Schematics, Pinouts, Needed Connectors Etc - Help Needed

[Polossatik]

I start this post for 2 reasons:

1) Ask the pandora team what information they will release (or not) about the hardware.

For example it's has been said that the gerber files (who are used to create the pcb) will not be released - which is fine because you don't need that to the "hack" the pandora, only to "copy" it B) .
But having the schematics of the pandora will make things so much easier to hack it, hence I would like to know if this will be released and in what format.

2) Gather all info know (and maybe sources to get stuff like the ext connector) about the H/W so that I (or you? ) can add this to the pandora wiki which is now seriously lacking information about the hardware side. There is already info in the board, but scatterd everywhere and hard to find.

I'm referring also to even simply info like about the 5v DC power jack "the voltage should always be between 5 and 6 volts with 5.2-5.5 volts being the best. If the voltage goes above 6.5V-ish, the DC input will be shut off and the system will fall back to battery power"

 

[Squidge]

But having the schematics of the pandora will make things so much easier to hack it, hence I would like to know if this will be released and in what format.

This information will not be released. However, if you have a particular hack in mind, I'm sure if you post about it, that Michael may very well reply with helpful advice.

 

[levi]

Still, if there's useful information on the wiki and forums already about the hardware, collating this on a section of the wiki would be a good idea.

I'd also hope that information on the EXT connector would be forthcoming if it's not already out there in some form. Lets get those first Pandoras out of the door first though, eh?

 

[Squidge]

Isn't the ext connector already documented?

 

[droneb]

ive been searching the same nfo, and the searcher doesnt seems to deliver any hits.

im afraid to not to be able to buy the Ext conn, so i will have to hack it or hack the TV out cable. (since it doesnt have all the stuff like the prototype)

 

[urjaman]

ive been searching the same nfo, and the searcher doesnt seems to deliver any hits.

im afraid to not to be able to buy the Ext conn, so i will have to hack it or hack the TV out cable. (since it doesnt have all the stuff like the prototype)

This is the best reference to the ext port i can provide now - schematic of the breakout board, contains a pinout of the ext port as it comes to the breakout board as a 2x7 IDC connector (propably same numbering as in the ext connector...).

Here's the schematic for the breakout board: http://openpandora.ca/schematic/AV_Board_schematic.pdf

 

[j.pickens]

Perhaps this is the place to post pinouts?
http://pandorawiki.org/Hardware_documentation

 

[lulzfish]

im afraid to not to be able to buy the Ext conn, so i will have to hack it or hack the TV out cable. (since it doesnt have all the stuff like the prototype)

Can you explain this differently? I don't quite understand.

 

[dflemstr]

im afraid to not to be able to buy the Ext conn, so i will have to hack it or hack the TV out cable. (since it doesnt have all the stuff like the prototype)

Can you explain this differently? I don't quite understand.

1. It's difficult for DroneB to acquire a connector that fits the ext connection on the Pandora
2. Therefore, DroneB will either have to:
   • Hack the connection to add stuff he needs.
   • Hack the TV-out cable by opening up the connector and adding things to it.
3. All this is needed because the TV out cable doesn't have all of the features that the prototype had.

 

[droneb]

im afraid to not to be able to buy the Ext conn, so i will have to hack it or hack the TV out cable. (since it doesnt have all the stuff like the prototype)

Can you explain this differently? I don't quite understand.

first of all i live in colombia (yes Colombia the country NOT columbia the state). im a Electronics Fanatic, and its been about 8 years walking the local electronics stands, and i havent found not a single FLED, nor a 1381V Detector, and Solar Panels are skyrocket expensive (plus the ones i had, somehow the resin melted and it doesnt work anymore.

the only way is to buy n import the stuff thru Internet, but everytime the shipping cost is much more larger that the order cost Itself.

BTW im not sure but i believe im the only one that ordered a Panda in Colombia and if it works all good i would like to retail em, as it is or as part of several Proyects i have mainly in Domotics and HIDs.

and to tell the truth, the Panda seems to be a very economic platform for developing over mobile, without reachig cost like the actual netPCs.

 

[MWeston]

There will be a formal document listing everything anyone would need to do their hacking, complete with the warranty disclaimer. It will contain very accurate descriptions of all connectors and spare pads on the PCB with their voltage levels and any specific requirements. There's also a block diagram schematic devs have now that shows how everything is connected together. I'll clean that up and put it into this document. It will be detailed enough for any hacker, University project or modder to do whatever they need, short of building one on their own. My plan is to have it ready with the launch of the device or just after. I'm a bit short on time to do this right for now.

I still want to get hundreds or thousands of spare connectors that plug into the A/V port to help people out if they need them. The part is no longer available for sampling or small orders so this might be the only way.

 

[MrPoletski]

But having the schematics of the pandora will make things so much easier to hack it, hence I would like to know if this will be released and in what format.

This information will not be released. However, if you have a particular hack in mind, I'm sure if you post about it, that Michael may very well reply with helpful advice.

