12-20-2020, 06:22 PM
(12-14-2020, 02:16 PM)Arwen Wrote: -Modern storage isn't that expensive. Pine64 could get rid of emmc for SSD without much added expense, if at all. There are many low end laptops out there using SSD. Not saying the PBP needs to have a 500 GB Samsung Evo 980 Pro. Plenty of smaller off brand drives out there in the $20-30 range. Being limited to 64 GB storage and having to jump through hoops with uncertain results to upgrade to SSD storage is a needless headache. I lucked out upgrading my storage with no issues, other users haven't been so lucky. All the threads I've read on this forum indicate that storage on the PBP is a weak point if you want to upgrade and only having 64 GB can be insufficient depending on what you want to do with your PBP.
- I'd have two type C connectors (one for power) on the left side, and a USB type A on the right side along with HDMI and microSD slot. Just get rid of USB 2.0 all together since 3.0 is backward compatible. Why would you need a hub when you can just deliver enough power to the ports?
- I hope they get the new boot menu ironed out and the PBP can eventually boot from any connected bootable device. I realize the PBP is a hobbyist/enthusiast device, but having all these work arounds and caveats for what device you can boot from holds the PBP back in my opinion.
@mtndew, some comments.
M.2 slot for SSD in lieu of EEMC.
There is nothing stopping you from removing the eMMC and using only NVMe in the M.2 slot. It does require installing U-Boot in the SPI flash. (Or using SDXC as initial boot.)
If you are asking about build to order, (leave off eMMC and add at factory M.2 / NVMe slot), Pine64 can't do that and keep the price down.
Two USB 3.0 and replace the charging port with another USB type C
If I remember correctly, the RK3399 only has 2 USB 3 ports. We have one as a Type A connector and the other is the Type C connector. Adding a 3rd would require both adding a USB 3.0 hub + power to run the hub
On the subject of replacing the charging port with a USB Type C, perhaps. We need to get the charging circuit fixed, so that we can use more external power. Others have identified this as a weak point too.
Change firmware to include a boot menu if super key is pressed at start up and include options for booting from USB drive or network
Their is work in U-Boot to including selecting boot device, (or kernel), and booting from USB drives or network. I've personally tested it, (but not the USB drive or network), it's nice. Not yet ready for prime time, as they say. It can be installed in SPI flash, (so no eMMC required). Or installed in eMMC or SDXC. Note that it can't be installed in NVMe or USB drive, as that is a limitation of the RK3399 SoC. (So Pine64 included a SPI flash for people not wanting an eMMC or SDXC.)