Our New Machine, Pandora

[Balzac2m]

Hi johnkzin:

I think it should run maemo just fine, although i think you'd have to install it yourself. The hardware is kind of similar to the nokia 800 in terms of architecture. I have no experience with maemo, e.g. where to get it, only sources or binary download and stuff, but I guess upon release, all this will be clear.

However, it won't ship with maemo afaik.

 

[DaveC]

Anyone know if this would be able to play HD videos like h264? I figured I could use it as a way to put the HD animes that I got onto the TV might as well try to make it worth more.

Well the LCD is not high enough resolution for HD video. It can display SD DVD video at it's native 1:1 resolution on this screen though That will look nice and sharp.

 

[Jarska333]

Those edges look painfull for my... what's that muscle, between my thumb and my wrist? Also, where do my earphones go?

I do like the logo, looks very... finnish.

Needs to have few eurocoins, or a paperclip or something, rendered next to it in 1:1 size, to gauge the aprox. size.

 

[imec]

Anyone know if this would be able to play HD videos like h264? I figured I could use it as a way to put the HD animes that I got onto the TV might as well try to make it worth more.

Well the LCD is not high enough resolution for HD video. It can display SD DVD video at it's native 1:1 resolution on this screen though That will look nice and sharp.


I doubt it could handle H264 (how are you going to use the HDMI?), but if your television set has a nice scaler it should look pretty good. Anyways, most cartoons/animes look excellent on newer sets because they have some sort of anti-alias filter that works on the edges. Yeah, but I doubt HD playback, my P4/850XT can't even handle H264 at full speed (might be a problem with the players I am using).

 

[cappuchok]

It can display SD DVD video at it's native 1:1 resolution on this screen though That will look nice and sharp.

Not for PAL it can't (576 lines). Oh well, no matter...

 

[slint]

If the device runs Maemo (Nokia's version of Linux), I will buy it.

If Maemo runs on it, I will do the same.

 

[Ravnos]

Anyone know if this would be able to play HD videos like h264? I figured I could use it as a way to put the HD animes that I got onto the TV might as well try to make it worth more.

Well the LCD is not high enough resolution for HD video. It can display SD DVD video at it's native 1:1 resolution on this screen though That will look nice and sharp.


I doubt it could handle H264 (how are you going to use the HDMI?), but if your television set has a nice scaler it should look pretty good. Anyways, most cartoons/animes look excellent on newer sets because they have some sort of anti-alias filter that works on the edges. Yeah, but I doubt HD playback, my P4/850XT can't even handle H264 at full speed (might be a problem with the players I am using).

Why couldn't this thing do H264? According to the TI website, it's supported by the video hardware, you would just need a codec that could use that hardware. Matroska might be a bit trickier, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. The big problem is that H264 (and a few other codecs) are patent protected, and so for Craigix & Co. to sell this in regions where software patents are valid, the codecs would either add to the cost of the device or be provided by third parties.

 

[atomicthumbs]

Matroska is just a container format.

 

[sephiroth111]

One thing i'd like to see would be open hardware hacking. Meaning that there were easy to solder pads exposed on the inside of the unit a la Openmoko[1] . That way we could add features we'd like to see. That would help encourage hardware hackers to create features that aren't in place at the moment (and may never be included), and would also allow some nifty mods to be completed[2].

Though it's probably pretty late for something like that.


[1] http://www.openmoko.com/ Quoted for TL;DR: "We added a debug port with complete access to JTAG and a serial console. Not content with that we went over the top and left "interesting" signals, such as the I2C bus, at easily solderable contact pads for the hardware hackers to have some fun."

[2] for example, like the mods on this e3pc http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=3982

the OpenMoko PCB: http://www.openmoko.com/uploaded_images/42.png

 

[Dan2552]

Nice name. Hope it's a success.

 

[Squidge]

Though it's probably pretty late for something like that.

or maybe not You'll just have to wait and see

 

[imec]

Anyone know if this would be able to play HD videos like h264? I figured I could use it as a way to put the HD animes that I got onto the TV might as well try to make it worth more.

Well the LCD is not high enough resolution for HD video. It can display SD DVD video at it's native 1:1 resolution on this screen though That will look nice and sharp.


I doubt it could handle H264 (how are you going to use the HDMI?), but if your television set has a nice scaler it should look pretty good. Anyways, most cartoons/animes look excellent on newer sets because they have some sort of anti-alias filter that works on the edges. Yeah, but I doubt HD playback, my P4/850XT can't even handle H264 at full speed (might be a problem with the players I am using).

