Welcome

Steve Mosher steve at openmoko.com
Tue Apr 14 04:08:03 CEST 2009



Werner Almesberger wrote:
> Steve Mosher wrote:
>> I think if the community wanted to do anything short term ( say layout  
>> and design guys they could get a -G put together is short order
> 
> Yup, we had dumbed the design changes down to the point where they
> would be almost trivial. Interferences would still merit a closer
> look, but that's something one would have to do on a prototype.

   I guess to start I would have to release the A8 gerber to the 
community. If we choose this path I'd work with DR. N to get some sort 
of legal status for the organization...

> 
>> ( ok problems on the wifi interface front)
> 
> The wiring change for using SPI is simple and has been tested on
> one GTA02-based prototype up to 12 Mbps:
> http://svn.openmoko.org/developers/werner/wlan-spi/gta02-spi/rework.pdf
Thx.
> 
> However, our experience with Atheros suggests that their internal
> development model isn't compatible with the needs of a small
> customer like us. I think the people at Atheros who worked with us
> made great efforts to help, but there was only so much they could
> accomplish. There is the promise that the AR6002 will be better,
> but I don't know if it will also be hampered by the same inflexible
> internal process.
Long ago Wolfy and I met with the Atheros guys.. talked about 6002.
seemed the way to go, cant recall whats the production status was.
One of my old best buds works there. I could make inquiries.

> 
> The USI module we selected for GTA03 looks quite nice, but it needs
> a UART for BT. So that would be difficult with the 2442.
> 
>> Supply issues perhaps on the Calypso.
> 
> Calypso availability has always been an matter of myth and lore. On
> some occasions, it seemed as if we had to make non-trivial changes
> to the Calypso circuit to work around parts becoming unavailable,
> but we always managed to dodge that bullet. I'm not sure how much
> longer until our luck would run out.
yes myth and lore.
> 
> Calypso also has the issue of being completely unsupported from TI
> now. Even our helpful inside contact at TI is gone. Dieter is
> working miracles in dragging that dead horse around the course for
> a few more rounds, but also this approach is limited.
Dieter was a real find. The issue is the engineering decision becomes
dominated by fuzzy bits and imponderables. Personally I need to get
more well aquainted with the life cycle of these parts.
> 
> So I'd consider the Calypso a very risky choice, with an unknown
> potential for sourcing shortages and network problems happening
> due to new technology or modes of operation being phased in. E.g.,
> the 3G SIMs or the network settings that make #1024 happen more
> often. Of course, operator's focus having shifted from 2G to 3G is
> helping in keeping the rate of surprises down :-)
Evaluate for me the difficluties in
GTA02 -G +E... using the edge module from gta03.
> 
> - Werner



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