New run of orbshields

[vputz]

Thunderbirds are go!



:)


[attachment=0]IMG_20130118_192623.jpg[/attachment]

Sending for beta batch manufacturing by end of this weekend. Prototype tested good with SpaceOrb360, SpaceOrb 4000FLX, SpaceOrb 5000, Magellan SpaceMouse. Think I'll celebrate even though I'm sure we're not done yet.

[vputz]

Sorry for slow updates--my mistake when I sent the files for PCB fabrication; I missed a file that was necessary so it delayed things. I hope to get the boards this week. On the plus side, the prototype perspex "sandwich" case came in, which isn't much but a little protection never hurts. Still hope to get testers shipped in a week or so.

[vputz]

Boards came in, new run of cases on order and should be here Monday/Tuesday. I'll test the boards (and the new part numbers for components) this weekend as well as ... ugh, okay, printing assembly leaflets, making an online guide, maybe even polishing my own fora/wiki for the testers, and hopefully finally get these out end/middle of next week. I sure hope they work (they should unless I guessed wrong on the new crystals/capacitors).



I think an SMD version is in the works as I've heard a lot of people say "I'd be interested but I don't want to build it" as well as some offers to help build. The only question is if I want to duplicate this or "do it right" with an AtMega 32u4 which has "real" USB support... but will take a little more effort (and I gotta admit, this is tiring after a while even though I love learning about it).

[vputz]

Well, it passes beta. The DB9 ports are about 2mm higher than expected so the case screws don't quite work, so I may have to order new spacers/screws, and a diode has wires too thick (but turns out to be unnecessary), and the LED solder pads are fussy, but it does work. After cases (and antistatic bags; forgot about those) come in, beta kits go out this week.



Tired, and still lots more to do, but a good day!

[vputz]

Wow, very active time.



1) Boards are in and ready to go to beta testers as soon as packaging arrives (next few days)

2) Already found some problems with the boards so new design is out for manufacturing (the ones shipping function just fine; this is convenience on placement of connectors, case redesign, etc)

3) Work going in with x360CE to allow orbs to be usable in Windows as XInput controllers

4) Started exploratory work on the NEXT generation of the orbotron; months away but an SMD version, much smaller and tidier, will be manufactured by me (not a kit) and have USB functionality native to the device. This will take a while because I need to learn SMD manufacturing and I won't expect end users to have to deal with SMD soldering, but I think it will be a better solution (technically) and many people have asked if I would make a completed device. Through-hole soldering is even more labor intensive, so once I get some manufacturing at home and learn how, this will happen, but we're talking early summer at the earliest. Still, much cleaner programming, even SIMPLER device than the one about to come out (but don't let that hold you up from loving the one coming out; it's nice).



Ugh, tiring. But... so cool...

[vputz]

I'm an idiot ;)



Okay, the existing through-hole Orbotron kits are going as planned, but in just about two hours tonight I got the Arduino Leonardo working with native USB spitting out six-axis sixteen-button messages, which means the SMD version of the Orbotron is going to definitely be a go, have far far fewer parts than the existing design, and be less than half the size. It's just going to be SMD and thus not available in kit form, and I like kits, so we're going ahead with the kit and going to have an SMD version as well in a few months. This is really good stuff actually; I hope to have the software working this weekend and start working on more prototypes.



At some point I should probably admit that I have a problem :)

[vputz]

The good news just keeps coming. Beta kits for the "old version" went out today and look great (although shipping's going to kill me unless I figure a new way). Test of the "new version" got working today with the Arduino Leonardo and an old OrbShield, which seems to be working PERFECTLY and with a lot less code (only frustration is you have to replace a couple files in the Arduino installation). So time to start pressing for the new version of the device; I'll start on board design and maybe get a small order of parts in. This one won't be ready for a couple months, but I have a lot of confidence that it's the future, so I should have done this a while ago.



Wow, big news getting that working today. Exciting times.



For my next trick, though, I'm going to need a hot plate, a really good temperature controller, and an IR temperature sensor, but that's all doable :)

[AxiomX]

How do you get put on the list?

Also is the source code available for the all s/w driver you did?

AxiomX

[vputz]

AxiomX: Consider yourself on the list, such as there is one :) Still going to be a few weeks before the next revision although I have some boards coming for the older version ("older" here means "the one currently with testers").



The old windows driver should be still at http://hidsporb.sourceforge.net ; the new Arduino-based software is at http://orbduino.sourceforge.net (along with old instructions for the "shield" version).



