Our New Machine, Pandora

[God Ginrai]

Here's an idea for keyboard lighting. A small usb powered LED light, thats on the end of a long flexible stick, which can be positioned over the keyboard.

I dunno how else to describe it, but except for those glow light things for the game boy advance and color.

MWeston already mentioned the exact thing you were talking about, about 6 posts up:

MWeston, what do you think about my "LED shining onto the keyboard" idea?

That sounds like one of those old GBA lights you could buy for the non-lit variations back in the day. It is definitely an option. You could just plug it into the USB host port and snake it around to the keypad.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the plastic's manufacturers come back with for cost alternatives. Also, once donators receive their promotional packs in the mail, we can all talk more freely and specifically about this device since I don't imagine there will be any restrictions on what those people can post.

And how often would these circumstances come about?

About as often as I play Oregon Trail.

What games use 6?

Besides every single Nintendo 64 game ever made?


Yeah besides that. I wasn't asking for less buttons just 4 on the front, from what I remember those big a and b ones weren't used in a way that you couldn't use select/start equivalent or the analog click on the craig and get away with it. Same can probably be said about 4 shoulders but read on

Also though, 64's a possibility isn't it not a 'definitely playable nicely' so I'd rather it set for what it can and probably will do, otherwise it would just be my preference over yours I'd be arguing. Assuming you'd like to see 6 that is h34r:

I didn't spend much time with 64, didn't like them at all at the time. Gave it to my little sister after a few months That and streetfighter alone doesn't turn me to the idea, 4 fit better. And this is widescreen too remember.

Anyone think of any games specifically using 6 buttons you'd need to have on the right side bunched up other than streetfighter kazillion put it that way?


Lastly it's all new to me, I've never needed a handheld before and it will be the first. So it would suit me to just have everything you guys have for ages already running better, I just hope I don't see subliminal hints or worse to the fact it's a psx emulator in advertising, but without mentioning the lack of right controls. That would be a turn off to a lot of potential customers, and sort of cheeky too like the dual core being touted to people that know no different as a good thing. Most of us here are tolerant of problems and interested in playing with things to make other things happen, but Craig/Co. can easily go for people who just want a psp equivalent without the hassles, to watch video and play psx on and never want to mess with much else!

I'm saying, to clarify, I'm not just nagging for what I want, but what I consider a good idea for the platform.

My guess is they don't mind what types they sell this to so noobs' wants should be considered too. I hope they make it right


First off, the 6 things you use for the six buttons need to be close enough to each other that you can quickly reach them.

Secondly, N64 IS a "Definately playable nicely" It's just not a guaranteed Fullspeed.

Third, as for games: Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Tony Hawk, Vigilante 8, Vigilante 8 Second Offense, Bomberman 64: Second Attack... I can go on.

This system is not all about PSX. Having the six button setup would be beneficial for Fighters, A larger amount of Genesis games than you think, and nearly all N64 games.

-God Ginrai

 

[zacaj]

Didnt the GP2X only have 2 buttons? I always pictured mapping the C-stick to a joystick/D-Pad, works fine on my comp using a PS2 controller...

 

[zaffercharles]

Well we get what we're given for now,we'll see something soon.
PS I was always much better at fighters using the two right shoulders on a ps style pad for supers and I just don't want small buttons on this. If there's decent room and they're not too small you won't see me complaining if it turns out to have them. But I like my embedded trigger/shoulder button hybrid idea better

 

[God Ginrai]

Didnt the GP2X only have 2 buttons? I always pictured mapping the C-stick to a joystick/D-Pad, works fine on my comp using a PS2 controller...

I can't stand using a stick for C, especially in the Zelda games. It leaves too much room for error, and isn't as fast as pressing a button.

Now don't get me wrong tho', I'm fine with 4 buttons and start and select, as long as start and select are right next to the other four buttons, so we can map those as A and B.

-God Ginrai

 

[atomicthumbs]

MWeston already mentioned the exact thing you were talking about, about 6 posts up:

And me a few posts before that.

 

[Nova]

Well it's a bit hard to navigate a thread that's about 10 different things at the same time. This console really needs it's own section.

 

[lubidog]

This light business! Just buy a usb light! My local Saturn is full of them! They cost nothing and bung it in yourself if you need it! I am writing in bed with one of them now! Cost about five euros, I think.

And the keyboard will/must be querty. Even for us with quertz, we just have to live with it!

 

[___]

yeah... different keyboard designs are unnecessary. It just adds to the cost. Shouldn't be a big thing to adapt to. About the light issue... I don't think it will be too hard typing in the dark. But if the keyboard was to be slide-out, how about lights on the bottom of the screen unit?

Hard to explain what I mean... think of the screen sliding upwards to reveal the keyboard. You would then have a few (maybe two would be sufficient) LEDs on the lower side of the screen part which would illuminate the keyboard just enough to read the letters. Catch my drift?

