What Sd I/o Devices Is The Pandora Compatible With?

[dnlgreenwood]

I am getting a job to earn enough to get a pandora, but in the mean time, I am looking at the features of the pandora.
I noticed that the pandora supports SD I/O, but it isn't clear what devices actually work the way they should, and I dont know if anyone has tested any SD I/O devices on it.

In particular, I am interested in these types of SDIO devices:
Cameras (why not?)
Ethernet (faster than Wifi)
Radio (not as much as the others)
Bluetooth (Wii remote?)
GPS (find my way around)
(wow, what a list!)


What is SDIO? Its a combination of an SD card and an input/output device. (kind of like a USB device in an SD card slot) SDIO devices are used mostly in PDAs, ie Wifi adapters.

 

[Exophase]

Just out of curiosity, why SDIO devices instead of USB devices? With USB you can easily add a hub so that you can add several devices, and they'll probably be substantially cheaper since they're far more commodity items.

Also, Pandora already has Bluetooth builtin.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

Just out of curiosity, why SDIO devices instead of USB devices? With USB you can easily add a hub so that you can add several devices, and they'll probably be substantially cheaper since they're far more commodity items.

Also, Pandora already has Bluetooth builtin.

I just thought it would be cool to try out sdio devices. oh, forgot about the bluetooth... and sdio devices might be more compact. they should have built in two USB ports.

 

[Exophase]

They did build in two USB ports. Just one of them is OTG and not configured as host by default, but with some software hacking and an adapter you might be able to use it as one.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

They did build in two USB ports. Just one of them is OTG and not configured as host by default, but with some software hacking and an adapter you might be able to use it as one.

I might actually use a usb hub. First I need to find one that is good enough. I want to use a keyboard and mouse with it, as well as use usb storage devices. I might usea USB gamepad with it, just to try it out. I wonder how many HID devices the pandora can handle at once? I guess I will find out.

 

[Mr B]

I wonder how many HID devices the pandora can handle at once? I guess I will find out.

I don't think you'll find out. I don't think any sane person will ever find the limit. Nobody in there right mind gets 255 HID's and starts hooking them up. I fully expect the Panda to take any number of HID's until the USB cant address more devices. If i understood it right, the OTG port will be able to address another 255 devices as well. Your going to need a lot of toys...

Of course. At the point where the Panda cant address any more devices, bandwidth probably have been an issue for a while already.
B!

 

[Exophase]

Not to mention, power consumption. Unless the devices are all powered, of course.

 

[centus]

SDIO GPS actually makes a lot of sense...
It's much better than lugging around a Bluetooth or USB GPS module which is a second box you have to take with you...
An SDIO GPS would have the form factor of an SD card, with an antenna at most.

Thanks for the idea Com64!

 

[VRAndy]

I'm still convinced that a gps decoder could be squirreled away somewhere in the case and wired to Pandora's serial port.

But there's no way I'm going to attempt that sort of surgery until I'm 100% certain that I could buy a second one in case of ... an accident.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I'm still convinced that a gps decoder could be squirreled away somewhere in the case and wired to Pandora's serial port.

But there's no way I'm going to attempt that sort of surgery until I'm 100% certain that I could buy a second one in case of ... an accident.

That would be nice. I was thinking of doing something similar to my netbook through it's extra PCI-E port that is concealed inside the netbook. Then I realized that HP has some kind of prevention that only lets you use devices that they let you use, so I'd have to install some kind of switch to get it past the boot screen without it telling my I can't use the new PCI-E device... It was just an idea.

It is hard to find SDIO devices other than WLAN adapters for PDAs because SDIO never really caught on.
I can't even find a USB GPS dongle... It would be nice to find my way. I hate having drawing my own maps, and real maps are not as easy to carry around.

As for ethernet, USB-Ethernet adapters exist, and LAN is good for home and it is faster than WLAN. I should get one for my Wii...

For the camera, I think I have a webcam somewhere...

I wonder if I can connect my Wii remotes to a pandora? Something to try out when I finally get it.

Radio: My MP3 Player has FM radio, but my model cannot record broadcasts because of copywrite laws, so I can't record my favourite radio shows on it.