Plans for the new prototype went out yesterday, so I should have them by end of week along with a new small batch of parts (literally; these SMD resistors/capacitors are the size of a grain of rice; I have bought a USB microscope to help)... the problem is I still don't know how to solder SMD very well, and no idea if these schematics work. I am literally going to be cooking boards on a hot plate to try and reflow them! If this new version works, I am probably going to do a kit version as well (where the SMD-only parts come presoldered on the board but the rest of it will be done by the user) because kits are cool, but I know many people just want to use their orbs, so I figured a single-board version I can build and test in house is probably a good idea.

[VDX]

Hi,



I'm new here, but too interested in the orbshield-drivers and boards.



Last months I've got two of the Spaceballs 4000 FLX and a Spacemouse Pro Magellan, so was searching for methodes interfacing them with Win7.



With WinXP (even with one installed in a VirtualBox in Win7 x64) I'm using the 3Dconnexion drivers, but drivers for Win7 and up would be perfect :wink:



Viktor

[vputz]

Sounds good. I think these would work fine, but I'm really excited to try getting the next round going and spare everyone having to buy an FTDI cable and such. Give me just a bit more and I think we'll be ready to roll. It's a 3-day weekend, so if the prototype board makes it here by then, I have high hopes for getting a hot-plate reflow setup working and at least verifying the current "all SMD" design (and sending out for the "mostly through-hole" kit version too).



But I do have a three-week trip coming up, so the chances of getting something buyable (particularly the new batch) before April is doubtful. Not to worry; it will still happen and before too much longer.

[VDX]

... be carefull with FTDI-cables and RS232<->USB converters - I have different types and vendors, some support enough voltage to DTR(?) so it's enough for supporting the spaceball/spacemouse, others didn't drive this pin or the current isn't enough, so the devices won't start up :roll:



With the FTDI-converters I've simply wired the 5V from USB to the pin, one of the spaceballs has a special SUB-D9 adapter with 5V wallplug-PS, so supports the voltage external ...



There's a guy on ebay selling a big bunch (actually 119 selled, 34 in stock) of the spacemouse pro Magellan for 19€ each, maybe a good source: http://www.ebay.de/itm/3D-Connexion-3D-Maus-Magellan-Spacemouse-Plus-seriell-/190577127522?pt=DE_Computing_M%C3%A4use_Trackballs_Touchpads&hash=item2c5f483062



Viktor

[vputz]

The FTDI cable in the current design is actually just to communicate with the microcontroller on the board, and even then only for programming it or reading debugging messages, so the voltage isn't an issue. The board itself talks to the SpaceX device via a Max3232 chip which puts out a pretty decent voltage via an internal charge pump and external capacitors. I haven't had one not work with an orb, although I *HAVE* had trouble where if I unplug/replug the orb while leaving the board plugged in it may drop that voltage for a while (I think that's only happened with an actual arduino board and it's a momentary surge that blows an on-board fuse that needs time to "cool off"; the symptoms are those of an underpowered orb: buttons work, but no ball sensor. I haven't had it happen with my boards, which may be an indication that I [i]should[/i] put one of those fuses on, but so far everything's been okay).

[vputz]

Info note:



The existing orbduino software has trouble being detected in some games and other apps, such as x360CE (a nice "patcher" program that makes DirectInput8 devices look like XInput devices for modern games) and Retrovirus (a new "Descent tribute" game which so far seems pretty fun).



The problem seems to be that I did it "right" and enumerated the axes of the orb as X/Y/Z Rx/Ry/Rz, which means Windows decides it's a "First person shooter" controller (DI8DEVTYPE_1STPERSON). The problem is, many game developers don't bother enumerating that to find game devices--they enumerate joysticks and gamepads. So the orb doesn't show up.



I made a change to the HID report in testing to make Ry appear as a "Slider" and bang, now it's a joystick and it appears in games. But that's somehow unsatisfying to me, because I want it to show in Control Panel as "X/Y/Z Rx/Ry/Rz", not "X/Y/Z Rx/Rz Slider".



Hm. Will think on this.

[vputz]

Heheheh... but, ah, with that fixed and the sensitivity tweaked up a bit, anyone who remembers Descent with the original orb has GOT to buy Retrovirus once the new kits are out and the orbs are up again. In some ways it's the reason you've been keeping your orbs around for the last couple decades... not perfect, maybe, but no one else has made a 6dof game like this in a long long time.