Thread: Neo900 - finally a successor of N900
View Single Post
t-b is offline t-b
2017-02-25 , 10:42
Posts: 368 | Thanked: 975 times | Joined on Aug 2013
#2849
I think the IRC channel is quite informative and the team seems to be responsive there. The people that are most involved in this project are usually logged in and available. It takes a few minutes to read weeks of discussions and I don't think anything is hidden from the public.

After reading the IRC messages and compared to similar projects I have followed I assume that it can still take a while before a Neo900 prototype will be built.
Some messages from IRC I thought were quite telling:

Current status - still working on designing the pcb

11:35 <Joerg-Neo900> (tool development) we're switching from eagle to kicad plus tools wpwrak (and me) developed
11:36 <enyc> whats' eagle still doing? any specific blockers to not needing it at all?
11:37 <Joerg-Neo900> we have the exact position of some mechanical components like card holders and switches defined in eagle. We need to port this to the layout now and make sure it's correct to the <0.1mm while we use a new refined PCB shape
11:38 <Joerg-Neo900> http://neo900.linenoise.info/spread_out.png http://wstaw.org/m/2017/02/23/plasma-desktopD17764.png http://wstaw.org/m/2017/02/23/plasma-desktopC17764.png http://wstaw.org/m/2017/02/23/plasma-desktopV17764.png http://neo900.linenoise.info/outlines.png
The soldering issue:

00:33 <Joerg-Neo900> ravelo: the problems Nikoluas sees are yield problems and are specific to the PCB and process he uses. And he attributes the problems on lower side pf OMAP to a RAM chip on upper side. Which test could I possibly do before I have a PCB specific for Neo900 to make anything sure?
00:34 <Joerg-Neo900> I mused about it already and I couldn't come up with anything reasonable so far
00:35 <Joerg-Neo900> am I worried? Of course. Could I change anything? Only by keeping the issue in mind and keeping an eye on it in all further negotiations and plans
01:07 <Joerg-Neo900> I possibly could get more micron chips like the ones Nikolaus said did work for his GTA04. But that wouldn't help compensate for the financial loss he most likely already suffered from the poor yield and low safety margin he used for his calculations
01:09 <Joerg-Neo900> Neo900 OTOH has 1GB RAM as a much asked for key feature, and we use *exactly* same chips Nokia used in N9, so I don't see any immutable immanent problems here. after all Nokia manufactured a few millions of N9 and I guess they didn't accept such poor yield
01:10 <Joerg-Neo900> Bottom line: I am less worried than Nikolaus seems to be, but his worries just add to my already unbearbly high stress level
To end on a more positive note...

18:45 <DocScrutinizer05> on an unrelated note: first day of this year where I try to crank up my productivity to nominal, after flu and other health issues
TBH I haven't pre-ordered because of exactly this: delays and uncertainties. I do wish the Neo900 team the best though. I am not saying they cannot do a better job communicating, but they are surely carrying most of the burden this community effort takes.
 

The Following 24 Users Say Thank You to t-b For This Useful Post: