How about this as an alternate:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3017...uch-of-the-internet-as-it-can.html#tk.rss_all
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3017...uch-of-the-internet-as-it-can.html#tk.rss_all
Lantern Update from Syed Karim, Outernet CEO
- Thread starter KE4EST
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Here is a recent update on Outernet.
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New Campaign Update!
The ‘Lantern: One Device, Free Data From Space Forever’ team just posted:
1 new Announcement:
Lee has been busy. As a quick refresher, Lee in an industrial designer who backed the campaign last year. In December he reached out and suggested that it might be useful for him to get involved with a Lantern-reboot. His offer was quickly accepted.
In previous updates we provided some ideas for the new Lantern, and also asked for feedback from our backer community. The concepts that were being explored in depth related to a book and a slate. After fleshing out the designs of both concepts, and combing through all of the feedback that was received, we've settled on a direction. Before going into the details of the decision, I'll show you what I'm talking about.
The book has a lot going for it, but it also has a lot of detail and complexity. Although it is considerably more compact than the slate, the numerous components introduce a significant degree of execution risk. Additionally, this design does not completely address the most important requirement that came from the backer community: durability. This is not to say that folding solar panels can't be sturdy, but it's just a different type of sturdiness, when compared to a monolithic enclosure.
As you may have guessed, we've decided to move forward with the slate. The two factors driving this decision have to do with simplicity in manufacturing and durability by design. There are no moving parts, no thin pieces, no cables, no nothing. The device is just laid on the ground and works. That is something that we heard over and over again and it really drove the way that Lee approached this particular concept.
Now that we have established a direction, Lee is considering ways to improve through iteration. The previous feedback from the community was very constructive and you'll notice at least one feature that was introduced into both concepts -- the tie downs. We definitely need more input as we move through additional iterations. For example, I was asking Lee how we could reduce the dimensions to bare minimums, while still using standard, commercially available components (for solar and battery). We would also like to introduce more features that are baked into the industrial design, while not introducing complexity to the manufacturing process. One example of this is the prop-up point--as opposed to having a hinged stand. It's these kinds of ideas we'd like to receive from all of you.
Looking forward to all of your thoughts in the comments.
Reply directly to this email to respond to the campaign owner, Syed Karim. Visit the campaign page to view all comments and updates for this project.
Help spread the word about the campaign!
Sincerely,
The Indiegogo Team
2016 Indiegogo, All Rights Reserved
-----
New Campaign Update!
The ‘Lantern: One Device, Free Data From Space Forever’ team just posted:
1 new Announcement:
Lee has been busy. As a quick refresher, Lee in an industrial designer who backed the campaign last year. In December he reached out and suggested that it might be useful for him to get involved with a Lantern-reboot. His offer was quickly accepted.
In previous updates we provided some ideas for the new Lantern, and also asked for feedback from our backer community. The concepts that were being explored in depth related to a book and a slate. After fleshing out the designs of both concepts, and combing through all of the feedback that was received, we've settled on a direction. Before going into the details of the decision, I'll show you what I'm talking about.
The book has a lot going for it, but it also has a lot of detail and complexity. Although it is considerably more compact than the slate, the numerous components introduce a significant degree of execution risk. Additionally, this design does not completely address the most important requirement that came from the backer community: durability. This is not to say that folding solar panels can't be sturdy, but it's just a different type of sturdiness, when compared to a monolithic enclosure.
As you may have guessed, we've decided to move forward with the slate. The two factors driving this decision have to do with simplicity in manufacturing and durability by design. There are no moving parts, no thin pieces, no cables, no nothing. The device is just laid on the ground and works. That is something that we heard over and over again and it really drove the way that Lee approached this particular concept.
Now that we have established a direction, Lee is considering ways to improve through iteration. The previous feedback from the community was very constructive and you'll notice at least one feature that was introduced into both concepts -- the tie downs. We definitely need more input as we move through additional iterations. For example, I was asking Lee how we could reduce the dimensions to bare minimums, while still using standard, commercially available components (for solar and battery). We would also like to introduce more features that are baked into the industrial design, while not introducing complexity to the manufacturing process. One example of this is the prop-up point--as opposed to having a hinged stand. It's these kinds of ideas we'd like to receive from all of you.
Looking forward to all of your thoughts in the comments.
Reply directly to this email to respond to the campaign owner, Syed Karim. Visit the campaign page to view all comments and updates for this project.
Help spread the word about the campaign!
Sincerely,
The Indiegogo Team
2016 Indiegogo, All Rights Reserved
By my count, this is the 3rd look for the lantern? There was the monolith with solar panels on the sides, then there was the clear box with a patch antenna and a solar panel on a kick stand, and now this? I hope something comes from it, but they would do better to get something out and refine from there. This project seems to suffer similar problems to OLPC’s XO; except OLPC got the XO-1 out and then kept the same body for the revisions after putting energy into neat looking prototypes that never came to be.
