Developer Bob - Is It Meant For Everyday Usage?

[hitbyambulance]

i was waiting to get a BOB with the plastic housing, but the price of the developer BOB through GP32Z.com has me tempted. i take very good care of my electronics - having said that, i'm wary about the potential drawbacks of lugging an open circuit board around with me. is it readily susceptible to static discharge, or getting a reisistor knocked off, or...?

 

[Blah]

I dunno about the BoB's quality, but I've tossed around computer components (video cards and the like) without ill effect.

I myself am waiting for the "retail" one, just because its supposed to come out this month according to play-asia.

 

[hitbyambulance]

i just read that if you connect a hard drive to the board, you need yet another AC adaptor... so this, in addition to the two AC adaptors for the GP2X and one for the HD... you'd have to carry a power strip with you!!

 

[DJWillis]

Putting the developers BoB into a case should be quite easy if you don't want to wait for a cased version.

A quick trip to Maplins or CPC should sort you out with a suitable project box for a few pence that will protect the board. The other option would be to mount the PCB on some substrate like MDF, I notice it has standoff holes already there and mounts are easy to get. That would protect the underside from the odd bit of abuse.

 

[torpor]

I've had my BoB for a couple weeks, and while I much prefer to use my own kinder-eier cable for USB+Serial, the BoB has proven useful a couple times already .. I pack it in a pink bubble-wrap bag when I want to take it between the office and home, and its survived quite well in my already stuffed laptop bag ..

I don't think it'd be too hard to get a box made for the thing, but keep in mind that the design of the BoB means that the box will have holes on all 4 edges .. this could get a bit tricky. Best just to find yourself a nice little bag for it, plug the cables in that you need/want to use, then leave it at that ..

 

[Squidge]

i just read that if you connect a hard drive to the board, you need yet another AC adaptor... so this, in addition to the two AC adaptors for the GP2X and one for the HD... you'd have to carry a power strip with you!!

There's quite a few that power themselves via the USB port, so you'd only need one for the gp2x and one for the BoB (and if you have a Mk2, only one adaptor is necessary).

 

[TheMinder]

Anyone with kids might find that LEGO makes a useable container for the BoB, and it's very customisable regarding holes on the edge of the "case"

 

[Wolfsclaw]

i just read that if you connect a hard drive to the board, you need yet another AC adaptor... so this, in addition to the two AC adaptors for the GP2X and one for the HD... you'd have to carry a power strip with you!!

There's quite a few that power themselves via the USB port, so you'd only need one for the gp2x and one for the BoB (and if you have a Mk2, only one adaptor is necessary).

is this really only possible for the Mk2? h34r:

 

[tshroom]

Please explain the Mk2 comment. Only one ac adapter is needed with a mk2 and a bob.. but 2 are needed with a mk1?

 

[DJWillis]

Please explain the Mk2 comment. Only one ac adapter is needed with a mk2 and a bob.. but 2 are needed with a mk1?

In a nutshell yep .

The MK1 needs batts or external power and CANNOT power the BoB. So the BoB need it's own power source.

The MK2 has an improved power setup and CAN power the BoB from an adaptor pluged into the MK2.

 

[Wolfsclaw]

Bah that sucks, i didn't know they improved the power setup :/ ah well

 

[Mark1970]

Putting the developers BoB into a case should be quite easy if you don't want to wait for a cased version.

A quick trip to Maplins or CPC should sort you out with a suitable project box for a few pence that will protect the board. The other option would be to mount the PCB on some substrate like MDF, I notice it has standoff holes already there and mounts are easy to get. That would protect the underside from the odd bit of abuse.

If you are in the Netherlands or Germany, www.conrad.nl or www.conrad.de are good places to get components and a good looking case to mount the BOB in.

 

[Paradox]

im waiting for the docking / cased / stationary version from GPH. but i might wait and see what techfreaks cased more "portable" version looks like

 

[Claym99]

Is the one that's going to be coming out different at all except for the case? Or is that it?

 

[hitbyambulance]

...and it looks as tho GP32Z.com has cut off all order-taking capability from the website. i should've just gotten an extra screen and the case while i was still able... well, i suppose i'll wait and see what the official 'cased' solution looks like.