The road from a first PCB version to a fully working prototype is a long one.
Moving to Kernel 3.17
Nikolaus is working at two things at the same time: Getting kernel 3.17 to work with all hardware AND testing the hardware itself.
There are two reasons to switch to 3.17:
1. It's the latest one (which we also want to use on the final unit)
2. He's also working with 3.17 on the GTA04, and quite a bit of hardware is similar, so it saves some work.
Mostly, Kernel 3.17 is now working fine without major issues.
What's nice is that the CPU temperature is even lower than with the 3.8 kernel (about 10 degrees less on idle state).
The mainboard tests
Now, onto testing the features of the mainboard.
First, let's start with what has already been tested and is working fine:
Can't be tested yet (as we need the CPU-Board or the next revision of the motherboard:
Case design
FormAction (the case design company) is back from summer holidays, so we resumed the work there as well.
I'm working on giving detailed explanations how the shoulder buttons should work internally and externally, and we also want to try out Fusion_Powers design as well as optimized the one I suggested.
The OS
Things are moving along, slow, but sure.
We've setup various gits (http://dev.pyra-handheld.com/) and will soon populate them.
The basic creation of a rootfs using debootstrap is already working, now we need work out how to do automatic package creation from sourcecodes and scripts and maybe move to multistrap (so we can create the image directly on the server, not using the EVM).
Other stuff
Two batteries from two different companies have been sent to FormAction. One is thicker, one is wider than Pandoras one, both have 6000mAh.
They will let me know which one would fit better into our case.
We'll most probably use the BOE display, as the quality is great and we already got it to work.
We still want to test the success and maybe a Sharp one.
Oh, and as someone requested it:
The Blog now has an RSS feed as well.
Moving to Kernel 3.17
Nikolaus is working at two things at the same time: Getting kernel 3.17 to work with all hardware AND testing the hardware itself.
There are two reasons to switch to 3.17:
1. It's the latest one (which we also want to use on the final unit)
2. He's also working with 3.17 on the GTA04, and quite a bit of hardware is similar, so it saves some work.
Mostly, Kernel 3.17 is now working fine without major issues.
What's nice is that the CPU temperature is even lower than with the 3.8 kernel (about 10 degrees less on idle state).
The mainboard tests
Now, onto testing the features of the mainboard.
First, let's start with what has already been tested and is working fine:
- Keyboard-Backlight LEDs
- Shoulder Buttons
- Nub buttons
- Nubs (Position etc.)
- Keyboard
- Sensor: BMP180 (digital barometric pressure sensor)
- DC/DC-Converter for the USB-Hosts ports
- RGB-LEDs
- Stresstest VBUS
- Mikrofon-Detect-Switch
- CPU-Reset-Logic (LSH-BOTTOM + Poweron)
- Charger-Bypass
- FTDI232 (Linux console)
- Charger
- Vibration motor, Microfone, Speakers
- Modem-USB, Modem-Ignite, GPS
- INA231 (for checking modem status)
- Fuel Gauge(s)
- Other sensors
Can't be tested yet (as we need the CPU-Board or the next revision of the motherboard:
- HDMI
- eSATA
- USB-OTG 2/3
- Audio
- WLAN/BT
- Display connected to the mainboard
Case design
FormAction (the case design company) is back from summer holidays, so we resumed the work there as well.
I'm working on giving detailed explanations how the shoulder buttons should work internally and externally, and we also want to try out Fusion_Powers design as well as optimized the one I suggested.
The OS
Things are moving along, slow, but sure.
We've setup various gits (http://dev.pyra-handheld.com/) and will soon populate them.
The basic creation of a rootfs using debootstrap is already working, now we need work out how to do automatic package creation from sourcecodes and scripts and maybe move to multistrap (so we can create the image directly on the server, not using the EVM).
Other stuff
Two batteries from two different companies have been sent to FormAction. One is thicker, one is wider than Pandoras one, both have 6000mAh.
They will let me know which one would fit better into our case.
We'll most probably use the BOE display, as the quality is great and we already got it to work.
We still want to test the success and maybe a Sharp one.
Oh, and as someone requested it:
The Blog now has an RSS feed as well.
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