Volume Slider

[fusion_power]

Anyone got any good ideas? Unlike these...
Mark

Just a simple and good Volume wheel instead of a tiny, crappy 6mm travel slider-thing?

 

[God Ginrai]

Anyone got any good ideas? Unlike these...
Mark

Just a simple and good Volume wheel instead of a tiny, crappy 6mm travel slider-thing?


I think the reason they aren't using the volume wheel is because the mechanism would take up too much space.

But wouldn't using a smaller than average volume wheel solve that problem?

-God Ginrai

 

[Geuben]

Wow, these a really hard to find. But 6mm travel seems low. I'd even prefer a set of 8 external dip switches, giving 256 volume levels Or a trimpot that I need a screwdriver to adjust (stylus could have a screwdriver end?). Or the stylus is volume control (turns an internal trimpot) when in case!

Anyone got any good ideas? Unlike these...

Mark

Humm....the trimpot idea isn't too crazy, A suitably sized trimpot could probably be found. The idea will probably be shot down though because it would take more 'effort' to change the volume (i.e when using the pandora as an mp3 player in your pocket)

 

[atomicthumbs]

Humm....the trimpot idea isn't too crazy

...

 

[fusion_power]

I think the reason they aren't using the volume wheel is because the mechanism would take up too much space.

But wouldn't using a smaller than average volume wheel solve that problem?

-God Ginrai

Well, as long we have no pix of the finished PCB and the finished Case (inside) with exact measurements we can just digg in the dark.
Without this, the community can't do much more then suggest and philosophe about such Details like a Volume Wheel. ^^""
I think when we have all these Infos, the Final Design decissions are choosen and things won't change anymore. Hmm...

 

[Karel Jansens]

How about a "clickwheel", like I had on the Treo 270. It looks like a wheel, but doesn't actually turn; instead it rocks up and down, every rock being a volume click up or down.

I never opened my Treo myself, but from pr0n pics of bare-all Treos, it didn't appear to be a physically large mechanism.

 

[Geuben]

How about a "clickwheel", like I had on the Treo 270. It looks like a wheel, but doesn't actually turn; instead it rocks up and down, every rock being a volume click up or down.

I never opened my Treo myself, but from pr0n pics of bare-all Treos, it didn't appear to be a physically large mechanism.

I think that would act a switch and only a switch, so the changing of the volume would be delt with in software, which is wat everyone was against.

 

[nubie]

Anyone got any good ideas? Unlike these...
Mark

Just a simple and good Volume wheel instead of a tiny, crappy 6mm travel slider-thing?


I think the reason they aren't using the volume wheel is because the mechanism would take up too much space.

But wouldn't using a smaller than average volume wheel solve that problem?

-God Ginrai

But then we would need to source the small volume wheel, right back where we started.

 

[God Ginrai]

Anyone got any good ideas? Unlike these...
Mark

Just a simple and good Volume wheel instead of a tiny, crappy 6mm travel slider-thing?


I think the reason they aren't using the volume wheel is because the mechanism would take up too much space.

But wouldn't using a smaller than average volume wheel solve that problem?

-God Ginrai

But then we would need to source the small volume wheel, right back where we started.


I realize that, but if they would go for that, then that's a larger range of acceptable things we can search for.

-God Ginrai

 

[Geuben]

If a suitable part cant be found, what is going to be done? I know lots of people were against having software controlled volume, but couldn't it be done propler and implemented into the firmware (so we don't have to rely on dev's to implement it properly in thier own software)?

 

[Zarneth]

If a suitable part cant be found, what is going to be done? I know lots of people were against having software controlled volume, but couldn't it be done propler and implemented into the firmware (so we don't have to rely on dev's to implement it properly in thier own software)?
I kinda prefer a digital control. (particularly a digital wheel) Not going to get all crackly with age or anything. But yes you would need to find a way to make sure it ALWAYS works. Completely lock off access to those buttons to the user and embed it into the kernel or something. GP2x's volume was a nightmare.

 

[gruso]

I'm not a fan of sliders at all, but I can live with something like this. As long as the "knob" is designed well (good grip, slides nicely) it can't be any worse than the DS.

I plan to get some headphones with their own in-line volume control anyway, to prevent GP2X games blowing by eardrums out.

 

[Geuben]

If a suitable part cant be found, what is going to be done? I know lots of people were against having software controlled volume, but couldn't it be done propler and implemented into the firmware (so we don't have to rely on dev's to implement it properly in thier own software)?
I kinda prefer a digital control. (particularly a digital wheel) Not going to get all crackly with age or anything. But yes you would need to find a way to make sure it ALWAYS works. Completely lock off access to those buttons to the user and embed it into the kernel or something. GP2x's volume was a nightmare.

Yeah i think the problems with the gp2x is the reason why so many people wanted physical control over the volume rather than leave it to software, i dont want to take the thread off topic though so back to finding a slider, wheel or come up with a new solution.

 

[gruso]

 

[Tobriand]

TBH, the 6mm one may be the way to go. I mean, 6mm isn't much - but as long as there is *some* physical control over volume, I don't mind fine-tuning in software. As long as the software is a master setting rather than a program on program basis...

 

[trooper]

[Picture of headphone volume adaptor]

Not really a solution for those of us that would like to use the built-in speakers. :rolleyes:

Yay for the GP32 volume wheel.

Trooper

 

[Geuben]

TBH, the 6mm one may be the way to go. I mean, 6mm isn't much - but as long as there is *some* physical control over volume, I don't mind fine-tuning in software. As long as the software is a master setting rather than a program on program basis...

How about a hybrid physical solution? a switch along with the 6mm slider, the switch can switch in/out a series resistance to allow for greater control of the volume.

e.g. High/Low with the switch and a variance of each with the slider

Just a though, although the switch and the slider will probably be bigger than the space we have.

 

[#1 GameMaster]

TBH, the 6mm one may be the way to go. I mean, 6mm isn't much - but as long as there is *some* physical control over volume, I don't mind fine-tuning in software. As long as the software is a master setting rather than a program on program basis...

I'd have to agree with you though.

 

[gruso]

Hardware + software control could work. For example, analog stick volume control during media playback, ala Xbox Media Center. I like their method a lot.

 

[God Ginrai]

TBH, the 6mm one may be the way to go. I mean, 6mm isn't much - but as long as there is *some* physical control over volume, I don't mind fine-tuning in software. As long as the software is a master setting rather than a program on program basis...

How about a hybrid physical solution? a switch along with the 6mm slider, the switch can switch in/out a series resistance to allow for greater control of the volume.

e.g. High/Low with the switch and a variance of each with the slider

Just a though, although the switch and the slider will probably be bigger than the space we have.


I think I get what you're saying, so for example (excuse the crude ASCII diagrams):

| [] | ------------- |_{}_|
^Volume Slider ------ ^switch

(the '-'s are just used to space the two things apart)

So if the Switch is set to low, you get volumes 0-12 per say, if it is set to medium, you get 13-25, and if it is set to high, you get 26-38.

If that's what you are saying, I have NO problem with that, and that could actually make volume setting really nice, because you could easily switch from soft to loud with just 2 clicks of a switch. It could possibly even have a 4th setting that worked as a mute, effectively cutting power to the speakers, saving battery life!

If we can't find the type of slider Craig wants and we can't do a wheel, I'd suggest this method, it seems very practical.

-God Ginrai