Pandora Cube

[renegadechic]

Hmm I put yes, but it seems like a gut instinct thing. The USB hubs and integrated video outputs are obviously a must but now we have so many small form factor PCs as media hubs or living room systems, the competitiveness in performance against them would be challenging. Yes the Cube would be smaller most likely, but the size difference isnt significant enough to make people jump at it as is the case in a handheld. I do think extending the reach of the Pandora and its systems beyond the handheld is a very good idea but i expect the market to be more niche. I could definitely see it working brilliantly as a dedicated dev system, where developers for the platform can have more useful connectivity. Also if more aggressively targetted at the low power consumption market, this would also have big positives.

Of course, once the Pandora is out and we have used its potential ourselves the desire for this system may increase massively, and having your main desktop system be the same as your handheld would make any moving between the two much more straightforward.

All in all i think its a very positive idea, but i am hesitant about its success and its reach beyond the already converted.

 

[Xanas]

I'd be looking for HDMI, VGA, or DVI for what the device would be used for. It's probably a few years off since it would also need a h264 decoder built in to handle the higher definition video. It likely could not be like the beagleboard alone or pandora board alone based on what I've seen.

Another thought: I could use this to replace my current server/router machine if it had dual NIC's, which is an idea I like. I like the flexibility of a linux iptables router, but I have disliked having such a large machine for this simple purpose. I was thinking of a beagleboard on this, but it would require additional adapters to work, and as mentioned it's not in a case.

 

[Iorgy77]

Not interested in the slightest. Pandora as a portable is still (just barely) cutting edge, as a multimedia console/PC it would be very unremarkable compared to what is on the market at the moment.

Hurry up and get these things on the market and in peoples hands if you want money. Once some positive reviews come out I am sure more orders will come in. There are a lot of people (non gp32x) that still believe you guys are scammers and the pandora is vaporware.

 

[haptagud]

So are we talking an open-source home console? or an open-source media center?

Whatever it is, I guess I'd be interested if it was the pandora with boosted multi-media aspects. Hence if you're talking about connecting it to a TV screen, as a lot of other people have mentioned, you need to be able to support at least some sort of Hi-Def (I guess at least 720P). I'd also want a whole host of connectors, something like the back the appleTV. In fact that's not a bad idea, and open source version of appleTV. Which also happens to be able to play emulators etc like the pandora. Also the addition of some large internal storage, ie a easy to exchange hard-drive, for local storage of media.

 

[quartercast]

Naughty craig! Get back to pedal-powering the Fab plant.

 

[MentalFS]

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.

With this, and maybe an internal USB hub, it could be interesting as some kind of media/emulation center for TVs. Of course it could also be a cheap alternative for those who want to develop for Pandora.

Maybe, with an internal USB hub, you could also "borrow" a great idea from AlwaysInnovating and leave some space in the new Box for internal USB dongles and stuff.

I'm wondering, the Controls are still supposed to be there? Well they're on the board but they wouldn't really fit to a stationary box system. Still no reason to kill them, maybe just covering them with a lid would be enough to make a good-looking box.

 

[Vimacs]

Only if it had hdmi and accelerated avc codecs so 1080p mkv playback is possible.
Also a built-in usb hub and 2.5" drive bay would be nice.

 

[WizardStan]

Mark me down as another "no".
As has been said many times over, you can build a substantially more powerful x86 (fanless even, if you're clever) for up to $250 that already does (more than) what a stationary Pandora would do.
The BeagleBoard is already mostly what you're proposing here, minus case and WiFi, at only $150.

 

[mindlord]

I had a lot of time to think about this on the bus ride to work this morning, and here's my marketing analysis of a console Pandora. This is assuming you apply all the (sensible) bells and whistles suggested here. DVI-D or HDMI out, etc.

Anyone who knows about the Pandora is also likely to know about soft-modding an Xbox, or has a PC that is capable of being hooked up to a TV. There is not much that a Pandora can do that a soft-modded Xbox can't (including PSX Emulation). Even if Pandora Cube were significantly cheaper than a Pandora, I doubt it could beat the 80$ price point of a pawn shop Xbox. Granted, softmodding an Xbox, while not rocket science, does take some effort. Especially if you haven't done it before.

But that speaks nothing of a honest HTPC with MythTV or XBMC linux or.. or.. or.., and a decent set of emulators. They are really cheap to build, sub 200$ if you cut a few corners, and have all of the same Plug and Play capabilities of a Pandora. Well established sets of emulators, all the bells and whistles you're willing to add in, BT controllers, all the USB ports you want, etc. While larger than a Pandora Cube, could easily be made to run silent or very close.

I have to give negative points to the (Oh my god, I can't believe I'm about to say it) current limitations of the ARM platform. Don't kill me ARM enthusiests. I really like the ARM and love where it's going, but it's not mature enough to takle this arena just yet. The Pandora handheld may prove me wrong. I might hook it up to my TV at home later and be eating these words. We will just have to see. I'm sure someone will jump me right away for saying it, but I'm not willing to argue this point at this time until I see a Pandora in action.

The bottom line is, the Pandora's main selling point is it's mobility, take that away and you aren't left with much to jump up and scream about. Sure it would be small, quiet, and energy effecient. But, at this time, I don't think ARM is up to stepping into the desktop replacement, or htpc markets... just quite yet. The target audience for the Pandora is enthusiests who are already savvy enough to hook up a HTPC with Windows MCE or Mythbuntu, or even daring enough to softmod an Xbox.

