This a obviously a wishlist for a bob... let me know what would make you happy as I am designing a bob for my own personal use and am thinking of possibly making more if I can do so reasonablely.

If you have any other ideas feel free to post them as well. (ie size requirements and the likes)

Toxic_d

Your poll sucks.

... so I chose the cheap cost option. I really just want something that will allow the use of USB joypads, a mouse and a keyboard, and is dockable.

hehe i could only choose one thing so i picked composite video, although i would like a 4 port usb hub and ac adapter as well.

really all we need is a powered usb hub that has the tv out built in...

yeah sorry for the radio button options instead of check boxes... if there are other things vote again if the system will let you!!

the hub with tv out was exactly what I was going for powered byt the way via batteries as well.

BTW the 3.5 jack would/could be either s-video or composite and it would allow for a smaller box but would require a special cable that if lost would have to be repurchased where a standard s-video or composite is always included with vcr's and dvd players.

For a bunch of jacks and wires, something in the range of $20 seems much more reasonable.

What do I want? Well, I want my frikkin BoB already!


GPHHHH

Poll by your own rules

*Single usb (you supply your own hub, allowing for smaller bob)
4 port usb hub(optional model)
*s-video
*composite video (yellow rca)
*3.5 output for audio and video (think camcorder style cable)
*portable (ie battery powered)
*option for ac adapter
serial(optional)
jtag(optional)
$30-$50 price range
$45-$75 price range


$25-40 price range is acceptable, higher only with included power and 4-ports. Then $30-50 range OK.

The $45-$75 range is already here with jtag and serial. Uncased of course.

Wifi and a built in keyboard. While I'm wishing, it should print money, too.

i think that elaborating will become par for the course in this thread, so....

4 usb would be really nice.
svideo out
audio out (3.5mm would be fine)
ac adapter in

also, it'd be great if it was kind of a dock rather than just a board. i.e. summat that you could stand the gp2x up in.

i'd pay £25-30 for summat like that.

I want a box. GPH apparently have one on the way.

Alex, nubie already made a parts list with approximate pricing.
The parts list goes as follows:
usb hub $10
usb port (add your own hub) $1.50
e810 cable $5-$7
usb filter chip $.80
battery holder $1.50
Jacks (s-video, rca, 3.5 audio) $1.50
custom enclosure ~$8

This right here adds up to $29.80 in parts before shipping...

I am doing this for myself but am buying extra parts to build a few more. Depending on the demand I could keep doing it but $20 is enough for a bare board or just the hub and cable required. This does not allow for shipping and custom cables (ie if you wanted the 3.5 jack for a samller bob. You could easliy purchase the parts if you wanted a $20 bob that only has usb.

I'm not looking to make a killing and depending on the number of interested people it may be worth my time to make more. But as you can see at the $20-$30 make there is no way to make much of anything even "giving" my time away as I am in designing this with your wants considered.

Toxic_d


BTW its surpising how many people are asking about tv out when there is only 1 vote for a composite and none for the s-video in the poll. Thats not taking into account the comments on the thread.

Yes, but I assume GPH would get a fair discount on all parts, since they would supposedly buy them in industrial quantities (perhaps in a lot of 3000+ for the first run)? I'm just throwing ideas here, and I still stand by the fact that a BOB should be in the $20-30 price range.

That's because your poll results are meaningless as people can only vote for one option (and for most people cost and usb options are more important than tv)

I want S-Video AND Composite . (to re-iterate, this poll is lousy, it needs to be a "multiple-choice" and "write-in your own" poll, it's probably the software's fault though.)

Let me explain. Have one line of the Y/C pair run to both sockets. Then add a switch that bridges them with a capacitor.

The S-Video will be unaffected when you use the switch one way, the other way and Composite works.

Simple, figure $0.50 for a switch and a capacitor.

And on the subject of BoB pricing in quantity, the EXT connectors are $0.15 (for 500), the USB filters break down nicely in quantity too. $0.32 for 500, $0.27 for 1,000


As for the "pricing", I want a USB host cable added to the TV-Out cable. That I am sure can be done for $20-25 total price at a profit.

