Difference between revisions of "User manual"

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[[Image:PandoraFront.jpg|Right|thumb|360px|Pandora FTW!]]
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[[Image:PandoraFrontNew.jpg|Right|thumb|360px|The Pandora.]]
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So your Pandora just arrived after being in the post for two months. Jolly good! But now that it's actually here, what on earth do you do with it? '''Don't panic!''' Let's take a look at what's included in the box(so you don't miss anything!) and then hop on over to setting it up for that extended Ms. Pacman marathon I know you've been waiting for!
 
  
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Also, don't forget to hit up [http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?/forum/61-pandora/ GP32X] for questions/info/apps/fun/discussion!
+
== Introduction ==
  
 +
The OpenPandora is a pocket sized computer which is a combination of a PC and a Gaming Console. OpenPandora has a D-Pad, Two analogue [[nubs]], ABXY + Shoulder Buttons and a 43-button QWERTY [[keyboard]]. The OpenPandora is fast enough to run a full ARM based Operating System, access the internet, play games and do stuff productively if desired.
  
−
== Safety Information ==
+
==Quick Start Guide ==
−
Warning: Choking Hazard, do not let children under the age of 3 come close to your Pandora console.
+
If you just want a quick walkthrough on how things work (tl;dr) have a look [[Quickstart | here]]
−
The Pandora Contains small parts that can be eaten by those children.
 
−
 
 
−
The battery of Pandora must be charged by the charger included with the Pandora(see package contents)
 
−
and we at OpenPandora Ltd. cannot be responsible for people using third party chargers.
 
−
 
 
−
Keep the Pandora in normal temperatures under 140F/60C (Recommended temperatures are in the range between -10C and 40C){{Citation needed}}. The battery is standard Lithium Polymer battery. Do not keep near fire or water. Do not disassemble, destroy or damage the battery, or it may explode! Do not short circuit external contacts! Dispose of it properly, please.
 
−
 
 
−
All third party modifications and hardware/software can damage your Pandora, we at OpenPandora Ltd cannot be responsible for damage caused by this. Trusted software can be recongised by a OP-member in the Pandora Appstore. See the “OP-Team Trusted” image in the app store to see if the software application can be trusted{{Citation needed}}.
 
−
 
 
−
The Pandora has an 4,3 Touchscreen. You can touch the screen to trigger an action. Although this is a touch screen, you cannot punch it. Always touch the screen gently – this will be more then enough to trigger the action you want.
 
−
 
 
−
The Pandora has an protective design, making it hard to break. Of course, you may never drop your Pandora, wash it, or try anything that can harm your Pandora. This will void your warranty.
 
  
−
== Warranty Information ==
+
== Technical Specifications ==
−
By law there is a one year warranty, and we will replace/repair your device if it is faulty. LCDs with noticeable dead pixels will also be replaced.
 
−
OpenPandora Ltd. will replace/repair your Pandora console if you are not responsible for causing the damage yourself.
 
−
They cannot be responsible for third party modifications causing damage, or third party hardware attached to Pandora causing damage.
 
  
−
== Box Contents ==
+
; Outside:
−
When you first open Pandora's box, a slew of demons and raging emotions may forcibly leave the box. This is normal. After that, you may or may not be surprised to find a:
 
−
*Pandora console
 
−
*Stylus (located in stylus slot on the side of the Pandora)
 
−
*Battery
 
−
*DC Wall Charger
 
−
*TV-Out Cable (ONLY if you ordered it separately)
 
−
*Carrying Case (ONLY if you ordered it separately)
 
−
*Extra Battery (ONLY if you ordered it separately)
 
−
After you take those things out, you may find a sliver of Hope left over. It's best to keep it, as you never know when you could use some Hope.
 
  
−
== Specifications ==
+
* 140 x 83.4 x 27.5mm, 335g (including battery)
−
==== Highlights ====
+
* "Clamshell" design
−
{{citation needed}}
 
−
* ARM® Cortex™-A8 600Mhz+ CPU running Linux*
 
−
* 430-MHz TMS320C64x+™ DSP Core
 
−
* PowerVR SGX OpenGL 2.0 ES compliant 3D hardware
 
−
* 800x480 4.3" 16.7 million colours touchscreen LCD
 
−
* Wifi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth & High Speed USB 2.0 Host
 
−
* Dual SDHC card slots & SVideo TV output
 
−
* Dual Analogue and Digital gaming controls
 
 
* 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
 
* 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
−
* Around 10+ Hours battery life**
+
<!-- But it doesn't have a separate numeric keypad.. -->
−
 
+
* Gaming controls:
−
:<small><nowiki>*</nowiki>The 600Mhz+ can be higher or lower. This can be controlled by software designed for the device.</small>
+
** Two analog controllers (nubs)
−
:<small><nowiki>**</nowiki>Is affected by use. (example turn bluetooth on or off during play time)</small>
+
** 8-way D-pad
−
 
+
** A/B/X/Y and shoulder buttons for gaming.
−
==== Advanced Specifications ====
+
* 800x480 resolution LTPS lcd with resistive touch screen, 4.3" widescreen, 16.7 million colors, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 450:1 contrast ratio
−
* Texas Instruments OMAP3530 processor at 600MHz (officially)
+
* Two SDHC slots
−
* 256MB DDR-333 SDRAM
+
* Headphone output up to 150mW/channel into 16 ohms, 99dB SNR (up to 24 bit/48KHz)
−
* 512MB NAND FLASH memory
 
−
* IVA2+ audio and video processor using TI's DaVinci™ technology (430MHz C64x DSP)
 
−
* ARM® Cortex™-A8 superscalar microprocessor core
 
−
* PowerVR SGX530 (110MHz officially) OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant 3D hardware
 
