Espruino JavaScript
New Puck.js production run #2091
Replies: 37 comments
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by François How about audio related stuff? |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by ChristianW Sounds great. On the other hand side: More case colours (even if that would have impact on the RGB LED colours). |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by @gfwilliams I was thinking more of small tweaks to the PCB, rather than extra stuff - but I had considered a speaker previously, it's just hard to do nicely as part of the production. I will do a video soon showing how to add one though - it's really easy, especially if you have one of those musical christmas cards you can pull apart :) As I've now paid for the molds, there's actually not that much cost involved in the case itself. I'm pretty sure I'll be releasing something very barebones soon though - probably just a bare PCB with the module on, maybe with some extra pre-programmed modules alongside. I'd love to do something that wasn't pre-soldered at all, but the pitch of the pins on the module is so fine I don't think most people would be willing to solder them. I did have a post up about different silicone cases... The minimum order is 2000 of each colour, which makes it kind of difficult to invest in a whole load of shades. I think clear tinted black could work well though. |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by ChristianW Solder pads would be something. |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by @gfwilliams Yes, the pads themselves are annoying. Unfortunately I can't get them right to the edge because that's where the NFC aerial is (and it runs on both sides of the board). Looking at the board itself it's hard to see how I could make it much better within what I have (I'm very limited with where I can put holes because of the battery on the back). |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by OwenBrotherwood If one removed the battery, because one has another power source coming up from the board, then thru holes could be nice... |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by OwenBrotherwood Cover: |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by ChristianW The longer I think about it: sound would be really interesting. And a tiny thing: If the PCB had a notch or two and a nose as counterpart in the case - that would make it easier / safer for newbies to put everything together in the right order... Regarding solder pads: I was not aware of the antenna. By the way: How many layers does the PCB have? |
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by oesterle Puck.js hardware v1.0e is awesome. I'd suggest deferring any revision at all, if demand is increasing. That said, here's a small list of tweaks to consider:
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by @gfwilliams Hi, Sound: it would be good - but not an option for this one. Maybe a super-puck :) Pads: as I said above, I've put holes where I can. I can't put any where the battery is as they'd short out. It's a 2 layer board, so it's much tighter fitting stuff in, Double row with two different pitches: it's to fit a Seeed Grove connector, so once you add a connector you can easily plug a bunch of extra stuff in. Why do you want the extra pins? Just because they're there? So far I've hardly seen anyone soldering anything on - and besides, there are always IO expanders you can add. It's not like you're going to want a huge bundle of 15 wires poking out of the Puck anyway... If you need that much IO then a different board sounds in order. Light mixing: right now I'm using some special high-efficiency LEDs which I don't believe I can get in a mixed package, but I could potentially drop those. The light would be better mixed, but I bet the output would be even less dispersed from an all-in-one package :( A really quick fix would be for me to change the resistor values to make sure that when all LEDs were turned on full the colour was a lot more white. Also I'd found that putting a little blob of something like hot glue over the LEDs diffuses and mixes everything a lot - so I could get that done. Preloading: it seems like a nice idea. I'm not so sure about the advertisements - anything that could potentially cause problems connecting seems like a bad idea - but LED lights on startup and maybe making it a BLE HID device that presses 'Enter' when pressed could be good.
It does that already :) Keyed insertion: Yes, I really wish I'd added that. It's too late to change the moldings now, but 'this side down' text around the edge at the bottom, and maybe something to show where the ledge should be would really help. Battery insulator: Yes, I've already asked Seeed about that - the original one was stupid :) |
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by Adam79 Pins for external battery |
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by Spocki
Well, I don't say 9DOF, but I say 'add an accelerometer to the magnetometer'. An LSM303C or something similar to replace the MAG3110. We wold get proper compass and freefall/motion detection functionality. |
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by @gfwilliams I think for this one - if I actually want to get more Pucks produced before I run out - I need to stick with the MAG3110. The LSM303C looks interesting - although it's not so good on power consumption. The magnetometer does provide readings more quickly, but in its low power mode it draws 5x more power than the MAG3110. |
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by @gfwilliams @adam79 you know you can just wire a battery to the 3v and GND pins already? It just has to be within the correct voltage range (2 - 3.6v) |
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Posted at 2017-03-02 by Adam79 I didn't :-) |
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Posted at 2017-03-03 by oesterle
Oh. I guess I could have tried that with an Android phone before posting. :-D |
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Posted at 2017-03-03 by @gfwilliams
They're all Kingbright - APT1608LSECKJ3RV, APT1608LZGCK and APT1608LVBCD. The idea is they're better at low currents like ~2mA - since you shouldn't be drawing loads of power out of the CR2032 My worry with an RGB chip is that it'll be taller, so while giving better mixed light will actually give an even less diffuse spread of light. I'm wondering now whether a thin disc of perspex with one side roughed up would solve both problems? I think if I had a reset button it'd get accidentally pressed? My hope is as the software gets more mature, there will be less and less need for a reset. I think even now, often it's done as more of a troubleshooting measure? I've noticed the silicone picks up dust too - I'm not sure there's much that can be done about that. At least if I were to sell tinted black covers then it would be less obvious :) |
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Posted at 2017-03-03 by user73560 A vote for a sensor which determines whether the Puck is moving or not. |
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Posted at 2017-03-03 by @gfwilliams @yerpj sorry I missed your post - that looks like a neat device (and yes, tiny - and very shallow!). I'll have to see about using it on other devices in the future (it might have been possible to get RGB on the Pico I guess!). The luminous intensity of red at 2mA seems to be around 14 mcd, and the one I'm using is 100mcd! I wonder if people wouldn't complain more about the lack of brightness or battery life than they would about the colour mixing :) @user73560 http://forum.espruino.com/conversations/301185/#comment13502846 ? |
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Posted at 2017-03-03 by oesterle
Wow, those are very efficient! I'll see if I can find something comparable in RGB that's thin and diffused.
