Open Peak Devices

[pete]

While leaving it open with no heatsinks played some more with it yesterday.

I did install / run Mevi's XP3 for the Joggler image on it using the EFI boot and the Seabios boot. I went to the dual atom MP setup on the seabios and it works nicely.

Noticed that battery does save the time and the built in network interface does have a mac address and works on reboots every time.

[roobarb!]

Thanks for posting your experiments - it's answering a lot of questions! That little micro sd slot does look tempting, doesn't it?

[pete]

Yup; fascinated with the insides of this device. Ordered an SD slot to solder onto the motherboard.

Currently testing wireless on another Openframe 2 box. I'm not seeing any dropouts streaming video 24/7 while concurrently running software on it pushing it a bit. It appears that having a mini PCiE combo wireless card works better than a USB wireless stick?

I had given up on the wireless stuff with it as I had similiar issues with the Chumby device / USB wireless transport.

I have a laptop that has two separate mini PCiE cards; one for wireless and one for blue tooth. I'm going to try this combo PCiE card and see how it does.

Looks also to have been set up for a GSM PCiE card.

[roobarb!]

PCIe will be much better than USB - any data transfer over USB uses CPU time to process and package the bits. PCI is direct with no translation into (yet another) protocol required.

It's also a contributing factor for why 400Mb/s FireWire is faster in practical applications than 480Mb/s USB2.

[pete]

I recieved the little SD card slot today along with the tiny fuse to replace the one that was burned out.

[BuZz]

Just to mention - I have photos of the tool to remove the back from an openframe 2 (next to a ruler). I need to process them a bit and they will be put on the wiki.

[pete]

Thanks Buzz!

Just a guess from what I did here butchering my "broken" Openframe 2. The four bottom holes align with 4 plastic tabs on the bottom of the LCD plastic frame. Pushing on the four tabs at the same time and lifting the LCD frees it from the housing. Is it made of metal or is it a plastic device? Right now the Openfram device is all apart and I used painters masking tape to keep it together a bit laying the large metal heatsink on top of the taped together what was left after butchering device. I am looking at soldering the fuse back on the Openframe device. Its so small though I worry that if I sneeze when getting ready to solder it back on to the main board; it'll go flying some where and I will never find it. (I did purchase 2 of them; but they are maybe 1/20 the size of my smallest fingernail - small insect looking)

I haven't taken apart the other Openframe units as amazingly the one USB port works really well connected to a hub or any number of devices; IE booting from a USB stick just fine connected to a USB Hub with a keyboard and mouse attached to it.

It would be nice to find the Openframe USB camera that fits on the top of the device making it a nice Skype video phone call device. Maybe though they were never made though.

[BuZz]

Is it made of metal or is it a plastic device? Right now the Openfram device is all apart and I used painters masking tape to keep it together a bit laying the large metal heatsink on top of the taped together what was left after butchering device.

Metal - Looks like

I dont think the camera was ever made for the openframe2. But it should be possible to hack a USB camera on there.

[pete]

Thanks Buzz.

It is a clear run from the four holes on the bottom to the little tabs that hold the LCD in place; such that pushing on the four tabs together and lifting the LCD would be easy.

I will take a picture of the four plastic tabs under the LCD mount that need to be pushed up to lift out the LCD. Each tab is about 1/2 " wide. Looking at them a bit they are maybe 1-2 mm above the edge of the LCD. The LCD has a rubber surround which makes it fit tightly into the plastic frame. Only the bottom four tabs keep it in place though.

The metal speaker cover is kind of wedged in place with no clips holding it in place. I bent mine pulling it off though.

I think though if you wedge a little plastic stick right below the tabs and lift the LCD carefully you can remove the LCD to get to the insides of the case. That said under the LCD are the screws that hold the rest of the case / motherboard together.

[roobarb!]

That pic is very handy to see - sturdy frame with rounded edges to the prongs... I can see how it works now, very straightforward.

Shame the EFI chip is soldered, though. That's always going to be a minor concern. But the socketed wireless / bluetooth card is fun - that could always be swapped out for something else if anybody had a very specific requirement! Combo wireless and bluetooth is probably the most immediately handy, mind.

[pete]

Yup; like that little mini combo WLAN/BT card. I was going to give it a try in my EEEPC as today I use an external BT dongle on it with an internal WLAN card.

I have little mini WLAN and little mini BT cards but the combo cards that I have tried are very propietary.

I still have yet to solder on the SD card to the opened up Openpeak 2. Right now its literally been put together with painters tape.

Looks a bit kludgy similiar to my "style" of gift wrapping for the holidays (my rights to gift wrapping have been taken away by my spouse.)

One of my Openpeak II's is doing an odd thing which I cannot figure out. I shut off the screen (backlight) and within 10 seconds it turns itself on again as if I was touching the screen.

[pete]

Purchased another Openpeak 2 device today. Great deal at $32 USD.

[BuZz]

Bargain!

[pete]

The seller / company is from SE Florida and the description said Videophone.

[BuZz]

I see you got all accessories. Does the phone work with it? Be interested if you can get the phone working as VoIP phone in xubuntu.

[pete]

I have not received it yet and should get it this week. This description is very basic

Manufacturer: OpenPeak
Model Number: OPOF2B2110
Description: Openframe 2.0 Video Phone

This video phone includes the charging station, power cords, and screen.

This video phone is new and in unsealed packaging; we guarantee it will perform to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Shipped from Lecanto, FL

I am now seeing that the Openframe2's (unopened cases) that I have left running on line (3 now) seem to be faster. That and they also seem to boot just about anything via the USB port in the back. The one running the OS XBMC does well but fills up the 2Gb flash right away; but keeps going and going.

I had bought another battery pack for the Openpeak 2 DECT phone (?) and its not charging such that I couldn't test it. The Verizon Openpeak works fine with my Oooma Telo DECT connection but it doesn't access any of the features of the VOIP box. Just able to call and receive calls on it. If I can can the telephone working on this on it would be great!

I did notice on the opened in pieces OPII which was an energy hub it seemed to have stuff for the DECT phone that wasn't plugged in.

The DECT pairing was very generic; thinking now it just used 1234 or something like that. I'm also thinking the one with the bad battery might already be paired with one of the OPII's as I saw it come up once and it did say it was paired with the reciever.

Now really driving wife a bit batty because the Jogglers/OPIIs are now in "packs" in different rooms in the house.

[pete]

Another Open Peak II telco hub has been posted on Ebay from the same company.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OpenPeak-OP ... 860wt_1172

I am still waiting on mine though. (maybe today??)

I am wondering why these are described as video phones?

That and what market they were for and if they are telco branded or virginal or locked such that you cannot do anything with them?

I have had good like with my utility hubs and telco hub OpenPeak so far such that I am being optimistic with the not deliveried yet "videophone" hub.

[roobarb!]

Interesting! I've never seen one with the phone with it before.

[pete]

Goofing around a bit with another Openpeak II today. I found it easy to pull off the LCD screen by using very thin plastic where the tabs are at that hold it in place. Once one tab is released the rest come off very easily.

After removing the LCD then its just removing the screws that hold the plastic case on. The little plastic Openpeak logo piece above the speakers lifts right out. Then its just one screw that holds the motherboard in place.

I need to take pictures of this one as its totally different from the one that I broke the case to a little bit ago.

There are BT labels on it. It appears that the Zigbee stuff has been removed / desoldered as there are marks all over the area. It has a socketed flash boot chip and someone wrote O2 #1 with magic marker on the one of the shields.

[gegs]

I'm very jealous when I see the prices these can go for on US eBay. The UK postage is a killer though.