Comments on: Prototype: Network LCD backpack http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/ A new open source hardware project every month Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:12:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Brett http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-170 Brett Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:10:26 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-170 @ss & @Nick, there are some cheap PoE injector Y-cables available on ebay, for instance item 270521896036 right now. If you're handy with cables/plugs, as anyone reading this may well be :) then you can probably knock up a set of cables for yourself that are less intrusive than these (I reckon at the LCD end you want them extremely short and neat). Excellent for people like me with no real PoE switch but want to run multiple devices like this off a common transformer @ss & @Nick, there are some cheap PoE injector Y-cables available on ebay, for instance item 270521896036 right now. If you’re handy with cables/plugs, as anyone reading this may well be :) then you can probably knock up a set of cables for yourself that are less intrusive than these (I reckon at the LCD end you want them extremely short and neat). Excellent for people like me with no real PoE switch but want to run multiple devices like this off a common transformer

]]> By: Ian http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-169 Ian Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:55:21 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-169 Here's more about the v1 prototype in my <a href="http://dangerousprototypes.com/category/confessions/" rel="nofollow">confessions post</a>. Here’s more about the v1 prototype in my confessions post.

]]> By: Ian http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-168 Ian Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:34:18 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-168 @ewertz - Yes. The ethernet PICs have limited write cycles. I mentioned it a few times in the article, but it can't be said enough. The PIC24 version is nicer to develop for, but the single chip solution is the least expensive. Ideally, it would use a higher pin count chip for a full 8bit interface. Also, the ethernet bootloader is only for the ethernet PICs, not a PIC+ENC combo. The PIC could still be equipped with a serial bootloader, but that didn't seem nearly as slick or accessible. @ewertz – Yes. The ethernet PICs have limited write cycles. I mentioned it a few times in the article, but it can’t be said enough.

The PIC24 version is nicer to develop for, but the single chip solution is the least expensive. Ideally, it would use a higher pin count chip for a full 8bit interface.

Also, the ethernet bootloader is only for the ethernet PICs, not a PIC+ENC combo. The PIC could still be equipped with a serial bootloader, but that didn’t seem nearly as slick or accessible.

]]> By: ewertz http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-167 ewertz Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:34:01 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-167 Ian, this uses the guy that can only be flashed ~100 times, right? Just thought that I'd ask/mention this in case anyone wants to try to do development on this. I'd crave one of these that uses your v1/dev design with the PIC24+ENC and pins brought out to headers as a development system, even for $10 more. Just a thought. Nice job though! Ian, this uses the guy that can only be flashed ~100 times, right?

Just thought that I’d ask/mention this in case anyone wants to try to do development on this.

I’d crave one of these that uses your v1/dev design with the PIC24+ENC and pins brought out to headers as a development system, even for $10 more.

Just a thought.
Nice job though!

]]> By: Nick http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-166 Nick Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:17:56 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-166 Hey, I really like the idea of this with POE. Do like Nortel did for their first batch of phones... use a pair of "Y" shaped adapters to insert on one end and break out to the power-mini plug-in at the other... that makes it an optional build/purchase... and would make me happy :-) Hey, I really like the idea of this with POE. Do like Nortel did for their first batch of phones… use a pair of “Y” shaped adapters to insert on one end and break out to the power-mini plug-in at the other… that makes it an optional build/purchase… and would make me happy :-)

]]> By: Ian http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-165 Ian Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:28:01 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-165 @ss - We looked at POE, but in the end it would add a few extra bucks per board and we didn't have any equipment to test it. Is there some sort of POE break out board that lets you tap the POE power supply? @ss – We looked at POE, but in the end it would add a few extra bucks per board and we didn’t have any equipment to test it.

Is there some sort of POE break out board that lets you tap the POE power supply?

]]> By: TimE http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-164 TimE Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:21:36 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-164 There is an ethlcd interface in LCDproc CVS. Summary of protocol on this page: http://manio.skyboo.net/ethlcd/ There is an ethlcd interface in LCDproc CVS. Summary of protocol on this page:

http://manio.skyboo.net/ethlcd/

]]> By: ss http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-163 ss Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:29:53 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-163 Too bad it needs a wall wart... give it Power over Ethernet! Too bad it needs a wall wart… give it Power over Ethernet!

]]> By: Ian http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-162 Ian Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:16:00 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-162 This blog has some info on LCDs and OSX, looks like they have an OSX port of LCDproc too: http://maclcd.blogspot.com/ This blog has some info on LCDs and OSX, looks like they have an OSX port of LCDproc too:
http://maclcd.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Tarik http://dangerousprototypes.com/2009/09/17/prototype-network-lcd-backpack-with-lcd-smartie/#comment-161 Tarik Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:40:48 +0000 http://dangerousprototypes.com/?p=1033#comment-161 Makes good sense Makes good sense

]]>