Pandora Cube

[dingens]

Just a Pandora board in a different box?
No internal battery I suppose.
Add your own Controller?

This thing would have to sell for §120 maximum.
Using an Omap in a mains wired product makes not much sense, since the software will be mostly open source und run on x86 boxes with more functionality which are starting to crowd the place.

A much more interesting product would be a Pandora slate version. Board, screen, battery and some buttons on the side and a dpad on the front for $250-$300. That would be a nice n900 for the non phone loving crowd

 

[Alpha2]

[...] MKV videos if we're really, really lucky [...]

MKV is just a container format. It has nothing to do with the Quality of the video, the encoding of a video is what you are supposed to worry about, because that determines the level of possibility, not the container. MKV wouldn't be any harder to play than AVI.

-God Ginrai

Then I'll rephrase, H246 and many of the derivatives cause problems, My current laptop might be able to play a 720p avi file but an MKV with H246 and softsubs causes the audio and video to go out of sync, Now I'd hope that the Pandora wont suffer this problem especially being a smaller portable device, but there was a thread about just that back before the update (obviously should still be here) where people weren't totally sure it could manage every form of HD video. If it can, awesome, that's one of the reasons I want a pandora for playing my videos on the go without re-encoding. If not that kinda limits it as a portable device which I can accept to a smal degree but a stay at home "cube" should have a little more horsepower for that purpose if not just in general.

 

[gruso]

Digital video out - then yes. I've been considering a BeagleBoard for a light-weight always-on secondary PC but this sounds like it should be more end-user friendly.

If it's going to come with a custom case the why not build a USB hub into the case? One less thing to hook up to it.
Or just leave room in the case for modders, something they couldn't do with Pandora but could easily do here. That way the cost is kept down.

I'm really liking this whole Picodora™ idea actually. Especially after being greatly discouraged by the Beagleboard thread in the dev forum (I want to play Beagleboards, but I'm not man enough).

 

[atomicthumbs]

I would like a device like this, but I would much prefer recieving my Pandora by June 20 (3-week road trip - Pandora would make the perfect in-car development platform and camera buddy).

 

[lulzfish]

I think this part of Pandora development is mostly waiting for other companies to produce parts and assemble them.
Since the OP team is just waiting, it won't delay the Pandora at all if they start thinking about other devices.

Edit: I was gonna say, June 20th is a lot closer than the usual two months.
more edit: Make up your mind, is your trip in March or June?

 

[cappuchok]

My interest in the Pandora is as a "sub-netbook" with gaming controls. If a "stationary" Pandora "Cube" can be a worthy competitor to a fullblown HTPC (including DVR tasks) and do it all smoothly, I might consider it. Otherwise I'd rather roll my own HTPC to get exactly what I want.

Still, best of luck if you decide to go ahead with it. Brainstorming is always fun, and I'd love seeing what you could come up with. But I'd rather just see the "regular" Pandora out in the wild (and in my hands).

 

[DasFool]

I'd be interested if it worked as a NAS and I could load it up with a few sata drives. Also, decent video out. S-video and some kind of digital out. It'd be nice to replace the old modded xbox.

USB ports for controllers and flash drives.

One SD slot maybe.

 

[musicalwoods]

Yes (assuming I had the cash then) if:

Ideal (Alternative)
* HDMI (or DVI/VGA)
* 5.1 surround sound (stereo sound)
* Ethernet (or the regular Wifi)
* Four front-facing powered USB ports
* IR, hopefully with small remote included
* Internal hard drive or HDD bay (or two rear-facing USB ports for HDDs)
* Bluetooth
* 720p capable
* Standard 10-foot User Interface (XBMC or similar) with scripts for internet streams


Ideally, I would be able to utilize my Pandora as a remote/controller for it. I think it could make a nice, niche set-top box with game and internet functionality.

It would be dreamy if Boxee could run on it, but I know that is currently nowhere near possible.

 

[Trevsweb]

its a cool idea but i tihnk my currenty extra moneys is going on the pandora. doubt ill be able to afford another gadget this year yet

 

[TheRain]

I put "no" at first, but I'm going to say i'd be interested if:

1. a case that could house a hard drive
2. Had a built in USB hub
3. TV out would do for me

 

[jaycee900]

Defo built in 4 port USB hub forward facing, i think thats the main wish for most people...

