G2 Saturn with Andromeda front panel

[Trucker]

In the G2 Saturn manual there are three photos of three different G2 radios. One with the front panel running PiHPSDR. Another without the front panel and finally, one with the Andromeda front panel. The information for the one with the Andromeda front panel mentioned that it was a future product. Because of the added controls of the Andromeda front panel, the radio is supposed to have a Arduno to handle the extra controls of the Andromeda front panel and to take the extra processing off of the Raspberry Pi CM4 module.
I find I really like the Andromeda interface. And I use it in Thetis quite often. I wonder if this version of the G2 Saturn will actually be produced. Plus, I also wonder how much more complex updating the radio will be having the Arduno as part of the system.
James
WD5GWY

[JohnFT61]

I would also be interested in the Andromeda front panel also, especially if it takes some of the load off of the Raspberry Pi 4, and lets the G2 unit perform better without having to use Thetis.


John
N2KBE

[w-u-2-o]

An Andromeda panel will not provide any performance improvement. It will use the same display connected to the Pi in the same way as the current product and displaying the same Raspbian desktop environment. The only difference will be with the buttons and knobs.

While there is an esthetic involved in having a more traditional looking radio package, nevertheless, having used both piHPSDR and linHPSDR, for me the user experience pales beside that offered by Thetis. Plus the display is very small. If I was in the market for a G2 I'd definitely get the version with no display.

[Trucker]

Scott, I have been trying to find a post I thought I remembered reading from Laurance saying that this particular version of the G2, that it would have the Andromeda GUI instead of the current PiHPSDR interface. Maybe, it's just my imagination ( that does happen sometimes) . I did look at the image in the manual and it is the PiHPSDR GUI showing.
So, I will sit back and wait and see what occurs.
James
WD5GWY


I like radios with knobs and without knobs. The actual Andromeda with the Intel NUC inside is interesting to me as well. The only downside I haveheard about is cooling problems a couple of guys I know have had with the Andromeda because of the NUC inside.

[Trucker]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I have a V1 controller that came with my 8000DLE. It's nice,but,you are correct, the PiHPSDR interface isn't as nice as Thetis. I tested it with my 8000DLE and it worked. But, I didn't find it as easy to use as Thetis or the Maestro I had with the Flex 6500 I had. ( traded in for a 6600M)
It's too bad we can't mix and match the different aspects of different radios into one radio. Even then, not everyone has the same thoughts as to what is "best" in a radio. I guess we are fortunate to have as many choices as we do.
James
WD5GWY

[vk1hx]

An Andromeda panel will not provide any performance improvement. It will use the same display connected to the Pi in the same way as the current product and displaying the same Raspbian desktop environment. The only difference will be with the buttons and knobs.

While there is an esthetic involved in having a more traditional looking radio package, nevertheless, having used both piHPSDR and linHPSDR, for me the user experience pales beside that offered by Thetis. Plus the display is very small. If I was in the market for a G2 I'd definitely get the version with no display.

Couldn't agree more with this statement! 100%.

[vk1hx]

I like radios with knobs and without knobs. The actual Andromeda with the Intel NUC inside is interesting to me as well. The only downside I haveheard about is cooling problems a couple of guys I know have had with the Andromeda because of the NUC inside.

Their concept was a good one, however the execution was very poor. I've worked with and setup 2 Andromeda's now. Yes, cooling is a major issue and inside the Andromeda is the 80mm fan trying to cool the PA. The NUC CPU cooler/blower does not vent the heat from the CPU outside the case, its pumped into the case causing it to get very hot or require external cooling.

It would have also been nice to include a driver CD or USB for all the internal addons inside, such as USB dongles for COM3 supporting the front panel etc. While I have not reinstalled windows of attempted a repair/recovery process on one yet, I'd hope that they are supported by Windows generic drivers.

Applying cable management would be a good idea too.

Andromeda Inside.jpg (753.47 KiB) Viewed 6823 times

[Trucker]

Steve Wilson posted about his cooling problem and how he solved it on the Apache Labs Facebook page. He said he added a 120mm fan to the bottom cover, similar to the 8000DLE cooling fan. He stated that his radio is running 15 degrees cooler.
James
WD5GWY

FB_IMG_1693871077800.jpg (165.77 KiB) Viewed 6812 times

[JohnFT61]

Hopefully some improvements will be made as stated in the Anan-G2 Manual. Reducing the load...