TBh, unless we're talking about a many-layer PCB, I can't see why that would make any difference if somebody *really* wanted to copy/reverse engineer/other horrible things the pandora. If you have the PCb, you can just analyse the tracks and produce a schematic diagram from that.

It is a LOT of work, however, I know, when I was at uni and my hifi amplifier blew up I did just that. Musta been about 20+ hours of solid work to produce a half respectable diagram and that was on a single layer board. It was a considerably larger board though with many more individual components (but not solder points/chip legs).

So anyway, if I had a budget, a team, and a didn't mind butchering a pandora or two (might have to slice pcb layers), plus a couple of weeks and an actual financial incentive to do such a thing, I could do it.

I guess the hours and hours of mind numbing track tracing would put many a person off though so I guess it helps to protect the IP.

Perhaps a happy mendium would be releasing info about 'points of interest' the prime example I can think of being the pads for the extra shoulder buttons... or whatever buttons you want them to be. That's deliberate though. Perhaps 'these tracks carry the digital audio bitstream' if people wanted to fiddle with that or something similar.

 

[droneb]

But having the schematics of the pandora will make things so much easier to hack it, hence I would like to know if this will be released and in what format.

This information will not be released. However, if you have a particular hack in mind, I'm sure if you post about it, that Michael may very well reply with helpful advice.

TBh, unless we're talking about a many-layer PCB, I can't see why that would make any difference if somebody *really* wanted to copy/reverse engineer/other horrible things the pandora. If you have the PCb, you can just analyse the tracks and produce a schematic diagram from that.

It is a LOT of work, however, I know, when I was at uni and my hifi amplifier blew up I did just that. Musta been about 20+ hours of solid work to produce a half respectable diagram and that was on a single layer board. It was a considerably larger board though with many more individual components (but not solder points/chip legs).

So anyway, if I had a budget, a team, and a didn't mind butchering a pandora or two (might have to slice pcb layers), plus a couple of weeks and an actual financial incentive to do such a thing, I could do it.

I guess the hours and hours of mind numbing track tracing would put many a person off though so I guess it helps to protect the IP.

Perhaps a happy mendium would be releasing info about 'points of interest' the prime example I can think of being the pads for the extra shoulder buttons... or whatever buttons you want them to be. That's deliberate though. Perhaps 'these tracks carry the digital audio bitstream' if people wanted to fiddle with that or something similar.

well, something like that would be hard to do, but it would be extremely hard if we talk about more than 2 layers, (i dk how many layers the panda has), you would have to get a precision flat sanding machine or acid treatments. it would get the PCB Useless for sure, but right now theres hmm, very little amount of released PCB so it would be pretty hard (i would be cheking the guy who bought 10 Units )

 

[craigix]

Good luck going through eight layers then

Further good luck will be required in being allowed to order all the parts without an NDA too.

I highly doubt we will see any clone Pandora consoles, you would be more likely to see a clone PSP.

 

[nikkopt]

I will use this thread to ask something rather than making a new one..

I noticed that these final boards only have one IC on the right of the JTAG pads. Link
I'm not really sure but if i remember correctly, those IC's are somewhat related to the SD cards right? The previous boards had 2 of them and i thought it was one for each slot.. Was i wrong or this IC is different? Or even what i thought about the IC's was wrong..?!

 

[MrPoletski]

Good luck going through eight layers then

Further good luck will be required in being allowed to order all the parts without an NDA too.

I highly doubt we will see any clone Pandora consoles, you would be more likely to see a clone PSP.

haha... 8 layers.. hehe.. ok you got a good point there..

 

[Polossatik]

There will be a formal document listing everything anyone would need to do their hacking,...is to have it ready with the launch of the device or just after. I'm a bit short on time to do this right for now.

Thank you, I just wanted to clarify this. I'm looking forward to have this information.

I still want to get hundreds or thousands of spare connectors that plug into the A/V port to help people out if they need them. The part is no longer available for sampling or small orders so this might be the only way.

I doubt a bit you need thousands spare but it would be very welcome to have a source of this connector for small quantities orders.

This is the best reference to the ext port i can provide now - schematic of the breakout board, contains a pinout of the ext port as it comes to the breakout board as a 2x7 IDC connector (propably same numbering as in the ext connector...).

Here's the schematic for the breakout board: http://openpandora.ca/schematic/AV_Board_schematic.pdf

Thank you.

 

[Squidge]

I noticed that these final boards only have one IC on the right of the JTAG pads. Link
I'm not really sure but if i remember correctly, those IC's are somewhat related to the SD cards right? The previous boards had 2 of them and i thought it was one for each slot.. Was i wrong or this IC is different? Or even what i thought about the IC's was wrong..?!

One IC per sd slot wouldn't make any sense, as the OMAP should be able to talk SD directly. Maybe it needs voltage translation for the second SD slot however. Doesn't explain why it had two before though!

(Just a guess, don't quote me, before someone blames me for stating non-verifiable facts again...)

 

[Nation.A.List]

(Just a guess, don't quote me, before someone blames me for stating non-verifiable facts again...)

You just did .....again! ...... I swear I saw the word maybe

 

[Squidge]

Yes, you did, and its there for a reason. So you can't say its fact