altoid prop

bozo · 2010-10-09 04:43

I travel a lot, so I carry a propeller (propstick USB) in an altoids tin, powered by the USB. The prime objectives were size, weight, robustness and flexibility. I toss it into my travel bag and it is well protected and doesn't take up any space. Female headers allow me to plug in whatever peripherals I want to for testing etc on the road.

Just wondering if anyone else has something similar to share. I might have to retire it when the C3 hits the street.

cheers,
Mark

Crosswinds · 2010-10-09 04:59

Ah Thats very cool!

Doing some hobby-projects during your travels?

Toby Seckshund · 2010-10-09 06:01

Sort of simular. I call this "The Lunchbox" because I used to take it to work.

It is a clone of a DemoBoard basically, I put jumpers in to select/deselect the periferals although the A/D (sigma) proved to be a bit of a nuisence. The wiring proved to be less of a problem than I feared, I even had it running as a cut down DracBoard (64KB) with the memory and latches up on the breadboard, even with 6" long jumpers everywhere.

hover1 · 2010-10-09 06:09

I wish Altoids came in that size box!

Jim

Toby Seckshund · 2010-10-09 06:12

Nice as they may well be, the treat of a refreshing mint would become a bit tiresome if that many were demolished in one sitting!

It was a Betacam SP tape box (small).

If the altoid version is intended for travel, what do the airlines think of a metal box with wires coming out of it?

Humanoido · 2010-10-09 07:16

Mark, great job! I like the Altoids enclosure for protection and portability and the Parallax Prop Stick fits it perfectly. As hobbyists we'll certainly get hooked on Altoids! (see, Jim already wants a giant Altoids box.. haha!) No one seems to be commenting on the airline travel situation with these. They build these projects, travel on the airline, then end up missing. Hello, Hello, ... Mark... Mark... Are you there?

RossH · 2010-10-09 20:24

Hi Mark,

Nice idea! Can you post the circuit you use to power the prop via USB? Does one USB port give you enough power?

It looks simple enough so even I would probably be able to build it!

Ross.

ratronic · 2010-10-09 21:32

Ross - I have been using the prop demoboard for well over a year powering it from the usb port on my laptop. I carefully soldered a couple of wires attached to the connections shown in the attached schematic plugged into it's breadboard. Connect them together when powering with usb port or leave them isolated from each other (and everything else!) when powering the demoboard with an external supply. Mind you do have to be carefull when you operate it like this, but a usb port has 5 volts and enough milliamps to power the prop and some other stuff.

Edit: the prop uses 3.3volts so make sure to have a 3.3 volt regulator between the usb port and the prop if your not using the demoboard.

Unknown · 2010-10-09 21:37

Humanoido wrote: »

Mark, great job! I like the Altoids enclosure for protection and portability and the Parallax Prop Stick fits it perfectly. As hobbyists we'll certainly get hooked on Altoids! (see, Jim already wants a giant Altoids box.. haha!) No one seems to be commenting on the airline travel situation with these. They build these projects, travel on the airline, then end up missing. Hello, Hello, ... Mark... Mark... Are you there?

How do you protect your project from conductivity with the Altoids can?

I went to a baseball game in New York and security was using those wands. I pretty much have to take my keys, wallet, cellphone and everything else out of my pockets. I'm not sure what effect wands will have on thumbdrives... Better use dropbox and an internet connection...

RossH · 2010-10-09 23:08

Thanks, Dave - I'll have to give it a go!

Ross.

bozo · 2010-10-10 06:16

@RossH: I pulled apart the end of USB cable (mini) and grabbed the red wire for +5v. The other wires are black (0v) and the signals are on green and white. There's plenty enough current to run just about anything ... a few hundred milliamps I am guessing

@Chuckz: I cut the lid of a plastic margarine tub to fit inside the altoid can to insulate the bottom of the cct board from the can

cheers,
Mark

Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL) · 2010-10-10 06:44

@RossH

All the spec's you need as well as diagrams are in this link

USB Spec's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus

Electrical 5 volt DC
Max. voltage 5 volts
Max. current 500-900 mA @ 5V (depending on version)

Data signal Packet data, defined by specifications
Width 1 bit
Bandwidth 1.5-625 MB/s
Max. devices 127
Protocol Serial

Cable 4 wires

Pins 4 (1 supply, 2 data, 1 ground)

RossH · 2010-10-10 16:25

Thanks all - I'll give it a go.

Ross.

MacGeek117 · 2010-10-10 19:07

I'm not sure what effect wands will have on thumbdrives...

The wands don't do anything, the X-ray machines on the other hand.....
MG117

Heater. · 2010-10-13 04:42

The Altoid box is positively huge !

Here in Finland the famous L

Leon · 2010-10-13 04:45

I've heard of radio hams putting water into an Altoid tin and leaving it in a freezer. The holes can then be drilled without distorting the metal. A small pilot hole and a tapered reamer is how I'd do it.

WBA Consulting · 2010-10-13 10:35

Bozo, Nice work. I have my "portable prop" in a small Polycase enclosure to accomplish the same thing. I am using a demo board in it.

Leon, thanks for the tip! I have a few different Altoids tins in the project box queue and clean holes without deformation was a concern. I have a few Altoid Smalls tins that I can squeeze in two AAA batteries and one of my M44D40+ modules into. They will be something eventually.......

altoid prop

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