3 ms·

Slick. I have a lingering suspicion though that the cross connector pads, despite looking identical, serve their own specialized functions and cannot be freely

by varjag 6y ago

Slick. I have a lingering suspicion though that the cross connector pads, despite looking identical, serve their own specialized functions and cannot be freely mixed. I.e. it would be highly challenging to have all the pads accept USB or HDMI.

peregrine 6y ago
He mentioned in the comments that those two have specific positions for routing purposes.
Solder_Man 6y ago
Only high-bandwidth signal groups (such as HDMI) have the limitation of being usable at only one (or a few) positions. Technically these too can be given more/complete placement freedom, but at the cost of a higher PCB layer count, or exceptional noise-immune routing skill, which I presently don't have. I plan to hire a layout expert to assist with the DFM eventually. The current PCB routing is done such that about 90% of blocks can be interfaced at almost/all positions. (I'll make a more formal statement later after verifying this number.) This was in fact a foundational aspect of the design -- "How can the classic breadboard be made (a lot) more powerful at the cost of as little flexibility as possible?"
- varjag 6y ago
  You can't easily splice balanced signal lines, so it's going to end up more complicated than just a routing issue. But I like the concept. I understand that the pads are indexed with magnet locks? What happens if a user crams a component in incorrect orientation anyway?
  - Solder_Man 6y ago
    > signal lines Good point. I stand corrected. > orientation Two features ensure (and encourage) the block placement at the correct orientation. - layout of the 4 magnets' polarities at each position (and complementary layout on each Block). - plastic protrusions within the casing (with mating features on each Block). Just an interesting note: The latter also serve to provide a bi-axial constraint on a Block after attachment, to prevent easy detachment. Together with the (neodymium) magnets, they create a very strong hold, important for Blocks like the Soil moisture sensor demo'ed in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnpbNNyzdQ&list=UU49EYw900LZn5VBglLRzxHw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnpbNNyzdQ&list=UU49EYw900L...
    - varjag 6y ago
      Smart. It's a sweet project, good luck with development!

by varjag 6y ago

peregrine 6y ago

He mentioned in the comments that those two have specific positions for routing purposes.

Solder_Man 6y ago

Only high-bandwidth signal groups (such as HDMI) have the limitation of being usable at only one (or a few) positions. Technically these too can be given more/complete placement freedom, but at the cost of a higher PCB layer count, or exceptional noise-immune routing skill, which I presently don't have. I plan to hire a layout expert to assist with the DFM eventually. The current PCB routing is done such that about 90% of blocks can be interfaced at almost/all positions. (I'll make a more formal statement later after verifying this number.) This was in fact a foundational aspect of the design -- "How can the classic breadboard be made (a lot) more powerful at the cost of as little flexibility as possible?"

varjag 6y ago
You can't easily splice balanced signal lines, so it's going to end up more complicated than just a routing issue. But I like the concept. I understand that the pads are indexed with magnet locks? What happens if a user crams a component in incorrect orientation anyway?
- Solder_Man 6y ago
  > signal lines Good point. I stand corrected. > orientation Two features ensure (and encourage) the block placement at the correct orientation. - layout of the 4 magnets' polarities at each position (and complementary layout on each Block). - plastic protrusions within the casing (with mating features on each Block). Just an interesting note: The latter also serve to provide a bi-axial constraint on a Block after attachment, to prevent easy detachment. Together with the (neodymium) magnets, they create a very strong hold, important for Blocks like the Soil moisture sensor demo'ed in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnpbNNyzdQ&list=UU49EYw900LZn5VBglLRzxHw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnpbNNyzdQ&list=UU49EYw900L...
  - varjag 6y ago
    Smart. It's a sweet project, good luck with development!