Revisit the TV out cable design

[id10t]

Hi,


With the latest news on moving the TV out cable to another company to produce,


could we maybe redo the the cable design?


If my memory is correct, the original cable was to be a few meters long, and have


5 male phono plugs. One for each of composite, L audio out, R audio out, L audio in


and R audio in. That's a lot of custom cable to roll up.


Personally, I would prefer a 10 cm cable, with 5 female phono connectors.


This would make it less bulky to pack, and I'd be able to choose the length and


number of connections I connect up to my TV.


That is, for 99% of the time, I most likely will only need pandora composite and


audio out.


I'd also like to be able to permanently leave a standard "3 cable (Yellow White Red)


male phono lead" connected to my TV (possibly neatly tracked to a connection point)


so that I could plug in the pandora on demand without having to disconnect the


extension cable from the TV when I take the pandora away.


Spare male phono to phono leads of variable length are easy to find.


Anyone else agree?


ID


*edited for clarity*

 

[milkshake]

I think its always better to have more options not less, I say keep all the current plugs on the end (if you dont need/use them then dont use them ) and add extra's too like serial connection for remote debuging without using the network.

 

[Asmo]

I think its always better to have more options not less, I say keep all the current plugs on the end (if you dont need/use them then dont use them

What he's proposing is something I also suggested a long time ago too though, it's not leaving any connectors off - they're all still there - just making it a very short cable with female connectors on the end so standard cables can be used to connect it over whatever distance and to whatever devices needed at the time.


This way you could go out only carrying the amount of cable you need (typically video/audio out), because a 10m cable with all output & input lines and connectors on it is going to be bulkier than the actual pandora - and a smaller, lighter design should save the company money on manufacturing and shipping costs!

 

[FaeMinx]

^+1

 

[moxie]

Agree completely.

 

[fusion_power]

I don't want to buy an extra cable to extend a tiny 10cm Cable, I've already payed for the long and complete cable and I want it. I doubt there will be a re-design because this again would need ages to make. We have a ready to go cable now, it only has to be built.

 

[F_Slim]

I prefer to have a single 3m-5m cable with all needed plugs on there.


Not everyone has spare cables lying around that can be used, so it would be an additional purchase to do. Also if you want to go somewhere, you don't know if the needed extension cables will be there, so you'll have to bring them as well. If you want to use S-VHS and sound, that's actually 2 cables to bring, plus your adapter instead of just one cable.


So for me a short adapter just means a lot of hassle and additional stuff to buy and carry around, while the cable the way it is planned would be the perfect solution for my needs.

 

[EvilDragon]

Reminds me of the gp2x TV Out cables.


The first one also were short ones with plugs, but as everyone complained that you can't use them without additional cables, they have been changed to longer complete ones.

 

[Sugar_Kane]

Ye olde legends spoke of a Pandora tv-out cable; it was said that one day it would bring joy to thousands, but those are just old stories

 

[pmprog]

I'm on the "complete" cable too, I'm afraid

 

[id10t]

Reminds me of the gp2x TV Out cables.


The first one also were short ones with plugs, but as everyone complained that you can't use them without additional cables, they have been changed to longer complete ones.

Funny, I have lots of AV cables lying around my room including those gp2x ones


(and the breakout board)


I would not have thought twice about picking up a second cable of the right length for a few pounds.


I guess some people prefer a single solution over a modular option.


Can't please everyone!


a small cable and a regular AV one for the same price? bet there would still be complaints...


ID

 

[Asmo]

I doubt there will be a re-design because this again would need ages to make. We have a ready to go cable now, it only has to be built.

Not since the cable company declined to make it recently, so really it's back to the drawing board for a new company anyway - and the only change would be the cable length and plug gender!

I prefer to have a single 3m-5m cable with all needed plugs on there.


Not everyone has spare cables lying around that can be used, so it would be an additional purchase to do. Also if you want to go somewhere, you don't know if the needed extension cables will be there, so you'll have to bring them as well. If you want to use S-VHS and sound, that's actually 2 cables to bring, plus your adapter instead of just one cable.

