minute

CEO of MNT Research. OSHW laptop MNT Reform: https://mntre.com | https://shop.mntre.com | FOSS, ARM, OSHW, FPGA, Amiga, RISC-V | batcave, cyberpunk, industrial, synth/darkwave | non-binary, queer, vegan, sober

Public Key

npub1sl789umqy3kylr9ar8qq5y2ln4hhypk6jmjfkdq0va4uj4xzxx6s8tlnx3

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsg0lrj7dszgmz03j73nsq2z90e6mmjqmdfdeymxs8kw67f2nprrdgpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsdcprs8

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1sl789umqy3kylr9ar8qq5y2ln4hhypk6jmjfkdq0va4uj4xzxx6s8tlnx3

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Last Notes

2024-07-29 16:04:06

amazing: i can just flash the rk3588 EDK2 image for firefly aio on an sd card and booom! EDK2 (UEFI) on the MNT Reform. display and keyboard work.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/870/151/735/347/705/original/eae82a5259408558.jpeg

2024-07-03 21:11:58

we prepared and packed the first 21 Hyper MNT Pocket Reforms for shipping today. the company was again decimated by COVID (not me this time though), so [@holo_memory](https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@holo_memory ) jumped in for some prep&packing duty

2024-06-25 17:07:48

as non-native speaker i'm confused (together with [@holo_memory](https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@holo_memory )) about the use of the term "USB stick" in the US and UK, referring to "thumb drive/flash drive". recently i was told this is a germanism (like "Handy" for cellphones). but could it also be a UK-ism? where are you based and which term(s) are you familiar with?

2024-06-21 17:09:17

booted i.MX8M Plus module in Reform Next motherboard. idles at 2.3W :0

2024-06-20 21:52:45

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but the wind changes. more and more people come to your place and slap a McOpen on your kitchen table and are like, have you SEEN THIS? can't you put the McOpen tomatoes and cucumber modules in your burgers? they are totally the future, so open minded and aligned with the latest cool vegan trends! or maybe you can work together with McOpen corporation, i'm sure you could both profit a lot from that somehow?!
you don't care about any of this. you just want to run your little shop.
3/3

2024-06-20 21:51:41

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some ex McDonalds managers see what you're doing and are like, what a nice new trend, vegan burgers! lets quit mcdonalds and make a startup with investor money from our meat industry buddies. but lets streamline it and brand it so it looks like we're totally not mcdonalds, instead we do this new vegan trendy thing, but not so home cooked looking! McOpen! the vegan burgers are premade in the meat factory and we give customers the option to exchange the cucumbers for tomatoes themselves! amazing.

2024-06-20 21:51:25

imagine you're not a trained cook, but you burned out on something else and you open a tiny vegan burger shop in a metropolis and you take great care of the ingredients and you have your special sauce but you share it with anyone interested in making the burgers at home. you have a small group of regular customers and even if you work 11 hours a day and the rent is really high you somehow make it work. 1/3

2024-06-19 13:25:36

the first Reform Next motherboard PCBs (and components) are here. the board says Reflex but that's just my internal codename.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/643/036/395/394/673/original/839cf4b57758189e.jpeg

2024-06-11 18:11:36

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people who are used to building and modding PCs won't have a hard time customizing the Reform Next.

2024-06-11 18:09:23

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there's no clever plug and play mechanical solution for this like on the framework laptops—instead you'll have to turn some screws and plug some cables—but you'll have a lot more flexibility and higher port density

2024-06-11 18:06:01

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you'll be able to make your own port boards in KiCAD (as long as the components fit in the constraints) and wire them up via flat cables to the motherboard.

2024-06-11 18:04:06

working on the first (default) port farm boards for MNT Reform Next. currently my configuration is:
—left side: USB-C (+PD), ix industrial Ethernet, microSD, headset jack
—right side: HDMI, USB-A, 2x USB-C
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/598/822/370/866/540/original/0ca841de354d21fd.png

2024-06-10 23:55:56

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also, finally working WiFi again, 200mbit/s download at speedtest dot net with ye olde ath9k card

2024-06-10 23:54:49

my personal MNT Reform finally has a see through acrylic bottom plate again (needed to go with full metal plate for a few months for lack of the shiny new copper heatsink). nice!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/594/549/709/517/541/original/392b4e4ea4257cb5.jpeg

2024-06-10 12:04:23

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bead blasted copper has unexpected color/texture and also copper is really heavy lol

2024-06-10 11:58:45

copper and aluminum test heatsinks for the RCORE RK3588 processor module arrived!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/591/734/152/219/795/original/e28f933935f08125.jpeg

2024-06-08 10:47:44

hmm, this is really creative (voodoo 4 as mxm laptop gpu) https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=100871

2024-06-06 10:01:08

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average 0%,,,

2024-06-05 14:27:04

👀
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/564/002/140/756/825/original/951dfffb1f04099b.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/564/002/138/774/939/original/39f56238f1b8583c.png

