We Are No Longer Taking Hardware Suggestions

[nubie]

I think I am just upset at people who want to spend as much money on an accessory for the pandora to make it "un-portable" as it would cost to get a complete PC with much much better specifications that is nearly as portable (Shuttle K45 $100, Core2 Celeron $25, 2Gigs DDR2 $60, card with outputs $50, They offer a $200 model with 512MB of RAM and an 80GB hard drive, just need a video card at that point.)

So true. It looks like many people want to use the Pandora as some kind of Desktop replacement at home, connected with a Full Size Keyboard, a Mouse, a TV/ screen, Docking Station, External HDD etc :lol:
The main reason why I want the Pandora is because it's a MOBILE Device and nearly everything is included, I like this. Even adapters should stay far away from the Pandora (but I think I will need one to have a 45° headphone plug for pocket usage) untill you really want to play onto the TV. I'm glad that this will be much more easy than connecting the GP2X to the TV.


Hey, I want to make my Pandora into a dockable full PC (I just do, that is all). Since there isn't any proper video out (just try to browse the web over S-Video, I get a headache after a short time), I have kinda given up on that idea, unless I can convert it into a projector (lumenlab.com), then it would be an awesome PC.

Most Xbox homebrew is programmed with the XDK, which makes it illegal. Technically, yes; homebrew can be legal on the Xbox and there is a handful of stuff that uses the Open SDK, but all the good stuff like emulators are made with the official XDK, which is illegal to use without a license for whatever is being made with it.

I know, besides the fact I can't get it to output anything but 640x480 with my VGA mod (which still looks awesome in native pixel res on my projector, suprisingly not as good as my VGA Dreamcast, which I guess is good news for the pandora, it should have some sweet graphics.)

Oh, and it can't play high-def media, or record anything, like video capture, let alone HD video capture.

I think the number one hardware change needs to be more ram, and as we all know that is simply not possible at this time (custom style ram package), all of this other stuff would need more memory to work properly wouldn't it?

 

[CyruzDraxs]

I wonder how nice 2 OMAP2530's would play together on the same board--twice the processing power, twice the memory; sounds good to me. -fantasizes-

 

[Karel Jansens]

I like Chad's idea of the One Device To Rule Them All, but I feel we shouldn't so much be thinking about a docking station in the traditional sense (a base you plug your Pandora MK2 in), rather than embrace the notion of the virtual docking station, where all connections to peripherals are done by either Bluetooth or wireless USB.

The Pandora's "docking station" would simply be its charger, near a wireless keyboard, monitor, whatever-kewl-new-peripheral. You'd plug it in (or not, but that would eat up battery juice, obviously), hit a button on the Pandora, marked "Dock" (or whatever) and you'd be desktopping...

Now obviously this won't be possible with Pandora Mk1 (unless some sort of WiFi miracle occurs), but I'm betting that combined WiFi-BT-wirelessUSB chips will be easily available by the time Mk2 hits the alleyways.

 

[chad78]

I like Chad's idea of the One Device To Rule Them All, but I feel we shouldn't so much be thinking about a docking station in the traditional sense (a base you plug your Pandora MK2 in), rather than embrace the notion of the virtual docking station, where all connections to peripherals are done by either Bluetooth or wireless USB.

I think that a wireless dock would be awesome, but until wireless USB becomes more widespread - we deal with what we have, (or, hope to soon have, as the Pandora's case might be).

Here's what I'm thinking - one (powered) USB (2.0) hub with an external hard drive, keyboard, mouse, and another USB hub plugged into it. The other USB hub would have 4 game pads plugged into it. If you have a BlueTooth KB/M that's great, too. But for me - most BlueTooth keyboards are small. I want a full sized keyboard with a number pad and everything. An ergonomic one at that. Then, of course, the monitor (or TV actually, since it's S-Video out), some speakers, and a charger.

If VGA is possible through USB - then that would be on the first hub. My multi-function printer has WiFi, so wouldn't need to plug it in, although, I don't know if drivers would exist for it.

 

[Karel Jansens]

I think that a wireless dock would be awesome, but until wireless USB becomes more widespread - we deal with what we have, (or, hope to soon have, as the Pandora's case might be)

Hence my reference to the Mark 2. Obviously, for my wireless dock to become a reality, hardware modifications need to be made to the Pandora. It'd need Wireless USB for one thing (it really should be built in).

Still, a "regular" USB dock would be a nice interim solution, but this really is something any user can do at her/his own leisure. It would be a stop-gap solution, as I don't see an easy way to get audio out without another plug to plug in. Monitors aren't really as big a deal as is being made out: USB to VGA adapters exist, and even Linux drivers for these exist. You're probably not going to watch videos or play games over such an adapter, but for productivity apps it should be just fine.

