cpu board gain more usb-c capabilities.
I’m fan of this modular design so I would love a pyra with only basic usb-a/c ports exposed, but a mobile port multiplier(usb-c dock) as an additional option. The rj45 of my gpd is very handy. And I heard some people are interested in an addon camera. Which both would easily integrate in an usb-c “mobiledock”.

 

[erico]

Maybe the whole Pyra needs a redesign.
We could make a connector with lots of pins.
Those pins would be connected to the motherboard and to what the SOC has to offer.
The Pyra would have no rear ports but only that one connector. We then would be able to plug in custom rear modules that go a little bit inside the Pyra housing.
That would save space and offer a lot flexibility.

Interesting idea, The late Gamebuino meta has such design, the handheld accompained an expansion board that could be backpacked into it, I think it was meant to do just what you described.

 

[Askarus]

Why not just USB-C on the outside? So you could select between special mobile pyra Port multiplier and existing usb-c dock.
The usb-c port with hdmi on my gpd micropc is something I really miss on the pyra. Because with 20 pin usb-c magnet adapter I come to my desk and the cable literally connects itself to the gpd. On the other end I have a thinkpad usb-c dock with attached Monitor, keyboard, Ethernet, power and whatever peripheral I need. This works even better than my Thinkpad x230 docking station.

I know I have to do without this easy docking on pyra. But my hope is we will sooner or later redesign a mainboard with usb c connector and maybe with the next cpu board gain more usb-c capabilities.
I’m fan of this modular design so I would love a pyra with only basic usb-a/c ports exposed, but a mobile port multiplier(usb-c dock) as an additional option. The rj45 of my gpd is very handy. And I heard some people are interested in an addon camera. Which both would easily integrate in an usb-c “mobiledock”.

We can still use a USB-C dock with the internal USB-C ports if at least one of them would be a standard USB-C port.

Internal has the advantage that we can hide parts of the rear module inside the device and make modules more every-day friendly

 

[NoeleyC]

Having received my Pyra unit a few days ago, I'm just going to pen a few words on my opinion of it so far. I am not a Linux expert. I do indeed own 2 Pandora's (one 1Ghz model and one original model upgraded to 1Ghz as it had a better screen and nubs). I will admit I've not used them in quite some time though as I had in the meantime ventured more into the world of Raspberry Pi and Chinese handhelds. Nevertheless I was still very much looking forward to the Pyra, even though as at this time there's so few in the wild that software will in general be very primitive and optimized

I do like that with the back-lit keyboard and the logo LED's the Pyra is immediately a different looking machine to most. The keyboard will take a little bit of getting used to again, much like the Pandora back int he day. I did have issues with my initial startup, fitting the battery initially wasn't too difficult but I wasn't sure if the battery itself was completely drained or if it wasn't seated exactly right, as I only seemed to get a flashing red light most of the time. I know from reading other posts that one of the mini USB ports is probably better for charging, but I wasn't sure which one? I was attempting this late at night after work, so I got a bit fed up and decided to start again in the morning. The next day I still had the same issue, at this point I wasn't sure what the issue was, I had bought a spare battery so I tried that one instead. That worked but it's suck a tight fit int he case, I'm afraid of snapping the tabs if I have to take it out again.

Initial run wizard setup went fine. Nubs look very similar to the Pandora ones. Updated the base software via terminal then used the package manager to install a few tings. Is it possible to add the Pyra repo to that package manager to install DBP files directly? The old PND manager was very useful in that regard, very ahead of it's time in many ways. Installed a few games, Super Tux didn't seem to want to run. Tile World ran, but only fullscreen in the bottom left half of the screen. it was playable, but I couldn't figure out how to quit out without restarting my Pyra. Streets of Rage remake works great once fullscreen mode is turned off.

As it stands, most of my minor issues are ones that will surely be corrected with software development and firmware updates. Movement using the mouse feels like it has a tiny bit of lag to it, it's hard to describe. As it stands charging is very slow, I hope this can be optimized in due course

Some software I would be hoping to see when drivers are optimized are of course the Quake games, I would like to see the old Pandora port of Worlds of Padman reported for the Pyra, as I really enjoyed that as a shooter. Also as it originally diverged from Uae4all to Uae4arm and onwards, I would like to see a port of Amiberry someday!

That's all for now

 

[levi]

The nubs probably look very similar to the ones that pandora had because the top part plastic is made at the greek factory according to instructions sent by ED, which are probably the same instructions he used for the Pandora ones. But underneath they're of an entirely different and better construction (now with additional springy sounds!)

 

[Binky]

Is it possible to add the Pyra repo to that package manager to install DBP files directly? The old PND manager was very useful in that regard, very ahead of it's time in many ways.

You can't simply add the DBP repo to the apt-based packaged managers in Debian (Synaptic, Aptitude, etc) - because they're very different systems. Part of the PND (and DBP) magic is reducing installation to downloading and saving a file - and having the OS cope if you later delete that file. There aren't a lot of packaging systems that can do that.

I do have every hope that something like PNDManager (DBPManager?) will become available for the Pyra though. Any volunteers?

 

[Stouffa]

Just remembered another quick query i had. I have 2x 128gb SanDisk cards I bought a while ago for my then upcoming Pyra, by default they are exfat formatted. I want to rename each card so I can keep track on them easier on my desktop but they are both appearing with the same label. I tried to see if I could change the names using gparted but it seems its exfat handling is limited

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