Buy your own $10 hub seperately (chances are you own some already). Maybe a simple "stand" that keeps the unit steady and upright with the EXT plugged in and provides a mount for the USB hub. It could be vacuum formed easily for $5 or so.

So $$35-40 for a whole unit, add what you want, when you want it.

woogal, like I said sorry for the format of the poll. I didn't see any options for a checkbox poll.

nubie is right about the ease of doing both component and s-video as it is just the addition of a jack and a capacitor. I was just concerned with the size issue for the bob and am trying to source the camcorder style cables with the 3.5mm jack to component (rca audio and video).

Still watching this poll and sourcing parts...

wifi and/or bluetooth !

hmm... the use of these cables isn't such a good idea... they are only mono audio and composite video, i think


i don't see the sense in having an audio out jack on the BOB... it makes it bigger and the gp2x allready has audio out

Wrong, they have 4 conductors, some camcorders are mono, most are stereo. For S-Video we would need a seperate 4 or 3-pin 3.5mm jack that adapts it to an S-Video dongle.

I think for a BoB you should do real A/V and S-Video jacks, at the very least a real S-Video jack and an Audio 3.5mm.

The headphones port on the GP2X (like many portables, such as the gameboy) is tied in with the voltage conversion circuits and makes the sound quality worse. I don't know if the EXT suffers from that too, but I have heard of one person who wired the phones jack to the speaker output to get better quality.

95% couldn't tell the difference, 99% don't cere even if we do.

I think if you put RCA jacks, audio is a good idea. If you don't, then use the headphones port. Or have a Hi-fi edition for the audiophiles.

It has to LOOK professional and quality built, my gp2x has to slot into the top and "click" to dock with it when it connects, and room for a USB 2.5" hard drive in the back to fit inside would be good too. AC powered, 4 usb hubs.

The hdd was an after thought of the poll... I just picked up a hitachi 1.8" 20gig for less than $30 shipped. I'm leaning toward the 1.8 size as the power requirements can be even less but would leave it up to the purchaser to supply their own drive as far as that goes.

The more I hear the more it sounds like what is wanted it a clipon dock vs a bob is this the ideal setup for most the cradle design like what cr8tive leo has been playing with or a bob type setup with cable?

I have a clipon setup in mind already but it would only have 2 maybe three usb ports as I plan on running the 1.8 internal to the clipon as my mass storage device for games and movies.

Toxic_d

I think aswell as the T.V video and sound cables it should have-I can't remember what it's called but a port where a screen plugs in.
Then when you wanted to you could just swap it with your PC, plug in your screen, and your mouse and keyboard.
Alternatively, when you wanted you could also just plug it into your T.V to play games.

An extra SD Card slot would also be nice, then you could put in a wifi SD Card or games card aswell as having the one allready in your GP2X

Eddie

, If you mean VGA, then no, you will have to open up the GP2X, find the pins on the video processor and connect them, then get out the manual on the Encoding chip and write a program to set the VGA output mode.

At least this is theoretically possible, if we ever go to the MMSP2+ processor (AKA GPX3), the TV-Out will be onboard a BGA with no way to get to the pins and add our own hack.

Possible yes but I seriously doubt the is enough demand for it. Besides it is outside my needs and therefore would be rather low on my priority list.

Good idea though. As for wireless I am in the process of sourcing a cheap reliable solution but I feel the need for it would be nil without games that could be used over it or the keyboard mod cr8tive is working on. The only other use off hand I could think of would be a wireless samba share but I think you could attain better transfer speeds over the built in usb 2.0 port.

Toxic_d

Sorry I haven't updated this thread... I think I will be starting a new thread soon. I'm just waiting for parts before I post. I will try to keep a running pricelist going and pics as well.

Toxic_d

You know what I want, personally? Just TV-out and USB host. Hell, if it's cheaper just a cable works fine instead of an actual breakout board. I'm not picky, I just want to plug in gamepads and keyboards and the like.


Speaking of gamepads, can they control the menus when plugged in, or just the applications that support them?

I just want the thing released already.....

Well if you wish really hard...