Pandora Serial Port Cable

[vega01]

Hello,

Does anybody know if there will be official serial port cable for Pandora? And if so, then when? I know there are serial port pins on the Pandora's EXT port, I've found on the forum the connector part number, but it's not available now to buy online. I would like to have access to serial console in Linux.

 

[korky]

You could use one of the many usb to 9 pin serials out there.

 

[Exophase]

I can't imagine this would be a popular enough feature for them to make cables for it. You'll be able to SSH over WiFi or USB instead, which are much more attractive options except for the rare cases where you really do need serial console. The SoC has USB device boot so you'd probably have that available to debug it instead of going through serial on U-Boot.

I'm sure someone will make a cable - even if the connector can't be found you will still be able to mod a TV out cable. People have made them for GP2X, Wiz, Dingoo, and other platforms, afterall. Chances are pretty good that if various people are willing to make them for themselves then they'll make one for you if you pay them enough. Bear in mind, in order to use such a cable with a PC you can't just solder some wires between connectors, you need to have an RS232 transceiver chip capable of driving the proper voltages.

 

[VRAndy]

I hope we get a diagram of the port so we can make our own cables. Because I would actually like a serial cable without having to muck about with usb->serial.

 

[Kimundi]

I think MWeston stated that they would try to keep a bunch of Ext Connectors for Sale.
From there, its just a matter of soldering some components.

 

[vega01]

I know I could use USB or WiFi for console, but there are many situations when it just doesn't work that way nicely or at all (U-Boot, booting Linux kernel, etc.). I know one cannot connect serial port of a microprocessor straight to a PC serial port - uPs dont't use RS-232C voltage levels. Also why would they put serial port pins into EXT connector if they thought nobody would use them? Pandora isn't only a game console, it can be a nice ARM Linux machine. I hope it's true that they will sell connectors later on. Or full cables with level shifters and separation. It looks better than a home-made from TV cable.

 

[Exophase]

I know I could use USB or WiFi for console, but there are many situations when it just doesn't work that way nicely or at all (U-Boot, booting Linux kernel, etc.). I know one cannot connect serial port of a microprocessor straight to a PC serial port - uPs dont't use RS-232C voltage levels. Also why would they put serial port pins into EXT connector if they thought nobody would use them? Pandora isn't only a game console, it can be a nice ARM Linux machine. I hope it's true that they will sell connectors later on. Or full cables with level shifters and separation. It looks better than a home-made from TV cable.

I didn't say they thought no one would use them, I said that interest wouldn't be great enough for them to produce. It's useful as a debugging tool and putting them on the ext port is cheap, but making a new product for this isn't practical.

Anyway, it seems like you should wait until you actually need this because there's really no reason why you automatically should.

 

[TheRain]

I didn't say they thought no one would use them, I said that interest wouldn't be great enough for them to produce. It's useful as a debugging tool and putting them on the ext port is cheap, but making a new product for this isn't practical.

Anyway, it seems like you should wait until you actually need this because there's really no reason why you automatically should.

I know what you're saying that it's not likely many people would want this- but *I* for one would want it right of the gate as well. Not for debugging, but for robotics/hardware stuff. USB will work great for that too, but i forsee that being taken up by a webcam if I were doing robotics stuff with this. Not that I couldn't use a hub or anything, but I think i'd prefer not to.

 

[Exophase]

I know what you're saying that it's not likely many people would want this- but *I* for one would want it right of the gate as well. Not for debugging, but for robotics/hardware stuff. USB will work great for that too, but i forsee that being taken up by a webcam if I were doing robotics stuff with this. Not that I couldn't use a hub or anything, but I think i'd prefer not to.

If you're building a robot then I think you'll be able to pull off building the cable.

 

[Squidge]

I know what you're saying that it's not likely many people would want this- but *I* for one would want it right of the gate

Which is exactly the reason it's on the ext port. Its there because some people WILL want it, but not enough to get the price down to sensible levels. I doubt anyone would want to buy a £100 lead just because its made in such small quantities, and they are not going to ask for 1,000 if only 10 people would buy them.

