EEVblog #592 - Mailbag

[EEVblog]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1859884318/oscar-the-open-screen-adapter
A documentary video on the origins of Hewlett Packard http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-information/about-hp/history/origins-videos/origins-videos.html
http://engineersbench.com/
http://masaradio.arkku.net/
Cypress USB 3.0 development kit: http://www.cypress.com/?id=3526&tabID=60939
Visionect - A complete 6" e-ink display waterproof WiFi enabled tablet development kit: http://www.visionect.com/
BareDuino - worlds smallest Arduino compatible board: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/BareDuino-Nano-p-1545.html
ERIC Low Power Encrypted RF Radio Modules http://www.lprs.co.uk/easy-radio/eric/

[CM800]

What do you do in the event somthing has import tax on it?

[Goophy629]

Oh finally...
Haven't seen a mailing for quite some time 

[nathanpc]

Eric uploaded the Origins video to and the Internet Archive.

[ales22]

I quickly looked into eRIC datasheet and it seems to have demo application for serial communication:

By default (factory settings) the application code area is pre-programmed with a subset of the familiar easyRadio command and communication software that allows key operating parameters such as operating frequency, RF power output and host
communication settings to be (optionally) pre-configured using the ‘easyRadio Companion’ software or to be dynamically changed
using simple serial commands sent from the host processor. This allows multiple eRIC devices to communicate free from
interference with each other and other local RF devices.

In the default application mode, data is sent to and received from host processors or devices using 3.3V logic level serial data
(inverted) with packet sizes up to 250 bytes.

[Flump]

give the cam to sagen to play with and show us a bit of his footage

[SAI_Peregrinus]

I think the tablet is just a display/input device for a computer. When you touch it it says "Disconnected" and the "Power saving" goes away.

Checking the website indicates that I'm correct, the "tablet" is a thin client:

Visionect Devices are thin clients and process or store no data on themselves. Connected via Wi-Fi, they receive content from any PC running Visionect Server software. All Visionect Devices use electronic paper displays and are available in different sizes.
Visionect Server can take any web application, process it and push it to Visionect Devices. This process looks seamless to the end user and gives an impression that applications are running directly on Visionect Devices.

It ought to have an error message that at least hints at what to do, eg "Could not connect to Visionect Server" instead of just turning back off...

[Rasz]

about OSCAR - Dave wonders what does atmega do in there? Well Dave, you are not the only one, half of Hakcaday wonders the same thing
http://hackaday.com/2014/03/12/an-open-source-ipad-display-adapter/


not to mention Adafruit sells pretty much this product and charges $80
abusemark dude sells SAME thing at $35
http://abusemark.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=47

this kickstarter is the old 'lets take something year old and already on the market and charge at least double', not to mention confusing people with Thunderbolt, this DOES NOT SUPPORT thunderbolt
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20043524-263.html
Apple reuses DP socket for TB.



Visionect looks to be a huge fail, mayber they employ same people that did OLPC. OLPC would die and not boot after internal RTC battery died, firmware didnt expect something as radical as discharged battery.


dead eric was hilarious


Dont diss the cheap camcorder! I used Casio QV30 as my first digital camera
Im sure 'quality' is comparale to cheap phones, and for the price (free) you cant really argue. Perfect for a child to abuse.

[nowlan]

Too add insult to injury Dave keeps calling 'Wireless Mike' dead eric.

[con-f-use]

I'd wager you have to press the tablet's screen for a few seconds to wake it up.

Otherwise I feel good, simple to use wireless communication-modules are rare, so I'd love to see more on the eRIC.

Btw.: Oh noes, 255, my post count is about to overflow!

[EEVblog]

I'd wager you have to press the tablet's screen for a few seconds to wake it up.

Nope, tried that, along with a host of other stuff. Nothing. 

[Keeper]

Hi,

Just found this for the V-tablet http://docs.visionect.com/VisionectVTablet.html
Did you try that ??

[ondreji]

Dave, I would like to get those boards for soldering practise!

[komet]

How much does the cheap video camera cost on the open market? Sure, if it was $300 it would be a piece of shit, but what if you live in Bangladesh, earn $2 a day and want to document police brutality? It might be the best tool for the job then.

[niekproductions]

Hi, Niek here from 24:05.

Dave, You're absolutely right about the Altium office in Amersfoort Dave! In fact, it's less than a kilometer from my house. I was just cycling by there when I got the idea of sending you a mailbag item.
You're also one of the first foreigners who pronounced my name right

[nihilism]

give the cam to sagen to play with and show us a bit of his footage

+1 vote for this.

[form]

I think you have to touch the icon on the touchpad for several seconds. Not just tap it.

[electronics man]

is eRIC as easy as xbee by any chance?

[armandas]

Saw the tablets at Electronica last year. Pretty neat dev kit, but not cheap from what I remember.

Edit: Yeah, 749EUR. Maybe should have finished watching the video before posting

[rjk5378]

give the cam to sagen to play with and show us a bit of his footage

Good idea, except that the so-called camera is *REALLY* flimsy plastic, and I'd be worried about pieces breaking off and, if not swallowed, at least be sharp bits.

[Polossatik]

Edit: Yeah, 749EUR. Maybe should have finished watching the video before posting

they got a 239€ "home kit" for the 6inch thingy.

But don't really see why you would want to have this stuff at home, a sony ereader with wifi running android costs about half,
which you easily can use to connect to a webserver on a nas / server on the home lan (i do)

For a corporate env, mjeah, might be useful but afaik all those e-ink screens are glass based....

[reagle]

re: tablet- it'd be interesting to see a teardown or maybe an immersion test since they claim it to be waterproof. Canyoning test, anyone ?

[Artlav]

When i saw Visionect tablet i got super excited... Only to get extinguished after a quick google check.
It's only a thin client connecting to a server, does not do anything. Worthless.

The question is - is there a thing like Visionect tablet, only programmable on it's own, without any servers?
Something you can run programs on, like on any honest Linux thing?
Maybe even a mod for Visionect?

[whitty]

Is the USD note old enough to be used in your note reader?

[Pat Pending]

Shyte camcorder.

"Tear" down would be nice but I rather
see a drop test from the top of your nearby dam as in past Fluke destruction video.