I'm not saying that if you built the Pandora Cube, they wouldn't come. But I doubt they would come in the droves that you think they might.

Edit: Oh, btw... I voted No.

 

[OrR]

This would be interesting to me if it had more USB ports and VGA, probably should have an Ethernet port as well.
Just like there is a market for open source gaming handhelds, there should be a market for open source gaming consoles. Well, one option is to use a PC, of course. What makes this interesting is that it gets games, emulators and software from the handheld so there is a library of software to make it worth it.
It could be a media center, NAS and gaming console all in one.

Next step: Pandora phone in cooperation with Openmoko? B)

Some people mentioned they want a universal cartridge slot. I think there might be a market for that kind of device but I am not sure how easy it is to realize... A USB device that can read out all popular classic cartridges and maybe even some of the not so popular ones would be a fantastic Pandora accessory.

 

[sterling976]

Pandora's biggest draw for me is the portability. When you require it to be connected to a TV or LCD monitor, it loses a lot of its appeal - the requirement for a small form factor becomes more of a nice-to-have, and I can get a more powerful system at about the same price. Heck, I've already got a fairly small media center PC running linux, a host of emulators, and streaming recorded TV from my mythbackend, and the whole rig cost less than $200 when I bought it last September.

I'll echo what a few others here have said or hinted at. There are some more exciting things happening with some of the Intel Atom and Nvidia Ion systems right now, and they're all at about the price point the Pandora Cube would hit, with pretty much the same benefits and limitations (benefits - quiet, low power consumption, limitations - laggy and inconsistent video at high resolutions, flash video such as Hulu is so poor as to be unwatchable). I really expect to see some interesting hardware come out of that area in the next 8-12 months as some of the limitations are overcome.

Also, guys? Let's not lose focus chasing the next system before this one's out the door. I can understand wanting to maximize profit from the work you've already done, but I don't think it's wise to get ahead of yourselves, and this is probably not a market space the Pandora would do well in.

 

[hch]

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.

would it actually be possible to mod this daughter board into the pandora? (and switch between internal lcd and vga out via a button or lid close or something?) that would be super cool.

 

[mosschops]

would i want to buy a device smaller than a mac mini that does similar stuff without the cost on the knowledge that i aint gonna photoshop or run up hd vid?

Yes

so long as either it was diskless and small enough to blue-tac to a tv
OR
it had a hdd and was small enough to secrete away.


what we would need is to be able to buy from OP BT keyboard, mouse, joypad. with easy buttons to set them up and all that kind of thing.

remember people reading here will likely have a very similar device (or so we hope). this proposed device needs another market and i can quite easily see that as a media centre type device for the people who read sunday suplements.

 

[Poem58]

Maybe Craig and Co should make a deal to sell the Pandora board along side of the beagle boards as if it were an upgrade path. The Pandora/Beagleboard. A small percentage (5% of profit?) might appeal to them cause while you are competition, at the same time you have done the work and can supply the enhanced board. Both communities already have a relation, this could strenghten that, increase sales of your board, and bring attention to the Pandora.

Assuming we all like the controls well enough when the Pandora's ship some people are going to need extra controllers to play our console games on TV with friends. If the reviews are positive maybe a game controller using all the Pandora controls (Keyboard version only if you want to invest that much eventually) would be a good idea? Of course we'd REALLY have to like the controls with all the options out there.

Depending on the work involved, sell a driver translation service. While I understand that USB peripherals will need Arm drivers, and some of these things will happen where someone in the community makes something work and everyone who wants to get one can and the drivers are now there. There might be some peripheral that someone just can't live without. Not many people will want one, or use one, but this one person just HAS to have it, so they contact you and you have someone for a fee (predermined (maybe scaled for difficulty) and understandably not quite cheap) to make the drivers for it. (Assuming of course the Pandora is capable of running said device)

 

[VRAndy]

I would be interested, but I have a hard time imaging myself buying it. Even if it did HDMI.

Problem is that it doesn't do anything I couldn't do with one of the junk computers I've got in my closet. Sure it'd be easier to just plug in a PandoraCube, .... but the nerd market doesn't think like that.

I'm afraid I would probably save my money.

-Andy

 

[pcklee123]

If this is selling, I dont see why pandora cube wouldn't
http://www.gumstix.com/store/catalog/produ...products_id=227
http://www.gumstix.com/store/catalog/produ...products_id=215

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

My PC is currently plugged into our TV with an HDMI cable and it can do everything a Pandora can do, and more.
So for me, I'm out (cue dramatic music).

Also, wouldn't it be prudent to actually get the Pandora released before setting sights on another project?

 

[Butterman]

Sounds like a decent media center. IF it had ethernet, HDMI and VGA ports. Without these I think it would be pretty pants.

 

[Yod4z]

I think if it would have HDMI output for better quality on LCD TV it would be more easy to sell.

Personnaly i would buy an ION platforme for HTC purpose because it would be more common then less expensive. It would do 1080p H264 decode in HDMI

 

[aliking]

If it could...

be set up as more like an uber docking station for a mobile pandora. Like pandora's stay-at-home brother. Designed with some sort of mini grid in mind so that the two could sync automatically when docked and you could put the display of either on a monitor and they could share the mouse, keyboard, controllers plugged into the home station. Either could be used on it's own, but with twin powers activated they would be even more awesome together.

As others have said, really for me it would need to have a lot more of the things that were left out of Pandora because of portability issues. If it were basically just a crippled Pandora, I think I'd rather beagleboard.