TV-out questions

[kc187]

Hello guys,


I'm interested in experimenting with my OpenPandora on an HDTV. I've been seeing some mini HDMI to HDMI cables in my local electronics shop; would one of these work as a TV-out for my Pandora? Or is the TV-out on my Pandora proprietary to the cables the OP team is making?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Prometheus]

The connector is proprietary, so you can't use readily-available cables that easily. Moreover, the Pandora cannot output an HD picture, either, so my understanding is that HDMI cables probably won't get you anywhere.


Unfortunately, the official TV-out cables have not yet been produced (though, the last I saw it mentioned, the plan was to get production on those started once Pandora production has gotten rolling in Germany, if memory serves). In the meantime, though, fellow forumer, peca, has been making some custom ones. I have one myself - they're very well-made, and work excellently.

 

[F_Slim]

Actually according to one of the last news-posts ED asked for a new quotation and will order the cables as soon as he has it.

 

[WizardStan]

And technically the connector isn't proprietary, it's just a pain in the butt to get ahold of.


Further to what Prometheus said, the Pandora's TV out is s-video/RCA connectors, so standard definition only. The Pandora's resolution is only 800x480 anyway, so even if you could plug in some HD cables you'd still only get a 480p signal at best.

 

[Nardella]

you'd still only get a 480p signal at best.

You can get "576p" on some screens that support pal input.

 

[T.T.]

I'm pretty sure the OMAP3530 can put out DVI-D, but I think you would have to solder directly to the chip.

 

[TrashyMG]

I'm pretty sure the OMAP3530 can put out DVI-D, but I think you would have to solder directly to the chip.

It can, but the LCD is using the channels that would output the DVI-D.

 

[EvilDragon]

I'm pretty sure the OMAP3530 can put out DVI-D, but I think you would have to solder directly to the chip.

It's used for the LCD. We either could use HDMI / DVI-D or the LCD.


That's why the BeagleBoard has HDMI and the Pandora doesn't - the output is alreay being used

 

[T.T.]

I'm pretty sure the OMAP3530 can put out DVI-D, but I think you would have to solder directly to the chip.

It's used for the LCD. We either could use HDMI / DVI-D or the LCD.


That's why the BeagleBoard has HDMI and the Pandora doesn't - the output is alreay being used

That makes sense

 

[Emnasut]

Would it be possible to reroute it like with the headphone jack, i.e. when using HDMI the LCD would not get any signal at alle but we'd have a higher resolution output?

 

[Neelix]

Would it be possible to reroute it like with the headphone jack, i.e. when using HDMI the LCD would not get any signal at alle but we'd have a higher resolution output?

That's an interesting thought, not sure of the physical space issues here... the most obvious way to do this would be a circuit which plugs into the LCD cable socket with a socket of its own for the LCD cable itself... not sure if it is actually practical...


- Neelix

 

[WizardStan]

It is possible and was discussed years and years ago but MWeston just couldn't find the room to put the parts needed on the board, not without added great expense anyway. I seem to recall OMAP4 and beyond has two digital video outputs (although I originally also thought OMAP3 had two, so take what I say as frequently wrong) so a Pandora 2 with an upgraded SoC would probably be much easier to get hdmi/dvi output from.