3 ms·
Are all of those ethernet cables? I can't say I know much about wiring, but that seems like a bit overkill.
by Tunabrain 10y ago
Are all of those ethernet cables? I can't say I know much about wiring, but that seems like a bit overkill.
- andars 10y agoLooks like they are. Actually a good idea IMO assuming they are just using them as robust 8 bit interconnects and not actually Ethernet.
- hatsunearu 10y agoConsidering two of the bits will have large coupling between the two, that sounds like a bad idea... A 4 bit differential output would be pretty darn good. Actually, that might be the case: some boards have 4 presumably output ethernet ports. edit: https://bighexmachine.github.io/hexModuleSpec/ https://bighexmachine.github.io/hexModuleSpec/ looks like I'm right?
- jda0 10y agoThey are, and the interconnects are 4 bit. These were used by first year undergraduates for years before the Big Hex Machine was built, so sturdy Ethernet cables were cheaper and more reliable than many other options.
- AliShug 10y agoYup, we used 4 wires for data and 4 for power - there's a 12V supply which is spread around and downregulated to 5V on each board. We picked ethernet because it's extremely cheap, hard-wearing, widely available and has enough wires to play with.
- tnecniv 10y agoReally, it beats having to fab your own connectors. Making your own isn't a big deal for most projects, but with that number of boards, this is a smart choice.