I am new and just followed the get started. I went to login on the third time and it takes me to a strange login page. It has my user name in all CAPS and within an icon and when I enter password it does nothing. The enter key does not work only a refresh type icon at the top of page right side and a banner that says US and American Flag. What now?

I just had a 300MB or so update with my Manjaro build on PBP...

It looks like there were a lot of KDE packages and QT stuff, a wayland and some plasma stuff.... at any rate, I wonder if we got any good updates that help with functionality or issues that we had pointed out over the last week or so.

I'm gonna dig into system settings and see if any of those graphical 'glitches' got updated. I reported them to the Manjaro forums, but man that was just 4-5 days ago; made me go hmmmmmmm, tho.

Did you notice of find anything new? I'll poke around today. Cheers team Pine.

As per discussion in another thread, I'd like the community's input on whether we should remove users ability to up/down "reputation".
It appears that this system has been abused recently.

Hi,

I ordered a Pinebook Pro (ANSI) on september 11 2020, the order number is 149679, payment done with PayPal.

As I read on "Shipping", Pinebook Pro was scheduled to start shipping on september 21st and I would like to know if my order is shipped on this batch because I haven't received a shipment number so far.

Thank you!

I have been trying to get @megous  p-boot bootloader to work, for fun and also to try benefit from the safety fixes he has put in p-boot.

But so far I have no success. In short I have re-worked his example directory to try be my working config to be able to boot mobian from an SDcard and pmOS from the eMMC. I have got p-boot installed on the SDcard and at initial boot I get the p-boot menu screen with my 2 options, but selecting either of them I get the red LED temporarily then it goes out and neither OS ever loads sufficiently to show on the screen.

So obviously my boot.conf is duff but I am not sure why.

My boot.conf:

@Luke

Is there any way to permanently block someone? Due to my, and many others, responses to a certain forum individual they have been on a down vote/negative rating crusade and have sought out every post I have basically made in order to negatively rate them.

I have ignored that person via the control panel, but that has no effect judging by the 10 negative reputations in basically 2 days.

I mean I know reputation is fake internet points, but this is getting harassing.

Thanks in advance for any help!

I just recently received this Pinephone, here in Australia. Phone cannot make/receive calls & SMS, as it does not detect the telco's network - in fact, it clearly says "NO NETWORK". This was the case with the preinstalled version of Ubuntu Touch, and did not improve just now after I tried an updated version of UT I downloaded from UBports on 2nd Sept (#76, I think), and I followed UBPorts' directions for flashing the SD card.

Other things I've tried / checked:
Turning phone on / off
re-seating SIM card
SIM card works fine in another handset
DIP switches on the back of the phone are all in the 'up' position (I haven't touched them at all)

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Ken.
***

It all started with figuring out audio quality issues in the Mobian room over on the Matrix server.

Long story short, I messed around with gain settings but couldn't make it sound as expected. So I started digging around in the schematics and datasheets to see if there was a hardware issue. Turns out I was right; there are hardware issues.

Let's start in the middle with the centerpiece of the discussion, Broadchip BCT4717ETB-TR. This is an analog switch and in the PinePhone it's wired up to switch between headphone audio and debug serial. In the PinePhone v1.2 schematic on page 8 you can see it's connected to HPOUT_L/HPOUT_R on the A64 through inductors, to PB8-DEBUG-RX/PB8-DEBUG-TX on the A64 and to HP_L/HP_R on the headphone jack.

The issue here stems from the BCT4717ETB-TR being an analog switch. The way it is connected on the schematic implies it's being used as a non-inverting audio OpAmp even though it's meant for signaling. It lacks the linear properties of an audio OpAmp and the datasheet gain graphs don't even go below 1 MHz. The graphs cover 1 MHz to 1 GHz and 300 MHz is the point where it reaches -3 dB attenuation at 1.65 V_CC which matches up well with its rated bandwidth of 300 MHz. The graph isn't exactly flat in between which leads me to believe it's unlikely to be flat for lower frequencies as well, but that's still not the main issue.

