A Wi-Spy card so it’s easy for me to analyse Wifi channels around me.
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Already done. Supports external antenna and monitor mode.
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Are we talking about a custom PCB or just an enclosure for an off-the-shelf module, if we are only talking an enclosure I don’t really think you should be saying you have made it, more say that I have designed a enclosure for an off the shelf board.
@Moe_Wigs Yeah it would be better to be an expansion card than an off-the-shelf module sticking out of the framework. I would like to design my own cards but dont have any experience in Kicad, so I’m interested how you guys learned how to use Kicad. If you could share any tips, it would be nice.
If you are referring to me, I’ve never claimed any such thing, one way or another. However, however it came about I have a wifi module that exists and works excellently. You may claim to “make your dinner” which may be nothing more than sticking a plastic tub in the microwave, or using ingredients that you technically never made. So a pointless argument of semantics.
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I’m only asking for you to be clarifying that this is using an off the shelf module. That is all.
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Miniaturized DAC like a dragonfly
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whatthefilament has designed and created a fantastic AIO project re-purposing the existing framework hardware, so, how should that be described? To my mind he has both created and designed it. And, you shouldn’t try and trivialize the amount of work that goes into some of these projects. The 4G project I’m working on has taken a lot of research to find a suitable existing board and many, many days of work designing an enclosure. As for the wifi module, I could have made it flush with the side of the machine, but, prefer the antenna to be slightly away from the side. I’ve also been working on a DAC amp, using an “existing” miniature board and light fabricated port board.
I trained as an electronic engineer many years ago, we had to design circuits using pens and stencils. Even if I were able to work with modern SMT, I would always try to find a suitable existing board. Why reinvent the wheel? To me, if I can “make” something that’s tangible, fits the form factor and functions, I’m happy.
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I get what you mean but in this case, where the person was asking for a specifically designed module, so you shouldn’t be saying that I’ve made one, or at least just say that I built an enclosure for an off-the-shelf board, all I’m asking for is better clarification.
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Not at all.
There was no prerequisite. I said, “already done”. And I did make it.
But, if you’re that concerned that people know you’ve designed the circuitry yourself, you only have to say so.
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Why is it so hard to just mention that you have built an enclosure, as people will get confused?
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Because, it’s totally unnecessary.
Just to put this to bed. If Integrated-Circuit had said he’d like a module based on a card fabricated from scratch, then I would have said I had made one from an existing board or probably wouldn’t have said anything at all. And also, I stated in a previous post that I only created modules from existing hardware. I’ve never tried to pass myself off as some kind of design guru, as, I think, is your implication, just someone has has taken the time and effort to make modules that work. I don’t feel the need to explain every nuance. But, I could equally say why is it so hard to just state the you designed something from scratch.
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@Moe_Wigs I was only asking if someone made a custom card or if you’ve would have to use an off the shelf product. I thought it was the point of this thread but I appriciate your help.
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This is getting into knee-jerk contradiction, Josh, which is against our community guidelines as I’ve already expressed to you once.
Most of the cards I’ve seen, except the once that you have designed, have been enclosures for existing modules rather than custom PCBs. There is no need to put others down for not doing “enough” of it themselves. There was no misrepresentation here, just miscommunication. If this thread continues down this path, it will be closed.
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@Moe_Wigs I was only asking if someone made a custom card or if you’ve would have to use an off the shelf product.
Yes, I did make one based on a techkey adapter. It does “stick out” about the same as the official network adapter. But, as I said, by design, I didn’t want the antenna too close to the body of the laptop. But, it works rather well, you can install any kind of aerial with the SMA fitting. And, as stated, it supports monitor mode which is great. I don’t think it matters if something is bespoke or prefabricated, after all you could wait forever for a bespoke something or other. You could replace the USB plug with a type-c OTG board and it would be flush with the side of the laptop and the adapter fits nicely in the standard module case size. So, it depends on what you want. I like the way it looks and as far as I know is the only wifi module so far, based on an existing board or otherwise. Of course, it’s a lot more sturdy than a plug in adapter, which is why I bothered to make it, it won’t break off if you accidentally knocked it, even quite a hard knock. Although, I never stated in my post, what I mean’t was, if you really want or must have such a wifi module you can make one that, I think, is totally acceptable. And since it’s from a professionally designed adapter it’s probably be more likely to function as expected and last (driver updates etc). It’s completely supported in Windows, but I don’t think Linux is supported. Anyway, as the saying goes, “You pays your money and takes your choice.”
@Moe_Wigs Yeah it would be better to be an expansion card than an off-the-shelf module sticking out of the framework.
Modules based on existing hardware aren’t necessarily bad, I’ve just finished a proper dongle hider with no need to take the adapter apart as was the previous case with the one I designed, the wireless adapter fits into a module the exact size of a standard module but with a recess at the front so that the wireless adapter is flush with the side of the laptop. It would be very difficult to make a type-c to USB board that size, but why bother when the perfect sized adapter exists already. So, in essence something like this, it’s a repurposed Akasa adapter.
But it’s something you can have here and now. So, to reiterate, the choices are three-fold, you can design and create something, more power to you, if you can, you can re-purpose existing hardware, or wait for something that may and probably won’t ever materialize. And, don’t forget, some things will never fit exactly in such a small volume as the standard module size.
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Infrared USB adapter
Because some ancient thing (Lego Mindstorm RCX)
Also, PS2 adapter (low key some application actually need it)
Doesn’t really matter that it dont fit inside 1 slot (since ethernet adapter exists now)
VGA adapter.
10W “emergency charger” taking anything (5-20V DC), tells the laptop “hey this is 10W at whatever voltage it is being input at)”, Screw terminals. PPTC fuse. Maybe diode bridge for reverse polarity protection.
6-axis accelerometer (and maybe compass); appear as a USB controller with the 9 axes as joystick inputs
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A button that every time you press it opens a random application. Very good for if you’re indecisive of how to spend your free time. Just let the magic button make the choices for you.
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Actually, one with a couple of programmable buttons is not the worse idea ever.
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A BT presenter, 2 or 3 surface buttons.
Maybe a capacitor as power source (quick charged, no battery degredation).
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Kinda duplication of the previous post.
“IMU card – pair with 2.5 inch caddy for drop detection.”
Basically a sensor that detects (very accurately) the acceleration of the laptop in X, Y, Z coordinates, as well as the angular acceleration Rx, Ry and Rz.
Basically something like the CC3D’s MPU 6050.
This would be extremely useful if used with a 2.5 inch HDD carriage – in the event that the laptop detects a sudden acceleration (or deceleration), it would be able to turn the hard drive off (or at the very least, tell the drive to park and lock the head). This could be a card or integrated into the 2.5 inch bay, or perhaps both.
This feature is present on a lot of old Thinkpads, and I think it wouldn’t be a waste to incorporate it onto the device, should it be able to carry a HDD – a Seagate Barracuda 2TB, for instance, for $60 (that’s very cheap). A Kingston 2TB NVMe, meanwhile, cost $120.
Okay there’s not that huge of a difference in terms of ricing. But like, 100% price increase is still a 100% price increase. A feature like this would still make sense, at least to some audiences.
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