Well begun is half done
My board showed up today from BatchPCB:
I managed to get the 3V power supply built and tested. Yay!
Tomorrow I will get someone at work to solder the processor on for me, as it is well beyond my skills (64 pin MLF).
Route 66
I received the display (no pics yet :’( ). It is teeny, but the contrast is really nice. Last but not least, I just finished the routing of the PCB and should be sending it out for fab at BatchPCB by Friday.
I have three “airwires” left. The auto router choked on this board, so this was the best I could do manually. I added some vias so I could solder a jumper in to connect the nets.
Which switch is which?
I haven’t been working on the Pocketwatch much because I am waiting for the display, and I have been rather nervous about constructing the encoder/switch with my limited mechanical abilities. But tonight I was putting off starting the last Harry Potter book (Don’t tell me! I haven’t read it yet! *fingers in ears* NAH NAH NAH) and I decided to head into the lab and fiddle around. I ended up picking up the pocketwatch and constructing the switch mechanism. It actually turned out rather well, nice and smooth, not wobbly. It still needs finishing, but here it is:
The tiny disc magnet is glued into a slot in the plastic shaft on the left. The bushing is made from a drilled out and turned down 2-56 nylon standoff. Pressing down on the shaft engages the tactile switch with a satisfying *CLICK* and spinning the shaft will cause the hall effect sensors to sense the rotation.
The encoder started as a sketch:
Then Prowler50mil on the Steampunk Tactile forum suggested using one magnet and two hall sensors. Great idea! I built up a demo to try it out:
Lo and behold, it works!
The display is on it’s way
I ordered the OLED last friday. The US distributor was out of stock, so I had to order from Australia. Here is a 1:1 mock-up I did to get an idea of the display size:
I spent quite a while on Sat. night grabbing pics of pocket watch dials from eBay and resizing them.
SP-PDA update
I went to the local antique fair today and found this pocket watch case for $5:
I have also started a power budget:
The good news is that I found a 300mAh battery that fits in the case along with the electronics, so I should get 4.7 hours of runtime and/or 18 days on standby before I need to recharge the battery.
OLED info and demos
There is a demo of the 128 x 128 OLED here. It has the same drivers as the 96 x 64 version that I am using. Check out the unicorn animation near the end. I am hoping I can animate an imp and have the option of having a Dis-organizer.
Steampunk PDA – Project planning
I decided to spend a little more time planning this project than I usually do (a stitch in time and all that…), so I started some design documents on Google docs:
Hopefully this will help keep me on track a little better, and avoid scope creep.
PDA, take two (or is it three?)
While I have been thrilled with the success of the 128×128 LCD, I happened upon an oLED display today that would allow the whole thing to be miniaturized to the point it would fit in a pocket watch:
And now for something a little different…
Looking for tiny Li-Po batteries? Try here.
P.S. I have uploaded a bunch of robot pics to my new Picasa web album here.
Let there be…. uh…. color
I am having so much fun with this PDA/Tricorder project! Although the 128 X 64 mono LCD is cool and all, I just had to buy the 128 X 128 color LCD from Sparkfun that I’ve had my eye on. I wired it to my ATmega128 breakout board and powered the whole thing with my STK500 set to 3.3V
Voila! I had a nifty color LCD for my project. Here are a few screenshots:
I also picked up a few Hammond electronics enclosures ( I love electronics enclosures! I collect them…) from Allied. I get a great deal through work, plus free shipping. I got the 1553B and the 1455J1201. Of course I am also considering putting the electronics into an actual tricorder case. I bought a scratch-build kit from GMProps (look him up on the tricorder props forum), but it proved to be too much for me. Maybe I’ll try a Playmates Tric from Ebay.
