[Tfug] Tablets

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Zack,

--- On Mon, 8/27/12, Zack Williams <zdwzdw at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Hmmm... interesting device!  But, looking at a variety of
> > photos, it's unclear whether or not this is a tablet-ish
> > device sitting in a dock *or* if the "base" is a permanent
> > part of it?  I.e., in the latter case, it would be problematic
> > to mount it to a wall.  Granted, you could surgically remove
> > the base but one has to assume the manufacturer is using
> > that volume for "guts"!  :-/
> 
> I have two of these (bought on fire sale from a BB), and took one
> apart.  The circuit board is at the bottom just to allow space for
> speakers and to set the angle of the display.

Ah, so the "CPU board" does not sit *parallel* to the display,
itself?

> There's no real "guts" other than that, so making the panel and 
> circuit board parallel wouldn't be difficult, in my recollection.

OK.
 
> The chumby codename for the device is "silvermoon" - more
> info here: http://wiki.chumby.com/index.php/Main_Page

OK, thanks.  I'll check it out.
 
> I built openembedded on one of mine, but then other stuff
> came up and I probably didn't touch it for the last few years.

"Shit Happens"  :>

> Made a github repo of the files required though:  
> https://github.com/zdw/chumby-oe

I will probably just peel off the drivers and use them as
"documentation" for the hardware.  Then, port my own OS onto
it.  Though being able to boot something out-of-the-box
would help when it comes to some rough performance
qualification, etc.

I am concerned that it doesn't have enough horsepower *or*
basic resources (e.g., RAM) to stream video, etc.  Have you
ever tried viewing a video (from any particular container/codec)?

> > Is there any reason *why* they are cheap RIGHT NOW?
> > (obsolescent, new model introduction, problems, etc.)
> 
> Chumby is going/went out of business.

<frown>  Don't understand why that should diminish their value
but... <shrug>

Thanks!
--don