−
* integrated Wifi 802.11b/g (up to 18dBm output)
 
−
* integrated Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (3Mbps) (Class 2, + 4dBm)
 
−
* 800x480 resolution LTPS LCD with resistive touch screen, 4.3" widescreen, 16.7 million colors (300 cd/m2 brightness, 450:1 contrast ratio)
 
−
* Dual analog controllers
 
−
* Full gamepad controls plus shoulder buttons
 
−
* Dual SDHC card slots (up to 64GB of storage currently)
 
−
* headphone output up to 150mW/channel into 16 ohms, 99dB SNR (up to 24 bit/48KHz)
 
−
* TV output (composite and S-Video)
 
 
* Internal microphone plus ability to connect external microphone through headset
 
* Internal microphone plus ability to connect external microphone through headset
−
* Stereo line level inputs and outputs
+
* TV Output (composite and S-Video)
−
* 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
 
 
* USB 2.0 OTG port (1.5/12/480Mbps) with capability to charge device
 
* USB 2.0 OTG port (1.5/12/480Mbps) with capability to charge device
 
* USB 2.0 HOST port (480Mbps) capable of providing the full 500mA to attached devices (examples include USB memory, keyboard, mouse, 3G modem, GPS)
 
* USB 2.0 HOST port (480Mbps) capable of providing the full 500mA to attached devices (examples include USB memory, keyboard, mouse, 3G modem, GPS)
−
* up to two externally accessible UARTs and/or four PWM signals for hardware hacking, robot control, debugging, etc.
+
* Two externally accessible UARTs and four PMW signals (for hardware hacking, robot control, debugging, etc.)
−
* un-brickable design with integrated boot loader for safe code experimentation
 
−
* Power and hold switch useful for "instant on" and key lockout to aid in media player applications on the go
 
−
* Runs on the Linux operating system (2.6.x)
 
−
* Dimensions: 140x83.4x27.5mm
 
−
* Weight: 335g (with 4200mAh battery)
 
  
−
==== Features ====
+
; Inside:
−
The Pandora is a mixture between a PC and a gaming console. That's why it has gaming controls (Buttons, DPad and analogue nubs). It is fast enough to emulate many other systems, run a full desktop, access the internet via Firefox and play games such as Quake3. However, it is not as big as a netbook. Believe it or not, it will fit in your pocket. It's a bit bigger than the Nintendo DS. (See Applications section of this manual to see what applications your Pandora will come with.)
 
−
Remember that your Pandora console will get better with every application installed!
 
  
−
== First Time Use ==
+
* 4200mAh battery.
−
Now that you've opened the box, let's set this thing up! Place the battery inside the battery well on the back of the Pandora, making sure the contacts touch(the little silvery metal bits, it's easy). Snap on the battery cover and you're all set!
+
** 10+ hours of battery life, depending on usage.  For example, turning Wi-Fi or the screen off would give better battery life. (e.g. whilst listening to music via headphones)
−
==== Charging ====
+
* 600MHz Texas Instruments OMAP3530 processor /1GHZ DM3730 Texas Instruments SoC
−
Charge your Pandora 8 hours before putting it off the wall charger. This will improve the lifetime of your battery. To charge the Pandora, insert the power cable end in the Pandora and the other end into your wall socket.
+
** Can be clocked higher or lower by software designed for the device.
 +
* 256MB DDR-333 SDRAM (Pre-2012-units), 512MB DDR-333 SDRAM (units made in Germany, 2012)
 +
* 512MB NAND FLASH memory
 +
* IVA2+ audio and video processor using TI's DaVinci™ technology (430MHz C64x DSP)
 +
* ARM ® Cortex™-A8 superscalar microprocessor core
 +
* PowerVR SGX530 110MHz OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant 3D hardware
 +
* Wifi 802.11b/g (up to 18dBm output)
 +
* Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (3Mbps) (Class 2, + 4dBm)
  
−
The battery comes pre-charged at 40%, and that level might have decreased during shipping, so to be on the safe side, we recommend that you charge the Pandora before you use it. Simply plug in your wall charger into an outlet, or optionally use a mini-USB cable connected to a computer or wall adapter. For extreme silliness, plug your Pandora into an ''already charged Pandora,'' and charge it from that! But not really.
+
; More:
  
−
==== First Boot ====
+
* Stereo line level inputs and outputs
−
Once your Pandora is ready, turn it on. The OS will take some time to boot up for the first time (about 10 minutes, this is only for the first boot, this is normal). After it is booted, a series of settings dialogs will pop up in the shape of a "Boot Wizard" allowing you to alter your Pandora's settings to your liking.
+
<!-- What does this mean? -->
 +
* Unbrickable design with integrated boot loader for safe code experimentation.
 +
* Power and hold switch useful for "instant on" and key lockout to aid in media player applications on the go.
 +
* Runs on the GNU/Linux Operating System (currently kernel 3.2.x and 2.6.x)
  
−
There are a total of 3 parts to the Boot Wizard guide:
+
== Box Contents ==
−
===== System configuration =====
 
−
The first thing you will have to do is to calibrate the Pandora's touch screen. Only do this if the screen isn't calibrated already.
 
−
You will have the option for touchscreen calibration during the first time you will boot up your Pandora console.
 
  
−
===== User setup =====
+
When you first open Pandora's box, a slew of demons and raging emotions may forcibly leave the box. This is normal. After that, you should find the following items:
−
After that, you will have to enter your full name. This is what you will see in any user selection dialogs or when the system needs to address you, so enter whatever you are most comfortable with. Then follows your username. It is recommended to choose an all-lowercase, one-word username here, since you will have to enter this name every time you log in. Once you've entered your username, a password input dialog appears. You will have to enter the password you want to have twice here. If you don't want to have a password for your device, simply leave both fields empty. If you however decide to enter a password, something hard to guess and between 8 and 16 characters long is preferred.
 
