EEVblog #979 - Mailbag - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 06:24:52 am
content: Mailbag is back!SPOILERS:http://www.frantone.comProtean 8x2 MOSFET driver Proto Boardhttp://protean.adamlhumphreys.com/Fujitsu Lifebook Stylistic 500 Tablet PC TeardownHP 48G Graphing CalculatorRoboMaid RM-770 Robot Vacuum CleanerRatherBoard Industrial Raspberry Pi Controllerhttp://www.ratherboard.com/Old Philips Databook

author: Barny
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 07:17:38 am
content: HiThanks for the mailbag video.I'm one of the wacky's which are looking all of your videos.But I prefere the informative videos like "Fundamental (insert weekday here)", Repair videos,...... most..The Rather Board is looking good.I dont knew if this saying is correct in english, but my toe-nails are rolling up themselfe when I see the promo-pic of the Rather Board (5:39)* No strain relief* No protection at the end of the outer insulation against water - > the cable will "drown" within a short amount of time which lead to an high capacity of the cable* No protection of the cable against mechanical impact / animals* No UV protection of the cable -> The insulation will crumble the next view years* Thats no propper cable for instalation under earth -> no propper mice-protection, not earth - alkali protected, ....I knew, I'm an grumbling machine fitter, but my job was for several years to hide 100+ core / up to 10 km long signal cables below the earth, splice them and connect them to the control room distribution boards.I've found out that absolute wather proof housing aren't that good for outside use.A little hole on the bottom side to let the water out is the best solution.Because absolut water tight housing are tending to "swet" when used outside static.The doughter boards should get some mounting holes too to fix them to the motherboard with glued screws.And if the power wouldn't come through USB, it would be a extreme good housing for useing it at high vibration.Like boats, model boats, canion - multicopter, cars, hobby CNC-machines,....PS.:(17:29) -> München = MunichAnd please don't kill the poor calculator.

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 08:46:34 am
content: "MGA" just below the 40 pin DIP, and what else would that DRAM be for?http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.ca/2016/09/pleasant-suprises-epson-mga-q205a.htmlI vote against killing the calculator: I can't imagine we're going to see anything interesting inside.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:59:10 am
content: up-dateThe Rather Board, yes the USB power cable looks like an afterthought. its getting in the way. so why this bad design feature?also enclosure did not have space for RF sockets. space for heat sinks for power outputs?if say your FarmBot has large stepper motors that needs more grunt?the Fujitsu Lifebook can you mod it for 2D retro games, by adding a new screen ?, seen a VGA DE-15 video output on the side.Im also against killing the calculator one day EEVblog will have an electronics museum .because your the Steve Irwin of electronics!

author: Cnoob
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 10:24:20 am
content: Don't teardown calculator

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 11:58:38 am
content: I was hoping to see an area that might be available for additional external connectors - suitably rated, of course. Perhaps a bit more space here:

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 02:15:14 pm
content: Straitjacket made from mailbag, for mailbag, when?

author: Kohanbash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 02:19:42 pm
content: Rather board looks like it uses Deutsch connectorshttp://www.deutschconnector.com/products/deutsch_connectors/deutsch_dt_series_connectors/They are easy to build and seal. The downside is that there is no option for backshells for strain relief.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 02:40:50 pm
content: I looked over that Protean 8x2 Arduino board and thought what a shame, good product, nice guy and it didn't cross the line. I've never used Kick Starter or Tindie sites before, but what typically happens after the dust settles?

author: kcozens
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 03:41:08 pm
content: Greetings, Dave.At 3:55 you said the module was for WiFi but I suspected right away that it was a GPS module. Once I saw a close up of it I can see it is a u-blox NEO-M8Q GPS receiver module. I know the u-blox NEO GPS receiver devices as I have three versions of them. I'm using one of them in a GPS receiver attachment I'm making for use with my digital camera.I wonder if anyone else noticed that the green LED was flashing on the RoboMaid device seen at 16:30.If the HP calculator is going to be that difficult to open then I vote NO.Please don't kill that nice, and working, calculator.At 35:36 you were holding an MGA video card (model Q205A). A quick internet search turned up a page about it athttp://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.ca/2016/09/pleasant-suprises-epson-mga-q205a.html

author: H.O
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 03:52:06 pm
content: Regarding the Ratherboard:Did I get that correct, 7-17V input voltage range on something labeled as "industrial"? I looked briefly at their website but wasn't able to find even the most basic datasheet.In my book anything "industrial" (when it come to control equipment) runs on either 24VDC or 230VAC. 7-17V falls in the automotive range (which matches the connectors).

author: f4eru
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 07:14:06 pm
content: Automotive connectors ("Truck Automotive" is small quantity higher prices):http://www.te.com/usa-en/product-DT13-12PA-R015.html#pdp-docs-featuresYes, that's robust, but not made for the kind of mounting as they shown directly in view outside.These are expensive things it seems :https://octopart.com/dt13-48pabcd-r015-te+connectivity+%2F+deutsch-23927641Can't find the backshell for now.Anyway, it would be reeeeealllly interesting to find the same kind of housing from real automotive, as those would be at least 2x cheaper !!!For ethernet, on a 10baseT : use M12 4pin connectors, they are used a lot for industrial ethernet. You can mount one or two of those in the middle.10BaseT ought to be enough for every PI.