I do some programming with C++ and Allegro... I wonder if I can develop for the pandora? Probably. Can't wait, though at the moment most of my programs suck and do nothing really useful, but I am getting into games ans animation.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

Not to mention, power consumption. Unless the devices are all powered, of course.

I saw a viral video (youtube I think) about connecting different devices to the Pandora. The demonstrator used a device that increased the power through the usb cables by using power from 1.5V batteries. I could do this with my AC-USB adapter I bought for my MP3 Player, but that whould not be very portable. Only good for home use, I guess.


Edit: forgot to multi-quote. screw that lol.

 

[Tempel]

An SDIO GPS would have the form factor of an SD card, with an antenna at most.

No it wouldn't. I looked into SDIO GPS a while ago in the same hope, but I guess there's too much stuff to fit it all in an SD form factor. As far as I can tell, the card-shaped part exists solely as a connector between GPS and device.

I can't even find a USB GPS dongle... It would be nice to find my way. I hate having drawing my own maps, and real maps are not as easy to carry around.

I have this one. It works in conjunction with my Touch Book, but I think it's USB 1.1 and will therefore need to connect to Pandora through a hub.

 

[centus]

Thanks for the link Tempel, but I still say it's better than a USB dongle, the SD sockets are on the front, it allows you to place your Pandora on a dashboard for example, which would not be possible with a USB GPS plugged in to the back.

But I guess I'll just end up using my Holux Bluetooth GPS...

 

[Alibobar]

I wonder if I can connect my Wii remotes to a pandora? Something to try out when I finally get it.

As mentioned before: the pandora has bluetooth.
And considering stuff like libcwiid is available for arm ... Not a problem

 

[VRAndy]

I wonder if I can connect my Wii remotes to a pandora? Something to try out when I finally get it.

As mentioned before: the pandora has bluetooth.
And considering stuff like libcwiid is available for arm ... Not a problem

Sounds good ... but I wouldn't count this particular chicken until it hatches, the Wii remotes are very picky about connecting to computers. I don't think they're 100% standards compliant.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I have this one. It works in conjunction with my Touch Book, but I think it's USB 1.1 and will therefore need to connect to Pandora through a hub.
[/quote]

I have been looking around on that site, and they have a lot of devices to shoose from. Should I go for the one you have, or should I go for this: http://canadagps.com...oreGT-730F.html as it is less expensive and is a "best seller" and is also compatible with linux?

Thanks for the link!

Anyone know of any other canadian sites that offer small gadgets like these?

I guess I also need to get another SD/MicroSD card that is fast and has a higher capacity but not too expensive.

 

[Tempel]

I have been looking around on that site, and they have a lot of devices to shoose from. Should I go for the one you have, or should I go for this: http://canadagps.com...oreGT-730F.html as it is less expensive and is a "best seller" and is also compatible with linux?

I chose based on the GPSD hardware guide. According to that, the Globalsat performs better than the Canmore. I think they had the same cost when I bought, so I let the hardware guide choose for me, but I don't know how accurate said guide is. For example, it says the Globalsat has udev autodetection, but that feature never seemed to work for me.

So one might be better than the other, but they'll both work.

 

[dnlgreenwood]

I have this one. It works in conjunction with my Touch Book, but I think it's USB 1.1 and will therefore need to connect to Pandora through a hub.
[/quote]

Since you have that one, and I know for sure it works with Pandora, I will get it. Before I do, are there any problems with it? (ie. reception problems or speed problems)

 

[Tempel]

I don't think there are any problems, but I did have an odd moment just last week. I was walking and the located position just stopped moving for about 20 minutes. It reported a low HDOP (so high accuracy), but wasn't following my movement. It might have just been confused by dense tree cover. But I've used it many times before with good results, so it was probably just a fluke.

Just be aware that the Pandora probably doesn't have gpsd set up by default, so you'll have to do a little bit of poking at the software to make it run. It shouldn't be too hard, and most people around here should be able to help. But don't forget to use a USB hub!

 

[Prometheus]

I guess I also need to get another SD/MicroSD card that is fast and has a higher capacity but not too expensive.

You can only really pick one of those options, depending on your definition of not-too-expensive. Avoid eBay, avoid third-parties selling via trusted well-known sites, learn what prices are reasonable and then buy from a known-safe retailer.