The main issue is both the analog switch range and the output impedance. The analog signal range is specified as 0 to V+, which in our case should mean 0-3.3 V. That is sort of fine since we're using a virtual ground (connected to HP-FB on the A64) but it's a point of concern. The output impedance isn't explicitly defined but the output resistance is specified as 4 Ohm typical and 8.5 Ohm maximum. Together with the inductance that becomes a low pass filter, I haven't been able to find accurate data for our components in the audible range but the shape of the curve is inverse logarithmic. This could explain why the amplifier is so incredibly bass heavy. Furthermore even if we apply a constant impedance at 4 Ohms that's still way too high for most headphones you'd connect to a phone, which are somewhere in the ballpark of 8 to 40 Ohms at 1 kHz. This could lead to strange harmonics, especially at the lower end of that range.

Then there's yet another issue I discovered while trying to measure the DC offset which turned out to be in the mV range and too small to accurately measure with my old analog scope and a twitchy cable. After about 10 seconds of pausing the music the DC offset rose to a whopping 200 mV! This is not really a good thing if you leave headphones plugged in overnight as they typically don't like DC at all, let alone 200 mV.

This is about as far as I can go tonight, it's way past bedtime and I'm super tired but I wanted to get this written down somewhere before I forget the details. My conclusion for now is that someone needs to validate my results, if the 200 mV idle offset is reproducible on other units then we might need to issue a PSA about not leaving headphones plugged in when they're not in use. Furthermore I'd really encourage the hardware people to either use a proper headphone amplifier or separate out the debug serial port from the headphone jack.

I'll see if I can figure out a way of getting frequency response curves.

Hey guys... I have had several people login to MY BBS after they followed my how-to on building the SyncTerm from source post. That's really cool, and to be honest MY BBS is just a project. There is actually many that are leaders in the Bulletin Board world.

So, I hope you'll read along with me and enjoy more information about BBSing in 2020. If you missed the first writeup, search for BBS and read my how-to on building the terminal program SyncTerm. And furthermore, please apply for access at my BBS - 20 For Beers BBS. I'm thinking of adding Pine64 message bases there, too. Come on over - theres a lot to be had in the 'BBS Scene' in 2020.

Heres some of the BEST OF BBSing IN 2020:

Best ANSI Art Group:
BLOCKTRONICS @ www.blocktronics.org
runner-up, Impure Ascii Group @ impure.nl

More Info... checkout 16colo.rs (website) for everything ANSI. They have *every* ANSI release since 1990 - 2020! Be sure to checkout the releases in 2020... there is STILL a great ANSI scene in the BBS world. The artists never went away, and its not all about ACiD anymore!

Best BBS Software:
Mystic BBS @ mysticbbs.com
runner-up, Enigma.5 BBS @ enigma-bbs.github.io

Mystic BBS software is the front runner in BBS servers - You can *run* your own bulletin board over telnet using Mystic... Enigma.5 is also currently being developed, and Synchronet (www.synchro.net) is currently being developed. They also are the authors of SyncTerm terminal software.

Best BBS Terminal Software:
SyncTerm @ syncterm.bbsdev.net
runner-up, NetRunner @ mysticbbs.com/downloads.html

These are the terminal softwares you'll need to call BBSes and take advantge of the ANSI (or petscii, RIP, etc) graphics that BBSes still use in 2020... if you just use Telnet or Putty, BBSes will NOT display correctly and your experience will... suck.

Best FTN (FidoNet style) Message Networks:
fsxNet @ The Agency BBS agency.bbs.nz port 23
runner-up, Dove-Net @ Vertrauen BBS cvs.synchro.net port 23

These are message networks, so you'll find them carried at MANY BBSes. However, I've listed their HOME bulletin boards. Remember, to 'call' into the links for BBSes you'll have to use SyncTerm or NetRunner Terminal softwares. There may be others available, but your regular linux terminal using Telnet or simple Putty will not work. You need one that can display ANSI graphics, like SyncTerm, NetRunner, etc.

