Update regarding the cases (and some other things)


Pyramancer said:
6. Multiplexer bypass solution still to be tested; if not effective, an alternative solution might need to be found.
9. New prototype hardware including fixes (some already identified) needs to be made. And tested.
10. [Possible final iteration of prototype hardware.]

12. Prototype of thermal solution needs to be made and tested.
13. [Possible iterations of thermal solution.]
14. Thermal solution components must be mass produced.

16. Final tweaks to keymat need to be made and tested.
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Swordfish II said:
6, 12, 13, 14, 16 are all done/not necessary
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I was shocked and upset to see what I'd written quoted with yet another obstreperous and belligerent post by m@t. :( But then I realised that this had happened through the quirk of the forum software that merges consecutive posts!

I'm happy to hear that more things have been ticked off the list already or will be entirely unnecessary. :) Seems I missed some things. I hope you won't mind me asking for clarification of some of them.

Re: 6 (and 9 to 10):

In the initial post in this thread [1], EvilDragon said that zmatt had not had an opportunity to complete testing of the multiplexer bypass, but had set aside some time to work on it this weekend (the one that's just finished). So it seems to me that 6 is not quite yet done. Has there been further news on this that I've missed?

Re-reading the post though, my understanding is that, if zmatt doesn't turn up the need for any modifications that can't be tested by jumpering the existing prototype, then there will be no need for another prototype run, and we can go straight to mass production. Which would be very nice news and it could make 9 and 10 disappear. :)

Re: 12, 13, and 14:

By the "thermal solution" here, I didn't mean the measures that have been taken in the circuit boards themselves, but rather the solution external to the circuit boards. I'm fuzzy on the details, but I had imagined a thermal connection widget between the CPU board and the main board and a large aluminium plate between the CPU board and the case. Was there a post that I missed that said that the design of these had been finalized, and indeed that the parts have already been mass produced? Or do you mean that these parts have been determined to be unnecessary?

Re: 16:

I thought that the purpose of mailing the current prototype keymat around [2] was to form a consensus about whether it is in the Goldilocks zone, of if it is now slightly too soft. Also, wasn't there a very recent tweak to the design of the keymat to resolve the slightly mushy d-pad problem? EvilDragon also mentioned minor modifications to the size of the ABXY keycaps. These three items were what lead me to think that there would be, or that there might be, another keyboard prototype before the final version is mass produced.

[1] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/update-regarding-the-cases-and-some-other-things.80376/
[2] https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/threads/test-the-keymat.80259/
 
Actually , I wouldn't mind seeing some more info on the final thermal solution. Some pics of the heat plate/sink would also be great
 
I don't think they're glossy fwiw. Looks like they have strip lighting there, so all you're getting is the highly scattered reflection of two or three flourescent strips there. And highly scattered reflections is what you get when you have discrete light sources on matte material.
 
Looks great, just please, for the love of god, don't paint or coat this plastic. Even if it has little weird reflection things in the light (clear would probably solve that btw).

I really don't want another painted portable that's going to chip and that I can't comfortably and confidentially set down and carry around.

Fingers crossed!
 
Wonder what's wrong with the hinge? Looks kinda funny
also looks like m@t got the ban hammer or something, none of his posts are showing and the account links no-where
 
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Pyramancer said:
19. The installed GNU/Linux needs to be polished for a satisfactory user experience, possibly including bug fixes in drivers.
20. Final OS image needs to be produced and tested.
21. OS image needs to be flashed into assembled Pyras.
Click to expand...

I'm not bothered about this. I'd rather have the hardware as soon as it's finished, so I can help polish the user experience! Besides, there's no such thing as a "final OS image" - it will continue to be improved as time goes on. I appreciate that maybe some preorderers expect a fully polished device, but 1) I think those are the minority and 2) the more people have a device in their hands, the faster that work will go.
 
Can't I leave you for 3 days on your own? ;-)
Just had time today and couldn't bring myself to read through totally, but it seems m@t (dis)solved himself?

anyway @EvilDragon : Thanks for what is the possibly the best documented open-hardware "History of a development".
Any idea if some of us (who aren't skilled in hardware or software as required) can help out in the current situation (except from building strange pixeldisplays for events or making rings?)
 
