Platform Module ideas
Nick McClick
Posts: 1,003
Right now, I have 3 Modules -
1 - Propeller
2 - Protoboard
3 - LCD UI
I'm looking for ideas on additional modules. Here are the ideas I have so far,
Motor control module
Hi-res LCD + controls
TV / Audio module
MIDI Shield module
Battery Pack module
mini music keyboard module (like a mini piano)
Input module (tons of buttons, sliders, controller port)
GPS module
Ethernet module
XBee Module / Wireless module
Arduino Shield-to-Module adapter
PICAxe module
Arduino module
Two questions
1 - Any other modules you'd like to see? Have any better ideas (It's okay if the idea requires some surface mount, I can do some pre-assembly)
2 - Which 2 modules (Including any suggestions) would you like the most?
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Gadget Gangster - Share your Electronic Projects
1 - Propeller
2 - Protoboard
3 - LCD UI
I'm looking for ideas on additional modules. Here are the ideas I have so far,
Motor control module
Hi-res LCD + controls
TV / Audio module
MIDI Shield module
Battery Pack module
mini music keyboard module (like a mini piano)
Input module (tons of buttons, sliders, controller port)
GPS module
Ethernet module
XBee Module / Wireless module
Arduino Shield-to-Module adapter
PICAxe module
Arduino module
Two questions
1 - Any other modules you'd like to see? Have any better ideas (It's okay if the idea requires some surface mount, I can do some pre-assembly)
2 - Which 2 modules (Including any suggestions) would you like the most?
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Gadget Gangster - Share your Electronic Projects
Comments
- A VGA output module.
- The ethernet module (enc28j60 + SD on one module would be awesome)
- Hi-res LCD (color)
How about the following:
1. General purpose analog input module
2. CAN interface module
3. RS-485 interface module
Question 2:
1. Ethernet module w/ SD card
2. RS-485 module
·
Q1:
ditto trapperbob's suggestions - and add an I2C module, which would compliment the suggestion below.
Also a mini keyboard would be cool (See OBC's threads on the TKB150P)
Q2:
- Battery Pack module
- Input module (tons of buttons, sliders, controller port)
^ maybe even make that thing modular - modules of buttons, sliders, etc... so you could make them daisy chain in building blocks. May be in banks of 4 each, that would keep them inexpensive and usable alone. But if you wanted to build something bigger, you could splice them side by side, or over/under - and end up with something that looked as complex as a multi-track recording console. So sliders AND digital pots would be cool. I'm uncertain how the boards would be laid out, but the button/slider/knob to side edges and top edges would need to be 1/2 the distance of the on-board button, etc. This way, say three boards of buttons @4 each would = 12 buttons - but they'd all look perfectly spaced. The board to board connector (one of which would be the terminator, the other the MC interface) should be on the backside of the board so you could tuck the controls tight to the panel. (or side, but you'd have to allow for over/under layout so they wouldn't conflict.)
The daisy chaining of those 2 connectors could be done with that proposed I2C module. This would keep the connector cost low - and would make the addressing highly programmable.
Some of the things you could do with this: animatronics control board, stage light controller, model railroad control panel, Mars lander controller (oh, that's for the Prop IV [noparse]:)[/noparse]
This actually might be a very attractive set of lego-like control modules.
- H
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Post Edited (CounterRotatingProps) : 8/27/2009 10:17:30 PM GMT
I do like the module approach but this is something to consider.
One thing that I was thinking about as I started assembling my modules was that it would probably make sense to have a board which supports plugging in boards compatible with SpinStudio (www.ucontroller.com). A prototyper module that has a bunch of places for headers compatible with those boards would be useful. You can already do this to some extent with the prototyper board but I don't think the arrangement of the pads is spread out enough.
I was thinking something like two rows of 3 headers each running along the length of the board. You could then connect spinstudio modules sticking out either side (of course, this would need to be the top board of your stack).
I would not connect the headers to any specific i/o pins on the board but rather allow the user to connect the specific ones required - similar to the way the prototyper board works now.
This way, you could have complex modules stacked on your platform board but have a top module with additional connectors for things like video, servos, etc. that don't require much additional hardware beyond what the propeller already supplies.
Of course, the board can be reprogrammed to transmit DMX as well. One could create a simple program that "talks" to the board via the programming port and provides channel data that is transmitted as a DMX packet.
Jon, this is very cool --- many years ago, I worked on analog light controllers and learned to have a lot of respect for the humble triac. [noparse]:)[/noparse] Recently, I've (re)read your SX dimmer work with great interest. And lately I've been looking into off-the-shelf DMX dimmer packs and controllers - they are pretty reasonable, price-wise. But nothing beats rolling your own! Looking forward to the article - thanks.
@Shill - yes, maybe a good reason to allow the boards to be interconnected with ribbon/shielded cables, as opposed to stackable. Stacking is cheaper but constrains the layout. Maybe there's a way to do both - Like folks often do here with header pins or connectors soldered to cables?
- Howard
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBladeProp, RamBlade, TwinBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: Micros eg Altair, and Terminals eg VT100 (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)
· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm
This on one board, comparable quality ADCs on another ... that would be an impressive lab interface.
Anyone else need DACs better that that available with the RC method?
Cheers!
Paul Rowntree
Brandon C.
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