 

[Squidge]

And the keyboard will/must be querty. Even for us with quertz, we just have to live with it!

Well, most people don't bother looking at the letters on the keyboard, they just expect certain keys to be in certain positions. For this, the keyboard can be remapped in software.

 

[atomicthumbs]

This light business! Just buy a usb light! My local Saturn is full of them!

You're lying! I just took apart my Saturn, and it's full of chips and boards and crap!

But if the keyboard was to be slide-out, how about lights on the bottom of the screen unit?

Yeah, that's what I said a few pages ago. My idea would be for the light to swivel up and down, maybe with detents to hold it in place.

 

[God Ginrai]

I don't really like small swiveling parts... I've seen too many such parts break too easily. I'd rather the light be stationary if they did put a light like that in.

-God Ginrai

 

[imec]

Or you could just have a line of LED's that flash side to side to avoid teh swivels.

 

[___]

well... I don't need lights on the keyboard anyways. I am used to typing blind and I think it should not really be a bother. You could also make the edges of the keys transparent as on various cellphones. Wouldn't be as costly as having all the letters lid up and should serve well enough for illumination. Ooooh... illumination. I like the sound of that. All hail Eris.... never mind.

 

[StealthBagel]

Honestly it seems like a keyboard won't be that useful; especially since it's not an 'always connected' cellular device and can only get online with access points... non internet related tasks don't really necessitate a keyboard, an onscreen one gets the job done just fine..... the one emulation use I've heard for a keyboard is PC games apparently, where you could just map buttons to emulated keys anyway. As for PDA functionality, which it seems this unit will have (?) I've never had trouble entering appointments/contacts/etc. with a stylus just tapping on an onscreen keyboard.. it's more than fast enough. Tiny handheld keyboards just feel clumsy and pointless to me. They also can add moving parts, increase the chance of mechanical failure and use up space.

That said... it sounds like a keyboard is decided on.... I would hope a clamshell style design was opted for as such would help protect the screen when not in use. That's something the original XGP design had going for it, back when it still kind of looked like a phone, except you could stick a tiny keyboard there instead of a numpad. I can't see myself using it much though...

 

[gaterooze]

Portable C64/Amiga text adventures.

Nuff said.

 

[prairiefire]

DOS

 

[God Ginrai]

Honestly it seems like a keyboard won't be that useful; especially since it's not an 'always connected' cellular device and can only get online with access points... non internet related tasks don't really necessitate a keyboard, an onscreen one gets the job done just fine..... the one emulation use I've heard for a keyboard is PC games apparently, where you could just map buttons to emulated keys anyway. As for PDA functionality, which it seems this unit will have (?) I've never had trouble entering appointments/contacts/etc. with a stylus just tapping on an onscreen keyboard.. it's more than fast enough. Tiny handheld keyboards just feel clumsy and pointless to me. They also can add moving parts, increase the chance of mechanical failure and use up space.

That said... it sounds like a keyboard is decided on.... I would hope a clamshell style design was opted for as such would help protect the screen when not in use. That's something the original XGP design had going for it, back when it still kind of looked like a phone, except you could stick a tiny keyboard there instead of a numpad. I can't see myself using it much though...

Although I don't do much emulation that requires a keyboard, I still disagree with you on the usefulness of one for the handheld. But, that said, I agree that the keyboard would be best implemented as a clamshell, like in DaveC's design. If you haven't seen it, then you should take a look, It's a really good idea for how the keyboard should work.

-God Ginrai

 

[atomicthumbs]

One word: Magnetic Scrolls.

Wait, that's two words. Oh well.

 

[DaveC]

Yeah, glow in the dark is probably a bit cheesy.

I can't encourage pulling this thing apart to do a bunch of hacking for several good reasons. First, most semiconductors in the design are DFN,QFN or BGA which means you can't even get at the pins anyway. Second, it is designed to give you everything you need externally so there shouldn't be any real desire to break out the soldering iron. Third, most people probably don't have the knowledge and experience to start soldering tiny little 0402 components (as an example) or understand the importance of ESD protection! Finally, we are trying to take advantage of all the internal space so there won't be a big gap to shove a bunch of stuff in like there is in the GP2X!

I am always interested in suggestions for anything if it helps me plan the final board for something homebrew friendly in the future but I think it would be wiser to consider mods that connect to the craiginator and not go inside of it.

Glow in the dark can be good if done right. Some keys use 2 piece plastic where the characters are separate from the body. If that was done then the body would just be regular plastic and the characters made out of the GITD stuff (best to use the Europium doped strontium aluminate stuff, it glows for many hours after light exposure).

Of course depending on design, the *screen* could be a big keyboard light

As for modding I may want to try to re-locate some buttons so I don't have to play those 3:4 arcade games on a post stamp sized image unless the keyboard could be used for those

 

[J201605]

i honestly dont care about the keyboard being backlit as long as theres little bumps on the f and j keys to have somewhere to start from