Best Door Games Network:
Door Party! @ The Throw Back BBS bbs.throwbackbbs.com port 23
runner-up, BBSLink @ bbslink.net

Door Game Networks are the new way we play door games on BBSes. They are networked, and when you now fire up TradeWars 2002 or Legend of the Red Dragon or Kannons and Katapults... and all your old BBS door game favorites, the boards can use these networks. Door Party has a home BBS, and BBSLink does not. However, you can find these networks used at many many BBS systems. Finally, there are plenty of users to play your favorite online ANSI door games with! Just find a BBS that carries your favorite. BTW, my BBS 20 For Beers BBS carries both. Login @ 20ForBeers.com port 1337

Best BBS List:
The Telnet BBS Guide @ www.telnetbbsguide.com
runner-up, BBS Guide @ bbs.guide

These are all some of the most current features of the BBS scene in 2020... and now for the best part, I'll give you my BEST OF BBSes list. These are all actual bulletin boards; so give them a telnet call and apply for access! The following are the BEST bulletin boards that are available today!!

Best BBSes in 2020:
Remember, you must use a BBS terminal as stated above to TELNET into the following. You must use the correct port #, which you enter in the terminal program entry.

THE BEST:
aBSINTHE BBS, an Amiga C-Net BBS @
absinthebbs.net port 1940

Best 2020 BBS:
The Underground @
www.theunderground.us port 10023
Mafia-style bulletin board, where you have to be a capo to not get capped!!

ACiD ANSI WHQ:
ACiD Underground @
blackflag.acid.org port 31337

Best 'Underground Commodore' BBS:
Anarchy Underground @
aubbs.dyndns.org port 2300
[40 column, c-64 BBS. must specify c64 in terminal software entry]

Best ZINE BBS, Hosting NULL MAGAZINE:
Another Dr01d BBS @
andr01d.zapto.org port 9999

Badass ANSI BBS:
Bottomless Abyss @
bbs.bottomlessabyss.net port 2023

Most Door Games [local, not networked!] BBS:
Danger Bay BBS @
dangerbaybbs.dyndns.org port 1337

Best Networked Door Games BBS:
Serion BBS @
connect.serionbbs.com port 23

Best Hacking Simulator 'BBS'
TeleHack @
telehack.com port 23
This is one board you CAN simply use Telnet to connect. telnet telehack.com and get to HACKING!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was fun to write up, ladies and gents... I hope some of you dig this and get some use or happiness out of the write up. If you go checkout some ANSI art, great... if you decide to learn about older BBSes that I didn't list, theres tons of less-new age ones and plenty that will remind you of exactly how it was BACK THEN. Use the Telnet BBS Guide and search for the BBS software that was YOUR favorite from back in the day.

THIS list was to cover whats CURRENT in 2020... the BBS scene is ALIVE and kicking... I hope you build SyncTerm and come along and get involved with the BBS scene... heck, maybe a few of you will even become a SysOp and run your own bulletin board.

You can totally run a bulletin board server with these ARM single boards or PBP systems... I run mine on a Raspberry Pi 4... If theres any interest here, I can do a writeup about how to run a bulletin board. Do let me know in the comments.

Hope ya'll meet me on the FTN message network fsxNet or Dove-Net. Jump on in, the water is great!

Hey, sorry for all the dumb newbie questions... however I have one.

When I plug in my high-powered expensive battery pack to USB-C, the laptop DOES take a charge from it. It's one of the ones with a digital read-out, fast charging.. and just a quality battery bank. So I assume it has the fast charging/high watts, etc...

My question is: If I purchase a high quality USB-C charging cable and wall plug, will the Pinebook Pro charge this way as its only charging device? I don't love the barrel charger...

Or, I'd at least like to find a better quality barrel charger.

Does anyone have suggestions on either of these setups? First choice, a good USB-C charging option... and if thats not supported, a better barrel charger for the PBP???

Does USB-C as a charger work good? Great? Better the barrel?

And if you have any suggestions on ones that perform well...