  
−
===== Network and security settings =====
+
* The Pandora console
−
You will now have to enter a name for your Pandora. This will be the Pandora's host name, so you have two options in this situation:
+
* Stylus (located in stylus slot on the side of the Pandora)
 +
* Battery
 +
* Mains power adapter
 +
* Battery Case
  
−
# If you don't have a domain you want to connect to, simply enter any name here. It should not contain any spaces.
+
Available separately:
−
# If you ''do'' have a domain you want to connect to, enter a name in the form of "pandoramname.domainname.tld". Note that you probably never will have an use for this.
 
  
−
Then, you'll have to choose whether you want to automatically log in on your Pandora when it boots, or if you should be given the opportunity to log in as a different user, or enter your password. It is recommended to disable auto login if you want to protect your user data, but if you're often in a hurry, then you can enable auto login here.
+
* TV-Out Cable - SDTV over composite or s-video
 +
* Carrying Case
 +
* Extra Battery
  
−
The final thing you will have to choose, is whether you want to use the full desktop Xfce environment or the gaming-oriented PMenu environment as your default environment in the Pandora. It is recommended to choose Xfce here if you want to gain access to the Pandora's full potential.
+
== Safety Information ==
  
−
==== Calibrating The Touchscreen ====
+
*The OpenPandora should not be used by Children under the age of 3 due to potential choking hazards.
−
The touchscreen in your new Pandora device isn't psychic! You have to tell it what to do, and in order to do that effectively, you need to calibrate it. Simply navigate to settings→screen→calibration wizard{{Verify credibility}} and follow the onscreen instructions. You may have to recalibrate the screen from time to time as well.
+
*The OpenPandora's Battery should only be charged with supplied charger / Via USB or a suitable third party charger.
 +
*The OpenPandora should only be used in temperatures above -10°C (14°F) and below 40°C (104°F).
  
−
During the first boot wizard, you will be offered the option to calibrate the touchscreen. By default it may well work okay, but the option is there. If calibration is far off, use the keyboard to selection the calibration option.
+
== Warranty Information ==
  
−
== Basic Use ==
+
Standard one year warranty applies to the OpenPandora.
  
−
===Pmenu===
+
* User Neglect / Modifications are generally not covered by warranty.
  
−
===Desktop style environment===
+
== First Time Use ==
  
−
====On the Desktop====
+
Place the battery inside the battery compartment underneath the OpenPandora taking care to ensure the battery contacts and battery touch. Replace the battery cover and your OpenPandora will power up.
  
−
The desktop will contain icons for numerous basic operations (such as for each mounted SD card), as well as any auto-discovered pnd-applications located on SD cards or internal NAND.
+
==== Charging ====
  
−
====In the menu====
+
As this is your first time using the Battery it is recommended you fully charge your OpenPandora to 100% using the AC Adapter as this will calibrate and improve the lifetime of your battery. This process may take up to 4 hours. If you're not planning on using the OpenPandora whilst it is charging you should flip the power switch to the left (Low Power Mode) as it should decrease the charging time dramatically.
−
On the bottom left you have your applications menu, similar to the Windows start menu. Clicking it brings up a list of all installed applications and pnd-applications in the appropriate location on your SD cards.
 
  
−
====Miscellaneous====
+
Once the OpenPandora has completed charging it will stop charging and begin discharging to protect the battery from damage.
−
To the right may be some icons, these serve as shortcuts to commonly used applications. Next to that you have your taskbar, which as you might have guessed, lists all running applications in your current workspace. To the right of the taskbar you have your workspaces, think of these as multiple desktops. By default you have two to switch from. Applications running in one workspace will not be visible in the other, so you can effectively hide your Ms. Pacman game from your boss at work, because there's no way you're not going to go for the gold, even at work! Finally there are a few more icons that deal with TV-Out, network connectivity, etc. and some running applications may place an icon there as well. And to the right of THOSE, you have your time. Because time flies when you're using your Pandora! Badum tsh. Aaaaand to the right of that, you have a little icon that, when clicked, displays all running applications.
 
  
−
Finally, I'd just like to reiterate this--EVERYTHING is customizable! We'll get to that section later, but for now, let's just check out the applications on your Pandora.
+
You can find more useful information about charging on the [[power modes | Power Modes]] page.
  
−
===Buttons===
+
==== First Boot ====
  
−
====Xfce menu====
+
While you are charging your OpenPandora completing the first boot wizard is essential.
  
−
The Pandora button will bring up the applications menu, letting you quickly enter a search to locate an application to run or perform operations against running applications.
+
===== Steps Involved=====
 +
*Calibrate Touchscreen - This will ensure that the TouchScreen works perfectly.
 +
*Enter Full Name - This personalises your OpenPandora
 +
*Enter Short name - can be a fancy nickname or just your fullname in all lowercase
 +
*Enter Password - anything you like and you'll need to verify it
 +
*Choose a name for your OpenPandora - Give it a fancy name as this will be the network visible name.
 +
*Automatic Login - Entirely up to you. Preferably off if you don't want others to use your OpenPandora without your permission
 +
*GUI choice - Slimmed down basic GUI - Minimenu or full Linux OS - Xfce
 +
*TimeZone / Date and Time - Recommended you do set this correctly as it may cause problems down the track with certain applications.
 +
*CPU Clock Speed - Recommended that you set to Default unless a game / application is running slowly.
 +
*Advanced settings - Do not change until you are comfortable with the device.
  