Regular phono and S-Video cables are very cheaply available everywhere, if there aren't already a few lying around. If you needed to carry an extended S-Video cable and audio cable with you, the resulting bundle will still be smaller than a 10m one with input lines and all plugs too - but the real benefit would be that a short cable would be portable enough for personal use with a pico projector or just on the offchance you might want to show it off on someone's TV.


Thing is, if the cable length of 10m is still that important to some, it could probably STILL be cheaper for them to get the short female lead and bundle a long S-Video+Phono audio cable with it - as a standard item that should be available 'off the shelf' and possibly even sourced locally to save on the shipping. 10 m cables add up to a lot of Kg!

 

[milkshake]

problem is people dont want to mess around with extra cables, they like the conveniance of an all in one solution thats the problem people have.

 

[Asmo]

They might rethink the concept of 'covenience' when the reality of a 10m cable eventually crashes through their letterbox

 

[Znirk]

They might rethink the concept of 'covenience' when the reality of a 10m cable eventually crashes through their letterbox

IIRC, the design was 3m.

 

[Neelix]

Am I the only one thinking that it may be worth commissioning both? When it comes down to it anyone who originally ordered a TV out cable ordered it based on the original design, so that can't be abandoned. If, on the other hand ED can find a cable company that can do short runs, it may be worthwhile getting a limited supply (at least to start with) of both types of cable and then let people choose which they prefer. (or which one their budget will allow for)


- Neelix

 

[fusion_power]

I doubt there will be a re-design because this again would need ages to make. We have a ready to go cable now, it only has to be built.

Not since the cable company declined to make it recently, so really it's back to the drawing board for a new company anyway - and the only change would be the cable length and plug gender!

I know this. But I just wanted to say, we have a finished Cable design, ready to go, it just has to be produced, in another place of course. No need for a re-design which would take ages. Designing and building are 2 completely different things. be happy the Cable is finished. There are already enough delays, we don't need more by making a brand new cable design.

 

[Asmo]

IIRC, the design was 3m.

Ah yes, my bad -it was 10ft - still quite a lump as even Craig noted some time ago-


http://www.gp32x.de...post__p__831678

I just wanted to say, we have a finished Cable design, ready to go, it just has to be produced, in another place of course. No need for a re-design which would take ages. Designing and building are 2 completely different things. be happy the Cable is finished. There are already enough delays, we don't need more by making a brand new cable design.

There would be no redesign, what's proposed was simply a length and plug gender change. The cable can no longer be considered 'finished' because the company that created a sample is no longer interested, so the cable, as far as a new company is concerned, will still need to be prototyped (custom tools made again too?) again (at least to familiarise themselves with the Pandora's AV plug head), and all the parts acquired - AFAIK the AV Plug heads are the only part OP have actual stock of. These simple part changes at this point wouldn't make any difference since it's a new order from scratch all over again.


Nothing may come of it, but now is the ideal time to raise & discuss these ideas for any changes as they are effectively 'starting over' where the cable is concerned. Nothing may come of it, but y'know, window of opportunity and all that!


If it ends up an unchanged length and gender so be it, I probably won't be the only one who'll consider getting a second one and cutting about 8ft out of the middle

 

[yeoldegrove]

Ye olde legends spoke of a Pandora tv-out cable; it was said that one day it would bring joy to thousands, but those are just old stories

But there a rumors that somewhere in an olde grove in the lands of eastern europe a wizard named PECA brewes these tv-out cables...


The work totally fine with these 5 connectors and you can extend them up to 3m fine

 

[DaMummy]

i do rather like the idea. as long as OPT offer longer male2male av cables with the package. it really isnt that hard to get a small mass order of different sized AV cables out of china for dirt cheap as they wont be specially made. so only making the pandora connector including about one foot(30cm) worth of cable with a female jack at the end