Schematics/PCB

[Jose Ildefonso Camargo Tolosa]

Hi!

On 2/21/07, Justyn Butler <justynbutler+openmoko at googlemail.com> wrote:
> I certainly wouldn't expect them (FIC) to make the schematics/PCB "free to
> use", which would enable people to legally copy FIC's investment.
>
> But what real advantage can there be to keeping them closed? I would at
> least like this explained to me. As far as I know, any company wishing to
> make illegal knockoffs can just X-ray the boards (to read the layers) and
> therefore reproduce the PCB and schematics. After all, they have an
> incentive to put the time in. But hobbyist hackers don't have this time.

Yep, you are right, but as for hardware many people just don't like to
release the schematics.  But there is people who actually release
them, like bitscope, and they actually have a business running from
it.

>
> I would also like to be able to repair the phone when it inevitably becomes
> damaged (in a few years, say). It is very frustrating when repairing
> consumer electronics that you just can't find the necessary information
> anywhere, ie what the ICs are (topcodes are next to useless). Quite often
> just a power transistor or the like needs to be replaced, but it is
> incredibly time-consuming understanding the function of each part of the
> circuit when you can only see part of it.

That's another reason to NOT release, some companies like to charge
for repairing or for "repairing manuales", and make it a part of their
business, and thus don't like to release the info for free.

>
> Justyn

Ildefonso.

>
>
>
> On 21/02/07, Jose Ildefonso Camargo Tolosa <ildefonso.camargo at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Hi!
> >
> > I second the schematic request.  But I doubt that they release them,
> > the same happen with agenda.  Anyway, if they doesn't release the
> > schematics, and I get myself one of these phones, we would need to
> > analize the pcb and try to get an idea on the design in order to
> > modify it.  It can be done, but it will take longer.
> >
> > I hope they release the schematic.
> >
> > c-ya!
> >
> > Ildefonso Camargo
> >
> > On 2/20/07, Justyn Butler
> <justynbutler+openmoko at googlemail.com> wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I'd been assuming that  the PCB and/or schematics for the Neo1973 had
> been
> > > made available along with the source code. Looking now, I realise that
> they
> > > haven't.
> > >
> > > I'm a hardware kind of person, and I've been looking forward to creating
> > > add-ons and modifications to my Neo1973 the second it arrives. Clearly
> the
> > > schematic at least is required for this to be as convenient as I've
> imagined
> > > an open-source project would be. A good example is adding things to the
> I2C
> > > bus.
> > >
> > > Searching the mailing lists and google I'm now feeling worried that I've
> > > misunderstood, and that the schematics/layouts won't be available. I'm
> > > hoping this isn't the case, perhaps they'll become available when the
> phone
> > > reaches phase 1, or with the hacker's lunchbox.
> > >
> > > Could someone tell me what's planned here?
> > >
> > > Justyn
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > community at lists.openmoko.org
> > > http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>