Openpandora.org Blog Opened!

[MWeston]

I just wanted to comment that if anyone remembers posts of mine from a while back, I did say that the first board was designed before I had sourced and sampled a few of the final parts so you can't look at this board as being final.

Yes, a lot of the part placement is static, but the headphone connector and volume dial are temporary solutions based on what I could find quickly. I felt it was more important to keep things rolling along rather than waiting for a few little parts that should never hold up development.

 

[Zarneth]

Hold everything! Is that expansion connector going to be connected over a high-speed link? Bluetooth or modem interface maybe? (near the wifi)
Expansion connector? Is this going to be for internal things, or a docking station?

So many arguments here could have been solved by simply releasing these images earlier. :\

 

[MWeston]

Hold everything! Is that expansion connector going to be connected over a high-speed link? Bluetooth or modem interface maybe? (near the wifi)
Expansion connector? Is this going to be for internal things, or a docking station?

So many arguments here could have been solved by simply releasing these images earlier. :\

We couldn't! Even the pad layout of the OMAP processor was under the NDA until quite recently

Here is the pinout of the expansion connector:

This interface allows for the 'possible' interface of bluetooth, an accelerometer, a separate DAC/ADC for more audio channels or it can be just a whack of extra GPIO's (every pin can be redefined).

 

[Javacat]

you could reuse the port from the GP2X

 

[nubie]

We couldn't! Even the pad layout of the OMAP processor was under the NDA until quite recently

Here is the pinout of the expansion connector:

This interface allows for the 'possible' interface of bluetooth, an accelerometer, a separate DAC/ADC for more audio channels or it can be just a whack of extra GPIO's (every pin can be redefined).


No way, this is too good to be true, well not actually to good to be true.

Thanks MW, this is very good news indeed.

 

[atomicthumbs]

So who's going to be the first to add a webcam/camera using the McBSP ports?

 

[tso]

how will that expansion port work exactly? will it be a bottom port or something like that?

 

[MWeston]

how will that expansion port work exactly? will it be a bottom port or something like that?

Well, I'm glad you asked because I should make this very clear.

The expansion port was originally designed for my use only. If some new idea came up one month, four months, or a year from now, the pins were made available so I can test anything without having to re-spin this board (which is very,very expensive!). I can just make a little, cheap PCB that I can solder wires to this expansion header and add a new driver in Linux.

This 'port' is being documented because there are people out there that like to hack things, no matter how open they are. Soldering to this port is at your own risk, not warrantied and something 99% of people won't even look at.

The same goes for those extra L2 and R2 pads for someone who wants to consider strapping on a couple extra buttons to the bottom with crazy glue or something.

Also, no one has noticed this yet, but there are also pads labeled "KP BL" which can be used to string a bunch of LED's in parallel for a custom light show or something. This output has PWM control and can drive about 8 LEDs depending on the current set for each. These pads would get used up as keypad backlighting if we find it possible to light up the keys without adding a ton of cost to the design. No promises at this time....

 

[tso]

ok, i just hoped it would make for a simple way to slap on a bluetooth module that would not dangle around in a usb cable or similar...

as in, if it was a bottom hatch, one could create a attachment that would hold the bluetooth parts and bulk up the device a bit but otherwise be part of it more or less.

still, i guess something similar can be done, but extending the attachment point out in some way so that it pops into the usb port...

 

[javaJake]

I just realized the blog is missing one very important feature: RSS feeds.

 

[Dimacus]

how will that expansion port work exactly? will it be a bottom port or something like that?

Well, I'm glad you asked because I should make this very clear.

The expansion port was originally designed for my use only. If some new idea came up one month, four months, or a year from now, the pins were made available so I can test anything without having to re-spin this board (which is very,very expensive!). I can just make a little, cheap PCB that I can solder wires to this expansion header and add a new driver in Linux.

This 'port' is being documented because there are people out there that like to hack things, no matter how open they are. Soldering to this port is at your own risk, not warrantied and something 99% of people won't even look at.

The same goes for those extra L2 and R2 pads for someone who wants to consider strapping on a couple extra buttons to the bottom with crazy glue or something.

Also, no one has noticed this yet, but there are also pads labeled "KP BL" which can be used to string a bunch of LED's in parallel for a custom light show or something. This output has PWM control and can drive about 8 LEDs depending on the current set for each. These pads would get used up as keypad backlighting if we find it possible to light up the keys without adding a ton of cost to the design. No promises at this time....


I must say I am overjoyed that you are leaving the pads and documenting this 'port'.
But why not make it into an "official" extension port by adding a connector and a smaller part of removable plastic cover?
Even if it would add a little to the price, I think it would be worth it.
It might even open up a market for official or 3rd party add-ons.

And if you worry about people adding stuff them self and then claiming warranty when they break it, you could have some text telling people that using the extension port with anything but official add-ons breaks the warranty.

 

[fusion_power]

Also, no one has noticed this yet, but there are also pads labeled "KP BL" which can be used to string a bunch of LED's in parallel for a custom light show or something. This output has PWM control and can drive about 8 LEDs depending on the current set for each. These pads would get used up as keypad backlighting if we find it possible to light up the keys without adding a ton of cost to the design. No promises at this time....

So many gadgets on the board, LED connectors without end...and NO possible keyboard-light? Come on!
I'm sure you could illuminate the whole keyboard without big additionel costs. If the contacts of the keys are done with one of this big transparent rubber-foil, then these foil could be illuminated by one or 2 LED's. The Keys ontop could be still plastic with a transparent Area (the letters?) where the light shows through. Maybe possible with (from inside) black painted, transparent Plastic keys.

 

[Squidge]

I have a keyboard which uses plastic keys and "laser etched" letters which are see-through. Just one problem: After a few months the letters disappear as more of the key becomes transparent. Not a problem on a qwerty keyboard as you don't look at the letters anyway, but on a non-standard keyboard it could become more of an issue.

 

[atomicthumbs]

I have a Logitech G15, and the letters are visible without the light on. I'd think that if the keys were transparent with the letters blocking out light and under or embedded in the keys, it might work well.

 

[JakeK]

I have a keyboard which uses plastic keys and "laser etched" letters which are see-through. Just one problem: After a few months the letters disappear as more of the key becomes transparent. Not a problem on a qwerty keyboard as you don't look at the letters anyway, but on a non-standard keyboard it could become more of an issue.

That's just quality. I have had a Saitek Eclipse II (I love it) for over a year now and it has laser etched keys and the keys have remained the same since I purchased it. My keyboard doesn't light up each individual key, but rather a large area of the keyboard. This can be bad sometimes as certain keys don't get full exposure to the lights underneath but it really doesn't make a difference, just nitpicking.

As for colour, I use the purple one because it is brihter than blue and red.

 

[Squidge]

Strange, as mine is also a Saitek Eclipse. Maybe I just use it more?

 

[Chip]

But why not make it into an "official" extension port by adding a connector and a smaller part of removable plastic cover?

There is a really good reason why this wouldn't work out. Lets see who figures it out first.

 

[nubie]

To those with lit keyboards, the highest quality ones use a mostly opaque key with only the letter being transmissive. This way even with wear the letter remains the same. This is more expensive than the clear key with a dark outside and laser etching. I assume because the process to make dual-material keys is expensive.

Needless to say this is very expensive. I would just put a couple LED's in the lid to light the keyboard. Maybe blacklight with fluorescent keys.

 

[greendots]

The screen should be bright enough to view the keys in the dark I would think.

Blacklight with florescent key would be cool though. A black light LED is directional so if the pandora is open all the way they may not shine on the keys. That could also be a problem with dependance on the screen to view the keys in the dark.

 

[Dimacus]

But why not make it into an "official" extension port by adding a connector and a smaller part of removable plastic cover?

There is a really good reason why this wouldn't work out. Lets see who figures it out first.


On the top of my mind.. The battery?