−
===Power Modes===
+
====Analog Nubs [http://pandorawiki.org/Nubs]====
  
−
Without switching the device entirely off, it may be placed into low power mode or regular power mode; simply pressing the power button will toggle modes.
+
The OpenPandora nubs are designed to automatically calibrate when you turn your Pandora & Calibration is lost once the OpenPandora is switched off.
  
−
Consider low power mode to be akin to turning off a PDA or cellphone -- the screen is off, the CPU is clocked down and so on, but the device is still silently on, allowing for alarms to go off or it to be turned on again instantly. Regular power mode is for normal usage.
+
==== Calibrating the Touchscreen ====
  
−
Low power mode is probably going to be used as the normal "off" for most people, with true off (device powered down entirely, unable to respoind to alarms or wake up quickly) available to conserve battery power.
+
The touchscreen in the OpenPandora may / may not be calibrated when you first get it. It is recommended you do run the Calibration Wizard in the first boot wizard alternatively if you clicked too fast you can run the calibration wizard by going to the Settings / Calibrate Touch Screen section in either GUIs
  
−
Closing the lid will turn off the display but otherwise leave the device operating - handy for audio playing; turning off the display lowers power use.
+
== Basic Use ==
 +
See the [[GUI]] page for more details on the user interfaces which can be used with the Pandora.
  
−
The actual behaviour of buttons and events can be customized.
+
===Mini Menu===
  
−
== Basic Linux user guide ==
+
[[minimenu | Mini Menu]] is a quick and easy to use launcher created by OpenPandora's great friend Skeezix. Mini Menu is designed to be fully reskinnable.
−
New to the wonderful world of Linux? No problem! You don't need mad terminal skills to open a web browser, but it can be nice to know what you're doing once in a while.
 
−
==== The structure of the file system ====
 
−
If you're used to the file system of e.g. MS Windows, you will find that a Linux file system is rather different from what you're used to. In this section, we will go through everything you have to know in order to feel comfortable with using the Pandora's file system.
 
−
===== Basic philosophy =====
 
−
In Windows, you have multiple file system roots, called "drives", that are labeled with different letters, like "C:" or "D:". In Linux, there aren't multiple root directories, but rather just one root directory, called "/". All other directories are inside of this directory.
 
  
−
===== Common directories =====
+
===== Basic Navigation =====
−
Inside of the root directory ("/") are quite a lot of other directories. Here are the most important ones:
 
−
* "/home" - This is where all of the files that are owned by all users are stored. Users do not generally have write-access to anything outside of this directory.
 
−
* "/home/username" - Here are the personal files of user "username". In this directory, you will find a directory called "Documents", "Pictures", "Desktop" etc. that correspond to that users personal directories. This directory is also called "username"'s home directory, and can be abbreviated with "~/" (if you're currently logged in as username) or "~username/".
 
−
* "/boot" - This is the directory where the Linux kernel is stored, and other files that are needed at boot time can be accessed. Do not touch this directory (You can't even do it if you wanted to)!
 
−
* "/bin", "/lib" - System binaries and libraries are stored here. Most of the terminal commands mentioned below can be found inside of "/bin". You should generally never have to touch this directory, either.
 
−
* "/usr" - Here is where you'll find programs and files installed by the user. Core applications such as the web browser, media player, and other applications that are available the first time you start your Pandora are stored here. If you decide to install anything via the "ipkg" command (covered later), this is where the files needed by those installations will end up.
 
−
* "/etc" - System-wide configuration. Should only be touched by power-users.
 
−
* "/mnt/sd1", "/mnt/sd2" - If you insert SD-cards into the device, this is where you will find their contents.
 
−
* "/media/*" - If you connect USB drives or other external media, you will find that the contents of that media have been placed here.
 
−
==== The File Manager ====
 
−
==== Killing Applications ====
 
−
==== Basic Terminal Commands ====
 
  
−
== Applications ==
+
The main grid of Mini Menu displays the available applications, category tabs, Date / Time, Battery life and a detail pane on the right.
  
−
Many applications will come preinstalled into the internal memory; these will be regular Linux applications (not packaged into pnd files, since they do not need to be redistributed to anyone.)
+
When you copy a PND to SDCARDNAME/pandora/apps it will appear in its preset category.  
  
−
Additional applications may be found as pnd-files (see below, a packaged up single file representing an entire application) or as regular Linux files (an application likely being made up of many files and possibly needing installation.)
+
Controls for Mini Menu:
 +
* D-Pad or touch screen can be used to select PNDs
 +
* Launch a PND by pressing 'Start', 'B' or touching the icon with the stylus or finger.
 +
* Press 'Y' for documentation if there is any available.
 +
* Left and Right shoulder triggers switch categories
  
−
==== What Is Included? ====
+
=====Skinning=====
−
* Ångström Linux: Lightweight beautiful Linux-based operating system for the Pandora.
 
−
* Xfce: A full featured window manager for Linux.
 
−
* Midori: A full features web browser, designed to be lighter and faster than a full desktop style browser.
 
−
* OpenOffice: Full desktop document managing. Edit, create and manage your documents on the go.
 
−
{{Volume needed}}
 
  
−
==== Where Can I Get More Apps? ====
+
Skinning guide in gp32x forum: http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?/topic/53990-skinning-minimenu/
−
There are many ways to get more applications onto your Pandora.
 
