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Posts: 880 | Thanked: 264 times | Joined on Feb 2007 @ Cambridge, UK
#11
that's great, I was just looking for some schematics, am wondering if there's any interesting hardware hackery that is possible. I'm still wondering whether the N800 could be stripped of its outer casing and turned into a micro laptop, for which I'd need more USB ports - with USB host, vga or tv out would definitely be a bonus!
 
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#12
BTW, does the N800 have stereo INPUT? the zaurus only has mono in (and no microphone) shared with the headphone input! A major flaw IMHO.
 
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#13
This should be everything for writing open drivers for the devices.
Is there a hook? I hope the right people will get these pdfs in time
because they will disappear ...
 
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#14
Originally Posted by Modulok View Post
because they will disappear ...
Not unless I'm served with a court order.
 
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#15
I think that once they're out there, impossible to recall. But, yes, everyone with any interest should take their own copy just in case
 
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#16
Thanks, Milhouse, for pointing me to another source of those schematics!

Now, something that I have been wondering about since January is the exact manufacturer/part-number for the LCD screen of the N800. Anyone know?
 
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#17
Originally Posted by yabbas View Post
Anyways, the same controller also supports hardware rotation - I wonder why Nokia never made use of that?
This questions can be asked about everything. I wonder why Nokia did not improved some builtin apps (like page down in pdf viewer when zoomed)? Answer would be the same - priorities and cost of developer's time.

Originally Posted by yabbas View Post
Flyer suggests the chip can be set to output either a TV signal, OR LCD signal (but not both.)
Yes, not both, so this makes it almost unusable. It is also highly probable that TV-OUT is not possible in 800x480 and the system is not resolution independent (yet) and would not survive resolution change.
Originally Posted by yabbas View Post
Couldn't find the spec sheet though
Last time I checked it was not publicly available. I have it, but please do not ask for it unless you have real reason and can actually make some use of it (i.e. you are able to change blizzard driver and recompile the kernel).
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#18
Originally Posted by fanoush View Post
This questions can be asked about everything. I wonder why Nokia did not improved some builtin apps (like page down in pdf viewer when zoomed)? Answer would be the same - priorities and cost of developer's time.
I think the conclusion that "priorities and developer time/therefore cost was prohibitive" is thrown about too quickly as I don't think it would have taken any extra effort to twiddle a few registers and use things as they are. MORE likely - Nokia stuck to the Maemo specification and did not want to deviate from them.

Programmatically 'rotating' the screen really is no biggie


Originally Posted by fanoush View Post
Yes, not both, so this makes it almost unusable. It is also highly probable that TV-OUT is not possible in 800x480 and the system is not resolution independent (yet) and would not survive resolution change.
I think the 'usability' factor is debatable! Archos, iRiver et. al all make use of switched TV-Output display; whilst it's highly desirable to have dual output at all times it's not bad to have the option of either. The N800 is resolution independant to the extent that it appears MPlayer is using the pixel-doubling features of the display controller. Additionally I see nothing in the brochures suggesting that TV-Out won't work at 800x480 - you seem to have access to these confidential files so I'm surprised you didn't confirm this!


Originally Posted by fanoush View Post
Last time I checked it was not publicly available. I have it, but please do not ask for it unless you have real reason and can actually make some use of it (i.e. you are able to change blizzard driver and recompile the kernel).
There are a number of Epson Confidential specifications online - I found the N770 display controller document for example. But yes indeed - seems I cant find the N800 one. I see no reasons why the specs shouldn't be made available but obviously I'm not Epson so wouldn't know the in's and out's - it may just be that someone lower down in the ranks simply forgot to place the document on their website. I'd like a copy - if only to see what else lies under the hood.





But anyways .. this whole discussion is moot since (a) the hardware needs modification and nobody I know is willing to do so (at the very least the TV Signals can be channeled off straight away - more likely you'd need a set of RF amplifiers coupled to the outputs in the same way that the N95 has.) (b) the specifications of the chipset aren't made accessable to us.
 
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#19
Originally Posted by fanoush View Post
It is also highly probable that TV-OUT is not possible in 800x480 and the system is not resolution independent (yet) and would not survive resolution change.

if it didn't change the number of displayed pixels but simply "letterboxed" the IT's 800x480 by adding blank borders, it'd still be a major feature IMHO - imagine being able to plug your tablet into a monitor and use a keyboard for some tasks.
 
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#20
Originally Posted by yabbas View Post
Programmatically 'rotating' the screen really is no biggie
No, but if you will just hack it by setting bit in register you need to patch also touchscreen input (which may be not linear across the display - i.e. not just doing x=800-x,y=480-y) in proper place. Or you can do it properly (RandR) so the system is aware of the change and it is lot of work. Nokia developers cannot just hack it in quick and dirty way.
Originally Posted by yabbas View Post
The N800 is resolution independant to the extent that it appears MPlayer is using the pixel-doubling features of the display controller. Additionally I see nothing in the brochures suggesting that TV-Out won't work at 800x480 - you seem to have access to these confidential files so I'm surprised you didn't confirm this!
Pixel doubling does not change framebuffer layout. And also pixel doubling is somewhat supported and relatively easy. I fear that since both PAL and NTSC TV norms has less pixels in width (756 for PAL?) 800 pixels won't be possible so you'd need to change framebuffer layout (both in linux kernel structures and videochip registers) which can mess up the display. It is probably possible but can be problematic. I'll check the docs if they say something definitive about this.
Originally Posted by yabbas View Post

There are a number of Epson Confidential specifications online - I found the N770 display controller document for example. But yes indeed - seems I cant find the N800 one. I see no reasons why the specs shouldn't be made available but obviously I'm not Epson so wouldn't know the in's and out's - it may just be that someone lower down in the ranks simply forgot to place the document on their website.
N770 datasheet was not available at first. It appeared only recently. I think it is not about forgetting to put it on the site. It may be more about releasing info for older chips which are no longer actively sold (perhaps with developer kits with this documentation as added value). But I am not Epson too so I can only guess. I got the docs by asking politely and maybe I was a bit lucky too. And I may share it if there is real reason.
Originally Posted by yabbas View Post
But anyways .. this whole discussion is moot since (a) the hardware needs modification and nobody I know is willing to do so (at the very least the TV Signals can be channeled off straight away - more likely you'd need a set of RF amplifiers coupled to the outputs in the same way that the N95 has.)
Yes, I agree. I too guess it won't be as easy as just connecting few wires to unconnected pins.
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