Pictures, Videos and thoughts of a Pyra dev-prototype

[ptitSeb]

Here I'll put some pictures of the Pyra dev-prototype I have

I'll try to put also some of the stuff I do with it.

My current setup, for Pyra developpement, is quite similar to what I do for the Pandora.

The Pyra is connected to a µUSB to provide charging, and it's sitting on my desk, beside the keyboard and the screen on my main computer.

I'm then using SSH from my computer to do most of the compile.

For now, I've not connected much things on the Pyra (on the Pandora, I use an external HDD of 2TB for all my developpement), and I'm simply using a 64GB SDCard (in slot 1) for everything.
I'll time the boot sequence this weekend (or maybe take a video of it), but from full power off mode, it takes less than 30sec to boot. Around 15sec I would say, but I need to pay more attention to it.

Here, a picture of the Pyra in the dark.

 

[rygD]

Is it time for a Pyra port request thread?

Looking forward to you (and others?) sharing pics/videos, thoughts, and experiences.

 

[ptitSeb]

Is it time for a Pyra port request thread?

Looking forward to you (and others?) sharing pics/videos, thoughts, and experiences.

Bah, it can be started I guess, but without 3D Driver for now, not much will happens.

 

[Kippykip]

Bah, it can be started I guess, but without 3D Driver for now, not much will happens.

Who has the current 3D driver?

 

[TrashyMG]

Bah, it can be started I guess, but without 3D Driver for now, not much will happens.

Well I can get you a kernel with working 3D, if you like looking at your screen sideways.
[doublepost=1498226783,1498226665][/doublepost]

Who has the current 3D driver?

We can compile our own kernel driver, just currently has issues with the screen rotation. It needs some attention, but should be fixed in a while, once the guys get the time to look into it.

 

[Kippykip]

Well I can get you a kernel with working 3D, if you like looking at your screen sideways.

So as of now the 3D isn't using the rotation chip?

 

[bluedeer]

Well I can get you a kernel with working 3D, if you like looking at your screen sideways.
.

Ooh! I've always wanted a Crick in my Neck with 3d Gaming! Sign me up!

Seriously, this is super exciting!

 

[TrashyMG]

@Kippykip:

The rotator chip was abandoned, zmatt figured out how to rotate the screen properly with little to no CPU usage with the features built into the OMAP5. Which is a blessing as the chip was expensive and from what EvilDragon says required a lot of custom hacks and firmware uploads to work properly with the MIPI controller on the Pyra.

So some software engineering needs to be done, if I understand the issue correctly Xorg and the SGX 3D driver both try to use the same Framebuffer object, some method needs to be done to have them play nice with each other.

 

[Kippykip]

The rotator chip was abandoned, zmatt figured out how to rotate the screen properly with little to no CPU usage. Which is a blessing as the chip was expensive and from what EvilDragon says required a lot of custom hacks and firmware uploads to work properly with the MIPI controller on the Pyra.

So some software engineering needs to be done, if I understand the issue correctly Xorg and the SGX 3D driver both try to use the same Framebuffer object, some method needs to be done to have them play nice with each other.

Oh that's great! I suppose that also breaks the 720p display limit too!

 

[TrashyMG]

Oh that's great! I suppose that also breaks the 720p display limit too!

The Rotator chip never affected the HDMI out if that is what you mean? The LCD screen is still 720p.

 

[Kippykip]

The Rotator chip never affected the HDMI out if that is what you mean? The LCD screen is still 720p.

I meant looking at ancient threads when the rotator chip was being discussed, it can't handle anything higher than 720p back when people were debating about a 1080p screen, so if there ever is a display upgrade in the future the chip would've screwed up.
(Although 720p great as it is, anything higher I will need a magnifying glass just like playing chocolate Doom on a modern day smartphone unscaled.)

 

[sebt3]

Well I can get you a kernel with working 3D, if you like looking at your screen sideways.

Side ways, always or just for 3D apps ?
Because if the issue is only in 3D apps, then all we need to do is changing the gles projection matrix (and I mean, it's just swapping 2 values in that matrix)...

 

[slaeshjag]

Side ways, always or just for 3D apps ?
Because if the issue is only in 3D apps, then all we need to do is changing the gles projection matrix (and I mean, it's just swapping 2 values in that matrix)...

Currently, you can't run both the TILER and the SGX at the same time, so it'd all be sideways.

 

[Kippykip]

Side ways, always or just for 3D apps ?
Because if the issue is only in 3D apps, then all we need to do is changing the gles projection matrix (and I mean, it's just swapping 2 values in that matrix)...

I think it's the driver itself, so everything is flipped

 

[TrashyMG]

I think it's the driver itself, so everything is flipped

The LCD is a portrait style it's 720x1280. It's mounted on its side. It's rendering correctly for its designed resolution. We need to flip it for our needs.

 

[ptitSeb]

Most of the parts of the Pyra dev-prototype are ... still young. Including the OS. So yeah, no 3D for now, but that will come, eventually.

Now, one thing that is final is the case. Or mostly final, as the plastic used is not the final material. Still, I can compare the case with the one from the Pandora, and there is indeed a large difference. It feels more tough, the different pieces fit nicely the one with the other (with the exceptions of the shoulder buttons, that are not final yet).
And the hinge, well, it much better than the Pandora.
You can now open the screen at the angle you want, and you can go easily beyond 90° without the screen flipping suddenly to 180°. The angle of 120° is completely usable and stable (well, I haven't tried much using the touchscreen, as I'm not a touchscreen guy).

*EDIT* Just tried the Touchscreen with the stylus, and yeah, it's usable with he screen open at roughly 120°, so that's quite an improvement compared to the Pandora.

 

[rygD]

Good to here that about the case plastic. Maybe it will be even better with the plastic that will be used for the production run. I am really happy about the hinge angles. I don't think it was intended to poke the screen at those angles without supporting it (even with my Pandora all the way open I usually stick a finger behind the lid if I am using the touchscreen to reduce hinge stress).

I am curious how it would act with Firefox and a lot of active tabs. I know some people are content with the results presented so far, or are tired of that request.

Also, let us know how things go when you give it real work to do and things start to heat up. I know that is a concern for a few people.

Has your Pyra been used for any games yet? Let us know how the gaming buttons feel (any sticking?) if you do.

 

[levi]

Re games, Ptitseb's already posted a video of both his Pandora and his Pyra prototype running a game. It was a PC port though, so it didn't use the game buttons - just d-pad and enter/return.

I too would like to know if it's possible to get the Y button especially to stick like it did on the keymat prototype unit on something more closely approaching mass production. I think I pressed it off-center to the top and it was quite easy to get it to lock half down. As long as that's not making electrical contact, that may not be such an issue actually, because another press from a more normal direction bought it straight back up, but it will affect how the button feels in use.

 

[Eight Bit]

Could I also request a video of the playback of full HD content with audio, downscaled on the pyra display and unscaled over HDMI? Also it would be nice to see YouTube videos play windowed and full screen. And maybe even some 4k video test.

I'm pumped! Gimme pyra!

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[Xcl4m4t10n]

Thank you so much for your impressions @ptitSeb.