  
−
*The easiest way is to browse the [http://doesnotexistyet.com Pandora App Store], where you can download free or paid apps from ones of developers! To download, navigate to an app, pay for it if you must, and hit the 'download' button. Select where you want to save it, and you're done! Because I assume it will be in .pnd format.
+
A mmskin.conf from February 2011: http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=pandora-libraries.git;a=blob;f=minimenu/skin/default/mmskin.conf;h=695888b3ae310d7ea04b4e682baed0c0c6fc4349;hb=98c1d081629ac9cbb3056b39097a3db968ce4055 (Skinning will not work without it)
  
−
*There is the good ol' [http://dl.openhandhelds.org/cgi-bin/pandora.cgi Pandora File Archive].
+
===Desktop style environment (Xfce)===
  
−
*There are nice repositories, such as the [http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/repo Angstrom ARM Repository], or...
+
=====On the Desktop=====
  
−
*The Pandora includes the package manager [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipkg ipkg].
+
The desktop contains icons which have been found on SD Cards / in Firmware.
  
−
*Also, people may upload their apps to weird crevices in the net, so be on the lookout!
+
=====Pandora Menu & Task Bar=====
 +
On the bottom left the Pandora menu contains all your applications sorted into the appropriate categories.
  
−
== Introduction To .PNDs ==
+
The task bar by default contains settings for Brightness and Sound, various enablers such as Wifi,  Bluetooth and USB host, Network Connectivity, Battery life, Date / Time and various workspaces you can select.
−
==== What Are .PNDs? ====
 
  
−
A .pnd ("pandora") file is an application (game, word processor, emulator, whatever.) More accurately, it is a full application bundled up into a single file; think of it like a zip, with a relatively well defined internal structure.
+
=====Navigation=====
 +
*If a window for an application is too big for the screen you can drag the window around by holding the left trigger and dragging with the stylus.
 +
*Changing your workspace is as easy as holding 'Start' & "Select' then using the D-Pad to switch
 +
*Killing an application is as simple as holding the Pandora button down for 5 seconds, selecting the application and clicking okay
  
−
The pnd-file system was designed so you could use an application without the hassle of installation or uninstallation, or even having to organize it yourself if you don't want to. You just download or obtain the pnd-file, and use it.
+
===Power modes===
  
−
More details can be found in the "libpnd hub" part of the wiki, but that is more oriented to techies and developers.
+
Pushing the power button to the left will turn the OpenPandora to low power mode for conserving battery which is similar to sleep mode on a computer but the Pandora can still run.
  
−
==== How do I run a PND-application? ====
+
The [[Power modes]] page provides more information.
  
−
Put your pnd-files in your SD (see below for some suggestions where.)
+
=== USB Peripherals ===
  
−
A pnd-file is usually invoked in one of the following ways
+
Connecting USB2 High Speed devices is possible using the standard USB connector or USB On The Go adapter. USB 1.1 devices will only work through a USB hub.
 +
See the [[USB_compatibility_list| USB compatibility list]] for more information
  
−
* browse to the file using the directory browser, and click to run it. (.pnd files are file-associated to another program, pnd_run which knows how to run them.) This lets you organize pnd-files in directories of your choice on the device NAND or SD.
+
=== Forcing a Restart ===
 +
Occasionally something will happen causing your Pandora to become unresponsive (to the point that even killing a program isn't possible). When this happens it is necessary to force your Pandora to restart. The easiest way to do this is by holding the Pandora button and moving the power switch to the right.
  
−
* in PMenu, the applications will be shown by name; you can just select and run them from the menu
+
== Operating System ==
  
−
* for pnd-files placed into /pandora/menu on SD, the application will be shown in the Start menu on the device; use your stylus or buttons to invoke it
+
==== Updating The OS ====
  
−
* for pnd-files placed into /pandora/desktop or /pandora/apps on SD, they will show up automatically on your desktop; invoke them with the stylus, your finger, or controls as you see fit
+
Updating the OS can be done via either full Reflash or the Upgrade Pandora OS Application which is found in the System Menu.
  
−
==== Where Do .PNDs Go? ====
+
==== Reinstalling the OS ====
  
−
Put .pnd-files into specific directories if you want them to show up in the Start menu or on your Pandora desktop, or in Pmenu.  
+
Sometimes things don't work out or you've broken something in the OS. You can reflash to default by getting the latest package from the [http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php/forum/41-pandora-os-superzaxxon-gnulinux/ forum] and placing in the root of the SD Card then while booting the Pandora hold down the R Button. Reinstalling the OS can take up to 15 minutes
  
−
You can put them anywhere you like in internal NAND or SD, if you wish to organize them yourself and launch them with taps.
+
== Applications ==
−
 
+
There is a relatively large number of games and applications available for your OpenPandora from the following sources:
−
/pandora/desktop -> pnd files show up on the desktop
 
−
 
 
−
/pandora/menu -> show up in the Start menu (by the developers suggested categories.)
 
−
 
 
−
/pandora/apps -> show up in the desktop, and in Pmenu
 
−
 
 
−
==== Where does my data go? How do I make files visible to the applications? ====
 
−
 
 
−
An application normally will see what is contained within the pnd-file, or your personal data created with the tool; it can of course look anywhere on the SD or device internal memory. For example a Quake port might expect to see extra level files in /quake, or give you a way of selecting a path to put files in.. or it might just expect it to be in your personal data folders, or in the pnd-file itself. Its up to the application, with suggestions in the pnd-guidelines for developers.
 
−
 
 
−
The first time a pnd-application is run, an "app data" directory is created for it; anything that app data folder contains will be visible to the application as if it was in the pnd-file (and in fact, this lets you override files in the pnd-file without modifying the .pnd itself, which could be handy.) If your app creates a file "foo", it'll show up in /pandora/appdata/appname-id as "foo". The actual appdata folder name depends on the name used by the developer, but should generally look like application-name and some funny number afterwards. It should be easy to spot.
 
−
 
 
−
ex: Quake 1 will probably put score or save data in /pandora/appdata/quake1-123/ or somesuch.
 
