FX-Sabers.com

Ahch-To: Instructional Section related to constructing your own Lightsaber => Open Source Sound Cards => Topic started by: Kolgrima on June 13, 2018, 08:16:57 PM

Title: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 13, 2018, 08:16:57 PM
I'd like to Introduce Brewboard

(https://preview.ibb.co/dFtE5J/Brewboard_V2_0_1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/iWFizd)

Brewboard is a Carrier board for homebrew FX-SaberOS Soundboards it was designed for Econo-builds

here are the specs;



Opensource files and wiring diagrams can be found here;
GitHub - SaberRepublic/Brewboard: Shield for FX-SaberOS (https://github.com/SaberRepublic/Brewboard)
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: jbkuma on June 13, 2018, 09:02:34 PM
Something about this saber really brings me back :D
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Obi_1 on June 14, 2018, 07:52:01 AM
Good work on this, it is essentially a carrier for the parts to implement a DIYino Prime v1 for those on a low budget and more spacious hilt desing.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 14, 2018, 08:05:22 AM
Good work on this, it is essentially a carrier for the parts to implement a DIYino Prime v1 for those on a low budget and more spacious hilt desing.

Thanks! And yes; it really is a tradeoff. You definitely sacrifice quite a bit of space for the monetary savings. But if you're crafty you can make it work, space wise.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: JakeSoft on June 15, 2018, 09:22:57 AM
This sure would beat the heck out of doing it with strip board as most home-brews are done! Are you building these rider boards for sale?
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 15, 2018, 11:31:21 AM
This sure would beat the heck out of doing it with strip board as most home-brews are done! Are you building these rider boards for sale?

I am, I just completed a run actually, but it's offsite... which is why I didn't post any of that info here. I could start a thread over in the Trade Federation and sell a portion of them there if there is interest.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Sini Star on June 15, 2018, 06:33:10 PM
Nice work!
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 25, 2018, 11:53:39 PM
This is really cool.  How does the Arduino Nano run off a single cell Li-Ion?  Doesn't it require 5v?
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: jbkuma on June 26, 2018, 05:43:42 AM
It happily runs on a regular cell. You can use a boost circuit if you want, but it isn't necessary.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 26, 2018, 07:54:26 AM
Awesome, thanks!
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 26, 2018, 08:30:23 PM
It happily runs on a regular cell. You can use a boost circuit if you want, but it isn't necessary.

Thanks for answering that jbkuma!

I will also add that in the 3d printed build shown in the video, the battery is an orbtronic 14500 at 840 mAh. This gives my son just over an hour of use... which is fine for him as he's usually done after that long. Also of note is the stock breakout boards have builtin LEDs that are always on even in deep sleep mode so this design has a kill switch, as I didn't want to have to remove the LEDs from those boards.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 26, 2018, 11:55:15 PM
Thanks Kolgrima. 

This is perfect, as I already have the other parts, but haven't used them yet because they're too bulky.

I ordered 3 boards this morning. 

Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 27, 2018, 10:06:40 AM
Thanks Kolgrima. 

This is perfect, as I already have the other parts, but haven't used them yet because they're too bulky.

I ordered 3 boards this morning.

I assume you are using the source files to make your own, keep in mind you'll need to solder all the MOSFETs and resistors on any boards you get from a PCB manufacturer, that said it not too hard.

I did make a run of these boards my self but as I mentioned, I have not posted the link for that run as it is off-site. I was considering selling a few here on the Trade Federation but I didn't think there was much interest. Perhaps I'll put a few up anyway, just in case.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 27, 2018, 11:25:32 AM

I assume you are using the source files to make your own, keep in mind you'll need to solder all the MOSFETs and resistors on any boards you get from a PCB manufacturer, that said it not too hard.

I did make a run of these boards my self but as I mentioned, I have not posted the link for that run as it is off-site. I was considering selling a few here on the Trade Federation but I didn't think there was much interest. Perhaps I'll put a few up anyway, just in case.

Yes, thanks - I've already sourced the parts from Digi-Key.  I've never soldered SMT devices before, but I should be able to figure it out.


I'm planning on using a modified version of JBKuma's aircraft plug design for the blade and hope to be able to swap between an RGB and a NeoPixel.  That way I can make the NeoPixel later and just plug it it.  One issue with making a standardized plug is that the power for the NeoPixel is different between this board and the DIYino Stardust 3, but I'm assuming that in the case of the latter it is so that the blade can be completely powered off in deep sleep mode.  I'd like to use one plug design that I can use with either board and have interchangeable blades.  I think I'll just connect the NeoPixel to ground instead of the mosfets for both boards, as I don't foresee needing deep sleep with the blade plugged in, unless there is some reason not to that I haven't thought of.  That way, with a little modification to FX-SaberOS, I can run an RGB crystal off of the mosfets in conjuction with the RGB blade and have them still work with the NeoPixel blade installed.