author: f4eru
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 07:30:00 pm
content: More on the ratherboardNo powering through the header ? really?7 to 17V supply ? really?? "Industrial" application wants 24V ( with a huge margin up to 32V for spikes at least)Concerning the connector solution, it's neat, robust, and "wire sealed", as in automotive style, but not really "Industrial"Industrial low quantity is traditionally a type of connector that permits easy rewiring....

author: max_torque
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 08:12:14 pm
content: Rather Board is indeed housed in a standard, off-the-shelf Deutsch automotive enclosure:And yes, they do connectors with lands so you can use heatshrink, adhesive filled boots for strain relief:Biggest issue with those enclosures is that there is no internal heatsink option, and being plastic, tend to cook any power electronics you might want to put inside!

author: f4eru
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 08:16:25 pm
content: There are Aluminium ones :http://www.kinkong-connector.com/category/enginecontrolmoduleunit-3.html

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:03:00 pm
content: Was this "München" from the HP48 mailbag at 17:30? Yeah, small town somewhere south of Cologne

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:43:49 pm
content: Quote from: Kohanbash on March 16, 2017, 02:19:42 pmAt 9:33 the Deutsch logo is visible at the bottom of the enclosure:https://youtu.be/2t1Odn5dTD0?t=9m33s

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 01:30:32 am
content: Yep .... there it is.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 01:58:44 am
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on March 16, 2017, 09:03:00 pmIs that the place I once went to a small craft beer festival sometime near the end of September?

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 10:51:01 am
content: Quote from: Cerebus on March 17, 2017, 01:58:44 amI've been there several times. I can recommend the Haxnbauer for some real German food, just off Marienplatz.

author: Cliff Matthews
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 06:50:06 pm
content: Visiting my family in Saarbrücken, we passed by that little village at 190kph. Too funny BMW has headquarters there

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 10:51:02 pm
content: Used to use these exact same Deutsch enclosures and cabling on agriculture/automotive ECU's. At the places where it's exposed to all the mud, rain, snow, and other crap. They are very robust enclosures, I think we rarely encountered problems with them. Perhaps occasionally when it was not properly closed, because you need a firm press upon closing them. Oh.. and also all pins on the connector should have a stub of course to make them waterproof...Cinch also make similar ones with same mounting size for the 2 connector version (you can intermix them when stacking these), however Cinch do much higher pin counts in the same size. And also have versions where the connector is screwed down with a bolt, instead of clicked in.All of these are literally impossible to open without a screw driver nearby. That's also quite nice I suppose.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 09:11:59 am
content: Quote from: hans on March 17, 2017, 10:51:02 pmJust 'nearby'? Or do you have to hold it in your hand?

author: twice11
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 01:18:51 pm
content: After you found the WD graphics chip in the Stylistic 500, you might have noticed that the CL-PD6720 is most likely not another graphics chip (I have to admit that I fell for the same trap, although I was irritated by the number. LCD-capable cirrus logic controllers from that era should be named more like CL-GD64xx). In fact, all of the Cirrus Logic graphics chip have a part code starting with "CL-GD", the "G" most likely meaning "graphics".The CL-PD6720 is the PCMCIA interface chip (and the P in the part code aligns with "PCMCIA"). That's a lesser known market segment, but Cirrus Logic held a big share in it that time, too.

author: robby1995
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 11:00:01 pm
content: did anyone notice the new multimeters in the background?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2017, 08:15:23 am
content: Keep the nice HP intact, and the package style on those CMOS analogue switches is PM3 flatpack, used to be very common. Still have the Weller tip to solder them as well.

author: Tom45
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2017, 01:37:19 am
content: The Phillips catalog jogged my memory of another long gone feature: reader service cards.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 22, 2017, 02:03:27 am
content: Oh ... I remember those.Fill in some details, circle all the numbers for the things you were interested in - and stuff would come in the mail!Compared to today, it was slow - but it was a way to easily get access to a wide range of material.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 22, 2017, 02:42:34 am
content: I remember my grandpa used to type letters on a typewriter and got free samples from manufacturers, e.g. precious RF transistors you couldn't get anywhere else as a hobbyist. Well, he was an engineer, but for relay circuits, his employer didn't believe in these newfangled transistors, so he played with it in his spare time. It's so much easier these days.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2017, 11:47:11 pm
content: It seems the Ratherboard campaign is up, but has not gained any tracked after the initial backers. I feel the kit is probably much too expensive for that market segment. I do understand they use some components that are not cheap, but at 50 or 75 dollar without a Pi, more hobbyists and serious hobbyists might be interested. At 150 dollar or more, slapping together a solution yourself becomes more interesting. Or, of course, you go with proper control stuff.