2024-06-05 12:52:59

i can't stress how cool it is by @npub1ywu…w6u4 to put out this SOM as real open hardware with KiCAD design files: https://github.com/OLIMEX/iMX8MP-SOM
if anyone needs a more advanced KiCAD training project, adapting this for the MNT Reform module format would be a nice challenge ^^

2024-06-04 16:06:24

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(yes, we are available for customized hardware/software solutions like this from time to time)

2024-06-04 16:04:50

MNT Reform DisplayPort breakout. going out to an industrial customer.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/558/727/571/218/871/original/600cf11d0872e9da.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/558/727/941/113/945/original/c85cb0cba068d525.jpeg

2024-06-04 09:10:33

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hmm i'm sorry but that can't be right, so far we shipped only black pocket reforms to crowd supply (with both red pro and white keys though). purple shipment is coming up

2024-06-03 23:46:32

MNT Pocket Reform update is out at @npub1v2g…u0xx: https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/pocket-reform/updates/mnt-pocket-reform-is-being-shipped

2024-06-03 13:30:35

the MNT Pocket Reform Operator Handbook is out as a free PDF: https://mntre.com/documentation/pocket-reform-handbook.pdf
edited and illustrated by @npub14e8…4xpy and me, pixel tina graphic by @npub12gl…frt9

2024-05-31 18:33:37

AFAIK all writing is done for the MNT Pocket Reform handbook

2024-05-31 15:21:23

did you know? MNT Pocket Reform has a port for Qwiic on the motherboard (connected to RP2040) https://www.sparkfun.com/qwiic

2024-05-29 17:20:26

PSA Pocket Reform: HDMI output regressed in our kernel 6.8 update, sorry. Fix is currently in the pipeline and will be available later through `apt upgrade`: https://source.mnt.re/reform/reform-debian-packages/-/merge_requests/38

2024-05-29 13:20:38

did this Y2K-era (ok 1998) graphic design have a name? it reminds me a bit of david carson of course, but...
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/524/097/531/517/803/original/dd980350db71e943.png

2024-05-28 16:07:04

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currently half with red switches, half with whites

2024-05-28 13:51:24

MNT Pocket Reform Purple version assembly is in full swing by @npub12gl…frt9
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/518/558/604/865/131/original/59e1137efce6a2cd.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/518/558/850/957/951/original/f1098d5d679ff071.png

2024-05-28 13:46:30

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update: we deployed a fix for this in the latest version of the `reform-qcacld2` package, which installs a post-installation hook in /etc/kernel/postinst.d that takes care of updating itself after a kernel upgrade.
but to get this rolling, you need to `apt update && apt upgrade` once or at least upgrade the `reform-qcacld2` package.
the updated version is preinstalled on production devices only from around the 190th device. sorry for the inconvenience!

2024-05-28 11:18:24

most of the MNT Research crew will hang out at the @npub1yyz…a6kf yard tomorrow (wednesday) evening from 19h for some socializing and celebrating the shipping of Pocket Reform. happy to meet (un)familiar faces there!

2024-05-27 21:58:07

MNT Pocket Reform PSA: Some package installs appear to pull in a kernel upgrade. Unfortunately, this doesn’t automatically upgrade the matching WiFi driver package `reform2-qcacld`.
After installing software with apt, make sure to run `apt install reform2-qcacld` or `apt upgrade` so that you have the latest WiFi driver.
Otherwise, you can't connect to WiFi after reboot and will need USB/Bluetooth/Ethernet (or a MicroSD bootdisk) to get it back. We’re working on an automatic hook to fix this.

2024-05-27 13:16:34

can't wait for people's MNT Pocket Reform unboxing pics and videos! i just heard from the first person who received one.

2024-05-25 14:56:25

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it pleases me that with the RK3588 processor, this laptop definitely has enough resources to create its next version on it

2024-05-25 14:53:53

did a bit of Reform Next routing at home
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/501/825/848/506/550/original/f4d5323bfd5a62ae.jpeg

2024-05-24 20:10:05

i have word that the first 18 MNT Pocket Reforms have started shipping to backers (non-hyper, black case, white kailh choc switches). anyone got a notification?
also, we have packed another shipment of 30 Pocket Reforms that's going out on tuesday (after customs clearance). that one also contains devices with Red Pro switches.

2024-05-22 11:05:05

since i'm watching voyager i have seven living rent free in my head saying "irrelevant" when reading weird stuff on the internet

2024-05-21 11:13:58

Microsoft suddenly going to town again with ARM/qualcomm surely will be good for us in terms of more arm64 software compat and Linux mainlining efforts for Qualcomm hw.
also, people who are tired of all these AI anti-features can be sure that the MNT Reform family will be free of that stuff.