The TV cable is different, many more people will want (and have already ordered) that so they placed a bulk order for ext connectors. Therefore I don't see a problem with people who want to do rebotics doing there own cable, and someone else buying connectors and selling cables for £25 each to earn themselves a bit of money for the people who can't.

 

[TheRain]

Alright, well maybe not then I just thought it might be a little more common around there that people would want it that's all But yah, you're right I can just build myself one.

 

[MWeston]

I'm happy to design a little RS-232 board that plugs right into the back of the Pandora. Personally, that is where the 'Open' in OpenPandora should be: with stuff other people can actually build! I will gladly share all schematics and gerbers for these little addons and I bet we could make small batches of these serial boards for about $20 each. I'll handle getting these little connectors as we need to order more soon anyway. No one has to worry about trying to buy thousands on their own.

 

[atomicthumbs]

I'd buy a serial board. I plan to interface with microcontrollers and radio modems.

 

[BackAssward]

Not to thread jack, but, are all the pins on the connector accounted for? I mean, I was thinking some solution for an external antenna would be great, and if it was available from the ext would be cool (no nub sticking out).

Edit: Of course I mean as a custom hack, not a product change.

 

[Gary13579]

I'm curious, really... why would someone want to use Pandora for robotics? BeagleBoard and Gumstix are just as powerful (BeagleBoard is the same chip, less RAM IIRC), and were almost made for robotics.

Considering how rare a Pandora is, I'd hate to see it stuck in a robot instead of in someones hands, when they could have easily (and cheaper) used a beagleboard.

 

[TheRain]

I'm curious, really... why would someone want to use Pandora for robotics? BeagleBoard and Gumstix are just as powerful (BeagleBoard is the same chip, less RAM IIRC), and were almost made for robotics.

Considering how rare a Pandora is, I'd hate to see it stuck in a robot instead of in someones hands, when they could have easily (and cheaper) used a beagleboard.

Maybe a good point, but- I don't have a beagleboard! And pandora will have wifi and bluetooth for connecting a client app to.

But really, the pandora will be something to play with, write programs for and all sorts of things. No harm in it having many uses

 

[punkysfamily]

the same reason you use a laptop instead of a typewriter its cooler and more convenient

 

[Squidge]

I'm curious, really... why would someone want to use Pandora for robotics? BeagleBoard and Gumstix are just as powerful (BeagleBoard is the same chip, less RAM IIRC), and were almost made for robotics.

Maybe for the things a Beagleboard/Gumstix doesn't have: LCD, Keyboard, Wifi, Bluetooth, etc. Also, it would make sense to remove the Pandora and make changes on the device rather than having to remove, attach to a PC, etc (or the same with USB sticks or whatever storage you use).

 

[vega01]

I'm happy to design a little RS-232 board that plugs right into the back of the Pandora. Personally, that is where the 'Open' in OpenPandora should be: with stuff other people can actually build! I will gladly share all schematics and gerbers for these little addons and I bet we could make small batches of these serial boards for about $20 each. I'll handle getting these little connectors as we need to order more soon anyway. No one has to worry about trying to buy thousands on their own.

Thanks, that's what I was waiting for. I agree - "Open" means that one can do with Pandora whatever he wishes. Even if it seems silly to others or if they cannot imagine any uses for e.g. a serial port when you have USB available. That's what I like about open source and open hardware - designers don't think they know or can forsee all the applications of their "product" the future users would "invent". And some people evidently can't understand such an approach... Fortunately not everybody and I may have a possibility to use RS232 on Pandora

 

[Gricey]

I'll likely be using mine to connect to servers serial ports in the datacentre (mobile console, win). A true RS232 port would be nice, but for anyone interested, under linux if you grab a USB->Serial cable that uses the PL2303 chipset, it works out of the box (I have a couple already)