Hey guys,

I am a first year computer science student, and I'm really thinking about getting a Pinebook Pro to bring with myself to classes. I would use it for web browsing, viewing pdf and office files, note taking, writing code and compiling in multiple languages (c#, c, java, etc.).

Do you think this device would be a good choice for something like this?


(I already have a computer, but I can't take it with me to classes)

I've not been able to find a really useful reply in the other posts, so I'm throwing this out now:  What determines where you were in the queue, the coupon code being sent to you, or when the order was placed and paid for?

I signed up for the PBP right as orders opened, and I got my confirmation email within a couple minutes.  12 hours later, I got my coupon code, but I didn't actually place and pay for my order until 15 hours later (since the coupon was lost in SPAM, and I didn't see it until after I woke up the next morning).  

So 27 hours after I verified my forum membership, I paid for my PineBook Pro.  

Where would I be in the order queue?

Hello,

I'd like to report that H64 Model B pins theoretically responsible for TTL console (6, 8, 10) don't send any expected signal. I tested it on a few copys of the device and on every is the same. I also checked an adapter on Rock64 and there everything is fine, so it's H64 problem.
The listening during SBC launch is set to 1.5 Mbps (same as in Rock64 case), an oscilloscope detecting only simple periodic '1' signal on TX.

Thanks for help and best regards!

Hi,

apologies if this has been answered elsewhere, but I couldn't find anything...

Now that the first batch of PBPs has been shipped (I'm only in the – I think – third batch), I'm wondering / am a bit concerned with customs processing. I'm in Germany and customs here will not hand over electronics without any kind of CE (and possibly RoHS) certification and/or markings.

For the PB 1080 there are appropriate docs on the Wiki (https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/1080P_...ifications), but that section on the PBP Wiki page is still empty (https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/Pinebo...ifications). 

Any idea as to when these docs will be available so I'd have something to show customs officials if there are any issues? Does the PBP have a CE marking? Anybody in the EU here who has already received their PBP and successfully gotten it through customs?

Thanks
Thomas

Finding the money was easier than the decisions.  I'd like to get (1) an ANSI keyboard and (2) a 128 GB eMMC.  I don't see options for specifying those.  Somewhere it says an ANSI keyboard won't be available until November.  You could almost change the keycaps and keymap but not quite.

Can I get a 128 GB eMMC instead of a 64 GB or do I have to set aside the 64 GB and buy the 128 in addition?  I'll probably use a 128 GB SD too, assuming I can have both mounted at once.  I also have a Rock64 and an Odroid N2 that could make use of the extra eMMC.

I'm not really interested in an SSD, I'd rather plug a good old spinning rust 1 TB 2.5" drive in there for $50 and be set for a few years.  But there's not room in the case?  I have a couple USB ones.  OK, skip the drive.

Mid-month update (shipping & project progress information catch-up)

Since we've experienced shipping delays and other hurdles (which I discussed at length in this month's update) I figured that the right thing to do is bring you up to speed on whats going on in the past 2 weeks rather than have you wait until the November update. This way you're not left hanging without any information for too long - which I understand and appreciate can be quite frustrating. Instead of  writing another blog entry, I opted for a much less formal forum post - I'll likely have to edit it once or twice in the coming days anyways, since I expect more news from TL and the respective factories. 

Here is the run-down:

Pinebook Pro

Shipping of the first Pinebook Pros batch was completed today [edit] The majority of Pinebook Pros shipped out, with a handful shipping together with the 2nd batch; its all in DHL's hands now. If you are in the first batch and haven't received your unit yet, you'll be getting an email or SMS soon. I expect that most of the early adopters will have their Pinebook Pro by the end of the week *fingers crossed*.
Thanks for being so patient and positive on both the forum and the chats - its really appreciated!

The second and third batch Pinebook Pro PCBs have already arrived at the factory and will be assembled this week. The entire laptops will be assembled and quality control checked right after; if all goes well, we'll have them shipped by the end of October or sometime in the first week of November. I'll keep you posted. [edit 24/10/19] It appears that everything is on-track regarding assembly, and the batch will indeed go out on the 29/10.  

[edit 2 / 24/10/19] The 'public batch' with 64GB eMMC modules will ship the on November 5th(~ish).

PinePhone Dev kits

The thing that put the PinePhone dev kit shipping on hold was an issue with the touch panel digitizer (see October blog entry). This delay bought us some time to deal with the last outstanding issue - namely tuning the antennas. So not to waste time at a later stage, we engaged the modem vendor in helping us achieve the best possible reception on these developer units. It is my understanding that tuning has been completed as of today.

I don't have a firm shipping date for the dev kits yet, but I expect them to they will ship out before the end of October.

