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| Community Bench Meter |
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| Curtisbeef:
I definitely agree that this should be a Bench Meter and not handheld. There are too many hurtles to overcome with the handheld system. Plus with the increased size there will be more options for expandability and also case options. I think at first we should make the internals only, and let people decide what kind of enclosure they want. Then as we get going maybe someone will find a standard case that we can all use. I think that we should try to do some type of modular design. Make a Main board with some type of a standardized connector that will carry data/power/etc to the modular boards. I'd really like to do the wireless display it could be done very simply with a nRF24L01 transceiver and would have a range of 50 foot easy indoors. I think the display should sit in a cradle or something like that on the bench meter. And we could design module for a non wireless display as well, for people who do not need that functionality. I dont know if we wanna go the Arduino route, those things are so expensive for what you get. Since we will most definitely be making PCBs for modular boards and things like that, making a Main board with a ~$5 PIC Chip seems like a better option to me then having to make the Main board and the have a 30 dollar Arduino attached to it anyway. Unless you are saying that we should just use a Arduino compatible chip on our board and use the Arduino bootloader and IDE to write our code. My Vote is for a PIC24 but that is one thing that we should definitely decide on soon. I would like to make a development Board setup for our micro controller of choice as soon as possible. |
| Andrew:
I am repeating myself here with regards to several aspects: --- Quote from: EEVblog on January 31, 2010, 02:45:00 am ---But I wouldn't try and make it all the one unit, I'd have them as separate modules. One as the bench meter/data logger/oscilloscope, one as the bench power supply (that could also power the other modules), one as a PC/Ethernet/WiFi comms module etc. --- End quote --- One of my first posting in this thread pointed to such a DIY system. You can get some inspiration by looking at the pictures in http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/machmit/ctlab/wiki/LayoutSeite http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/machmit/ctlab/wiki http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/machmit/ctlab/wiki/AlleModule --- Quote from: Curtisbeef on January 31, 2010, 03:32:39 am --- I think at first we should make the internals only, and let people decide what kind of enclosure they want. Then as we get going maybe someone will find a standard case that we can all use. --- End quote --- This usually doesn't work out. Too many parameters depend on the enclosure. In my experience, if you go with an off-the-shelf enclosure, and if you don't want to go through many design iterations, you have to take care of the enclosure early in the project, not late. Otherwise you end up with the typical DIY enclosure: A huge, half empty box, taking up much more bench space than necessary, with PCB(s) somehow mounted on glued standoffs or other makeshift mechanical support. |
| EEVblog:
--- Quote from: Andrew on January 31, 2010, 10:39:48 am ---This usually doesn't work out. Too many parameters depend on the enclosure. In my experience, if you go with an off-the-shelf enclosure, and if you don't want to go through many design iterations, you have to take care of the enclosure early in the project, not late. Otherwise you end up with the typical DIY enclosure: A huge, half empty box, taking up much more bench space than necessary, with PCB(s) somehow mounted on glued standoffs or other makeshift mechanical support. --- End quote --- I agree, as I mentioned before. Get the enclosure, looks, and user interface/experience wrong and it may not matter how good your electronics is. I'd actually rank the electronics at least 3rd or 4th down the list of things to do, which is getting pretty close to the bottom end :-> Dave. |
| EEVblog:
--- Quote from: Andrew on January 31, 2010, 10:39:48 am ---One of my first posting in this thread pointed to such a DIY system. You can get some inspiration by looking at the pictures in http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/machmit/ctlab/wiki/LayoutSeite http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/machmit/ctlab/wiki http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/machmit/ctlab/wiki/AlleModule --- End quote --- That looks very nice and professional, but probably mega expensive. I think cost should be a huge driver behind any such DIY project. After all, we probably aren't talking about anything blazingly new, so maybe help differentiate with bang-per-buck low cost? And also, who is the target audience? Just GeekGirl to fulfill her fantasies? (;->), professionals?, hobbyists?, education?, Hackers/Makers? etc. Sure, projects can be done "just for the heck of it", but it's nicer if you can target an intended niche. Dave. |
| GeekGirl:
--- Quote from: EEVblog on January 31, 2010, 12:00:50 pm --- And also, who is the target audience? Just GeekGirl to fulfill her fantasies? --- End quote --- Lets no go there ;) --- Quote from: EEVblog on January 31, 2010, 12:00:50 pm ---(;->), professionals?, hobbyists?, education?, Hackers/Makers? etc. Sure, projects can be done "just for the heck of it", but it's nicer if you can target an intended niche. Dave. --- End quote --- My original idea was to build a "Bench Meter" with good specs (higher than my Fluke 29). Now people are indicating that they would like an entire DIY lab.... I have no problem with this. I personally think that if we design an open protocol for comms, we can hang anything off it :) I like the cases that Dave pointed at (as long as they make a BIG one for a decent PSU (2 variable and 4 fixed outputs (ir 2x 3-30V, +/- 5 and 12V)) But tomorrow I am going to try and get this idea in some shape :) |
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