−
 
 
−
===== Q: How do I make ROMs available to an emulator? =====
 
−
 
 
−
For something like ROMs, hopefully a developer consensus will lead either to a canonical location, or a convention of having a directory pickre or browser present, so that ROMs can be stored in SD locations of your choice; doesn't strike me as something that should be in a pnd-file, or to be pretended to be in a pnd-file with appdata tricks.
 
−
 
 
−
===== Q: How do I make pak-files available to Quake? =====
 
−
 
 
−
For some add-ons or data needed for a game, the developer may require it to be 'in the main application path'; as mentioned above, just drop it into the appdata folder and the app will just see it.
 
−
 
 
−
==== How Do I Make .PNDs? ====
 
−
==== More Info About .PNDs ====
 
−
Visit [[libpnd_hub]] for more information!
 
−
== Configuration ==
 
−
==== Updating The Firmware ====
 
−
 
 
−
Given a working firmware, you might wish to patch it with official Open Pandora patches; you might also wish to just grab an application from the Angstrom repository, say.
 
−
 
 
−
In both of these cases, an ipk file will be made available. (In the future, an automated system may offer to patch up your device or auto-download patches. TBD.)
 
−
 
 
−
An ipk file is a compressed installable package.
 
−
 
 
−
It should be easily used, but from the Terminal if you wish to manually apply an ipk to patch the firmware, install or update an Angstrom application, it is simple: '''opkg install foo.ipk'''
 
−
 
 
−
==== Replacing the Firmware ====
 
  
−
Rather than patch the firmware, the firmware may be replaced wholesale with a freshly downloaded firmware.
+
*[http://repo.openpandora.org OpenPandora Repo] - Has over 1000 applications which are either free or at a very low cost. Applications do not contain DRM.
 +
*[http://dl.openhandshelds.org/cgi-bin/pandora.cgi Open HandHelds] - An older site which may not have the latest applications but you'll find a heap of applications that are archive worthy.
 +
*Angstrom Repository - Contains several applications for your Pandora. It is not really recommended that you use this unless you are an advanced user.
  
−
==== Booting a Firmware from SD ====
+
Installing applications is as simple as dragging them to the appropriate folders on your SD Card.
 +
These folders are:
 +
* <SD>/pandora/apps - Will appear both on Xfce Desktop & Pandora Menu (this is the 'both' option in PNDManager)
 +
*<SD>/pandora/desktop/ - If you want it to appear on Xfce Desktop
 +
*<SD>/pandora/menu/ - If you want it to appear in Pandora Menu
  
−
The hardware is capable of booting entirely from SD; if the device is bricked or otherwise has a blank NAND, this could be an option. furthermore you're able to try out alternative operating systems without needing to reinstall your primary operating system.
+
You can use [http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=pndmanager-bzar PNDManager] or [http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=pndstore PNDStore] to download software from the repo and save it in the appropriate directory in one operation. PNDManager is recommended as the most user-friendly way of doing this.
  
−
Steps include:
+
Some applications will require additional data to work, this data will need to go into:
 +
*<SD>/pandora/appdata/applicationname
  
−
* Preparing the SD card(s)
+
The application should generate the required appdata folder when launched.
−
* Setting up the firmware on the SD card
 
  
−
=====Preparing the SD card=====
+
== Download the codec pack ==
  
−
There are two main approaches:
+
Codecs are not bundled with the Pandora because there are different licensing laws in different countries.
  
−
* Setting up the firmware on on SD card (meaning you need two partitions - a boot partition, and a firmware partition), and
+
Please understand that you need to take responsibility for any patent restrictions which apply in your country. The codec pack also includes a video player (not fully optimised to used the DSP yet)
−
* Setting things up across two SD cards - meaning you boot from one SD card, and have the firmware on the other.
 
  
−
Operating from one SD card provides you the option of still being able to use the other; operating across two cards provides you he option to have a regular boot-SD, and flip between multiple other SDs for the actual firmware, should you wish to cycle between many operating systems (say.)
+
'''Note:''' You must perform the previous step in order to do this one!
  
−
The boot partition generally must be FAT32, and then the kernel, MLO and other files need to be unpacked upon it.
+
If you are not connected to WiFi, do this on another computer.
 +
{{FIXME|These directions are awkward and need to be redone and accompanied with annotated screenshots.}}
 +
# Click the blue globe icon (3rd from left)
 +
# Type [http://pandorawiki.org/Firmware http://pandorawiki.org/Firmware] into the address bar
 +
# Click the ''Click here to download Community Codec Pack'' link for the codec pack
 +
# Select ''save as''
 +
# Scroll the left hand list down, select the name of your SD card or mmcblkxxx if your card is not labeled.
 +
# Double click on the pandora folder (right nub up once)
 +
# Double click on the apps folder (right nub up once)
 +
# Click ''save''
 +
# Wait for the download to finish
 +
# Put the SD card in your pandora if done on a PC
 +
# Press the pandora button in between the [[nubs]] (short press)
 +
# Use the D-pad to scroll up to ''System'' then right, and down to ''Community Codec pack installer''. Press enter
 +
# Follow the prompts and enter your password when requested
  
−
The firmware partition must be either ext2fs or ext3fs; under Linux, such a partition can be easily created:
+
==Futher reading==
 +
* [[Basic Linux Guide]] - For those who don't know very much about Linux and want to learn more.
 +
* [[Minimenu Configuration Documentation]] - If you want to customize or configure Minimenu.
 +
* [[Games]] - Take a look at the games that are available.
 +
* [[Software projects]] - A list of all non-emulator, non-game software for Pandora.
  