I'd just try washing the silicone cover with some hand soap. Tinted covers might reduce LED brightness further, of course. |
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Posted at 2017-03-04 by oesterle
Your LEDs are 100mcd, 50mcd, 24mcd for RGB, respectively. This RGB LED, also Kingbright, might be interesting. It's cheaper, brighter, and blended. It's 60mcd, 180mcd, 30mcd (typical) at 2mA. Overall, that's 100mcd brighter than your current ones. (chart attached) It's about USD 0.31 ea, qty 2000, vs about USD 0.46 for your current 3 LEDs. It's 2mm high (about 1mm taller than your current ones) but should have a more blended color output. It might end up with a smaller beam, but that would also be perceptively brighter. I think this would increase perceived quality. One could still do the half dome mod (ping pong ball or 3D printed form).
Edge-lit, laser-etched Perspex (acrylic) is a great way to do diffusion in small quantities; I do this frequently when prototyping products at the design firm where I work. But there isn't enough room in the Puck to do it properly. And that's fine. Attachments: |
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Posted at 2017-03-15 by oesterle @gordon, which model of IR LED are you using on the current Puck hardware? I'd love to help track down one that extends the range. |
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Posted at 2017-03-15 by @gfwilliams :) thanks! It's the APT1608F3C - so also Kingbright, although not one of the low power variants. If there was one I could stick in, that'd be amazing! That really would be a nice easy improvement for this next production run. edit: given the recent firmware change that's pushed the range up to almost a meter, this might not be needed now :) |
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Posted at 2017-03-15 by oesterle The SunLED XZTNI53W-8 may be a drop-in replacement.
Something like the SunLED XZTNI55W-3 might be interesting down the road. The footprint is 3.2 x 1.6mm (vs 1.6 x 0.8, for the Kingbright APT1608F3C).
Supposedly, these are “Ideal for indication light on hand held products.” 🤔 |
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Posted at 2017-03-16 by @gfwilliams Thanks! What are your thoughts about the emission angle though? It feels to me like the Puck is usually going to be face up with the thing receiving at right angles, so you want something pretty wide. I guess the silicone case would do a very good job of diffusing it though. Also, I could be wrong here as it's new to me, but |
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Posted at 2017-03-21 by OwenBrotherwood Side subject, on the subject of pogo pins, can someone find what is likely to work? The pogo pins could be bought from Gordon if time/value allows with a buy of a puck.js (with price on pogo pins ((add on sales, be it ever so little)) ). 3D print of the bottom could come from community (as there are some cool guys out there who are good at 3d design ((I am not)) ). The 3D should contain openings for the pins that go into the bottom, and whatever is needed to hold the pogos in place |
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Posted at 2017-03-21 by @gfwilliams The Ruuvi guys gave me the part number for their pogo pins: They look really nice - they're really compact, however as with all the Pogo pins you'd have to come up with a separate way to clip them on. Having said that, they're not that cheap - having a bunch of them starts to get expensive quickly. |
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Posted at 2017-03-21 by OwenBrotherwood I am wondering if there finds pogos with holes in the bottom to accept male pins: the pogos look solid in the bottom. Edit: |
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Posted at 2017-03-24 by OwenBrotherwood and on bottom silk, the pin names: I am sitting turning my puck.js round all the time to make sure I have taken the correct hole... |
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Posted at 2017-03-24 by @gfwilliams Now that's a good idea - unfortunately they've already gone to production with the PCB as-is :( I'll make a note about it for next time though. |
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Posted at 2017-03-01 by @gfwilliams
Hi,
There's been a great response to Puck.js since it was released and it's about time for me to start another production run so I don't run out of them!
However, can anyone think of anything that could be improved in the next revision?
Don't say 'add an accelerometer' :) I may do a more expensive device with a full 9DOF sensor in it at some point in the future, but not for the standard Puck.js.
I can't promise anything though... I haven't come across anything big - and if I can get away without changing anything it'll definitely be faster/cheaper/safer to stick with the current design.
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