Awesome project, i might also be interested, though i first have to actually recieve my FW16 and see how i manage with the ports i have available.
I read the first few posts in this thread, but i don’t have the time to go through all the 200 replies. Is there a github link or something similar, where i can keep track of the current state and what the dual ports actually support? (In the first few posts there was still discussion if both ports could have all features or possibly one would be PD only, the other full featured)
Or maybe someone could reply and get me, and possibly others who only just now discover this topic, up to speed
Replying here so that I can keep track and get notifications. I would definitely buy this especially if it had a special addition case, like atomic purple.
Hello,
Sorry (again) for the long wait , but I wanted to give you some quick update.
I have assembled one unit, but unfortunately my bench-powersupply died and the new one hasn’t arrived yet so I haven’t done any testing (and I’m not brave enough to just plug it in without any testing ).
But I do have some picture you can look at in the meantime :
I’m a big fan of it on the separate header too, that should make it much easier to swap out the PCB to one for a full size SD or a USB-A + USB-C or something else in the future, maybe a dual microSD or something like that.
@Ethan_Spoelstra
The separate PCB with the USB-plug was necessary to avoid height issues so it can fit into the expansion-card form-factor.
While the idea of swapping the small PCB to another module might seem tempting, the “header” is a 0.35mm pitch board-to-board connector that has a durability rating of 10 mating cycles, so it’s by far not meant to be swapped around. It could be reused on another design but it’s outline is fitted to avoid the larger components on the main-board (I somehow like how it’s wrapped around them ).
Not yet, if it actually works, I’ll publish them on Github or somewhere.
I think they would be at least triple of that before taxes including assembly without making any profit, plus the case (at least in small volume quantities). Also I do have absolutely no experience with producing things in higher volumes.
But there’s room for optimisation and things can most likely be simplified a little… You could also probably ditch the dedicated ESD-protection and rely on the IC’s built-in protection but I did rather add it because the cards are probably transported flying around in the laptop-bag.
USB-C has an option to transmit audio to a headphone-jack but as far as I have looked into it, that uses up the data-lines so you can’t simultaneously use both (you would most likely have to implement a hub and an additional DAC for the audio-part which leads to a complex design).
it seems like any computer could work for a test (just needs USB C)… just find a sacrificial computer and plug it in… (Once one is confident that things work)
I really like this and I’d love to buy a couple, it looks great! Unfortunately at $90+ (from what you’re saying) I think that would be a pretty tough sell… Have you tried pricing the SMT PCBA at higher volumes (100+)? The price (especially of the components) goes down very significantly. Also, 3D printing services are very cheap nowadays, I would expect such a tiny case to cost less than $5.
I’m very much hoping it will be possible to reduce the cost and make the module more affordable. Again, great job!
And if it were me I’d just plug it in - YOLO, and I’m pretty sure the USB-C interface has sufficient protections in place to let itself be damaged by a simple adapter like that
You might have misread. You’re jumping higher than he estimated.
The estimated price is where I expected.
This is a small run, complicated build assembled by a community member. Just look at the pictures. This is not a simple or easy board.
I saw two people mention being willing to pay 20, and I was tempted to comment then. It’s just completely unrealistic for something like this. That’s the price of most of Framework’s mass-produced cards, benefiting from tuned assembly lines and the ability to invest in large runs. And being able to spread out design & development cost over a huge number of cards
I would not expect someone to be able to front the cost for a 100+ run. And with no guarantee that they will sell at anywhere near an acceptable pace in order to get his money back. And he stated that he doesn’t have experience with producing in higher volumes. I sure a hell wouldn’t want to attempt a 100+ run if I was him.
I concur. The only option would be a group buy thingy where people pay upfront. Financials aside it’s going to be a massive amount of work and I can understand not wanting to tackle 100+ units at the same time.
Having said that I would be in for a few cards (maybe 4, I’ll have to think about it). More if they are cheaper due to scale.
, but I wanted to give you some quick update.
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