I got an email today from outernet that the lighthouse is on sale for half off with a code HALFSIES. Since I have a fixed dish for 97 I figured for $50 it was worth experimenting with.
I got an email today from outernet that the lighthouse is on sale for half off with a code HALFSIES. Since I have a fixed dish for 97 I figured for $50 it was worth experimenting with.
Thanks for the update, but until I get delivery of the Lantern that I pre-ordered, I wouldn't sink anymore more money in their projects.
I think our money is gone - they are in need of new money, even at half price.
Bob
Bob
I talked to the CEO, Syed, several times on the phone about this project, back when it was starting up. I don't think it is a scam.
I think he got in way over his head, and there is much more to it than he thought.
I think he got in way over his head, and there is much more to it than he thought.
I completely agree with KE4EST that the project scope is enormous, with a steep learning curve. Definitely not a scam as Outernet is currently available globally as a FTA service via 6 satellite platforms and a hardware package is available. Far from the failure to launch, FreeDBS.
The Outernet concept is great, but the vision for the delivery technology has lacked focus. The dream of what it could become has seemingly resulted in the inability to pull the trigger now. What was first announced as a FSS data delivery platform quickly expanded to include micro satellites, terrestrial radio then even a return channel has culminated in the failure to produce an economical and simple to operate core reception product.
I feel that the opportunity to launch a mass appeal service is quickly fading in the rear view mirror.
The Outernet concept is great, but the vision for the delivery technology has lacked focus. The dream of what it could become has seemingly resulted in the inability to pull the trigger now. What was first announced as a FSS data delivery platform quickly expanded to include micro satellites, terrestrial radio then even a return channel has culminated in the failure to produce an economical and simple to operate core reception product.
I feel that the opportunity to launch a mass appeal service is quickly fading in the rear view mirror.
This was sent to backers last month, as far as the lantern:
Lantern development is also progressing. We've sent the design files of the enclosure to the mold maker. Larry should complete the tooling in early June, and then it's just a matter of shooting the mold full of plastic (many, many times). Both Larry and the injection molding facility are located just outside of Chicago, so waiting on shipments won't be an issue.
We've identified a solar panel supplier who meets our needs and those panels will be ordered in May. The battery packs are still being tested, but these are commercially available packs, which can be acquired quickly and easily. We've gone through several rounds of testing various antennas (in an anechoic chamber, as well as in real life). We're waiting on just one more antenna before making a decision on which to move forward with. There are two other main parts of Lantern, the LNA module and digital radio. The LNA (a signal amplifier with a built in filter) we designed in-house and are waiting for one more part before committing to a design. We've been testing radios continuously at 70 C/158 F temperatures and everything seems to be working without issue.
We're getting very close.
Lantern development is also progressing. We've sent the design files of the enclosure to the mold maker. Larry should complete the tooling in early June, and then it's just a matter of shooting the mold full of plastic (many, many times). Both Larry and the injection molding facility are located just outside of Chicago, so waiting on shipments won't be an issue.
We've identified a solar panel supplier who meets our needs and those panels will be ordered in May. The battery packs are still being tested, but these are commercially available packs, which can be acquired quickly and easily. We've gone through several rounds of testing various antennas (in an anechoic chamber, as well as in real life). We're waiting on just one more antenna before making a decision on which to move forward with. There are two other main parts of Lantern, the LNA module and digital radio. The LNA (a signal amplifier with a built in filter) we designed in-house and are waiting for one more part before committing to a design. We've been testing radios continuously at 70 C/158 F temperatures and everything seems to be working without issue.
We're getting very close.
This was posted first of May:
On Friday, May 6th, Outernet will begin signal testing over an L-band satellite. The first set of tests will last 24-hours. About a week afterwards, we will move to longer-term operations. There have been questions related to the development of the Lantern hardware, but the L-band satellite signal--and software that turns the transmission into files--is by far the most important piece of the puzzle. With the signal finally live and software complete, any kind of low-power processor can be turned into a satellite data receiver.
On Friday, the signal will be available in North America and South America. In June we'll turn on the next beam, which has coverage from western Africa to Papua New Guinea. We expect to deliver about 20MB to start out. Over time our plan is to grow this to 100MB a day.
On Wednesday, there will be a short update to provide the specific satellite frequency. Of course, no one has a Lantern just yet, but if you do have a software-defined radio, like the RTL-SDR ($20 from Amazon) then you should be able to tune in.
