Compact dual monitor VGA adapter for P2ES
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I'm working on a compact adapter for P2ES that allows connection of two VGA monitors.
The VGA connectors are 35mm apart to allow room for chunky VGA connectors. The connectors are slimline Norcomp and their backs butt up against the edge of the P2ES for support, so it should feel nice and rigid. The corners are chamfered to allow access to things like the reset button and aux usb leds.
OzProp has been showing me the benefits of having two monitors for self hosted development. As a result I've added connection pins for USB keyboard. For now I just intend to solder a short female USB A lead to these pins.
I'll put this up on OSHPark when finished. They're $6.80 for 3 pcbs
The VGA connectors are 35mm apart to allow room for chunky VGA connectors. The connectors are slimline Norcomp and their backs butt up against the edge of the P2ES for support, so it should feel nice and rigid. The corners are chamfered to allow access to things like the reset button and aux usb leds.
OzProp has been showing me the benefits of having two monitors for self hosted development. As a result I've added connection pins for USB keyboard. For now I just intend to solder a short female USB A lead to these pins.
I'll put this up on OSHPark when finished. They're $6.80 for 3 pcbs
Comments
L5 is a led plus resistor off pin P5 (or 21 or 37), and L13 similar
P6 and P7 nominally for a USB keyboard.
Connectors are NORCOMP 200-015-213L537
Edit: It might not also allow the VGA connector housings to fit either, so closer might not be doable.
Does it even need that bite ? It may not be large enough to allow a croc clip anyway, and there are other GND posts ?
If we lose it, we can have pads for a vertical usb A connector in the middle, maybe even a horizontal one
Another option if PCB routing easily supports it is to put a USB (or two) at the outer edge(s) of the VGA connectors, though that increases the size/cost of your board.
That could be useful. I guess a full size USB-A is more keyboard common, and there seem to be some quite strong right angle vertical ones.
Here's the updated design with the USB A connector in the middle. Both leds have been moved up adjacent to the USB connector.
Edit: re-read your first post, and I guess it looks like you are mounting them below the board.
The USB A female connector however is 'above' the PCB, and I may even solder it 1 or 2mm above its normal height, depending on clearance from the VGA plugs
The ground post itself isn't that high, it won't cause drama
Board 1 featuring 'elevated' USB connector feature
Its been 'contoured' to leave max access to the reset button, micro SD card etc.
Also the VGA connectors have been pulled in closer to the headers, so they tuck into the edge of the pcb better.
Hope the elaborate contour didn't raised the cost too much.
Congratulations!
Henrique
Yeah they don't seem to charge extra for elaborate contours these days. Its a good thing
Some of these usb plugs are quite tight
Not a problem at all, unless....
https://reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/7oczjg/i_have_only_four_fingers_on_my_left_hand_and_have/
I have a friend that lost a finger in a circular saw accident in the late 70's.
His surgery makes his hand look almost identical to this photo (it isn't).
The top of his finger to the first joint was intact and they transplanted that onto his thumb. It was just the beginning of microsurgery back then. He needed his thumb for work but could get away with only 3 fingers - you see, he was an airline pilot!
He got his wings back after grueling testing by the major airline company. He is a Captain and has flown passengers all over the world. After flying for years, often with a specific Second Officer, he told him he had a finger missing. The Second Officer didn't believe him until he saw the proof!
Never saw VGA connectors with that footprint before. Nice board!
Kind regards, Samuel Lourenço
Normally they have a little bit too much bend for my liking, but in this case we can support their back from the female header connecting to the P2ES board. That keeps things quite rigid.
I'm happy with how it turned out. I have some 9 pin versions (DB9) in male and female. Its tempting to push on and connect things via those, since DB9 is nice and easy to connect ribbon or field devices to.