 

[quartercast]

Stickied, unless someone else thinks it shouldn't be...

I think this isn't really your (Chad, prophet, whoever else voted for this) choice to make. Who are you to stifle hardware discussion of an open, essentially home-brewed device? I refer you to mfk's comment on the "first page" of this thread, he's one of the "big 4" or "big 6" or however many original HARDWARE developers and I think his comment should be considered.

And who's this mysterious WE? A bunch of forum regulars like myself? I wouldn't feel comfortable posting a topic like this, I would feel arrogant and out of my depth - no matter how sick I was of replying to other people's hardware suggestions. Really, this is a post for the big 6 to make. Sorry guys, I vote -1.

 

[MarkoeZ]

^ this post was stickied by a mod, and for a reason. People are tyring to get additions/revisions in a stage where it's not realistic. Ofcourse everyone can dream, there are just a lot of topics for that so pick an existing one. Just my opinion.

 

[realyst]

This is a mighty fine idea for a thread. Any of you worried this is "stifling" a "free and open discussion" should lighten up.

If people keep throwing out(some, though not all of these silly) ideas well past the finalization date of the device, things will get out of hand and expectations will go all wonky. We know what's in the unit now. That's it. We should look forward to what's in it now and what we can -do- with it. That, to me, is ripe with far more possibilities and benefit to the whole.

I'm sure they won't care if you open up a thread called "fantasy console specs"(though they may not appreciate it prior to launch), but no sense in beating a dead horse into paste.

 

[chad78]

Who are you to stifle hardware discussion of an open, essentially home-brewed device
...
Really, this is a post for the big 6 to make.
Contradict yourself much? Is it an open, essentially home-brewed device - or the product of the "Big six"?

I am pretty sure it's the later - especially after reading the comments of those people who were active when the Craiginator discussions were taking place. The Pandora has never been an open, home-brew device. It's a product of a small group of people who basically took a few surveys and potential buyer comments into consideration - that's called market research - not open source.

As a common pleb nobody forum member - I have no illusions about being able to control the final product - but I do have as much right as anyone to ask for the pointless useless un-thoughtout endlessly repeating hardware suggestions to stop junking up the board. If the "Big Six" don't care enough to take down the request for "new ideas" from their website - which points to this forum - then I, as a forum member - have a right to ask for a sticky.

The fact is, if they (the Big Six) are planning on releasing this thing sometime this year - the hardware really should be finalized by now.

 

[sold]

Hardware discussion my balls. Buy the hardware, use it, discuss. Until then its all hot air blowing out your ass.

I don't think Chad is being arrogant at all for suggesting a sticky that should've already been made.

IMO it's arrogant to come to a forum owned by the people developing a device you want and start telling them what to do over and over again just because they asked for some ideas at some point and even though they have politely indicated that no more suggestions are required. The tosspot geekery that these "hardware discussions" exude makes me want to smash faces in. Some people are even mentioning hardware revisions and mk2 changes already like they know something. Thats freaking arrogant.

How about you sticky this: Before you start that new hardware suggestions discussion - Piss off or uncle sold will cut off your nose just to see what it would look like nailed to a nearby wall as you slowly bleed to death lying nose-less on the ground.

EDIT: I may even make that last bit my sig.

 

[icurafu]

Yeah, it's offensive, arrogant and condescending.

But damn it, that's how you get things done in the states!

+1 for my buddy Chad who gets things done!

 

[plopperz]

+1 for my buddy Chad who gets things done!

Better edit that out quick.
He'll sig it.

 

[quartercast]

Chad: after re-reading your messages, I now understand perfectly what you mean. After having been deeply involved in the design process of the Pandora (a closed house, black-box type project), you (the marketing arm of Pandora Co - a company operated by a secretive gang known as the "Big 6"), are announcing on the company's official yet unaffiliated forum that the initial design of the Pandora is complete (designed and fabbed in the company's multimillion dollar research lab by a MWestonborg Class 3 robot); and that public submissions regarding the Pandora's design should cease lest the marketing arm and MWestonborg of Pandora Co be confuzzled and befrazzled under sheer weight of suggestions.

Righto, carry on chap.