−
'''mkfs.ext2 -L LABELNAME /dev/mmcblk0p2'''
 
−
- assuming LABELNAME for the partition
 
−
- assuming /dev/mmcblk0p2 for your SD device; you'd better check this carefully ;)
 
  
−
==== Setting Up WiFi ====
+
[[Category:Documentation]]
−
==== Setting Up Blutooth ====
 
−
==== Adjusting Brightness/Contrast ====
 
−
==== Changing Your Theme ====
 
−
== Oops! I Borked My Pandora! ==
 
−
Fear not, young netizen! Your Pandora was designed to be unbrickable, so unless you used the ancient art of alchemy to physically turn your Pandora into a brick (or you just broke the hardware inside), you should be okay!
 
−
==== Restore The Original Firmware ====
 
−
==== Boot From SD or USB ====
 
−
== Pandora FAQ ==
 
−
Silly goose, go to the [[FAQ]] page for more detailed information.
 

Latest revision as of 00:38, 8 October 2013

The Pandora.

Introduction

The OpenPandora is a pocket sized computer which is a combination of a PC and a Gaming Console. OpenPandora has a D-Pad, Two analogue nubs, ABXY + Shoulder Buttons and a 43-button QWERTY keyboard. The OpenPandora is fast enough to run a full ARM based Operating System, access the internet, play games and do stuff productively if desired.

Quick Start Guide

If you just want a quick walkthrough on how things work (tl;dr) have a look here

Technical Specifications

Outside
  • 140 x 83.4 x 27.5mm, 335g (including battery)
  • "Clamshell" design
  • 43 button QWERTY and numeric keypad
  • Gaming controls:
    • Two analog controllers (nubs)
    • 8-way D-pad
    • A/B/X/Y and shoulder buttons for gaming.
  • 800x480 resolution LTPS lcd with resistive touch screen, 4.3" widescreen, 16.7 million colors, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 450:1 contrast ratio
  • Two SDHC slots
  • Headphone output up to 150mW/channel into 16 ohms, 99dB SNR (up to 24 bit/48KHz)
  • Internal microphone plus ability to connect external microphone through headset
  • TV Output (composite and S-Video)
  • USB 2.0 OTG port (1.5/12/480Mbps) with capability to charge device
  • USB 2.0 HOST port (480Mbps) capable of providing the full 500mA to attached devices (examples include USB memory, keyboard, mouse, 3G modem, GPS)
  • Two externally accessible UARTs and four PMW signals (for hardware hacking, robot control, debugging, etc.)
Inside
  • 4200mAh battery.
    • 10+ hours of battery life, depending on usage. For example, turning Wi-Fi or the screen off would give better battery life. (e.g. whilst listening to music via headphones)
  • 600MHz Texas Instruments OMAP3530 processor /1GHZ DM3730 Texas Instruments SoC
    • Can be clocked higher or lower by software designed for the device.
  • 256MB DDR-333 SDRAM (Pre-2012-units), 512MB DDR-333 SDRAM (units made in Germany, 2012)
  • 512MB NAND FLASH memory
  • IVA2+ audio and video processor using TI's DaVinci™ technology (430MHz C64x DSP)
  • ARM ® Cortex™-A8 superscalar microprocessor core
  • PowerVR SGX530 110MHz OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant 3D hardware
  • Wifi 802.11b/g (up to 18dBm output)
  • Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (3Mbps) (Class 2, + 4dBm)
More
  • Stereo line level inputs and outputs
  • Unbrickable design with integrated boot loader for safe code experimentation.
  • Power and hold switch useful for "instant on" and key lockout to aid in media player applications on the go.
  • Runs on the GNU/Linux Operating System (currently kernel 3.2.x and 2.6.x)

Box Contents

When you first open Pandora's box, a slew of demons and raging emotions may forcibly leave the box. This is normal. After that, you should find the following items:

  • The Pandora console
  • Stylus (located in stylus slot on the side of the Pandora)
  • Battery
  • Mains power adapter
  • Battery Case

Available separately:

  • TV-Out Cable - SDTV over composite or s-video
  • Carrying Case
  • Extra Battery

Safety Information

  • The OpenPandora should not be used by Children under the age of 3 due to potential choking hazards.
  • The OpenPandora's Battery should only be charged with supplied charger / Via USB or a suitable third party charger.
  • The OpenPandora should only be used in temperatures above -10°C (14°F) and below 40°C (104°F).

Warranty Information

Standard one year warranty applies to the OpenPandora.

  • User Neglect / Modifications are generally not covered by warranty.

First Time Use

Place the battery inside the battery compartment underneath the OpenPandora taking care to ensure the battery contacts and battery touch. Replace the battery cover and your OpenPandora will power up.

Charging

As this is your first time using the Battery it is recommended you fully charge your OpenPandora to 100% using the AC Adapter as this will calibrate and improve the lifetime of your battery. This process may take up to 4 hours. If you're not planning on using the OpenPandora whilst it is charging you should flip the power switch to the left (Low Power Mode) as it should decrease the charging time dramatically.

Once the OpenPandora has completed charging it will stop charging and begin discharging to protect the battery from damage.

You can find more useful information about charging on the Power Modes page.

First Boot

While you are charging your OpenPandora completing the first boot wizard is essential.

Steps Involved
  • Calibrate Touchscreen - This will ensure that the TouchScreen works perfectly.
  • Enter Full Name - This personalises your OpenPandora
  • Enter Short name - can be a fancy nickname or just your fullname in all lowercase
  • Enter Password - anything you like and you'll need to verify it
  • Choose a name for your OpenPandora - Give it a fancy name as this will be the network visible name.
  • Automatic Login - Entirely up to you. Preferably off if you don't want others to use your OpenPandora without your permission
  • GUI choice - Slimmed down basic GUI - Minimenu or full Linux OS - Xfce
  • TimeZone / Date and Time - Recommended you do set this correctly as it may cause problems down the track with certain applications.
  • CPU Clock Speed - Recommended that you set to Default unless a game / application is running slowly.
  • Advanced settings - Do not change until you are comfortable with the device.

