adafruit rgb driver pcb 4x4 keypad for a 19x19 grid.

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LordVader
 
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adafruit rgb driver pcb 4x4 keypad for a 19x19 grid.

Post by LordVader »

I've been working on a project for some years now. In essence it's pretty similar to what the new product Adafruit NeoTrellis RGB Driver PCB for 4x4 Keypad does.
The goal was to produce tile-able pcb's in order to combine them to make a bigger board. And yes, they used RGB leds.
The first version used WS2812B 5050 leds, and sparkfun buttons. But then recently we redesigned everything to use APA102 leds and adafruit buttons.

But this was all just preparation for a bigger plan:
My goal is really to create an electronic board that can play the game of go.
The game of go is played on a 19x19 grid. So, that's where this silly idea comes from.

The main challenges are:
  • 1)It's an irregular size: 19x19
    2)Elastomere buttons are expensive for big areas.
Then yesterday I noticed that adafruit now produces 4x4 rgb button pcb's as well.
And that's when I started to realize that it's perhaps better to use those pcb's and to abandon my own design.

If I would stack together 5x5 of these boards, that would help me to create a 20x20 grid.
So in essence, I would then buy 25 items of the neotrellis rgb 4x4 pcb, and 25 elastomere pieces.
Next I would have to cut away a part of the elastomere, and hide a part of the grid in the case.
Essentially only providing 19x19 elastomere buttons to the end user, hiding a row and a column of the grid.

But that brings the total cost to somewhere around : 425 usd.
And then I don't even have shipping, the case.

What helps, is that I am not the only person looking for a board like this.
I would love to give you more details about this, but I could easily buy 10 of them to start out.
Well, that is, if I could get the price around 275 usd (including a case with a simple arduino in it).
(I know people who are more interested in this than I am).
And that's really why I took the effort to write about this in this forum.

Taking all of this in account. Could you give me some advice ? I am considering to continue designing it myself, just to get that 19x19 size.
I actually think that the price for the PCB are okay. But it's really the elastomere buttons that are so expensive.

Here are some other things that I can't predict, but perhaps you can:
  • * Perhaps some day there will be 4x5, 5x5 and 5x4 boards like this, essentially making it possible to get perfect 19x19 coverage ?
    * Perhaps the price will get down when adafruit starts making smaller elastomere buttons, 'cause let's face it, the current buttons were actually not designed for SMD components, but more for the classic 3mm leds, right ? So, you could in essence redesign the buttons, using less material.
I would just love to have some insights in what is coming up.
Or some advice would be welcome too.
You don't happen to have interest in creating a 19x19 version, do you ? :)

Looking forward to some feedback,
Bram Vdb.

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adafruit2
 
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Re: adafruit rgb driver pcb 4x4 keypad for a 19x19 grid.

Post by adafruit2 »

we've got no plans to make different sizes of the neotrellis boards, people seem to like 4x4! the elastomer files are on github, free for you to use! you could mass make your own. neotrellis files are also online, you can manufature your own PCBs. just FYI, you'll be on your own with no support from us!

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LordVader
 
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Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2015 6:29 pm

Re: adafruit rgb driver pcb 4x4 keypad for a 19x19 grid.

Post by LordVader »

adafruit2 wrote:we've got no plans to make different sizes of the neotrellis boards, people seem to like 4x4! the elastomer files are on github, free for you to use! you could mass make your own. neotrellis files are also online, you can manufature your own PCBs. just FYI, you'll be on your own with no support from us!
The PCB contains a seesaw microcontroller. As far as I know, those are not sold individually.
That makes it pretty much impossible, right ?

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