As a side note, on NeoPixel blades Adafruit recommends using a capacitor across the power terminals to prevent spikes when powering on.  I don't see this in the schematic.  Is it necessary, or just a good idea?
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: jbkuma on June 27, 2018, 02:10:45 PM
I'm not sure what you mean by the power being different.  This board and the Stardust should work more or less the same aside from the switches for powering down the serial and mp3 chips.

The capacitor would go on the strip.  I have never used it.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 27, 2018, 03:23:51 PM
I'm not sure what you mean by the power being different.  This board and the Stardust should work more or less the same aside from the switches for powering down the serial and mp3 chips.

The capacitor would go on the strip.  I have never used it.

Sorry, I didn't explain that clearly.  The Diyino Stardust 3 and your plug schematic use LS1, L2 and LS3 bridged as ground for the Neopixel, but on the Brewboard it is connected to the battery/board ground.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: jbkuma on June 27, 2018, 03:55:39 PM
You can do the same thing.  There is a function in FX-SaberOS that kills power to the strips via the LS MOSFETs so as to keep it from draining the battery with background draw.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 27, 2018, 04:45:50 PM
That's what I thought. Perfect!
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 28, 2018, 07:13:14 PM
Sorry to ask so many questions, but in the BOM it lists 2n7002k Mosfets.  The highest current handling I can find is 380mA.  Shouldn't it be more around 700mA to 1A for a Star LED? 

EDIT:
Would this work?
TSM850N06CX N Channel MOSFET
Package: SOT23
Logic level
ID Current: 3A
RDSon: 100 mOhm
VGS(th): Min 1.2, Max 1.8
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 29, 2018, 09:02:37 AM
Sorry to ask so many questions, but in the BOM it lists 2n7002k Mosfets.  The highest current handling I can find is 380mA.  Shouldn't it be more around 700mA to 1A for a Star LED? 

EDIT:
Would this work?
TSM850N06CX N Channel MOSFET
Package: SOT23
Logic level
ID Current: 3A
RDSon: 100 mOhm
VGS(th): Min 1.2, Max 1.8

Questions are good, without them I may not have noticed this oversight sooner, So Thanks! I originally designed these boards for use with a Cree XM-L which has a lower current draw, these MOSFETs will not work for long with a standard Cree XP star, The TSM850N06CX does look like a good replacement though.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on June 29, 2018, 04:46:51 PM
Glad I could help.  I see you're in PEI.  I'm in BC.

The boards shipped from OSH Park today.  I'll order the MOSFETs from digikey.ca and let you know how they work.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on June 29, 2018, 05:27:51 PM
Glad I could help.  I see you're in PEI.  I'm in BC.

The boards shipped from OSH Park today.  I'll order the MOSFETs from digikey.ca and let you know how they work.

From the other coast eh? Nice to meet a fellow Canadian, and yes please let me know how you do with those FETs I'll be looking into some drop-in replacements as well. and updating the BOM soon.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on July 09, 2018, 10:51:33 PM
The sweet purple Brewboards arrived today.  I soldered up 1 TSM850N06CX mosfet and wrote a quick sketch to test it with a Luxeon Rebel.  The current draw is 700mA and everything seems fine.  I'll solder up the rest of the board and test it with a tri-Cree when it arrives from TCCS.
Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: BipeFlyer on December 21, 2018, 05:16:16 PM
Thanks for designing this great little board.  I've installed one in a TCCS MPP hilt and it worked out great. Here are a couple of pics.  I don't want to clutter up your thread, so I'll post a link to more info about it.


Brewboard Diyino Powered TCSS MPP Hilt (https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=53626.0)


I've got a couple more sabers lined up for brewboards. Thanks again!


(https://i.ibb.co/R2QXVbD/IMG-20181221-163549-sml.jpg) (https://ibb.co/R2QXVbD)(https://i.ibb.co/TBw0rvS/IMG-20181221-163621-sml.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TBw0rvS)


Title: Re: Introducing: Brewboard a FX-SaberOS board
Post by: Kolgrima on December 21, 2018, 10:32:57 PM
Thanks for designing this great little board.  I've installed one in a TCCS MPP hilt and it worked out great. Here are a couple of pics.  I don't want to clutter up your thread, so I'll post a link to more info about it.

I'm glad you like the Brewboard. Nice to see it getting some use out in the wild. thanks for posting it.