Kickstarter for TV out Cables

[Mr_Loon]

It's a lamentable but understandable state of affairs that after all these years we still have no official TV out cable for Pandora.

IMHO it would be a worthy exercise for OP GmbH to look at the possibility of funding TV out cable production via Kickstarter. This would give valuable experience of the way Kickstarter works, and may help with the decision as to whether kickstarter would be a good way of funding the first batch of any future Pandora Successor.

I'm not sure about the actual cost of making a batch of say 100 cables, but $25 delivered seems like a reasonable ballpark figure for a mini cable with female connectors for SVideo, Composite & L+R Audio.

@ ED : Would it be easy to get a quote from Global Components for the cost of production of 100 mini TV Out cables / 100 full size TV Out cables ?

@ Everyone : Do you have any suggestions for a potential supplier of Pandora TV Out cables?

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Please only vote in the Poll if you would like a TV Out cable for your Pandora.

 

[EvilDragon]

The problem never was the money, the problem was the production, and that's wha I've been working together with GC for months and now prototyping has started (professionally moulded cables)

 

[TrashyMG]

Sounds like ED been doing a bit of work on this already.. Could a Kickstarter still be used to help make these TV out cables and the money that was already set aside for this be allocated to something else, like the pre-order fund?

 

[FaeMinx]

There's still money set aside for this? I really didn't expect there would be any capital left after all the other losses...? o.o

 

[Maquis196]

Well if you need money in either kickstarter or preordering, im in for one thats for sure (and donate same amount as well).

 

[Grench]

No, Kickstarter is not the answer to everything - and not an answer to this.

I would like the TV out cable to be about 100mm short and have ALL connectors from the port expressed on it's plug/box.  Yes, that includes a header for the GPIO, microphone inputs, everything.  I really don't care if it's RGB in RCA plugs, 1/8" jacks, svideo, or other.  Just make it based on a plug that I can buy a cable that connects to it from Monoprice or Amazon.

From there I can add adapters and longer cables in the format needed to get to whatever display I'm using.

 

[EvilDragon]

No, Kickstarter is not the answer to everything - and not an answer to this.

I would like the TV out cable to be about 100mm short and have ALL connectors from the port expressed on it's plug/box.  Yes, that includes a header for the GPIO, microphone inputs, everything.  I really don't care if it's RGB in RCA plugs, 1/8" jacks, svideo, or other.  Just make it based on a plug that I can buy a cable that connects to it from Monoprice or Amazon.

From there I can add adapters and longer cables in the format needed to get to whatever display I'm using.

You've hit me, except for it's 200mm long

Well, and no UART, only video out, svideo out, audio in and audio out.

But it's all plugs and 200mm cable length, so you can put it into your bag and use normal cables to connect it to the TV.

 

[urjaman]

Well, and no UART, only video out, svideo out, audio in and audio out.

You dont need to have RS-232 level uart or whatever. But umm no GPIO? (I'm assuming you noticed my idea for a Mini-DIN 8 elsewhere.) That is sad - and you lost a purchase from me down the line.

I can see it being too expensive, but this just means that everyone who wants to use the GPIO features will need to roll their own...

 

[EvilDragon]

Well, and no UART, only video out, svideo out, audio in and audio out.

You dont need to have RS-232 level uart or whatever. But umm no GPIO? (I'm assuming you noticed my idea for a Mini-DIN 8 elsewhere.) That is sad - and you lost a purchase from me down the line.

I can see it being too expensive, but this just means that everyone who wants to use the GPIO features will need to roll their own...

Well, if you would take 500 or 600 of those cables, it would be possible for a realistic price...

 

[urjaman]

I see :/. How about producing tinyBobs for sale? Would that be feasible?

 

[dreamer]

You dont need to have RS-232 level uart or whatever. But umm no GPIO? (I'm assuming you noticed my idea for a Mini-DIN 8 elsewhere.) That is sad - and you lost a purchase from me down the line.

I would also really be interested in this. For my current project I'm going to find a din-plug that suits my need and solder that to a tinyBoB.

(although I would like A/V and at least the 2 UARTs on it)

 

[Asiyura]

I see :/. How about producing tinyBobs for sale? Would that be feasible?

I would love a tinyBob too.

I'd rather make some kind of "docking station" with connectors for the various I/O available on the EXT port (and a usb hub), than a simple TV out cable with audio.

 

[b_o_b]

You've hit me, except for it's 200mm long

Well, and no UART, only video out, svideo out, audio in and audio out.
But it's all plugs and 200mm cable length, so you can put it into your bag and use normal cables to connect it to the TV.

 

[Binky]

quote++ for official BoBs

 

[levi]

If you're looking to access stuff like GPIOs I'd suspect you'd be able to solder up an EXT-connector yourself, which are currently in stock at ED's store, and quite possibly from WizardStan as well.


They're a little fiddly, with a pin pitch of 1mm in two rows, 1.5mm apart, but perfectly doable for anyone with a decent soldering iron and a little practice.

 

[Asiyura]

If you're looking to access stuff like GPIOs I'd suspect you'd be able to solder up an EXT-connector yourself, which are currently in stock at ED's store, and quite possibly from WizardStan as well.


They're a little fiddly, with a pin pitch of 1mm in two rows, 1.5mm apart, but perfectly doable for anyone with a decent soldering iron and a little practice.

And that's why we would like some TinyBobs produced.

With those, it's easier to have wires attached to the already available connector. And the result is far mode "professional" looking than a blob of hot glue to keep everything together.

EDIT :

Without tinybob http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php/topic/3743-break-out-bord-for-ext-pcb-designer-needed/?p=132950

With Tinybob http://boards.openpandora.org/index.php/topic/3743-break-out-bord-for-ext-pcb-designer-needed/?p=76586

 

[kirkanoss]

would love to see tiny-bob's for sale again or even better tiny-bobs with the ext already soldered. think a lot of people with almost no solder skills could  make there diy ideas come to life.

 

[Kumaki]

I currently HAVE a TV cable, I had a nice person on this board make me one.

But I'd buy a second one.

Not that the first one has any problems, it works great...but, hey...better to have two cables so I can have one set in each TV, so that I just have to reach for the wire and hook up Pandy.  No plugging and unplkugging the wires in back on the TV.

 

[Mr_Loon]

You've hit me, except for it's 200mm long

Well, and no UART, only video out, svideo out, audio in and audio out.

But it's all plugs and 200mm cable length, so you can put it into your bag and use normal cables to connect it to the TV.

Sounds ideal from my perspective.

I'm surprised to see more people wanting a full size cable with male connectors. My guess is it will be a lot cheaper to the end user to buy a mini cable as planned + the extension cables they require than a full size Pandora TV out cable.

Do you have any idea of a time scale or end user cost for the production of this cable by GC, will it be this year / less than $25 delivered?

 

[Grench]

No, Kickstarter is not the answer to everything - and not an answer to this.


I would like the TV out cable to be about 100mm short and have ALL connectors from the port expressed on it's plug/box.  Yes, that includes a header for the GPIO, microphone inputs, everything.  I really don't care if it's RGB in RCA plugs, 1/8" jacks, svideo, or other.  Just make it based on a plug that I can buy a cable that connects to it from Monoprice or Amazon.


From there I can add adapters and longer cables in the format needed to get to whatever display I'm using.

You've hit me, except for it's 200mm long


Well, and no UART, only video out, svideo out, audio in and audio out.


But it's all plugs and 200mm cable length, so you can put it into your bag and use normal cables to connect it to the TV.