Pandora Mk0 Devboard - Some Hires Videos

[FRZ]

BTW, I submitted the story to engadget B) (chris = me).

Let's hope more emu demos start rolling out now

I saw the story.

Even with a USB keyboard, you still need to send the text somewhere. There isn't a driver yet to convert console text to graphics for the LCD, so you would still need a PC for that function.

Yes, I know it's not exactly that difficult to write such a driver, but if you have something that works, why waste time on things that are not as important as others (such as proving the hardware works) ?

I am not sure how that works but, how do you get the emulators to show on the lcd and not the texts, console inputs?

A screen is just pixel data. Programs write their pixel data to the frame buffer, and it displays to the screen.
In order to print text to the screen, a driver needs to be written to take character text in memory, and convert that to pixel data that can be displayed on the screen. A simple terminal driver is almost trivial, but still requires some time to develop. Once the hardware has been proven, and a lot of graphic apps are known to be working, I'm sure someone can bust out a terminal in a few days tops.
So, videos and emulators don't need that driver to work on the LCD? I thought all outputs to the LCD worked the same way.

 

[emil10001]

The story seemed pretty well received over at Engadget. Relatively few negative comments.

 

[WizardStan]

So, videos and emulators don't need that driver to work on the LCD? I thought all outputs to the LCD worked the same way.

Anything that writes normal graphic data won't need a special driver because it's already writing graphic data: the data can just be drawn directly onto the screen.
But text data is just text. Each letter is a single byte, with absolutely no graphic information whatsoever. It's the font file which contains the graphic data to display each letter. In the same way that an emulator needs to be written to draw sprites on the screen, a driver needs to be written to take the font file and text in memory, and render it into a graphic that can be displayed on screen.
Understand now?

 

[Squidge]

So, videos and emulators don't need that driver to work on the LCD? I thought all outputs to the LCD worked the same way.

All outputs to the LCD do work the same way. The LCD simply requires 750KB of data to display something. This is 2 bytes for each of the 384,000 dots on the LCD. An emulator can very easily create this.

The terminal/console sends out plain standard text, like this post. The LCD does not understand this, so it must be converted.

 

[EvilDragon]

Great video! but I also have to ask. Why does your board not have the wifi module in place?

Because it makes no sense if I get a board with WiFi for demonstration videos
They are better suited to be used by devs who code stuff or the WiFi chip

Did somebody put these on youtube yet? My suse distribution wont let me play any nice stuff with vid players

I also put it on YouTube, yes.
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=L0YGgQ3S_X8

 

[FRZ]

So, videos and emulators don't need that driver to work on the LCD? I thought all outputs to the LCD worked the same way.

Anything that writes normal graphic data won't need a special driver because it's already writing graphic data: the data can just be drawn directly onto the screen.
But text data is just text. Each letter is a single byte, with absolutely no graphic information whatsoever. It's the font file which contains the graphic data to display each letter. In the same way that an emulator needs to be written to draw sprites on the screen, a driver needs to be written to take the font file and text in memory, and render it into a graphic that can be displayed on screen.
Understand now?
Like plain text.

So, videos and emulators don't need that driver to work on the LCD? I thought all outputs to the LCD worked the same way.

All outputs to the LCD do work the same way. The LCD simply requires 750KB of data to display something. This is 2 bytes for each of the 384,000 dots on the LCD. An emulator can very easily create this.

The terminal/console sends out plain standard text, like this post. The LCD does not understand this, so it must be converted.
Gotcha.

 

[danboid]

Boot sequence, oh dmesg, wherefore art thou boot log?

ED - thanks very much for the vids but the fact that the video cut off part way through the boot process nearly killed me with disappointment! AWwwww!!! All the Linux geeks would've been so much happier if you'd given that clip a bit more time so that we could've seen it boot to login.

I thought

"This is it! I'm seeing a Pandora boot! Yes, yes! Devices, yes!"

Then...

I really do appreciate the effort ED, but please please PLEASE include footage of a full boot process, unedited, in the next vid PLEASE!!!

Cheers!

 

[Squidge]

ED - thanks very much for the vids but the fact that the video cut off part way through the boot process nearly killed me with disappointment! AWwwww!!! All the Linux geeks would've been so much happier if you'd given that clip a bit more time so that we could've seen it boot to login.

There really isn't anything else to show after what you have seen already. All you would have got extra is the mounting of the sd card, followed by the startup of busybox, which you can see in the terminal window later anyway.

 

[mechanizeddeath]

There really isn't anything else to show after what you have seen already. All you would have got extra is the mounting of the sd card, followed by the startup of busybox, which you can see in the terminal window later anyway.

what about the part where it provides free, unlimited power and clean drinking water to the entire world? i wanted to see that part! :lol:

 

[Squidge]

what about the part where it provides free, unlimited power and clean drinking water to the entire world? i wanted to see that part! :lol:

Unfortunately, that part is under NDA

 

[lobski]

Was it just me or did the colours in Quake 2 look a little off?

 

[icurafu]

They were using the software renderer, which looks a little different from what most people are used to. It looked alright to me, but I was using software back then.

Or maybe you're refereing to the color palette, which has an industrial rusty feel to it.

 

[atomsett]

Thought it was time I registered and posted. Wanted to say thanks for this latest video, it really shows the unit coming on well.

I realise there's not much else to give to us at the moment, but we still need new pics and videos!

I for one check this forum daily since finding out about the Pandora and expect to be with the first batch of preorders. The updates keep me going..

a

 

[jakshep2]

Thanks man!!!!!!!!

 

[White Demon]

Thanks for the videos. Donwloaded the 1080i one, awesome stuff. Makes me wish it was September 15/30 already so I could preorder one now.

 

[fade]

Its been a long time since i last posted, but i've been watching the development of the Pandora eagerly an i just had to post to say how impressed i am. Its a seriously cool piece of kit an I cannot wait to get one! I just watched the 1080i video as well, cheers ED. Major Kudos to everyone involved! Fantastic! andora1:

 

[callumshell1]

Do you have to boot games and stuff from that text menu or will the final version have a proper linux desktop thing like a laptop.

 

[EvilDragon]

Do you have to boot games and stuff from that text menu or will the final version have a proper linux desktop thing like a laptop.

Errmm... of course. We wouldn't want anyone to have to use the command line to use the system...