Starving For Pandora!

[nubie]

For MWeston

I know this project is about open source? My question is will there be support for hardware hackers? I mean will schematic or documentation like for the beagleboard be available? Im not saying that this is completely same as beagleboard. Im only asking. Some people would also like to tweak their hardware once in a while. Thanks

That is a good question, since the OMAP is BGA I am assuming that we will only have access to traces coming out already, and I think MWeston has said that they are labeled with silkscreen.

As far as "open hardware" is concerned, what if he just provided a circuit diagram of those accessible pads?

The OMAP is afaik pretty open, there is a 30mb PDF on their website.

I wait to see what we will get I wield a mean soldering iron from time to time

 

[enigmacipher]

Alright, I want a Pandora badly, but I am young, and I have barely enough money for it. That is okay, I am willing to spend it, but I can't spend it unless I know EXACTLY what it will be like. That means I will have to wait for release. I will be there, the day it ships, reading every review available, but I imagine that the Pandora will sell out quickly. So I might be waiting for the second batch. I would REALLY like to have the Pandora on or before Christmas, and I want to know if that fast of a turn-around time is possible. Assuming the Pandora sells out almost immediately, how soon can we expect a second batch? From a business standpoint, if the Pandora sells out almost immediately, a second batch WILL be made. But that does not stop my fears and worries. Please tell me I am correct in assuming that their will be a second batch.

On a similar note, I want the Pandora team to succeed, financially, so I want to insure that enough profit is being made to warrant future Pandoras. If you guys don't think you are making enough money, please offer a optional 20 dollarish donation with the purchase of a Pandora. I CANNOT donate separately, but if it is included, I will fork over some cash.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

Gonna get back on topic real quick here guys. I've been spending alot of time messing with the homebrew scene on the wii. Seems to have really flourished in the past couple months. DVD playback + mplayer + network streaming + usb = ultimate media center. And the blue light strobes to the music.

Eh, I wouldn't quite say "ultimate", what with the non-HD playback and all.

Either way, I must say, I'm bummed I sold my copy of Twilight Princess as soon as I beat it. The Quake port was enough for me to want to run Wii Homebrew! Is there netplay for that yet? I had the chance to get a copy of TP yesterday, but I bet against it and ended up going for a Microsoft Points card and getting Braid. I still think I made the right choice, but it is tempting...

 

[waffles]

Alright, I want a Pandora badly, but I am young, and I have barely enough money for it. That is okay, I am willing to spend it, but I can't spend it unless I know EXACTLY what it will be like. That means I will have to wait for release. I will be there, the day it ships, reading every review available, but I imagine that the Pandora will sell out quickly. So I might be waiting for the second batch. I would REALLY like to have the Pandora on or before Christmas, and I want to know if that fast of a turn-around time is possible. Assuming the Pandora sells out almost immediately, how soon can we expect a second batch? From a business standpoint, if the Pandora sells out almost immediately, a second batch WILL be made. But that does not stop my fears and worries. Please tell me I am correct in assuming that their will be a second batch.

On a similar note, I want the Pandora team to succeed, financially, so I want to insure that enough profit is being made to warrant future Pandoras. If you guys don't think you are making enough money, please offer a optional 20 dollarish donation with the purchase of a Pandora. I CANNOT donate separately, but if it is included, I will fork over some cash.

I hear you. the thing you have to take into account is that if only 3000 or so units are sold, the community will be fairly small, and therefore few projects will be released. if you buy on the second (or even third) batch, you can buy guaranteed that there will be a wealth of software and support, and all possible hardware problems have been worked out.

 

[MWeston]

For MWeston

I know this project is about open source? My question is will there be support for hardware hackers? I mean will schematic or documentation like for the beagleboard be available? Im not saying that this is completely same as beagleboard. Im only asking. Some people would also like to tweak their hardware once in a while. Thanks

No, the hardware will not be open like it is with the Beagleboard. The BB is a development kit while Pandora is a consumer product. There is so much more to the Pandora hardware and many things I designed in myself. Full schematics, gerbers and design files are kept private in the interest of the product and my involvement.

Now, I really don't think that will affect anyone who wants to hack their system. That stuff is more of a benefit to someone who wanted to COPY the design. All of the connections made to the processor are documented in the source code so you will know what every pin does. These chips use via in pad technology and all the high speed stuff is sandwiched in the board between multiple plane layers so you couldn't actually scratch off the mask and start probing the signals anyway.

I will have a termination point for every signal I was able to fan out from the processor, implemented or not and all connectors and headers for the entire Pandora will be documented and freely available; Subject to that "at your own risk and voided warranty" clause of course.....

 

[nubie]

I will have a termination point for every signal I was able to fan out from the processor, implemented or not and all connectors and headers for the entire Pandora will be documented and freely available; Subject to that "at your own risk and voided warranty" clause of course.....



YESSS, pretty much what I expected. But more than I have ever seen from any hardware vendor on a product like this. There is no need to reveal your work, just document the pads that you were able to connect up for us. (I hope there aren't people trying to copy your work on this board, that wouldn't be nice.)

Go Devs! And a big thanks to MWeston for his great design work.

