Pandora Cube

[barzoule]

Was talking with someone about something else.. but it derived about an item that seems missing and that the pandora box would acutally fill.
a cheap livingroom computer that plays movies, music, and allow web stuff (email, youtube, check meteo).

like a PS3 but without the game side and the expensiveness. People over 40 usually don't care about the latest Medal of Honor or MGS5, they prefer flash games and solitaire. and they've got a wife who stresses about the weather or would like to checkout some receipes on the net. They did put 300$ on a GPS for the car but won't put 400$ on a PS3, it's not their needs, and they don't want a toy for teens. They will pay 100$ or 200$ tho, just like they did for the blue-ray player and the DVD player before that.

they could use their old computer, but computer == work, and it's not powerful enough for full HD, maybe don't plug in TV and computers are not friendly. Takes way too much timeto boot up, need a keyboard and mouse, etc.

I think that if it looks serious enough and has good marketting, the Pandora box could be the perfect fit for those people.

 

[Monk]

I'd probably actually be interested in another slight offshot - a Pandora controller. Like a Pandora, but without the LCD (or indeed the lid at all) and with a different (simpler, cheaper) mainboard and no SD slots... certainly a controller for the Pandora for multi-player games, but perhaps even a controller for more generic PCs. Use bluetooth/USB for communications and put those nubs to good use!

 

[goldbott]

I personally wouldn't buy it but if someone wanted to buy an opensource console it might be a decent idea, But after looking at the arguements I'm voting no.

 

[axenzoku]

I could see it being more of like a cheaper alternative for developers. As long as it has all the same stuff (so you know anything you develop on it would also work on the OpenPandora), then that would be cool. So someone who just wants to develop for pandora can get their hands on THE actual working environment to develop things they know would work. Maybe if it was half as expensive as the full pandora, then I could see it being useful to developers who just need a testing medium for development... Or maybe with some included apps like boxee or something to make it kind of like a home media center box... Or maybe like the actual console version of the Pandora where you play on a big screen with game controllers... But then again, a brand new playstation 2 is only $99 right now at gamestop, so going down the whole console thing would be a bad idea.

 

[WORMSXP]

At this moment, I'm more interested in Pandora as a handheld than as a home computer / console. However, I would be very interested in some kind of dock-station... God Ginrai have already said everything I wish in that kind of device:

[*]Any other features that might be useful
[/LIST]

It wouldn't do anything that users wouldn't be able to do separately, however it would put many of the accessories that users might use with the Pandora into a neat little Package that would be a true "Breakout Box".

I know the possibility of something like this is slim to none, but I know that if this came out, I would buy it in a heartbeat. This is what many of us wanted in the GP2X Breakout Box, only to find it was essentially just a USB hub with TV-out. It wouldn't even power the GP2X. -_-

-God Ginrai

 

[cb88]

I didn't read the entire thread ... but there would be one good reason to do this...
Increase board production... If there were enough pandora boards being made then perhaps they could get a price cut
maybe get some developers interested in helping out on the Enna mediacenter from geexbox it looks cool its just been draging out in development due to lack of developers there was a guy working on a game loader module for it as well.... sounded cool to me

 

[limestrael]

I would only be intersted if it provides lots of ways to connect to a screen : VGA, YUV (Component), DVI & HDMI. I mean, as well a TV-screen as a PC-screen. It may be a mind-blowing asset !

Also, I'd like at least 3 or 4 USB master ports, and at least one SD-card slot.

And, YES ! An Ethernet connection ! Totally compulsory !

I wanna be able to use it as a real media center.

A DVD-reader would be good, but we won't go too far.

 

[lulzfish]

I would only be intersted if it provides lots of ways to connect to a screen : VGA, YUV (Component), DVI & HDMI. I mean, as well a TV-screen as a PC-screen. It may be a mind-blowing asset !

Also, I'd like at least 3 or 4 USB master ports, and at least one SD-card slot.

And, YES ! An Ethernet connection ! Totally compulsory !

I wanna be able to use it as a real media center.

A DVD-reader would be good, but we won't go too far.

*ahem*
They're trying to use the same board as the Pandora, to get more money off the same board design.
Therefore, it will have 2 SD slots, no VGA, no ethernet (unless there's an internal USB ethernet adapter) and probably no DVD reader since they want to keep it simple.

 

[limestrael]

probably no DVD reader since they want to keep it simple.

Yes , I do not believe it to be most useful.

However, if it lacks an Ethernet interface then it's sure I'm not interested.

There is no VGA ? What about DVI/HDMI, then ? (In the end I don't care about VGA)

 

[lulzfish]

You could probably just look through this thread, i think they said DVI is a possibility but it would be difficult since the Pandora is not normally equipped with it.

 

[limestrael]

You could probably just look through this thread, i think they said DVI is a possibility but it would be difficult since the Pandora is not normally equipped with it.

Yes, and I find it odd since the BeagleBoard, which has the same hardware, has nothing BUT a DVI outlet.