The case looks great in my opinion. If this will be the only colour available I'm totally fine with it (although I'd love a retro-gray one).
I really like the finishing of the case.

I posted the pics to my diaspora pod to spread the word a bit... I'm waiting for more visual input :)
 
Arkay Firestar said:
Looks great, just please, for the love of god, don't paint or coat this plastic.
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That's one of the mistakes fixed already from the OpenPandora era, :)

And as far as i remember, colors for the case would be red, black and transparent, unless doing more than two is too much.
 
dTal said:
I'm not bothered about this. I'd rather have the hardware as soon as it's finished, so I can help polish the user experience! Besides, there's no such thing as a "final OS image" - it will continue to be improved as time goes on. I appreciate that maybe some preorderers expect a fully polished device, but 1) I think those are the minority and 2) the more people have a device in their hands, the faster that work will go.
Click to expand...
Yes. Perhaps when the hardware is ready, if a polished OS experience isn't ready yet, there can be a pre-release Pyra made available for purchase by those for whom the installed software isn't important. Then the other group who want / need a polished installed OS can wait until the "retail" release.

I'm not sure if this second group is the minority though. No way of telling really, and the boundary is fuzzy: I suppose it will depend in part on how far along the software side of things is at the time of the putative pre-release.

On the other hand, maybe a polished OS image will be ready before the final hardware goes into mass production and this whole train of thought will disappear in a puff of inconsequentiality!
 
@m@t : I can understand your frustration and for what it’s worth I don’t think you’re trolling. However I do suspect you have very little understanding of what it takes to get a project like the Pyra off the ground. You also come across as suffering from having a massively overblown sense of personal entitlement. If you think the delay has been too long then cancel your pre order, it really is as simple as that. Constant whining and bizarre legal threats will get you nowhere.

It’s a genuine surprise and pleasure to me that there are not many more voices that echo your sentiments.

@EvilDragon: Great to see that case production has started, not sure I like the positioning of the wifi antennas ;)

Can you give us a summary of what has to be done now before the prototypes are produced?

It was very interesting to read the news post from @Askarus, if you could find time to post your thoughts and experiences on the Pyra development that would make some interesting reading. Perhaps that would be better after the mass production is underway.

It’s very hard to offer any advice / suggestions as to how best to proceed with the Pyra without a clear understanding of your hopes / desires for the project, if you could find time to clarify this then it would hopefully help us to help you.
 
EvilDragon said:
And I know this is quite a long wait - and honestly: If you ever consider starting such a project... don't. It's really really stressful.
And unless you are as lucky as I am having such an awesome community like yourselves being so patient and following every little step... well, it could certainly drive you crazy.

I honestly do NOT want to be in the shoes of some Kickstarter / Indiegogo guys when backers get impatient with all the delays...

Once more, I can only say THANKS!
We'll get there.
Click to expand...

Don't let it get you down ED. I remember reading about all the hurdles you had during the development of the pandora. To me it seems like the work on the pyra has gone pretty smoothly by comparison!

Also for me at least (and I suspect many others as well) your communication makes a huge difference. It gives me confidence when I buy stuff from you - I know that you're going to be open and honest about things and that you won't e.g make false claims in order to make a sale. I also know from reading all your communications that you won't ship a product that isn't ready - you'll work to iron out all the problems rather than just rushing into production like others would. Personally I'd rather wait and have my pyra be awesome than have it tomorrow and full of problems. Thank you for your communication and updates. Yes it's frustrating but these things will be worked out eventually, just like they were for the pandora, and the result will be a completely awesome computer that I'll be happy to hand over my money to own. I keep saying to people "I can't wait for the pyra", but the truth is that I can and will wait, happy in the knowledge that when I get my pyra it's going to be even more awesome than my pandora.

Don't thank the community, we should be thanking you! :)
 
dTal said:
I'm not bothered about this. I'd rather have the hardware as soon as it's finished, so I can help polish the user experience! Besides, there's no such thing as a "final OS image" - it will continue to be improved as time goes on. I appreciate that maybe some preorderers expect a fully polished device, but 1) I think those are the minority and 2) the more people have a device in their hands, the faster that work will go.
Click to expand...
I like this idea, and I would be willing to receive one as early as possible, polished or not.
 
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