Seeing pads for hidden contacts is very important, since the move away from packages with legs it is nearly impossible to hack devices and add hardware functionality.

 

[enigmacipher]

I hear you. the thing you have to take into account is that if only 3000 or so units are sold, the community will be fairly small, and therefore few projects will be released. if you buy on the second (or even third) batch, you can buy guaranteed that there will be a wealth of software and support, and all possible hardware problems have been worked out.

I am very glad I was clear. And I suppose I am probably in the green. If the first batch doesnt sell out, and I buy into it, then there is no problem, but if the first batch sells out, then that is an indicator that a second batch will be made. I just hope it doesnt take to long.

 

[FRZ]

My acekard2 for my ds come yesterday in the mail. Waiting for my microsd card to also come in and I will be playing with those for a little while.

 

[nightwheel]

I've been snacking on the Pandora pics and Videos. And trying to run homebrew on my PSX. Which I have Fixed today

 

[Pylon_Trooper]

Ground Control II, Haegemonia bundle (thanks, Gamersgate) and a whole lotta F5-punching on OpenPandora.org. To no avail, but hey...keeps me occupied until the grand day.

 

[vhangell]

For MWeston

I know this project is about open source? My question is will there be support for hardware hackers? I mean will schematic or documentation like for the beagleboard be available? Im not saying that this is completely same as beagleboard. Im only asking. Some people would also like to tweak their hardware once in a while. Thanks

No, the hardware will not be open like it is with the Beagleboard. The BB is a development kit while Pandora is a consumer product. There is so much more to the Pandora hardware and many things I designed in myself. Full schematics, gerbers and design files are kept private in the interest of the product and my involvement.

Now, I really don't think that will affect anyone who wants to hack their system. That stuff is more of a benefit to someone who wanted to COPY the design. All of the connections made to the processor are documented in the source code so you will know what every pin does. These chips use via in pad technology and all the high speed stuff is sandwiched in the board between multiple plane layers so you couldn't actually scratch off the mask and start probing the signals anyway.

I will have a termination point for every signal I was able to fan out from the processor, implemented or not and all connectors and headers for the entire Pandora will be documented and freely available; Subject to that "at your own risk and voided warranty" clause of course.....



Yes! This was what I meant. Having documentation for each terminal points available is enough. I think there is no need to copy the design, as it is already available. All it needs are hackers that would tweak and mod it to their liking.

@"at your own risk and voided warranty"
duh, just buy a new one Im so excited!!

 

[legoboy1234]

playing quake 2 on my wii... and ff4 on my ds... and playing portal's bonus maps... DANG IT, RELEASE IT ALREADY :blink: !!!!!!!!!!!!!! btw are they using the white or black cases for the pandora?

 

[midnitdragoon]

theve release the pre-order dates yes? I have a feeling those will be pushed back till december to further optimize it and fix whatever =P

I suggest you get your homebrew fix with a custom firmware psp if you have one.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

theve release the pre-order dates yes? I have a feeling those will be pushed back till december to further optimize it and fix whatever =P

I suggest you get your homebrew fix with a custom firmware psp if you have one.

Yeah, MWeston said preorders will be potentially on September 15th for forum readers, 30th for everyone else, with a release around mid-November, October if things go 100% smoothly.

As far as color goes, I do contemplate whether or not the white one will be available as well as the black; I know that most of the shots are of a black Pandora, but there's still renders of white ones and that icon andora2: over there. I think a white option would be sweet!

 

[voidedx]

I will preorder the moment I find out that I can (27 days to go). I would prefer the white case, but I would get the black if that was the only option.

 

[WizardStan]

If the case is white, I can almost guarantee you'll get at least one person asking "is that the new iPod?"
My headphones broke, so I bought some white earbuds. Someone wondered if there were any compatibility issues using iPod earbuds on a PSP. I weep for humanity.

 

[whiskthecat]

If the case is white, I can almost guarantee you'll get at least one person asking "is that the new iPod?"
My headphones broke, so I bought some white earbuds. Someone wondered if there were any compatibility issues using iPod earbuds on a PSP. I weep for humanity.

Well if it's black they will think it is some type of psp. Happened all the time with my gp2x. As for headphones, I always use black ones.

 

[CronoTriggerfan]

If the case is white, I can almost guarantee you'll get at least one person asking "is that the new iPod?"
I'd think more people would draw the comparison between the DS/Lite if it were in white as opposed to the iPod. Besides the radically different design, Jobs appears to be infatuated over black products lately, i.e. iPod Touch, iPhone, etc.

 

[TaG]

If the case is white, I can almost guarantee you'll get at least one person asking "is that the new iPod?"
I'd think more people would draw the comparison between the DS/Lite if it were in white as opposed to the iPod. Besides the radically different design, Jobs appears to be infatuated over black products lately, i.e. iPod Touch, iPhone, etc.So black or white it will be called a clone of something. NDS has released all sorts of colours lately. So we're back to full-on carbon fibre. Or stick with the 'specially textured' mk0 style.

 

[whiskthecat]

You forgot 24k gold plated. Pimp a Pandora.