Some Pandora questions

[Wintersdark]

I've a few questions about Pandora. There are likely answers on a web site somewhere, but I'm not sure where so I figured I'd just ask.


My understanding is that Pandora is running a modified version of Ubuntu as the default OS. Is it fairly simply to run normal linux apps on Pandora? In essence using Pandora as a flexible handheld game console+netbook? Say, to run OpenOffice.


Pandora runs entirely off SD card(s), correct? What filesystems are supported?


I'm very interested in Pandora, but while I'm definitely into running emulated games on it (I love my old NES and SNES games) I really, really want a flexible, open mobile internet device so I can work remotely on things where my iphone's tiny onscreen keyboard just isn't sufficient.


Or am I expecting something from it that it's not designed to provide?

 

[tsh]

I'm very interested in Pandora, but while I'm definitely into running emulated games on it (I love my old NES and SNES games) I really, really want a flexible, open mobile internet device so I can work remotely on things where my iphone's tiny onscreen keyboard just isn't sufficient.

Which is odd, since those questions don't really answer that. Remote working is possible if you have a web interface, or command line.


The OS has the same base as Ubuntu, both are derivatives of linux. It is not trivial to run any linux app, it will need to be re-compiled for the ARM processor (unless it already exists in the Angstrom distribution) and ideally packaged up in a PND format to make it trivial to use. OpenOffice may not work, Flash does not work yet.


SD support includes FAT, EXT2, EXT3 and soon EXT4, maybe others too. What was your specific question?


The keyboard is better than a touchscreen, but still only really good for thumb typing.

 

[Ravngr]

Heaps of Linux apps have already been ported to Angstrom, there's a list/search here.


I havn't got mine yet so I can't tell you how useable it is, but there are plenty of reviews on the (old) boards

 

[Gerix]

Hello, and welcome to the site.


I believe the Pandora is actually running Angstrom Linux. To my knowledge, it is not a fork of Ubuntu. Not all Linux applications can run on the Pandora, because some of the hardware is different. But many of them are getting ported over and in some cases, the changes needed are minimal. The ported software is stored in a PND file, which is supposed to allow for a drag and drop installation. By the way, OpenOffice has been ported, to my understanding.


The Pandora has a NAND for the operating system and some utilities. Everything else is run from SDHC cards. I'm afraid I haven't caught supported file systems.


Yes, it can also be used as a mobile internet device.


Edit: Wow, so that's what a ninja feels like. h34r:

 

[DaMummy]

pandora is confirmed to run sdxc as well, meaning theoretically, its able to take 2 terabytes sdxc per slot

 

[joseLuís]

pandora is confirmed to run sdxc as well, meaning theoretically, its able to take 2 terabytes sdxc per slot

Interesting text snippets extracted from the wikipedia:


«The maximum capacity defined for SDXC cards is 2 TB (2048 GB). The older SDHC cards also have a maximum capacity of 2 TB based on the card data structures, but this is artificially limited to 32 GB by the SD 2.0 specification. The first SDXCs being released are governed by an SD 3.0 specification (which also still specifies FAT32 and thus lower capacities), whereas higher capacity and faster SDXCs are expected to follow an SD 4.0 specification, which was due to be released in spring of 2010»


«In the 3.0 specification, the electronic interface of SDHC and SDXC cards is the same. The decision to label cards with a capacity greater than 32GB as SDXC, and to use a different filesystem, is due solely to the limitations in creating larger filesystems in certain versions of Microsoft Windows. Other operating systems, such as Linux, make no distinction between SDHC and SDXC cards, as long as the card contains a compatible filesystem.»


«SDHC devices will only support the SDXC cards which use UHS104 speeds; SDHC devices will not recognize the SDXC cards which use the faster (SD 4.0), final specification of SDXC.[47]»

 

[Gerix]

Here is a link to EvilDragon's youtube account. He's one of the developers. There are many videos about gaming as well as a few regarding other applications.


http://www.youtube.com/user/EvilDragon1717?blend=2&ob=1

 

[Tensuke]

joseLuis brings up a valid point. Only 64gb SDXC cards have been shown to work on the Pandora, we can't be sure that many more will. But, I think 128gb is plenty, espcially since you can hotswap them, and if you really NEEDED to you could plug in a flashdrive or external hdd.

 

[joseLuís]

Well, that was the context. I'm sure there will be SDHC compatible cards bigger than 64GB (either SD 2.0 or 3.0), same as happened with 4GB SDs.

 

[neko]

Well, that was the context. I'm sure there will be SDHC compatible cards bigger than 64GB (either SD 2.0 or 3.0), same as happened with 4GB SDs.

SDXC cards are SDHC-compatible cards. "SDXC" is just a designation for marketing purposes, the electronic interface is the same. When I put a SDXC card in my pandora, the kernel reports it as an SDHC card.

 

[panik]

Also, all debian-arm packages are binary compatible with Angstrom on the Pandora. Ubuntu is based on Debian. So in theory, you can run all debian/ubuntu software directly on the pandora.

 

[Prometheus]

NTFS is supported.

Not out of the box, though - you need to install the Community Codec Pack to enable this.

 

[Trip]

SDXC cards are SDHC-compatible cards. "SDXC" is just a designation for marketing purposes, the electronic interface is the same. When I put a SDXC card in my pandora, the kernel reports it as an SDHC card.

IIRC there is a difference between SDXC and the current SDHC cards but the SDXC cards that are currently out will work because the new specification hasn't been fully implemented yet.


Personally I wouldn't tell people that the Pandora can handle any more than 2x32GB SDHC cards (64GB total) until some of the newer cards are fully tested just in case.

 

[joseLuís]

SDXC cards are SDHC-compatible cards. "SDXC" is just a designation for marketing purposes, the electronic interface is the same. When I put a SDXC card in my pandora, the kernel reports it as an SDHC card.

Yes, that's what I said 4 posts before yours :mellow:

Personally I wouldn't tell people that the Pandora can handle any more than 2x32GB SDHC cards (64GB total) until some of the newer cards are fully tested just in case.

All SDXC cards compliant with SD Memory Standard, Ver. 3.00 should work out of the box. And none of the ones compliant with Ver. 4.00 of standard (advertised as 104MB/s) will work.

 

[Ratfink]

My understanding is that Pandora is running a modified version of Ubuntu as the default OS.

IIRC, Ångström is not Ubuntu-based (thank God).

 

[maplesugarlover]

The Pandora should be able to read all sdxc cards. It just won't be able to use their maximum speed. You could also say that the pandora is usb 3 compatible, but it just doesn't go faster or supply more power than usb 2.

 

[Gerix]

...Did we scare him away?

 

[maplesugarlover]

Scare who?

 

[Letalis Sonus]

You could also say that the pandora is usb 3 compatible, but it just doesn't go faster or supply more power than usb 2.

You know that each USB generation needs an own controller? You can not say it's USB 3 compatible, for the simple reason that devices which only have an USB 3 controller will not work (have fun plugging in your USB 1.1 stuff into the Pandora's USB 2 connector without a hub. It won't work 'cause it has no USB 1.1 controller). In that case it depends on the available controllers on both sides, and you cannot expect that every device comes with all controllers prior its advertised USB generation.

 

[joseLuís]

The Pandora should be able to read all sdxc cards. It just won't be able to use their maximum speed. You could also say that the pandora is usb 3 compatible, but it just doesn't go faster or supply more power than usb 2.

All of the above is utterly wrong.