Pyra Prototype Videos - Askarus Edition

[EvilDragon]

As Askarus has a prototype for a while now, he decided to do some videos based on requests from this thread.


Keep in mind that this is an early prototype unit, so it's limited to 1GHz speed and has horribly slow Wifi (both already fixed in the upcoming revision).

The OS runs off the SD Card, so loading times should be slower than on the final unit.

Sorry for being out of focus sometimes - it's hard keeping the focus with a DSLR on such a small screen

Here is the first video, which shows a bit of booting, the desktop and office stuff:


Video 2 will go online Monday, April 9th, 6pm GMT+2.
This will show Telegram, WhatsApp and HexChat


Video 3 is a short one, showing Geany:

It shows nicely how much the improved screen resolution works

 

[benoitb]

Even running from the SD card, the experience seems zippy

 

[Askarus]

It isn't even as bad as I thought it was
My first Video

One thing I have to mention concerning writing and the failing text selection in Xournal:
I held the Pyra very uncomfortably besides me and the camera was behind me.
That really made it hard for me to use it. So it will work a lot better when held comfortably

 

[TeDaDeS]

Looks just like stuff I would do on my regular computer, which is great, and it isn't even the final unit.

 

[Eight Bit]

Thanks for the video, I'm craving for Pyra news by now so this satisfies my hunger for moar news somewhat
For next time it would be better to use an external keyboard and mouse I think. Keep the Pyra and the Camera stationairy and you have your hands free to demonstrate the software.

 

[levi]

Awesome video, thanks! I've no idea how most youtube product reviewers manage to film and use stuff while filming.

This video does also show how glossy the screen is, but on a portable unit I rarely find it a problem to tilt it away from the sun if I want to avoid the reflection. It seems faster than my Pandora clocked slightly faster, and slightly faster even than my 1.6GHz netbook (well, that does boot faster, but I'm running Arch and it looks like it's not enabling nearly as many services during bootup).

 

[second exodous]

For next time it would be better to use an external keyboard and mouse I think. Keep the Pyra and the Camera stationairy and you have your hands free to demonstrate the software.

I agree, this video demonstrates the controls work so that doesn't need to be repeated.

 

[levi]

For next time it would be better to use an external keyboard and mouse I think. Keep the Pyra and the Camera stationairy and you have your hands free to demonstrate the software.

Or just use a HDMI capture card, if you're not going to demonstrate a handheld device being explicitly handheld.

 

[EvilDragon]

Well, the next videos have already been shot, so that won't change there

 

[ible]

hdmi capture card kinda defeats the purpose of seeing it on the pyra. nice to see it live on a prototype

 

[Ted]

Great video. Does the Pyra LCD uses PWM? Is it possible add Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) test for the next video? Nowadays more and more LCDs using PWM to dim the screen which means sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at low brightness setting, i.e. below 90% brightness.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Askarus]

Putting the Pyra on a desk and use an external Mouse and Keyboard is a good idea.

That will make it more likely for me to start a second recording session

 

[matzesu]

Nice Video,

But wouldn’t the Use of Mouse and Keyboard make the whole Pyra /Pandora Tiny Computer whit Keyboard and Nubs thing absurd??
On the Pyra you can write whitout the Need of external Keyboard,

Sure it would work much better for Filming but it’s still a Handheld

 

[tarator]

... I've no idea how most youtube product reviewers manage to film and use stuff while filming.
...

Maybe they use a tripod?

 

[EvilDragon]

Great video. Does the Pyra LCD uses PWM? Is it possible add Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) test for the next video? Nowadays more and more LCDs using PWM to dim the screen which means sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at low brightness setting, i.e. below 90% brightness.

Yes... but I don't know there's a different easy soliution instead of PWM.
On normal brightness, it's okay, but I don't like the flickering when the brightness is low. I already mentioned that years ago to hns, but according to him, there's no real alternative them pwm.

 

[Letalis Sonus]

Nowadays more and more LCDs using PWM to dim the screen

Has there been even a single screen without PWM manufactured in the last 10 years? As far as I know linear backlight dimming literally died out around 2007.

 

[Caine]

This reminds me of the one Pandora video per day series that EvilDragon made in the past. Those were great. We are not really there yet, but it is good to see the Pyra in action.

 

[Ted]

Yes... but I don't know there's a different easy soliution instead of PWM.
On normal brightness, it's okay, but I don't like the flickering when the brightness is low. I already mentioned that years ago to hns, but according to him, there's no real alternative them pwm.

Yes and no - almost all recent LCDs are PWM, except very few apple devices; and not all PWM LCDs are equal, some use high frequency which can significant improve the flicker issue. So, is it possible to do some PWM/flicker test like notebookcheck.net for the Pyra LCD?

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[neko]

Yes... but I don't know there's a different easy soliution instead of PWM.
On normal brightness, it's okay, but I don't like the flickering when the brightness is low. I already mentioned that years ago to hns, but according to him, there's no real alternative them pwm.

Well, you can increase the frequency to make the flicker less visible, or put an LC filter on it. Adding a filter increases the component count, as you have to fit a capacitor and inductor on the PCB.

 

[erico]

I have to say it... what a beautiful response time with the pen/touch screen!