
MNT Reform DIY Laptop - milsebg
https://mntre.com/reform/
======
mntmn
Hi,

this is where I regret not having updated that particular page in a longer
time. While the goals remain the same, we have almost finished a complete
redesign of the project.

Here are some updates:
[https://mntre.com/media/news_md/2019-05-20-reintroducing-
ref...](https://mntre.com/media/news_md/2019-05-20-reintroducing-reform.html)

In the flesh:

[https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/102903623346043604](https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/102903623346043604)

[https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/102872674526072643](https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/102872674526072643)

[https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/102720152037379092](https://mastodon.social/@mntmn/102720152037379092)

There are many work-in-progress pictures when you go to
[https://mastodon.social/web/accounts/35156/media](https://mastodon.social/web/accounts/35156/media)

If you prefer Twitter, I also post a lot of updates about the project there
(@mntmn).

Updated technical specs:

CPU: NXP/Freescale i.MX8M with 4x ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.5GHz), 1x Cortex-M4F
core

RAM: 4GB LPDDR4 memory

GPU: Vivante GC7000Lite GPU with

Display: Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) 12.5" IPS eDP display. Optional HDMI port

USB: 3x USB 3.0 external, 2x USB 2.0 internal (for input devices)

Networking: Gigabit Ethernet port. Optional miniPCIe WiFi card

Storage: Internal M.2 socket for NVMe SSD. Full size SD Card slot

PCIe: 1 miniPCIe port

Keyboard: Slim Mechanical USB Keyboard with Kailh Choc Brown Switches, FOSS
Firmware

Trackball (Option): Reform Optical USB Trackball with 5 Mechanical Switches
(Kailh Choc Brown), FOSS Firmware

Trackpad (Option): Reform Capacitive USB Trackpad Enclosure: Modular case from
CNC milled, black anodized aluminum 6061 and semi-transparent acrylic (bottom
cover, bezel)

Sound: Wolfson ADC/DAC (WM8731), Stereo Speakers, 3.5" headset/microphone jack
(no internal microphone) Camera: No camera

Battery: Safe LiFePO4 battery technology. Owner serviceable 8x 18650 cells
totalling 12Ah/3.2V. Estimated 5h battery life.

System Controller: NXP LPC11U24 ARM Cortex-M0 chip with FOSS Firmware and
hackable expansion port Manual: Printed Operator Manual incl. system
schematics and full parts list

Sources: KiCAD sources for motherboard, keyboard, trackball, trackpad,
STEP/STL/FreeCAD files for case parts, C sources for all firmware (input
devices and system controller), build scripts for boot & system image

OS: Preloaded with Debian GNU/Linux 10, Linux 5.x mainline kernel

Weight: ±1.5kg (TBD)

~~~
madez
The MNT Reform seems to have open sources for the case and boards but a
proprietary SoC and modules. There is also the Teres-I laptop from Olimex with
open sources for the case and boards but a proprietary SoC and modules. The
Librem 5 from Purism will have open sources for the case and board but a
proprietary SoC and modules.

It is good that we have at least the choice to buy a device with a blackbox
from China (Allwinner A64, Teres-I) or from Europe (NXP i.MX8M, both MNT
Reform and Librem5). But I think we would benefit from reusing common
components in hardware just like in software.

What do you think about cooperating with other developers that have similar
goals to yours? Are you already?

~~~
mntmn
Yep I’d like to see an open SOM for Reform. If we are successful enough (re:
cashflow/funding), it’s possible to do our own.

------
fouc
This is fantastic. It looks like we're approaching the territory of being able
to easily build our own laptops from scratch. That will go a long way to
preventing lock-in!

------
dragonsh
I think if a specialised workshop can assemble a better laptop will be nice.
It can open in business for those specialist who can use machining and
specialities skills to quickly assemble a laptop for customers based on their
choices and design.

Like in the good old days corner stores and shops can assemble pc’s. Larger
assemblers like HP, Dell and Apple killed that market but I feel it will be a
good time to restart it. Like vinyl took over CD sales representing going back
in time.

Hopefully this can be done for mobile phones as well with advancement in
technology and standards. We need IBM PC kind of open and free as in freedom
standards in laptop and mobile phones on hardware level.

~~~
mntmn
Yep, I believe that indie/boutique hardware that gives you some independence
from the big corporate gardens will be an important thing.

------
dmix
> Reclaim your privacy and security: No microphone, camera or management
> engine

The nice thing about Libre laptops is the camera + microphone have a hardware
switch, so it's not either/or. They also claim to have neutered the management
engine.

Regardless this project looks cool and is obviously a different approach to
Libre.

