[Ovmsdev] OVMS v2 stock / OVMS v3

[Michael Balzer]

Great news, thanks!

Please put me on the list for two of the V3 
development boards.

I've forwarded your info to the Twizy forum. There 
are some active beta testers, I asked to send 
orders for the V3 development board to me or you.

I said pricing will probably be max 200 €.

Regards,
Michael


Am 25.08.2015 um 07:41 schrieb Mark Webb-Johnson:
> Plans change.
>
> For some inexplicable reason (Michael? #twizycon?), we had a jump in order for the v2 modules. August is not even yet over, and they are going too quickly now. We are down to about 40 (of which I need to retain at least 10 for RMA/repair purposes).
>
> The Arduino+Linux hybrid sample boards look to be delayed another month, and MBED OS was due in August 2015 but has yet to make an appearance.
>
> I checked, and the supplier has just a few hundred SIM908 modules left.
>
> Accordingly, I just put in an order for definitely-the-last-batch of 100x v2 modules. With four more months to go in the year, I’ll take the risk.
>
> Hopefully we can start work on v3 next month, once we see the Arduino+Linux hybrid vs MBED OS options solidify. I suspect MBED OS won’t be finalised until 2016Q1 anyway. The guys I am working with in China suggest to first produce a small batch of development boards (not in a case, but functionally complete) so that we can start development work, and then work on packaging the board into a small footprint with case, certification, etc. I suspect that this could be a six month project to get a final v3 based packaged product, so those 140 remaining v2 modules should hopefully give us some breathing room.
>
> I am excited about bluetooth and wifi options. Pricing for these has plummeted, and available options grown dramatically. I am hopeful that we can get a small board with cellular + gps + wifi + bluetooth radios, for a reasonable cost. Add on a bunch of flash (1GB+), SD-card, RAM (at least 128KB, maybe more), at least 2 CAN ports, and we’ll have a pretty amazing vehicle hacking and telemetry platform.
>
> Regards, Mark
>
>> On 11 Aug, 2015, at 10:17 am, Mark Webb-Johnson <mark at webb-johnson.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> At the current rate, the batch we have of OVMS v2 modules will run out sometime in the next two months.
>>
>> Given the imminent shutdown of AT&T’s 2G network in USA, global re-allocation of 2G frequency bands, and the difficulties we are having obtaining the discontinued SIM908, it is decision time.
>>
>> Option #1: Re-order a large batch now, enough to last us into the new year, but with the risk that I’ll be personally stuck with them.
>> Option #2: Just let the v2 modules run out, and move on with the plans for v3.
>>
>> Development on v2 is stagnating. Partly because the platform already does what we need it to do, and partly because we’re hitting the limits (no external connectivity other than GPRS, single CAN bus, no storage, limited RAM, flash, etc).
>>
>> The v3 plans have been on hold for some time, pending MBED OS release (first beta due this month) and the imminent release of hybrid processors such as that used in the UDOO Neo (due in September). We know what we want, but it is just too hard to pick a long-term platform when everything is on the cusp of changing.
>>
>> I really want a v3 module. Something with lots of RAM and Flash, wifi, bluetooth and cellular connectivity, multiple CAN bus support, and a rich development platform. Something we can all use as a platform for reverse engineering as well as end-user connectivity. I’ll do everything I can to make this a reality. Just not today. Too much is changing and we need to wait for things to stabilise.
>>
>> So, my gut feeling is to choose option #2. 2G GPRS is slowing dying, and building more on that platform just seems to be the wrong decision. This may leave us with several months of no platform stock, but I would rather people waited than spend $100 on something that is going to be obsolete/outdated. Kind of like buying an iPhone in August ;-) I don’t want to be stuck with the stock, and I don’t want people to buy a v2, only to have v3 come out a week later.
>>
>> Even if we started now, which we can’t, an optimistic schedule for the first end-user v3 units would be early 2016.
>>
>> So, tough decisions, but I really think option #2 is best. Bottom line is if you need v2 modules, order them now.
>>
>> If you are likely to need a large quantity for any upcoming projects, let me know. The SIM908 modules will be unavailable within the next month or so, and changing to another module is a PITA I don’t want to deal with (especially given the tight RAM and FLASH we have now).
>>
>> Regards, Mark.
>>
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Michael Balzer * Paradestr. 8 * D-42107 Wuppertal
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