Ready for production!

[oscarv]

If you look closely, the prototype has some imperfections. But they will be fixed, the final  parts now go into production!

The biggest win is that we were able to keep the total weight to just below 2 kilograms. Which matters, because at 2.01 kilograms the shipping cost doubles. 

There is one challenge left: I now have 0.2 kilos left for making the back cover panel. I need to figure out how to make that. Originally, I had planned to just make it out of very lightweight plastic but there's some weight budget left to do something nice.

(The prototype has a green PCB, I will switch to the nicer black for the final kit)

(note the serial terminal connectors on the back panel, I think those are useful)

The idea this time is not to lead all the Raspberry Pi connectors to the back panel with internal cabling. It just adds cost. So instead, the back panel will be a bit recessed, with the Pi coming out of the back panel just enough so that you can use its connectors. But clearly, that means some sort of cover cap for the Pi. The idea was to make that as a separate, third injection mold but frankly, there are some very nice standard metal Pi covers with built-in cooling (as people always obsess about cooling for the Pi 4, which is nonsense IMHO but who am I to say so). Maybe this unit will be part of the kit:

I will for sure not connect the fans, but the aluminum back panel is prettier than I can make it, and these things only cost something like $10 apparently. So this would protrude just a bit from the back panel, giving cooling and effective access to all the connectors.

Anyway - these are details. The injection mold is ready to be cut! Still 8 weeks to think of what makes the prettiest back panel.

Kind regards,

Oscar.

[johntk...@gmail.com]

:-0

[oscarv]

Oh - I mean, I personally will not connect the fans as I hate fan noise. But others can of course do so...

[Roy Simkins]

Oscar,

This is just SUPER looking.  Can't wait to start building!

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[Bill Ezell]

What? The absurdly loud fan noise is all part of the experience. As was the power consumption and the massive A/C needed to cool the room. Hmm, OK, I guess I'll pass on that part. :)

On 5/2/2023 6:06 PM, oscarv wrote:

Oh - I mean, I personally will not connect the fans as I hate fan noise. But others can of course do so...

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You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Bradford Miller]

And who can forget the joys of DEC maintenance?

Q: How long does it take a DEC repairman to replace a bad board?

A: Depends on how many bad spares he brought with him.

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[oscarv]

On Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 12:12:52 AM UTC+2 w... wrote:

What? The absurdly loud fan noise is all part of the experience. As was the power consumption and the massive A/C needed to cool the room. Hmm, OK, I guess I'll pass on that part. :)

Yes, but the desirable audio experience is proper big fans. These little tiny ones just emit a high-pitched noise. It's like having a nest of angry bats in your computer.

One of the ideas I have for the back panel is a press-out mount point for two proper 12cm diameter PC fans (alas, I think these normally require 12 volts). I think those fans really do add to the looks and also give a somewhat satisfying audio background. These tiny fans, not so much. They're just nasty.

Kind regards,

Oscar.

[Andy]

Oscar this is amazing.  Congrats...

Andy

PS loud fans and a freezing cold room complete the experience!

[pbi...@gmail.com]

Isn't green actually more period-correct :-}?  (Admittedly modern "glossy green" isn't quite the same as BITD-green ...)

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 5:54:29 PM UTC-4 oscarv wrote:

...

(The prototype has a green PCB, I will switch to the nicer black for the final kit)

...

[Lars Brinkhoff]

Isn't green actually more period-correct :-}?  (Admittedly modern "glossy green" isn't quite the same as BITD-green ...)

How so?  I'm no expert on KA10 hardware details, but I gather it used B ("blue") series flipchips.  See e.g. https://gunkies.org/wiki/File:B_Series_Flip_Chip.jpg

[pbi...@gmail.com]

OK ... blue :->.  Certainly not black ...

[Paul Milazzo, K3PGM]

Most such fans will run just fine, albeit more slowly, on 5V. Running 12VDC fans on 5V is a time-honored way to get quiet ventilation.

- Paul, K3PGM

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at 7:36:32 PM UTC-4 oscarv wrote:

[MacTORG]

Very Nice work Oscar!

Thank you for all your hard work!  

Best,

Jeff - NI7X

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[Henk Gooijen]

I think that the PCB is best in black, and I have a reason for that choice.

Surrounding all the switches is some open space, through which you can see the PCB. If the PCB is black it is not so much notable.

The space surrounding the switches on the PiDP-11 was quite tight, so there was not much of an issue.

But maybe that space is not as big as it seems to be on the prototype of the PiDP-10.

If the space is too much (to my personal liking), I will cut a "cover"of 1 or 2 mm thick black felt and put that behind the front panel to close the gap.

[pbi...@gmail.com]

Good point, and good backup plan.  Have some places in other projects where the felt solution might apply; thanks for the suggestion.

[John Mann]

Oscar,

1. For better cooling, how about mounting the Pi facing the back, rather than facing the main PCB?
It would need a 40-pin ribbon cable to connect the two.

As a further extension of this idea, how about allowing the use of a Raspberry Pi 400

 - either a complete unit, or just the internals mounted inside the PiDP-10 case?
Pi 400s seem to be slightly more available, and a foreign language keyboard wouldn't matter.

2. Is there a good spot for a USB-connected SSD inside the case so we don't have to depend upon microSD cards?

3. Where are the level shifters for the RS-232 ports? Are the wires going to these ports on the other side of the PCB?

Thanks,

     John

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[oscarv]

John,

On Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 2:48:39 PM UTC+2 john wrote:

Oscar,

1. For better cooling, how about mounting the Pi facing the back, rather than facing the main PCB?
It would need a 40-pin ribbon cable to connect the two.

That is the issue - I'd like to avoid a ribbon cable. Or at least, make it optional only. Yes, maybe to facilitate that option I should add mount holes for a Pi mounted against the back panel, which could be a user option.

As a further extension of this idea, how about allowing the use of a Raspberry Pi 400

 - either a complete unit, or just the internals mounted inside the PiDP-10 case?
Pi 400s seem to be slightly more available, and a foreign language keyboard wouldn't matter.

Pi's should be easily available again within a few weeks (according to the Pi Foundation at least), but a ribbon cable would certainly allow for a Pi 400 to be used. But I like my Pi in the back of the case, it is just where a CPU belongs!

 

2. Is there a good spot for a USB-connected SSD inside the case so we don't have to depend upon microSD cards?

Hmm! Good point #2, some mount holes for an SSD.

 

3. Where are the level shifters for the RS-232 ports? Are the wires going to these ports on the other side of the PCB?

On the prototype board, I did not bother copying in the traces for the serial ports, they're just unconnected footprints, I wanted to see if this was the right place for them.

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm very excited about the PiDP-10, and it is good to hear other people are interested too.

Kind regards,

Oscar.