Analog Nubs [1]

The OpenPandora nubs are designed to automatically calibrate when you turn your Pandora & Calibration is lost once the OpenPandora is switched off.

Calibrating the Touchscreen

The touchscreen in the OpenPandora may / may not be calibrated when you first get it. It is recommended you do run the Calibration Wizard in the first boot wizard alternatively if you clicked too fast you can run the calibration wizard by going to the Settings / Calibrate Touch Screen section in either GUIs

Basic Use

See the GUI page for more details on the user interfaces which can be used with the Pandora.

Mini Menu

Mini Menu is a quick and easy to use launcher created by OpenPandora's great friend Skeezix. Mini Menu is designed to be fully reskinnable.

Basic Navigation

The main grid of Mini Menu displays the available applications, category tabs, Date / Time, Battery life and a detail pane on the right.

When you copy a PND to SDCARDNAME/pandora/apps it will appear in its preset category.

Controls for Mini Menu:

  • D-Pad or touch screen can be used to select PNDs
  • Launch a PND by pressing 'Start', 'B' or touching the icon with the stylus or finger.
  • Press 'Y' for documentation if there is any available.
  • Left and Right shoulder triggers switch categories
Skinning

Skinning guide in gp32x forum: http://www.gp32x.com/board/index.php?/topic/53990-skinning-minimenu/

A mmskin.conf from February 2011: http://git.openpandora.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=pandora-libraries.git;a=blob;f=minimenu/skin/default/mmskin.conf;h=695888b3ae310d7ea04b4e682baed0c0c6fc4349;hb=98c1d081629ac9cbb3056b39097a3db968ce4055 (Skinning will not work without it)

Desktop style environment (Xfce)

On the Desktop

The desktop contains icons which have been found on SD Cards / in Firmware.

Pandora Menu & Task Bar

On the bottom left the Pandora menu contains all your applications sorted into the appropriate categories.

The task bar by default contains settings for Brightness and Sound, various enablers such as Wifi, Bluetooth and USB host, Network Connectivity, Battery life, Date / Time and various workspaces you can select.

Navigation
  • If a window for an application is too big for the screen you can drag the window around by holding the left trigger and dragging with the stylus.
  • Changing your workspace is as easy as holding 'Start' & "Select' then using the D-Pad to switch
  • Killing an application is as simple as holding the Pandora button down for 5 seconds, selecting the application and clicking okay

Power modes

Pushing the power button to the left will turn the OpenPandora to low power mode for conserving battery which is similar to sleep mode on a computer but the Pandora can still run.

The Power modes page provides more information.

USB Peripherals

Connecting USB2 High Speed devices is possible using the standard USB connector or USB On The Go adapter. USB 1.1 devices will only work through a USB hub. See the USB compatibility list for more information

Forcing a Restart

Occasionally something will happen causing your Pandora to become unresponsive (to the point that even killing a program isn't possible). When this happens it is necessary to force your Pandora to restart. The easiest way to do this is by holding the Pandora button and moving the power switch to the right.

Operating System

Updating The OS

Updating the OS can be done via either full Reflash or the Upgrade Pandora OS Application which is found in the System Menu.

Reinstalling the OS

Sometimes things don't work out or you've broken something in the OS. You can reflash to default by getting the latest package from the forum and placing in the root of the SD Card then while booting the Pandora hold down the R Button. Reinstalling the OS can take up to 15 minutes

Applications

There is a relatively large number of games and applications available for your OpenPandora from the following sources:

  • OpenPandora Repo - Has over 1000 applications which are either free or at a very low cost. Applications do not contain DRM.
  • Open HandHelds - An older site which may not have the latest applications but you'll find a heap of applications that are archive worthy.
  • Angstrom Repository - Contains several applications for your Pandora. It is not really recommended that you use this unless you are an advanced user.

Installing applications is as simple as dragging them to the appropriate folders on your SD Card. These folders are:

  • <SD>/pandora/apps - Will appear both on Xfce Desktop & Pandora Menu (this is the 'both' option in PNDManager)
  • <SD>/pandora/desktop/ - If you want it to appear on Xfce Desktop
  • <SD>/pandora/menu/ - If you want it to appear in Pandora Menu

You can use PNDManager or PNDStore to download software from the repo and save it in the appropriate directory in one operation. PNDManager is recommended as the most user-friendly way of doing this.

Some applications will require additional data to work, this data will need to go into:

  • <SD>/pandora/appdata/applicationname

The application should generate the required appdata folder when launched.

Download the codec pack

Codecs are not bundled with the Pandora because there are different licensing laws in different countries.

Please understand that you need to take responsibility for any patent restrictions which apply in your country. The codec pack also includes a video player (not fully optimised to used the DSP yet)

Note: You must perform the previous step in order to do this one!

If you are not connected to WiFi, do this on another computer.

  1. Click the blue globe icon (3rd from left)
  2. Type http://pandorawiki.org/Firmware into the address bar
  3. Click the Click here to download Community Codec Pack link for the codec pack
  4. Select save as
  5. Scroll the left hand list down, select the name of your SD card or mmcblkxxx if your card is not labeled.
  6. Double click on the pandora folder (right nub up once)
  7. Double click on the apps folder (right nub up once)
  8. Click save
  9. Wait for the download to finish
  10. Put the SD card in your pandora if done on a PC
  11. Press the pandora button in between the nubs (short press)
  12. Use the D-pad to scroll up to System then right, and down to Community Codec pack installer. Press enter
  13. Follow the prompts and enter your password when requested

Futher reading

Retrieved from "https://pandorawiki.org/index.php?title=User_manual&oldid=28012"