First of all, a merry christmas to everyone!
An update was LONG overdue - but I was overrun by pre-christmas season.
Seriously, I expected some orders in my shop, but I was totally overwhelmed.
I packed and shipped over 400 packages during the last 1,5 weeks, so I didn't really have time for anything else.
I rarely visited the boards and couldn't chase up all involved companies for updates.
But: Having SO many sales is awesome, as every single sale helps the Pyra with future funding.
Even every single GPD Win sold in my shop will help the Pyra
I'm a bit exhausted now, but I won't go to sleep before I've written my update
1. The CPU-Boards
Nikolaus is working hard on improving the layout of the CPU-Board. It's planned that all suggested changes will be implemented until early January so we can order the PCB right after Global Components resumes operation.
So, what did we do?
Well, most likely, the issues we have with frequencies higher than 1,2GHz derive from too few vias and / or too few decoupling capacitors.
This results in too much noise from the power circuit which can interfere with the OMAP5 clock. And as high clock rates are especially picky... yeah, you guessed it.
So Nikolaus is trying to add as many vias and additional capacitors as possible - which isn't easy unless we want to switch to even more layers than we're using now.
Our initial plan was to improve everything as much as possible and order new PCBs right away to see whether it improved or not.
And even if it wouldn't fully fix the issue, we would start with the production. Quite a few mentioned they would be fine with such a capped CPU-Board, as an upgrade when we finally resolved the issue would be easily possible.
And even the capped CPU-Board would be multiple times as fast as the Pandora, so it would still be a really useful MiniPC.
As mentioned, that was our initial plan... but then the following happened:
https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/prototype-mainboards-coming-soon.78807/page-9#post-1401342
That was an early christmas present for me - and it really shows how much the community ROCKS!
We knew there were ways to simulate the issue, but the tools are usually expensive and you also need someone who knows what he's doing.
Additionally, companies usually don't offer that as a service... they only do that when you let THEM design your electronics.
And here we have someone who is willing to do the analysis for us!
That means: We will improve the layout, send the data to him but don't have to wait for a new batch of CPU boards.
The analysis will show us whether we still need to improve it further or whether it should be good enough.
Joy! So next production run order date: Early January.
And once they arrive, we'll do a quick test and can hopefully order the ones for the mass production the same day
2. The Mainboards
Ah, well. GC wanted to populate them before christmas, but they had so many other customers that they simply didn't find the time.
It's the first thing they'll do in 2017 though.
All the parts and bare PCBs are there, so that should be a pretty fast population.
3. The Keymats
Good news as well: They finished working on the mold and will produce the next samples early January as well (they also didn't manage to do it before christmas).
These should also be the final samples... if I'm fully content with them, but I'm optistic here.
4. The cases
Not much to report here. I've let them know the two last remaining issues (nothing serious) and I consider the case to be 99% final.
These cases are good enough for dev units and prototypes as well, so I can start building them in January.
Speaking of prototypes...
5. Prototype building
If all goes well, January will see many assembled prototypes. Of course, they will first go to the ones who supported us with ordering prototypes a while ago, then to some devs and the remaining ones will be auctioned (probably end of January).
They will all receive a special prototype-sticker, so it's easy to proof they're real.
6. The LCDs
I'm not sure whether I mentioned that or not, but all LCDs needed for mass production with the new, final touchscreens have arrived in Germany.
Speaking of mass production, here is a quick overview...
7. Preparing for the big run
While we still need to test the prototypes, we are already preparing the first production run to be able to produce as fast as possible!
What do we have...
* ALL needed parts for the first production run of the PCBs are sitting at GC (well, except for the bare PCBs)
* ALL needed LCDs are already in Germany and will be delivered to GC early January
* ALL needed batteries are already sitting at GC
What's still missing...
* Bare PCBs. Will be produced as soon as we confirm they're working fine. Production time: About 6 weeks (CPU-Board)
* Keymats: Will be produced as soon as I confirm the sample to be fine. Production time: About 4 weeks
* Cases: Will be produced as soon as I confirm the samples to be fine. Production time: About 4 weeks
* Card Boxes and manuals: Will be produced as soon as I create the design and order them. Production time: About 2 weeks
* LCD Cables: Will produced middle of January. Production time: About 3 weeks
Well, and that's it!
The CPU-Board is the culprit right now - everything else should easily arrive before we have the bare CPU boards.
I wish these things would go faster.... but that would only work if I had three or four times as much the capital.
8. Other things
Nikolaus finished the design of the SATA/USB-Adaptor.
It's a little adaptor that plugs into the USB port in the back and which offers both USB AND SATA.
I will design a small housing for it as well. I don't think the demand is high enough for a molded case, but everyone can 3D-Print the shell if he wants one.
I'm also planning a docking station (but that will take some more time, as it means we need another plastic mold design).
And I'm planning to create a basic mainboard without keyboard or nubs.
Just a very simple board where you plug in a CPU board and have USB, SATA, HDMI etc. connections so you can use it as a miniature PC (like the Raspberry Pi).
But that's all sometime in the future, right now, getting the Pyra out is the highest priority.
I've just seen that some have been asking for that on the boards... and yes, I am in fact planning something like it.
Well, that's it for today
Time to go to bed and relax a bit (well, just one day, as I have to work again on Monday...)