 

[CandidStan]

this is a VERY good idea

SHOUT OUT TO MODS, STICKY THIS

i mean i understand that since this is an open source machine, and the post on openpandora.org, but COME ON all you have to do is look at the blog section and you can see how far they are!! Well, lets hope they see this and stop posting all their VERY LATE ideas, i am really tired of having to search through the pandora sections each day just to find the quality topics

Only a fraction is suggestion threads, though. A lot of it is "omigosh i tuld my frund bout this and he sed no way and..." That's because there's a lot of excitement around it, but not a whole lot of understanding. It's something to be expected.


sounds a lot like someboddy we know...

 

[drago]

Hello!
i have only a 2 questions about pandora ( based on my experience with gp2x fx100)
1. pandora really not have an ethernet port? why? it is small, very usefull...?
2. in site written, pandora running under linux. it is linux like as on gp2x, or normal linux, any distributive? i can install on pandora linux slackware for ARM ? i can run thousands of linux programms, like as planetariums KStars, xplns, XEphem, etc?
i can compile my own kernel? normal terminal? midnight commander?
all of this not working or crap on gp2x, and i want to believe, in pandora this works...?
thanks

 

[Squidge]

1. No room for components for ethernet port. Wifi should negate the need for it anyway.
2. It is a custom distribution, but you can install your own if you wish, but note that you will need drivers for any alternative distribution and ensure the distribution fits on the internal nand (or SD).
3. You can compile your own kernel, with terminal, MC, etc.
4. You can do all the above on gp2x, it would just be a little slower.

 

[drago]

4. You can do all the above on gp2x, it would just be a little slower.
*******
in normal way: no. if i want to dedicate haldf of my life for this, then yes. but as in normal device, like as an pentium pc, where i can set up linux in a hours and compile kernel without any problems, run midnight commander - on gp2x i cant it do in normal way. midnight commander who i find for gp2x cant work. terminals is very uncomfortable. very annoying is a non existent keyboard. x11 is very slow and not compliant with linux programms for x11 - i cant run on this a xplns / xephem / kstars / xplns / stellarium / pdf / jpeg /viewers / etc / etc / etc. really a gp2x is toy with very limited configuration capabilities. it is good for emus and old games, butr another...
if pandora is for similar story, i buy a eeepc901.
i want a box not only for games and with very limited movies support ( normal mplayer on linux is far better and more support than a gp2x movies playing tools - i cant view a lot of movies, who i view with my pc linux,and on gp2x i cannot view mpeg at all), but for my astronomy hobby too ( want a planetarium programm), with text reading possibilities ( also on cyrillic / russian text), text editing possibilities, email client, web / ftp client, pdf viewers, and so on...

 

[FRZ]

September is nearly wearing its ugly face so, all I want now is to hear the Pandora is complete with full video of running unit and the date for pre-order and shipping. I have checked the out the current hardware and felt that I am pleased with it which is the reason why I want to buy it. So no more delays, no more adding things to it. Any and all other hardware suggestion would be for a Pandora update after its been release and in consumer's hands.

Devs, get this thing done before some chinese company take this device idea and make tons of boolegs of it for sale in less than a week.

 

[_DiGiTaL_]

September is nearly wearing its ugly face so, all I want now is to hear the Pandora is complete with full video of running unit and the date for pre-order and shipping. I have checked the out the current hardware and felt that I am pleased with it which is the reason why I want to buy it. So no more delays, no more adding things to it. Any and all other hardware suggestion would be for a Pandora update after its been release and in consumer's hands.

Devs, get this thing done before some chinese company take this device idea and make tons of boolegs of it for sale in less than a week.

Bootleg pandora i could see it now and it would probably be gray @_@ anyways i can wait for Pandora Delays are fine with me it leave tiem for improvement although i have seen several different dates and preorder dates. But im ready for it like yesterday

 

[FRZ]

September is nearly wearing its ugly face so, all I want now is to hear the Pandora is complete with full video of running unit and the date for pre-order and shipping. I have checked the out the current hardware and felt that I am pleased with it which is the reason why I want to buy it. So no more delays, no more adding things to it. Any and all other hardware suggestion would be for a Pandora update after its been release and in consumer's hands.

Devs, get this thing done before some chinese company take this device idea and make tons of boolegs of it for sale in less than a week.

Bootleg pandora i could see it now and it would probably be gray @_@ anyways i can wait for Pandora Delays are fine with me it leave tiem for improvement although i have seen several different dates and preorder dates. But im ready for it like yesterday
I don't know but, I think the unit, with its complete specifications, should have been done already and put together. Although manufacturing would be done by another company, the devs should have had at least their prototype finished that they would worked on the ins of it, software, os, etc and testing the whole thing. All the suggestions have been made. We know all the parts that the device should contain with bugs or not. All of that should be in one piece by now.