What''''s A "tv-out"

[chuckr]

I'm trying to find a users manual, or maybe a detailed spec, on the Pandora. I would read it cover to cover because I'd really enjoy it (if I could only find the URL) but what I need, most especially, is more info about 2 of the accessories: (1), the TV-out. It's a cable? What kind of interfaces? Is it only an extender, or is it needed to use an external monitor? (2) the battery, what's the estimated life of it, would buying 2 right off be something that's recommended?

If I could only find a detailed specification or hardware manual on the Pandora, maybe I wouldn't need the info above. I will continue looking ... I have to admit that the Pandora looks neater than anything else I've ever seen.

 

[conso]

1. yes, a cable (composite afaik)
2. depends. If you travel around the world a lot, it makes sense. The Battery will be easily exchangable, but one battery alone will have ~10 hours of battery-life for standard-usage

 

[lulzfish]

There's no user manual yet, there might be one someday might not be.
The specs on the Wikipedia page are pretty detailed.

The TV-out is, last I remember hearing, an S-Video output cable that just takes the S-video from the Pandora to a television. You need the cable to use an external tv / monitor.
edit: The cable might be composite. It's definitely either composite or S-Video, but last I remember, it was S-video.

The battery life has been tested at 8.5 hours with no wireless, but at a high CPU load. I think with the screen turned down and without the CPU doing a lot of work, it will last 9 or 10 hours.
With the screen off, maybe 12. The only test I've really seen was 8.5 hours, full brightness, high CPU load, no wireless.

I would not advise ever buying two batteries for a device.
For the Pandora, especially, because you will rarely need the extra battery life,
but also generally, because lithium-ions go to shit in a matter of years, and you'd be better off buying one then to extend its lifetime, not its capacity.

Yeah, try the Wikipedia page or the Information index on the forums.

 

[Chip]

There is no user manual yet. The best thing you can do is go to pandorawiki.org and read up there.

The TV-out cable allows you to connect the Pandora to a TV with either composite or S-Video connectors.

The Battery is a 4000mAH LiPo unit that should give you 8-10 hours of runtime under normal usage. It is unlikely that you will need an additional battery straight away unless you spend days at a time away from electrical access.

 

[chuckr]

There is no user manual yet. The best thing you can do is go to pandorawiki.org and read up there.

The TV-out cable allows you to connect the Pandora to a TV with either composite or S-Video connectors.

The Battery is a 4000mAH LiPo unit that should give you 8-10 hours of runtime under normal usage. It is unlikely that you will need an additional battery straight away unless you spend days at a time away from electrical access.

Wow, this forum is very polite AND useful. I've had all my questions answered, well, save one. I found a hint somewhere else that sometimes batteries have been used to have extra non-battery functions in them, like having some flash in them. If I can't find a manual anywhere, then I'll ask here, is the Pandora's battery JUST a battery, or is it unique in some other way? I'm just wondering about any other reason I might have for buying an extra battery. I've already determined here, I'd need that TV-out cable.

I need to spend more time reading posstings here.

 

[lulzfish]

The battery is just a battery, and maybe some power-monitoring circuitry.
It's not like with other devices where the battery might snoop on you or something, and there's no storage on it to amount to anything.
The only reason for buying an extra battery is if you really need more than 8 hours of battery at a time.

Like I said, the only reason you would need an extra Pandora battery is to buy a new one when the original starts to lose capacity. There's no need to buy one now.

 

[Frogboy]

The battery is just a battery. There's no need to have a special battery for the Pandora as it is a completely open system. Some people use these special batteries to run homebrew on a PSP. Pandora was designed to run this same kind of homebrew without modification (not to mention all of the other fun stuff it'll be able to do.

 

[Awakening]

While we are talking about the battery. Can I use the Pandora without the battery? When the charger is plugged in there's no need for the battery and removing it should lengthen it's life.

I recall some talk about a possible 5000 mAh battery in the future. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[lulzfish]

"http://pandorawiki.org/FAQ#Will_it_be_able_to_run_from_the_AC_Adaptor_alone.2C_without_a_battery_connected.3F"

the www.pandorawiki.org is your friend!
Yes, the Pandora can run from the charger alone, with no battery.

I guess that's nice for switching them out.

edit: And the pandora wiki says the mk2 boards are the final revision, it doesn't mention the mk3 boards at all. I'd correct it, but I don't seem to have a way to do that.

 

[r00tw00t]

edit: i was wrong