 

[Pickle]

You could probably just look through this thread, i think they said DVI is a possibility but it would be difficult since the Pandora is not normally equipped with it.

Yes, and I find it odd since the BeagleBoard, which has the same hardware, has nothing BUT a DVI outlet.

Im pretty sure the idea was to use the lcd connection to drive additional video output. (Since the display isnt needed for a box unit)

 

[limestrael]

Im pretty sure the idea was to use the lcd connection to drive additional video output. (Since the display isnt needed for a box unit)

Of course, but since if I buy a Pandora Cube I'd want to use it mostly as a Media Center/Media Storage Server (I would also use it to play, of course), I need a high quality video output.
That's the purpose of this thread, telling what we'd like the Pandora Cube to be fitted with. If it is to have EXACTLY the same hardware than the Pandora BUT the screen and the controls then this doesn't make sense to me. Giving the great assets the device already has it'd be a total waste if it doesn't provide a good video output and an Ethernet connection. Again, that's my opinion.

 

[WizardStan]

Of course, but since if I buy a Pandora Cube I'd want to use it mostly as a Media Center/Media Storage Server (I would also use it to play, of course), I need a high quality video output.

Pandora ANYTHING is not the right choice for you. You can already build a reasonable media PC running Linux for under $200. That was the general trend among those that said "no": the Pandora's current form fills a unique niche with almost no competition; getting into the set top arena it would be going against a lot of competition.

 

[limestrael]

Of course, but since if I buy a Pandora Cube I'd want to use it mostly as a Media Center/Media Storage Server (I would also use it to play, of course), I need a high quality video output.

Pandora ANYTHING is not the right choice for you. You can already build a reasonable media PC running Linux for under $200. That was the general trend among those that said "no": the Pandora's current form fills a unique niche with almost no competition; getting into the set top arena it would be going against a lot of competition.

The main asset of the Pandora is its versatility: Gaming device, audio player, handheld to access the Internet from Internet AND video player. I just don't see why the Pandora Cube wouldn't be able to do the same things. (Forget the 'Media Storage Server', in fact Pandora Cube is unsuited to this).

 

[typs lik dis]

Yes, and I find it odd since the BeagleBoard, which has the same hardware, has nothing BUT a DVI outlet.

As MWeston said in This Post: (quotes cleaned up for clarity)

You are kidding, right?

The Pandora board is a slightly tweaked Beagle Board.

Such an ignorant comment. The Pandora board was being manufactured before I ever even held a Beagle board. It has the same processor and power management chip. That's it.

I didn't take a Beagleboard layout and add a 5 port USB hub and call it a Touchbook (no offense to Gregoire intended). Sorry, I get a little offended when someone says this just has a Beagleboard inside. It was a completely custom design that took me months of 12-16 hour days to get done.

The Pandora and Beagleboard are two unique OMAP3 gadgets with only a few components in common. DVI output would require modifications to the board design.

 

[WizardStan]

The main asset of the Pandora is its versatility: Gaming device, audio player, handheld to access the Internet from Internet AND video player. I just don't see why the Pandora Cube wouldn't be able to do the same things. (Forget the 'Media Storage Server', in fact Pandora Cube is unsuited to this).

I didn't say it wouldn't be able to do the same things. I'm quite certain it could do the same things. But it would be doing the same things as other devices that already exist, except that they cost less money.

 

[Wildstar]

Would you be interested in a Pandora cube, which would essentially be a Pandora for the home which would be a Pandora board in a small box with a TV out cable.

You would have to attach your own controls/hub via USB.

You would have access to the same software, emulators, media players etc. only via the TV screen.

It would be around $200-$220.

Opinions?

A set-top (a smaller desktop - really), sure.
If it can be portable enough like a Mac Mini in size and not big at all. It should have Composite AND VGA (or DVI) to be used with a monitor and come with a DVI-VGA adaptor to use both VGA and DVI (or HDMI) LCD TV.

I'd go for it.

If you implement WiFi support inside, it be good. I have a WiFi along with LAN but both options should be there for the device.

The above statement is my opinion.

 

[limestrael]

The main asset of the Pandora is its versatility: Gaming device, audio player, handheld to access the Internet from Internet AND video player. I just don't see why the Pandora Cube wouldn't be able to do the same things. (Forget the 'Media Storage Server', in fact Pandora Cube is unsuited to this).

I didn't say it wouldn't be able to do the same things. I'm quite certain it could do the same things. But it would be doing the same things as other devices that already exist, except that they cost less money.

Yes, I do agree that these things already exist. But buy a media center+a console+other stuff and you're over the $200! There, we can use a single device for all that: versatility, as I said.

 

[WizardStan]

Yes, I do agree that these things already exist. But buy a media center+a console+other stuff and you're over the $200! There, we can use a single device for all that: versatility, as I said.

No need to buy a media center+console+other stuff. Everything that a Pandora Cube would be already exists. You can buy a modded XBox and do pretty much everything such a Pandora Cube could do. You can build a mini PC with an x86 and have access to all existing software, including the coveted N64 emulation, all for less than the cost of a Pandora.