2024-05-19 00:25:49

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ok netevent was a bit tricky to set up (because of permissions), but wow it works well... i can use my MNT Pocket Reform as a wireless keyboard+mouse(trackball) now :0

2024-05-18 23:51:25

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hadn't seen netevent yet. the setup seems a tiny bit involved https://github.com/Blub/netevent

2024-05-18 23:43:40

what's the ~easiest~ way to forward input events (mouse, keyboard) from a wayland (wlroots) session on one computer to the other (also wayland/wlroots)?

2024-05-15 16:01:27

the first 18 MNT Pocket Reforms are fully packed and declared and will go out to Crowd Supply this friday. these are all "single" (non-Hyper), black case, white (clicky) kailh choc key models. many more to come.

2024-05-13 11:00:17

wanted to go to work but the studio is barricaded with boxes of MNT Pocket Reform aluminum case parts
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/432/959/572/070/751/original/68838f7739a0b40d.jpeg

2024-05-11 16:49:57

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online with Mac OS9.2 on MNT Reform (with RK3588 processor)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/423/006/938/790/891/original/97c3eecdd0325228.png

2024-05-11 16:36:47

me, procrastinating to go grocery shopping
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/422/955/064/809/439/original/eb3679d03a9eb7d7.png

2024-05-08 20:05:43

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hey looks like i was also around
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/406/792/715/220/411/original/9628db67cc13b03d.jpeg

2024-05-08 19:55:33

here are @npub12gl…frt9 (first pic) and @npub1xse…lgk3 (second pic) assembling and testing your MNT Pocket Reforms
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/406/752/411/935/151/original/8d22a4d31ae86b09.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/406/752/780/418/795/original/4f27508b987422a1.jpeg

2024-05-02 16:08:10

it's awesome that this youtube short (by @npub1zsz…4f77) about MNT Reform is closing in on 9 million views and 2500 comments. it's also weird/interesting that this doesn't translate into more interactions here or elsewhere, like youtube is kind of its own ecosystem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOgYCeMMpuc

2024-04-30 20:27:35

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first tests with ports. we would like to include at least one usb-a 3.0 port because there are still so many usb-a devices around. will need to go mid-mount here and cut into empty areas of the keyboard, but that was planned anyway.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/361/571/828/595/771/original/47770ce6b7645013.png
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/361/571/842/467/548/original/4dd3670a35a721a0.png

2024-04-30 15:39:48

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3d shot of the current WIP state of the Reform Next board. as you can see it's mostly a breakout, but also has power functionality and a usb2 hub for internal peripherals.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/360/443/792/708/644/original/a9ed0bbe0837893a.png

2024-04-30 13:28:25

working on MNT Reform Next motherboard design from home (still testing covid positive). it's cool that i can do this on Reform itself now (with RK3588 processor)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/359/926/369/618/112/original/55e3ef2d56753ed3.png

2024-04-28 19:31:46

MNT Reform with RK3588 processor is more than fine for KiCAD work (i am doing a bit of this from home today as i feel beyond useless after a full week off due to illness)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/350/029/844/073/344/original/932832e3c575e780.png

2024-04-25 19:42:40

still extremely positive today according to the covid test. this is day 6 of symptoms. i am over the worst part, though, feels more like a normal-ish cold now. an interesting opportunity to try different brands of tests ^^
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/333/091/977/479/679/original/9c91d46340b0c6b0.jpeg

2024-04-23 09:08:21

unfortunately i have covid-19, for the first time ever. it is symptomatic with cough and fever (don't know the temperature though for lack of tool at home). it's good that i cancelled everything this week, but my company is impacted and things will be delayed.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/319/273/175/553/317/original/ef2647bc974ddac0.jpeg

2024-04-20 16:09:22

the hunger for nuts and berries in the studio is steadily increasing. now there appear 1kg bags of these mixes at rewe, which is nice. the price is almost 16eur. i wonder if there is a better deal to buy this kind of stuff in bulk in germany? any recommendations?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/303/941/775/711/620/original/c6374512a0536b7c.jpeg

2024-04-20 13:45:50

looks like on tuesday, april 23, 20:00, i will talk about some tangents around MNT Reform at the permacomputing meetup at https://offline.place in berlin ([@offline](https://autonomous.zone/@offline)). see you there!

2024-04-17 15:17:22

making sure that individual keyboard led rgb control works from linux before shipping
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/286/750/367/097/414/original/f3ae63495705f82e.jpeg

2024-04-16 18:11:54

currently building the first System Image release candidate for MNT Pocket Reform :3

2024-04-11 17:05:52

ok finally, we can read firmware version, battery percentage and voltage from MNT Pocket Reform's RP2040-based system controller with the reform2-lpc driver from MNT Reform
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/253/194/545/986/591/original/39d1db74ba821a95.png

2024-04-02 13:20:42

setup wizard on MNT Reform vs MNT Pocket Reform. the splash screen changes based on /proc/device-tree/model
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/201/356/967/973/062/original/7adfd0eb82962c72.jpeg