I will be getting more information regarding the PinePhone dev kits as well as the Brave Heart early adopter units in the next few days. I'll expect to be updating this entry very soon - perhaps even in the next 24hrs. 

[edit 24/10/19] The developer PinePhones will ship on 29/10, next week Tuesday (at the time of writing)

[edit] PinePhone Brave Heart edition pre-orders will likely open in November and will be delivered to users in December... just in time for Christmas.


PineTime Dev kits

The PineTime dev kits shipped out yesterday to developers. This makes for one thing less to manage or deal with production-wise. Its on developers now to take this project forward - cannot wait to see how fast software for the PT will progresses. We are also very keen to hear what developers think about the hardware.

At this time I don't know which shipping method was selected for the PT dev kits - but I expect it will take some 10+ days for most units to reach their destination.

[edit 24/10/19] At the time of writing, first PineTime dev kits have been received and I expect many more to reach their new homes in the next few days.

Can I make a post on this forum about some Rock64's I have for sale or is that against forum rules?

I have downloaded the Android 9.0 SDK for the ROCKPro64 from the Wiki and am now trying to build it.  I am able to compile it successfully, but it does not boot.  The power light comes on, and I can read from the serial console, but it does not seem to finish booting.  It gets at least as far as starting adb, because I can access the device through the adb shell, but it is stuck in recovery mode, and there is no HDMI output.  I have attached the logs from the serial console and the kmsg:

  serial_console.txt (Size: 10.79 KB / Downloads: 785)

  kmsg.txt (Size: 85.94 KB / Downloads: 919)

I also find it interesting that the prebuilt Android 9.0 image found on the Wiki does not boot for me either, so perhaps it is a bug in the Android 9.0 SDK?  I don't have the same problem with the prebuilt Android 8.1 image - it boots without issue.

The configuration I'm using for the build is as follows:

Lunch: rk3399_mid-userdebug
Arch: arm64
Kernel Config: rockchip_defconfig
Kernel DTS: rk3399-rockpro64
Archv: aarch64
U-Boot Config: rk3399_defconfig

Does anyone know what I could be doing wrong or if there is a fix for this issue?

I was searching for a cheap and good wireless mouse for my PBP and also other ultrabook and so far found this as s best.

There are multiple colors, it is compact, cheap and rechargeable and quality is good for my needs. I ordered silver and matte black and both look very good.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32979401...4c4dC0WbGg

If you're considering getting the LCD for the original Pine64+, or perhaps later versions, please consider this.

My Pine64+ is the kickstarter version with 2gb ram. Due to lack of spare cash when I first got the Pine64, I've tried to do this on-the-cheap, by buying unofficial accessories and (trying to) get them to work with the Pine64. Due to challenges with getting non-Pine64-sold WiFi to work, I ended up getting the official WiFi from Pine64.org, and assumed that would go a lot easier (it did), and assumed the same of the LCD touchscreen panel (it very much did not). I also got the 5MP camera. (Jury is still out on that.)

My Pine64 has gathered dust, mostly, and run BOINC some, and I've tried various OS's. My dream, however, is to get a working "Kitchen Computer" that will track various household things, fairly distribute chores to household members, show & edit Google calendar items for the family, edit our individual to-do's, birthdays, track taking meds, feeding the pets, if it's a recycle/bulky-trash/trash day, how long it's been since something got changed (A/C filter, oil filters), and so on. Google and Amazon have since developed similar ideas, but my dream idea (which has similarly gathered dust) is something that I can program myself, and can excel in ways that the lame, pathetic, limited-imagination programmers of Google & Amazon & their users would never dream or at least bother to do (well).

For years (?), I've known that the official (Pine64-sold) LCD touchscreen panel is a steal, compared to RasPi, etc. What I didn't know was why it was so inexpensive (or who was doing the stealing). 

The LCD arrived along with the WiFi and camera. I noticed that the 7" LCD touchscreen has a slot for a camera to go in, but the Pine64 5MP camera is much too big to fit. (Could you make it fit, somehow?) I decided to get them working one at a time, the WiFi first. It was pretty much a no-brainer. Then the LCD. Nothing. Black screen.

I vaguely remembered there being separate Pine64 images for HDMI and LCD output. So I researched into that, and was greatly disappointed in the support of the community for something I thought that (surely, by now) would be supported: the original Pine64+ running some form of Linux with the LCD touchscreen.

(Could you get a non-standard touchscreen, with matching ribbon connections?)

The research came up with:

• modsbyus.com has a working Armbian image that used the LCD screen and touch interface
  
• earlier (standard Pine64) versions of Armbian worked with the LCD with tweaks to a text file (/boot/armbianEnv.txt), at least for some
  
• Some buyers of the 7" LCD have accidentally rendered it trash, by tearing a ribbon connection on it. I vowed that this would not occur to me and my precious LCD.