Why couldn't this thing do H264? According to the TI website, it's supported by the video hardware, you would just need a codec that could use that hardware. Matroska might be a bit trickier, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. The big problem is that H264 (and a few other codecs) are patent protected, and so for Craigix & Co. to sell this in regions where software patents are valid, the codecs would either add to the cost of the device or be provided by third parties.


Ah, I see. I didn't know that. Thank you. :blink:

 

[MWeston]

One thing i'd like to see would be open hardware hacking. Meaning that there were easy to solder pads exposed on the inside of the unit a la Openmoko[1] . That way we could add features we'd like to see. That would help encourage hardware hackers to create features that aren't in place at the moment (and may never be included), and would also allow some nifty mods to be completed[2].

Though it's probably pretty late for something like that.

Actually, extra pads for unused features are on the PCB already. I can't tell you what is brought out to pads yet because it might reveal OMAP features TI doesn't want known until the last minute. Most of this processor is being used and what isn't is accessible through this header.

There is no plan to make this header accessible from the outside but if someone wants to dig around inside and solder wires for their own hacking efforts, you can do so at your own risk (warranty violation). The pads are large and easy to manipulate with the most basic of soldering tools. It's only there now so that I can access these signals for trying out different things in the future and obviously you can't get under the processor later! If someone feels they need to mess around with it, I can provide the pinout description with the usual disclaimer for the risk you face on your own.

 

[atomicthumbs]

One thing i'd like to see would be open hardware hacking. Meaning that there were easy to solder pads exposed on the inside of the unit a la Openmoko[1] . That way we could add features we'd like to see. That would help encourage hardware hackers to create features that aren't in place at the moment (and may never be included), and would also allow some nifty mods to be completed[2].

Though it's probably pretty late for something like that.

Actually, extra pads for unused features are on the PCB already. I can't tell you what is brought out to pads yet because it might reveal OMAP features TI doesn't want known until the last minute. Most of this processor is being used and what isn't is accessible through this header.

There is no plan to make this header accessible from the outside but if someone wants to dig around inside and solder wires for their own hacking efforts, you can do so at your own risk (warranty violation). The pads are large and easy to manipulate with the most basic of soldering tools. It's only there now so that I can access these signals for trying out different things in the future and obviously you can't get under the processor later! If someone feels they need to mess around with it, I can provide the pinout description with the usual disclaimer for the risk you face on your own.


Maybe I'll buy two pandoras and hack one into a Universal Connectivity Machine with an RF modem, an amateur radio, and a GPS for APRS support.

 

[apgunner]

wow that thing looks ugly guess I won't be buying a pandora after all.

 

[cowai]

wow that thing looks ugly guess I won't be buying a pandora after all.

Go get yourself an iphone it's so cute.

 

[sephiroth111]

Actually, extra pads for unused features are on the PCB already. I can't tell you what is brought out to pads yet because it might reveal OMAP features TI doesn't want known until the last minute. Most of this processor is being used and what isn't is accessible through this header.

There is no plan to make this header accessible from the outside but if someone wants to dig around inside and solder wires for their own hacking efforts, you can do so at your own risk (warranty violation). The pads are large and easy to manipulate with the most basic of soldering tools. It's only there now so that I can access these signals for trying out different things in the future and obviously you can't get under the processor later! If someone feels they need to mess around with it, I can provide the pinout description with the usual disclaimer for the risk you face on your own.

If you could do so, that'd be just ducky. And i actually meant inside the device, because that would be pretty handy. (if there were a bit more room to navigate some heavier functions also, that'd be great also, but if the cases are already in production, it's not that important.)

Maybe I'll buy two pandoras and hack one into a Universal Connectivity Machine with an RF modem, an amateur radio, and a GPS for APRS support.

Awesome.

 

[DaveC]

wow that thing looks ugly guess I won't be buying a pandora after all.

What part of "unfinished" and "preliminary" is hard to understand?

It is not done

 

[Nr.56]

wow that thing looks ugly guess I won't be buying a pandora after all.

You would buy a lump of shitt if it owns a nice package! <_<
Maybe the next project is for you: a pocket calculator in a golden Prada PSP case.
You should play psx games on Iphone because it looks so much better!! :lol:
Pandora´s case is not for showing off on school break. Who cares? We are adult!

 

[dodgyville]

Hmpfh, you may just pull this one off. That's a fairly nice looking compact unit. I'm surprised.