~~~
madez
Do you mean the Librem laptops from Purism?

~~~
dmix
Yes too late to edit comment thanks

------
Mathnerd314
The beta units were 600 euros, while the chipset is $87.

Meanwhile an Acer Aspire E 15 for $600 gives you a $297 CPU and $70 graphics
card.

I guess there is some overhead because the beta was 10 units not a hundred
thousand units, but still. You might as well get a Raspberry Pi and a portable
screen and stick them in a box. It's half the price and you can use the
components for other things after you get bored.

~~~
madez
Can you get the sources for the board for the Raspberry? Can you run it
without blobs?

~~~
Mathnerd314
It doesn't look like those are available. But CPU chips are just compiled
Verilog at this point, if you want sources for every last thing you'd have to
move away from ARM entirely since it's a proprietary ISA. Maybe SiFive will
release a fully open laptop sometime in the future.

------
lokl
To what extent have you consulted the mechanical keyboard community? There is
a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience about keyboard layout,
electronics, software, hardware, etc. and it is not obvious to me that a
community design would closely resemble what you are using. I recommend
posting to
[https://reddit.com/r/mechanicalkeyboards](https://reddit.com/r/mechanicalkeyboards),
[https://geekhack.com](https://geekhack.com), and
[https://deskthority.net](https://deskthority.net), and possibly reaching out
directly to some of the most experienced individuals, if you have not already
done so. The keyboard has been an important part of the success of at least
one major laptop brand.

~~~
okasaki
>The keyboard has been an important part of the success of at least one major
laptop brand.

Which one?

~~~
tyingq
Likely ThinkPads.

------
wolrah
Why have mSATA or MiniPCIe on a 2018/2019 design? M.2 replaced both of those
as of literally years ago, and anything remotely modern is only available in
that format. mSATA is flat out dead and MiniPCIe has very few modern
offerings.

It's not like there's a meaningful hardware difference, it's just a different
slot pinout for the same technologies, but one's the modern standard and the
others are outdated trash.

This should have two M.2 B-keyed and one M-keyed slot rather than the three
legacy slots it has. And really, if I were in charge, it would have two
M-keyed slots and only one B-keyed for WWAN. The SSD slot should be a M-keyed
PCIe slot, not SATA nonsense. SATA is for spinning rust, PCIe NVMe is for
SSDs.

~~~
mntmn
SATA got eliminated for M.2 M-keyed (for NVMe SSD) in the redesign, see my
other comment. mPCIe is still useful, because there are a lot of WiFi cards
available in that formfactor that don't require firmware, for example.

------
bArray
Crowd supply campaign: [https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/reform/updates/re-
introducin...](https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/reform/updates/re-introducing-
reform)

~~~
RodgerTheGreat
Wow. Directly using easily-sourced 18650 cells for power is a killer feature.
The trackball seems nice, too. Reminds me of my old Powerbook 180.

~~~
dmix
A lot of old laptop batterus are a bunch of 18650's wrapped in a black case.

[https://imgur.com/gallery/Fywq0](https://imgur.com/gallery/Fywq0)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBE7-LEPDSk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBE7-LEPDSk)

~~~
RodgerTheGreat
I'm aware. In many batteries, though, those cells are welded together and the
cases are additionally glued or welded. This makes it much more difficult to
repack those batteries with new cells than it needs to be.

------
bArray
Does anybody know the expected price point? This is quite exciting and is
exactly what I'm looking for, but I imagine the price point will be too high
to justify replacing my high-spec working laptop with this lower-end device.

~~~
mntmn
My target price is around 900 EUR.

------
TaylorAlexander
More libre hardware. Excellent!

------
kgarten
The chrome browser on the screenshot makes me suspicious :) Otherwise cool
project.

~~~
mntmn
Yeah, nowadays I wouldn't include that anymore.

------
berryg
Will you be at FOSDEM 2020? Would be nice to see a presentation and the actual
hardware. [https://fosdem.org/2020/](https://fosdem.org/2020/)

~~~
mntmn
I imagine I could go to FOSDEM again yeah.

------
jonny383
I would rather gouge my eyes out with a spoon that look at that eye-sore of a
"computer". This is 2019, not COMDEX 1988. C'mon people.

~~~
dang
" _Please don 't post shallow dismissals, especially of other people's work. A
good critical comment teaches us something._"

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html)