On Friday, May 6th, Outernet will begin signal testing over an L-band satellite. The first set of tests will last 24-hours. About a week afterwards, we will move to longer-term operations. There have been questions related to the development of the Lantern hardware, but the L-band satellite signal--and software that turns the transmission into files--is by far the most important piece of the puzzle. With the signal finally live and software complete, any kind of low-power processor can be turned into a satellite data receiver.
On Friday, the signal will be available in North America and South America. In June we'll turn on the next beam, which has coverage from western Africa to Papua New Guinea. We expect to deliver about 20MB to start out. Over time our plan is to grow this to 100MB a day.
On Wednesday, there will be a short update to provide the specific satellite frequency. Of course, no one has a Lantern just yet, but if you do have a software-defined radio, like the RTL-SDR ($20 from Amazon) then you should be able to tune in.
Update sent out this morning:
Before getting to the heart of the update, here are a few pictures of various components and how they all fit together.
Tuner and amplifier. The tuner passes power to the amplifier, which provides 34dB of gain.
L-band antenna, manufactured by L-com. Although this is a directional antenna, it has a beam width of about 40-degrees, which makes pointing pretty easy. Just look towards the equator and the general area of the satellite.
Lots of tuners.
Lots of amplifiers.
And lots of antennas.
Enclosures getting spit out of the injection molding press in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
Assembly line of Alpha Lantern rev1. Lots of problems in this batch, most of which have been corrected.
A downlink monitoring station in suburban Chicago.
Pointed at 98W, which is the Inmarsat I4F3 satellite. Our current frequency is 1539.8725, though this may change in the near future. We are running a 5kHz channel at 18 dBW.
Successful download of 2kbps, which comes out to about 20MB per day. We are currently on three global beams, which provides full global access, including the open seas.
Production Update
We have enough components to send out Alpha Lanterns, but there are some major kinks we're still working through. Since the satellite downloading is working as it should, we're leaving it to individual backers to determine which iteration of Lantern we should send.
We can send what we have now, but the current version is probably best left to makers, hackers, and tinkerers; early adopters who enjoy products when they are rough around the edges. It will probably take another three iterations before we start selling Lanterns in a completely finished, Amazon-ready form. That being said, we are happy to deliver units to backers well before that time. It's really a matter of what's most important to you; get it now, but receive a somewhat buggy product, or wait it out while we work out the kinks.
The good news is that the satellite link and related software work the way they should--which was by far the most difficult part. The power system has been the greatest source of problems--mostly due to a last minute change in the computing platform (originally Raspberry Pi 3, but now CHIP from Next Thing Co).
We'll be following up with a short survey, which will allow us to send Lanterns to backers based on the level of polish they want in the product.
And in the next few weeks we'll have a website that will allow anyone to upload content that they think should included in the broadcast.
Before getting to the heart of the update, here are a few pictures of various components and how they all fit together.
Tuner and amplifier. The tuner passes power to the amplifier, which provides 34dB of gain.
L-band antenna, manufactured by L-com. Although this is a directional antenna, it has a beam width of about 40-degrees, which makes pointing pretty easy. Just look towards the equator and the general area of the satellite.
Lots of tuners.
Lots of amplifiers.
And lots of antennas.
Enclosures getting spit out of the injection molding press in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
Assembly line of Alpha Lantern rev1. Lots of problems in this batch, most of which have been corrected.
A downlink monitoring station in suburban Chicago.
Pointed at 98W, which is the Inmarsat I4F3 satellite. Our current frequency is 1539.8725, though this may change in the near future. We are running a 5kHz channel at 18 dBW.
Successful download of 2kbps, which comes out to about 20MB per day. We are currently on three global beams, which provides full global access, including the open seas.
Production Update
We have enough components to send out Alpha Lanterns, but there are some major kinks we're still working through. Since the satellite downloading is working as it should, we're leaving it to individual backers to determine which iteration of Lantern we should send.
We can send what we have now, but the current version is probably best left to makers, hackers, and tinkerers; early adopters who enjoy products when they are rough around the edges. It will probably take another three iterations before we start selling Lanterns in a completely finished, Amazon-ready form. That being said, we are happy to deliver units to backers well before that time. It's really a matter of what's most important to you; get it now, but receive a somewhat buggy product, or wait it out while we work out the kinks.
The good news is that the satellite link and related software work the way they should--which was by far the most difficult part. The power system has been the greatest source of problems--mostly due to a last minute change in the computing platform (originally Raspberry Pi 3, but now CHIP from Next Thing Co).
We'll be following up with a short survey, which will allow us to send Lanterns to backers based on the level of polish they want in the product.
And in the next few weeks we'll have a website that will allow anyone to upload content that they think should included in the broadcast.
.........that's if it gets delivered to those that preordered.
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