Unofficial Openpandora Community Blog

[dingens]

Good news
I remember DJWillis posting in the Beagleboard IRC about using G1's driver long ago. I should check the log, there could be new info.
Edit:
DJWillis explains the driver situation:

I don’t see why they couldn’t have just included the closed source WIFI drier in the firmware until the open source one was ready; add it the first update.

I’ll elaborate sometime on that but lets just say that is not a viable option for many reasons.

—

Anyway, we actually have 2 open source options so I’ll give people a little background.

One is the TI WiLink 4 based ‘partial’ driver that was opened as part of the Google Android G1 release.

This driver is unfortunately a mess and really has no place in a modern system (ancient design architecture, lots of semi-bespoke shims, some really nasty bugs etc.).

We can use this driver if you don’t mind setting it up from one clunky user space app that crashes a lot and lacks solid support for things like WEP/WPA etc. – Really this driver is only of use for hardware validation not real use from users. Even after I hacked in Wireless Extensions support (yep, the driver is THAT old) it’s still not a driver I would want to use (sorry but I hate lots of nasty random mem leaks and errors).

—

The next open option is the WL12xx driver written by Kalle Valo of Nokia. This is a nice modern driver (MAC80211) and is already in Wireless-Testing (as of a few days ago) and on its way to mainline.

This driver was SPI only but a gent by the name of Bob Copeland added the start of SDIO support and we are working off that base to bring the driver up on the Pandora so we have a nice solid mainline driver to use that is actively developed, supports the Pandora out of the gate, and is easy to maintain.

As of now I have the WL2151 firmware loading on the Pandora with the new driver and lots of nice signs of life but the work is a little way away from passing traffic (the Linux SDIO stack is causing me pain).

Not sure if that counts as an update .

but I have been getting some helpful advice on that front so the plan is to sink a few hours into that over the weekend. Started to push a few simple patches upstream for things like chip ID's so with any luck by the time the driver hits mainline the Pandora should 'just work' if I can nail all the SDIO bits.

Once I get things settled (hopefully) I want to have a play with trying to get hostapd going as I have some funky uses for a mobile access point in mind .

If anyone wants patches (or is familiar with the kernels SDIO stack) drop me a bell.

John

 

[Esn]

Craig update: UPS problems again
Craig mental condition update: Make a blog post guys, why not?

 

[Bosbeetle]

Maybe a linkt to the openpandora last.fm group can be added to the links section of the blog. Just for people like me that want to scrobble from the pandora directly.

(see signature)

Oh and why is openpandora.ca mwestons page not on the list?

 

[gruso]

Last.fm group added. Interesting top ten artists!

I haven't added MW's site because it's kind of a placeholder site more than anything. Especially next to the other three official sites, which all have consistent styling & content. Might cause confusion.

 

[Bosbeetle]

thanks

 

[Qwertyuiop]

New official blog update by ED.

QUOTE ("Official Blog")
It has begun.

Well, sort of. We placed our order for the production run of the first 105 boards today!
Yes, it's really happening. Production of the boards does take about 4 weeks from now on, around July 24th (they need to be shipped to us), the first REAL boards will arrive. One of it could be yours, as those boards will be used in final units!

On the case side, things are still being worked on, but the to-do list is getting shorter and shorter.
It's really hard to say how long DaveC still needs to work on this, as he has very little time, but he is barely doing anything else except going to work and working on the case... thanks for that, Dave!
That's our short snippet for today, I'll keep you updated when more stuff happens.


http://www.openpandora.org/blog.php

 

[gruso]

Thx. I missed the post from DJWillis above too, I should put that up.

 

[(naw)mcx]

http://openxile.co.uk/2009/06/19/it-has-begun/
Don't mind us

 

[PoisonedV]

http://openxile.co.uk/2009/06/19/it-has-begun/
Don't mind us

stop being
1. an openxile whore
2. a cunt

 

[gp2.eXe]

http://openxile.co.uk/2009/06/19/it-has-begun/
Don't mind us

B)

 

[danielliu88888]

http://openxile.co.uk/2009/06/19/it-has-begun/[/URL]
Don't mind us ;"]

stop being
1. an openxile whore
2. a cunt

only when you stop being a cunt

 

[gp2.eXe]

New blog post by Craig: "At least I'm Not Dead"
The discussion is being held here: Thread

Thanks to Defo for pointing it out (again), you should be part of the openXile team .

Team which by the way already has an entry about it...

 

[(naw)mcx]

New blog post by Craig: "At least I'm Not Dead"
The discussion is being held here: Thread

Thanks to Defo for pointing it out (again), you should be part of the openXile team .

Team which by the way already has an entry about it...

 

[gp2.eXe]

^Hey, the old logo is back? Nice.

 

[maddis]

http://pandora.dcemu.co.uk/

I don't this has been added yet. I think its worth mentioning for future emulator and app lists

I've started a discussion Here

Edit: Looks like ppl already know about this, ah well, looks like its old news

 

[Qwertyuiop]

Minor update by ED about shipping the board parts.

that is being held up.

Which really does show some weirdness...

Well, at least it means there shouldn't really be any delay caused by that. The first 2000 Pandora boards can already be manufactured


http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?act=f...&pid=737066

 

[emil10001]

MWeston posted a nice update/clarification on the first 100, and beyond:
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/48538-how-do-we-decide/page__view__findpost__p__739278

 

[danielliu88888]

pickle running virtualboy advance on the pandora

part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS0opLPttlE
part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmM4zOih61c

 

[gruso]

Cheers lads.


Those videos say "VirtualBoy Advance" but I think they're supposed to say "VisualBoy Advance." Does this make sense to other people?

 

[lulzfish]

True. Virtual Boy was the god-awful game console. VisualBoy is the Game Boy emulator.