 

[JayFoxRox]

I think you should have wired network, a serial connector and VGA out instead and sell it as a cheaper devboard. Strip out not-so important components and emulate these via network or terminal.
There won't be too many people who will use a board like this only at home, especially not with all the ARM Netbooks announced for end of this and next year.
However, a dev-board could help wonders and developers wouldn't have to buy a pandora before they can test their software in detail.

 

[kagato]

. HDMI-DVI adapters are cheap and readily available on the internet, so whichever conection the cube has, you can use it with any digital display.

A whole bunch of nitpicks here, but:

• DVI-I can do digital or analog, DVI-D is digital-only. (There is also apparently DVI-A -- analog only -- though I think it can be ignored)
• DVI supports HDCP, but does not require it (and therefore remains unimplemented in virtually all instances).
• The more important difference is that DVI is a video-only connection, while HDMI includes multi-channel audio (which the Pandora probably can't provide anyway).
• I haven't done any research, though I know DVI output to HDMI displays is straightforward; HDMI output to DVI displays might be more complex/expensive...
• On the other hand, HDMI is a smaller, prettier connector

 

[_VWV_]

-HDMI out put for high quality video file playback
-USB hub
-Bluetooth
-Wifi
-180gb Internal HD

+1.
It's not necessary to include an HD in the box, but it would be nice to have a connector. For those who think than an x86 based box would be better I can say that a non-portable pandora could be used as a really low-power server for http/ftp/tor/OFF/freenet/e.t.c.
I'd prefer a pandora over beagle because it has wi-fi and bluetooth built in (and possibly an IDE or SATA connector - though in this case I don't think the price will remain the same). An hd connector is not a must have option as there are plenty of cheap usb hd's out there. My 2 cents.

 

[BaDToaD]

Craig,

I really think you should ask the same type of question about a cradle. I'd happily pay for a cradle with built in USB hub. S-video out. Audio out bypassing the onboard amplifier. Charging etc etc.

I know this wouldn't be as quick a turn around as a Cube type Pandora but I think it would have a lot more people interested. The chance to just dock a pandora with my TV and 5.1 system and be listening to music or watching something on the TV in seconds would be great.

ToaD

 

[giovanni]

The Pandora is born as a mobile device, it would lose is nature used on a 32" LCD.
And nowaday you must use an HDMI connection...
I think the BeagleBoard can do what you said, probably not now but it has a lot of developers, someone will probably create a simple GUI for the BeagleBoard OS and make it easy to use for everyone.

 

[kattle87]

my 2 €cents:
if you are trying to get someone interested, you must focus to the low-power-consumption and fan-less potentialities of the OMAP. My dreams:
*DVI + S-Video
*COULD still have a keyboard and an analog (or a trackball on the side!) so you can use it as a ready-to-be-plugged PC on your TV or any display <-- this might be a unique strength point
*low power consumption, but this is not that difficult.
*easy-to-use NAS. Lots of people might be interested in this, personally I am ^^.
*2 full USB at least. And when I say full, I mean both 1.1 and 2 compliant
*Ethernet might be nice if you use it as a NAS, Otherwise only wifi+BT is fine. (BT for pandoras as remote controllers!)

 

[parag0n]

If it has HDMI, yes.

Maybe a HDMI daughterboard could be hung off the LCD connector?

pandora board, in a box with HDMI daughterboard, USB hub, and USB ethernet adaptor would be awesome

 

[worzyl]

I would have to say no to be honest. Unless it had some real power behind it - to current console gen levels - I think that having it as a portable is a much nicer route. Otherwise for me personally, I would just stick with my my PC and PS3.

 

[gruso]

Component and VGA outputs would be done through a daughter board plugged into the LCD connector and mounted somewhere close in this new case. I didn't think this was a good idea without digital video either so it was always a consideration in my mind. That would be the only difference between Pandora and this cube assuming the nubs, game buttons and keypad was left on.
This interests me actually. I was envisioning a plain box, something that would slot in next to your dvd player or something. But a "lidless" Pandora would be like a little Spectrum. :wub:

I reckon there'd be applications for both configurations. You could offer the option of a unit with controls, or just the board in a box.