PropTouch Propeller Platform Handheld Kit Pricing
jazzed
Posts: 11,803
I need your help on this GO / NO-GO decision.
What is the PropTouch Propeller Platform Handheld Kit is worth to you?
Pre-orders start today. Please reply to the thread with your preference.
At least 15 firm commitments must be indicated to start full assembly production.
PCB fabrication will start regardless of interest.
Here is the original thread with product description and hardware illustrations.
Assuming the price to value makes products attractive these kits would be available:
Option 1: Fully assembled PropTouch Handheld: $250.00
Full assembly Features:
Option 2: Propeller Platform Handheld Kit $150.00
Kit is like full assembly except:
All Cartridges will be Sold Separately.
The pre-assembled DIP32 Propeller Platform board and headers are available separately.
*Note: Common features of any motherboard assembly include: FT232 USB, SD card, Reset Enable, Audio Jack, Power select switch, 32 IO Cartridge connector, connectors for LCD/Touch screen, and Touch Screen Controller with 3 I2C ADC channels.
What is the PropTouch Propeller Platform Handheld Kit is worth to you?
Pre-orders start today. Please reply to the thread with your preference.
At least 15 firm commitments must be indicated to start full assembly production.
PCB fabrication will start regardless of interest.
Here is the original thread with product description and hardware illustrations.
Assuming the price to value makes products attractive these kits would be available:
Option 1: Fully assembled PropTouch Handheld: $250.00
Full assembly Features:
- 96MHz DIP32 Propeller Platform board with soldered Propeller and 512KB EEPROM
- 260K color 340x480 LCD
- Pre-cut Enclosure and battery clips.
- Motherboard includes common features* plus on-board jumper selectable Flash, config EEPROM, RTC, 3 axis Accelerometer, and IrDA
- Cartridges sold separately - cartridges are not needed to enjoy the optional on-board 2MB+ Flash
Option 2: Propeller Platform Handheld Kit $150.00
Kit is like full assembly except:
- No DIP32 Propeller Platform board (available separately)
- No LCD
- Standard enclosure and battery clips - not pre-cut.
- Motherboard includes common features* without on-board jumper selectable Flash, config EEPROM, RTC, 3 axis Accelerometer, and IrDA.
All Cartridges will be Sold Separately.
- 2MB x 8 Flash carts start at $25
- 4MB x 8 Flash carts start at $35
- SRAM Cart starts at $30.00
- SRAM/2MB FLASH Combo starts at $50
- IO cart $15.00
- IO cable connector shell $8.00
The pre-assembled DIP32 Propeller Platform board and headers are available separately.
*Note: Common features of any motherboard assembly include: FT232 USB, SD card, Reset Enable, Audio Jack, Power select switch, 32 IO Cartridge connector, connectors for LCD/Touch screen, and Touch Screen Controller with 3 I2C ADC channels.
Comments
The original idea is that the LCD is almost $50 at mouser and anyone could but the LCD without me having to carry the cost - it's really a nice LCD. The uncut box would be for people who don't want to use an LCD at all. I could see various projects where no LCD would be used like a test instrument.
One idea of not including the Propeller Platform board would be that users may already have such a board and with some modifications, that board can be used. I could price the Propeller + Propeller Platform board separately.
I could do an early adopter's special for forum participants, but I have no idea what the price point should be. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your input.
The LCD is 260K at 340x480 (as I remember) and from my pattern testing I think it looks really nice. I just need more time to work on demos while the board is in fab.
Thanks.
Not so bad, it's the May holiday weekend. At least around here that means there is a lot of partying going on and no one is in a mind to be surfing the net. The weather here is very fine for about the first time this year so everyone is outside.
From what I can see it looks like the PropTouch is a wonderful thing.
Perhaps if you could post some sexy pictures of it especially with something interesting on the screen interest would perk up.
Now the thing is I'd really like to have one but I'm not sure I can justify the expense to myself or "here in doors".
Maybe if there was a way to get the price down to the magical $199.95 people would not shy away. I'm sure you know in marketing one never uses round number prices it always has to be $99 not $100.
I have been unable to spend the time to figure out if I am interested or not (probably not right now, but you never know).
I found the first post describing what you receive at each level to be confusing. It seems like too much work to figure out exactly what is included. I think it would really help if you put information from the referenced thread into this one.
If I understand correctly, Option 2 is a single board and an uncustomized enclosure. Is this correct?
Even if you have canceled the product, is there any chance the prototype might show up at UPEC or UPENE? I'd really like to see it and can't make UPEW.
I'm sorry if the first post was confusing. I was going for this:
Perhaps I was being a little pushy asking for commitments, but building 10+ of PropTouch is expensive. I'm not a firm believer the statement "If you build it, they will come."
Only one prototype exists today though and it doesn't have the extra features. A mistake on the board makes the USB connector difficult (it was wired backwards).
It is the Displaytech SDT033TFT. I considered going to the 3.2" version SDT032TFT since it would fit the enclosure perfectly. That one is only 320x240 pixels though while the 3.3" version i chose is 320x480 like an iPhone.
I feel like a sleaze ball telling everyone that a $100.00 unit is only $99. Maybe marketeers here don't have that problem, but as an engineer, i can't help but notice such approximations.
Still ... just for you and those who expect it .....
The $99 model: GameBaby
Yes, I've been busy working on a $99 model that is 1/3rd the size (2" x 2.7") without the touch screen, cartridges, or Propeller-Platform pins. New boards are ready for FAB, i just have to finish testing the accelerometer and battery monitor features of the first prototype.
GameBaby(tm) will be Propeller powered and have an SD card, 4MB byte-wide SPI Flash for fast access to big programs and data, headphone jack, LiPo battery, and an on-board NES controller button set.
You could even run Zicog on it, but sadly it's a little bigger than 2 match-boxes. Happy?
I'll try to introduce GameBaby at UPEW.
"Happy?"
GameBaby sounds interesting.
OBC
Jonathan
The only way to use the Propeller Platform in a "hand-held" design (less than 1.2" tall) is to use the dual-entry female headers which cost $10 to $15. That would account for over 1/3rd the cost of GameBaby.
The other thing is that GameBaby is really a baby. It is somewhat larger than the COBY DP151. The enclosure dimensions are 2" x 2.7" x 0.8" ... i could make a bigger version, but that also increases cost.
Apparently there is little interest by anyone to pay more than $99 for a complete product. *
So, basically what I'm having to do is provide a solution in a little box that is optimized for cost. Of course with economy of scale, things can be half price compared to building 20 at a time, but that means building 1000 at a time.
*Note: if i was sweet and cuddly to everyone price might be a different issue - but for me that would just be dishonest, because I hate a** kissers, panderers, and seducers.
These LCDs have on-board graphics RAM which means Propeller memory is not consumed.
Most of the time you get 2 different SPI modes in the IM bits to allow different color depths.
There have been some interesting threads regarding how much money folks could spend on their hobby before consulting or getting in trouble with the SO.
OBC
BTW, if you haven't heard GDP has been growing for the last 7 quarters*.
Jobs tend to lag GDP growth.
Equipment and software sales have out-paced everything else ....
Housing is still depressed.
* Source: http://www.bea.gov/national/csv/dpga.csv