Indicator LEDs

[LEOXD]

^ I even had problems with other devices with a power switch on the side. On the other hand, I also had sometimes problems with a power button directly above the Dpad, so yeah.

 

[levi]

1. It would be more expensive, both in production (additional mold needed, tool for drilling the hole) and in assembly (takes a bit to put the lightpipes in). We're trying to simplify all of that to be able to produce as cost effective as possible.

You're going to need clear plastic inserts for the lights near the nubs as is, I reckon - I don't see the difference.  However, I don't disagree with your other points.

That said, having the two buttons atop the PCB might be problematic.  I can't fit two fingers above the PCB line on my Pandora with the lid open, and one of my fingers pretty much fills the space between the top of the folded over lid and the PCB line - I think having one on top of the PCB and one below (like the Pandora) would work better than having two above.  It still means the light pipes can't go through there, of course.

 

[EvilDragon]

1. It would be more expensive, both in production (additional mold needed, tool for drilling the hole) and in assembly (takes a bit to put the lightpipes in). We're trying to simplify all of that to be able to produce as cost effective as possible.

You're going to need clear plastic inserts for the lights near the nubs as is, I reckon - I don't see the difference.  However, I don't disagree with your other points.

Hehe, we don't. We can use the silicon keymat as lightpipe

That said, having the two buttons atop the PCB might be problematic.  I can't fit two fingers above the PCB line on my Pandora with the lid open, and one of my fingers pretty much fills the space between the top of the folded over lid and the PCB line - I think having one on top of the PCB and one below (like the Pandora) would work better than having two above.  It still means the light pipes can't go through there, of course.

Umm... it is exactly like that. Two buttons on one side, two buttons on the other side.

 

[God Ginrai]

I can give you multiple explanations, here goes:

1. It would be more expensive, both in production (additional mold needed, tool for drilling the hole) and in assembly (takes a bit to put the lightpipes in). We're trying to simplify all of that to be able to produce as cost effective as possible.

2. We are looking for better hinges and don't know yet how much space they actually need. It could very well be that they need more space to be more robust.

3. We've got four shoulder buttons now. The two extra buttons are on the PCB where the LEDs were before and the plastic buttons would go right through the lightpipes...

While 1. is a simple cost thing, 3. is a bigger problem...

 Thanks.

That goes for putting the leds on the side too?

I never had that problem with other devices with the volume switch on the side.

 Rather than put a volume wheel on the side, wouldn't it be better to just put LEDs there?

^ I even had problems with other devices with a power switch on the side. On the other hand, I also had sometimes problems with a power button directly above the Dpad, so yeah.

 You mean your "TURBO" button. Or at least, that's what we called it when we would press it while our friends were in the middle of a Mario Kart DS race.

Hehe, we don't. We can use the silicon keymat as lightpipe

Nice. How clever.

-God Ginrai

 

[thatgui]

1. It would be more expensive, both in production (additional mold needed, tool for drilling the hole) and in assembly (takes a bit to put the lightpipes in). We're trying to simplify all of that to be able to produce as cost effective as possible.

Can't argue about 2 and 3, but we already have the Logo that will be lit up, something that has no functional value in itself and is probably far more expensive and complicated to produce and assemble than three lightpipes and holes for a LED, so why is this a problem with a much simpler construct ?


I know this idea won't get any love, but I'll throw it out anyway:


Replace the RGB Led with three single color LEDs and move them to a place where they can be seen from either side of the lid. First thought was to move them left or right of the screen and put a "stripe" of semi transparent material over those holes, both on the outside and "inside" (= the seperate, inner display cover). But that leaves two problems: it may destabelize the inner display cover too much, and (foremost) it would be too near to the screen, and as soon as these LEDs would start flickering it would surely distract the user.


But maybe these three could be moved in the hinge area, were it should not distract the user more as it already does (or not). Only stability could be a problem again, but to ultimately decide on that, one would need to know how the hinge area will be constructed :mellow:

 

[Binky]

Logo that will be lit up, something that has no functional value

Seems to me that an indicator LED on the back of the lid is useful...

 

[Natsu]

Rather than put a volume wheel on the side, wouldn't it be better to just put LEDs there?

-God Ginrai

There's no space at the side - and I don't think you want to accidentally turn the wheel while playing games

That goes for putting the leds on the side too?

h34r:  

 

[thatgui]

Logo that will be lit up, something that has no functional value

 Seems to me that an indicator LED on the back of the lid is useful...

Why this again ? Of course and indicator on the back is usefull, but:- wouldn't that indicator be more usefull if you could see it from both sides ?

- wouldn't that indicators usefullness exactly be the same if Ed would just use a small hole in back (including maybe a small lightpipe) instead of the rather complicated logo "construct"

 

[EvilDragon]

An LED also needs a PCB. The area outside of the screen in the lid doesn't have a PCB there.

 

[thatgui]

An LED also needs a PCB. The area outside of the screen in the lid doesn't have a PCB there.

Would a small pcb theoretically be possible in the area where the hinge currently is (as long as there are no parts there that move when the lid is operated) - I know you can't say for sure as you (at least officially) do not know how the hinge will look like in the end, but you probably can make a guess wether this is not possible due to: pcb that small is to complicated/costly to produce/populate/assemble in that area (or other reasons, I don't think of).

 

[levi]

No PCB on the end of the wifi antenna this time?

 

[EvilDragon]

No PCB on the end of the wifi antenna this time?

Wifi antenna is a chip antenna on the main PCB.

As mentioned, we're simplifying and optimizing things as much as possible, as this saves quite a bit of costs.

 

[fusion_power]

I hope the new Pyra WiFi will give more than the average 10kb/s download my Pandora has... It may be the worst WiFi in the universe.

So please test the Pyra WiFi as much as possible.

 

[Grench]

Hehe, we don't. We can use the silicon keymat as lightpipe

Ingenious. Very nicely done!