I vote for USB LEDs to be on only when the board power is on because unless the propeller is powered, you can't program it anyways. I run into this all the time because I see the USB LEDs light up and then wonder why I get a programming error...... oh yeah, turn on the switch.
If you added a circuit to power the propeller and EEPROM via USB but only when it was connected (IE: when VBus was present), that would be cool. Then USB could be used to program the board without board power present. You could do this with a charging IC that allows USB power and battery power to "share the load".
I'd also vote for having the LED on only if the board is on.
I have a desktop radio that for some reason was designed with an indicator that is on when the radio is off and vice versa, and it drives me crazy.
Having an indicator light on to mark an "off" state and off to mark the "on" state is exactly opposite to every other electric or electronic device I've ever worked with.
The radio's indicator is correctly marked something like "standby mode" but it doesn't help. It still drives me crazy.
I should really consider the USB powered device option, but am a little weary of current requirements.
Thing is for the USB serial port to work nicely, the FTDI chip must be connected to VBUS anyway. :sick:
It's nice to know the true state of things. And are there cases where that state might matter?
ie: Board powered up with USB connected, as opposed to being powered up with it disconnected?
Seems to me, being connected to the PC isn't a trivial thing. Might as well have that indication. There is a separate power LED, meaning the user can know all four states!
A rough analogy is those laptop power supplies. Many of them have a LED that lights when that supply has power, whether or not the laptop is actually connected. That's handy, in a way that this would be handy.
Seems to me, running on the ragged edge would be a nice jumper option, over the state of the LEDs. (not that I'm asking for it, just highlighting where actual functionality is returned for a jumper investment as opposed to simple aesthetics.)
I'd also vote for having the LED on only if the board is on.
I have a desktop radio that for some reason was designed with an indicator that is on when the radio is off and vice versa, and it drives me crazy.
Having an indicator light on to mark an "off" state and off to mark the "on" state is exactly opposite to every other electric or electronic device I've ever worked with.
The radio's indicator is correctly marked something like "standby mode" but it doesn't help. It still drives me crazy.
My Samsung flat panel TV has a red indicator that is lit when the TV is off, and goes out when the TV is turned on. I think that works quite well... I don't have an annoying red LED staring at me while I'm trying to watch TV. I used to have a DVD player that had a VERY bright LED that illuminated when power was on... I finally had to put some electrical tape over the LED as it was so annoying!
My Samsung flat panel TV has a red indicator that is lit when the TV is off, and goes out when the TV is turned on. I think that works quite well... I don't have an annoying red LED staring at me while I'm trying to watch TV. I used to have a DVD player that had a VERY bright LED that illuminated when power was on... I finally had to put some electrical tape over the LED as it was so annoying!
But this is a case where the TV has a different indicator for when the power is "on", being the display itself. But what happens when the TV is on and there is no signal? Does have have the TV powered on and the screen blank and the LED dark? Isn't this the has case as when TV power is disconnected?
jazzed
Posts: 11,803
Comments
If you added a circuit to power the propeller and EEPROM via USB but only when it was connected (IE: when VBus was present), that would be cool. Then USB could be used to program the board without board power present. You could do this with a charging IC that allows USB power and battery power to "share the load".
I have a desktop radio that for some reason was designed with an indicator that is on when the radio is off and vice versa, and it drives me crazy.
Having an indicator light on to mark an "off" state and off to mark the "on" state is exactly opposite to every other electric or electronic device I've ever worked with.
The radio's indicator is correctly marked something like "standby mode" but it doesn't help. It still drives me crazy.
I should really consider the USB powered device option, but am a little weary of current requirements.
Thing is for the USB serial port to work nicely, the FTDI chip must be connected to VBUS anyway. :sick:
--Steve
It's nice to know the true state of things. And are there cases where that state might matter?
ie: Board powered up with USB connected, as opposed to being powered up with it disconnected?
Seems to me, being connected to the PC isn't a trivial thing. Might as well have that indication. There is a separate power LED, meaning the user can know all four states!
A rough analogy is those laptop power supplies. Many of them have a LED that lights when that supply has power, whether or not the laptop is actually connected. That's handy, in a way that this would be handy.
Seems to me, running on the ragged edge would be a nice jumper option, over the state of the LEDs. (not that I'm asking for it, just highlighting where actual functionality is returned for a jumper investment as opposed to simple aesthetics.)
My Samsung flat panel TV has a red indicator that is lit when the TV is off, and goes out when the TV is turned on. I think that works quite well... I don't have an annoying red LED staring at me while I'm trying to watch TV. I used to have a DVD player that had a VERY bright LED that illuminated when power was on... I finally had to put some electrical tape over the LED as it was so annoying!
But this is a case where the TV has a different indicator for when the power is "on", being the display itself. But what happens when the TV is on and there is no signal? Does have have the TV powered on and the screen blank and the LED dark? Isn't this the has case as when TV power is disconnected?