I wish you all a wonderful and relaxing christmas
An update was LONG overdue - but I was overrun by pre-christmas season.
Seriously, I expected some orders in my shop, but I was totally overwhelmed.
I packed and shipped over 400 packages during the last 1,5 weeks, so I didn't really have time for anything else.
I rarely visited the boards and couldn't chase up all involved companies for updates.
But: Having SO many sales is awesome, as every single sale helps the Pyra with future funding.
Even every single GPD Win sold in my shop will help the Pyra
I'm a bit exhausted now, but I won't go to sleep before I've written my update
1. The CPU-Boards
Nikolaus is working hard on improving the layout of the CPU-Board. It's planned that all suggested changes will be implemented until early January so we can order the PCB right after Global Components resumes operation.
So, what did we do?
Well, most likely, the issues we have with frequencies higher than 1,2GHz derive from too few vias and / or too few decoupling capacitors.
This results in too much noise from the power circuit which can interfere with the OMAP5 clock. And as high clock rates are especially picky... yeah, you guessed it.
So Nikolaus is trying to add as many vias and additional capacitors as possible - which isn't easy unless we want to switch to even more layers than we're using now.
Our initial plan was to improve everything as much as possible and order new PCBs right away to see whether it improved or not.
And even if it wouldn't fully fix the issue, we would start with the production. Quite a few mentioned they would be fine with such a capped CPU-Board, as an upgrade when we finally resolved the issue would be easily possible.
And even the capped CPU-Board would be multiple times as fast as the Pandora, so it would still be a really useful MiniPC.
As mentioned, that was our initial plan... but then the following happened:
https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/prototype-mainboards-coming-soon.78807/page-9#post-1401342
That was an early christmas present for me - and it really shows how much the community ROCKS!
We knew there were ways to simulate the issue, but the tools are usually expensive and you also need someone who knows what he's doing.
Additionally, companies usually don't offer that as a service... they only do that when you let THEM design your electronics.
And here we have someone who is willing to do the analysis for us!
That means: We will improve the layout, send the data to him but don't have to wait for a new batch of CPU boards.
The analysis will show us whether we still need to improve it further or whether it should be good enough.
Joy! So next production run order date: Early January.
And once they arrive, we'll do a quick test and can hopefully order the ones for the mass production the same day
2. The Mainboards
Ah, well. GC wanted to populate them before christmas, but they had so many other customers that they simply didn't find the time.
It's the first thing they'll do in 2017 though.
All the parts and bare PCBs are there, so that should be a pretty fast population.
3. The Keymats
Good news as well: They finished working on the mold and will produce the next samples early January as well (they also didn't manage to do it before christmas).
These should also be the final samples... if I'm fully content with them, but I'm optistic here.
4. The cases
Not much to report here. I've let them know the two last remaining issues (nothing serious) and I consider the case to be 99% final.
These cases are good enough for dev units and prototypes as well, so I can start building them in January.
Speaking of prototypes...
5. Prototype building
If all goes well, January will see many assembled prototypes. Of course, they will first go to the ones who supported us with ordering prototypes a while ago, then to some devs and the remaining ones will be auctioned (probably end of January).
They will all receive a special prototype-sticker, so it's easy to proof they're real.
6. The LCDs
I'm not sure whether I mentioned that or not, but all LCDs needed for mass production with the new, final touchscreens have arrived in Germany.
Speaking of mass production, here is a quick overview...
7. Preparing for the big run
While we still need to test the prototypes, we are already preparing the first production run to be able to produce as fast as possible!
What do we have...
* ALL needed parts for the first production run of the PCBs are sitting at GC (well, except for the bare PCBs)
* ALL needed LCDs are already in Germany and will be delivered to GC early January
* ALL needed batteries are already sitting at GC
What's still missing...
* Bare PCBs. Will be produced as soon as we confirm they're working fine. Production time: About 6 weeks (CPU-Board)
* Keymats: Will be produced as soon as I confirm the sample to be fine. Production time: About 4 weeks
* Cases: Will be produced as soon as I confirm the samples to be fine. Production time: About 4 weeks
* Card Boxes and manuals: Will be produced as soon as I create the design and order them. Production time: About 2 weeks
* LCD Cables: Will produced middle of January. Production time: About 3 weeks
Well, and that's it!
The CPU-Board is the culprit right now - everything else should easily arrive before we have the bare CPU boards.
I wish these things would go faster.... but that would only work if I had three or four times as much the capital.
8. Other things
Nikolaus finished the design of the SATA/USB-Adaptor.
It's a little adaptor that plugs into the USB port in the back and which offers both USB AND SATA.
I will design a small housing for it as well. I don't think the demand is high enough for a molded case, but everyone can 3D-Print the shell if he wants one.
I'm also planning a docking station (but that will take some more time, as it means we need another plastic mold design).
And I'm planning to create a basic mainboard without keyboard or nubs.
Just a very simple board where you plug in a CPU board and have USB, SATA, HDMI etc. connections so you can use it as a miniature PC (like the Raspberry Pi).
But that's all sometime in the future, right now, getting the Pyra out is the highest priority.
I've just seen that some have been asking for that on the boards... and yes, I am in fact planning something like it.
Well, that's it for today
Time to go to bed and relax a bit (well, just one day, as I have to work again on Monday...)
I wish you all a wonderful and relaxing christmas
