Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

The official PYBD running MicroPython, and its accessories.
Target audience: Users with a PYBD
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T-Wilko
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Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by T-Wilko » Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:07 pm

Hey all,

I've been tinkering with esp32's for a while now, but I'm starting to see the light with the sheer speed benefits of the tasty stm32 on my pyboard D.

I'm just wondering how on earth people are actually physically handling the i/o for this teeny device. It's so beautifully designed and made, that it seems a great sin to be soldering anything directly to it. Would love to hear from anyone how they've gone about actually connecting things to it for prototyping/general tinkering (rather than custom DIP interface pcb, for example) & any links/pics would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

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pythoncoder
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by pythoncoder » Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:53 pm

I use the WBUS-DIP28. There is also a DIP68 but this is rather large for some projects. There was discussion on the notion of a DIP32 adaptor which simply brought out the pins on the D series edges to a breadboard friendly format, but my requests for updates on this have drawn a blank so I don't think this is going ahead.

I have considered DIY but the mechanical alignment for the WBUS connectors troubles me.

For projects powered by USB and/or LiPo the DIP28 works well. But it only brings out a subset of the Pyboard edge pins, it doesn't readily support use with a custom PCB with 5V power, and for many applications the power control circuitry is redundant. Hence the DIP32 idea.
Peter Hinch
Index to my micropython libraries.

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Roberthh
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by Roberthh » Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:46 pm

I used the DIP28 and a custom DIP interface PCB when I need the pins not available at the DIP28. The DIP68 is way too large. A simple DIP32 which brings out all edge connectors would be fine.

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pythoncoder
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by pythoncoder » Mon Nov 02, 2020 9:38 am

Roberthh wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 7:46 pm
... a custom DIP interface PCB when I need the pins not available at the DIP28...
That sounds interesting. It sounds like you've invented the DIP32 ;) Does it connect to the D using the wbus connectors?
Peter Hinch
Index to my micropython libraries.

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Roberthh
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by Roberthh » Mon Nov 02, 2020 12:53 pm

No, it does not use the D Bus connectors. That is too hard for me to make, with the tight requirement for tolerances. My board just stick to 1/20" female pins soldered to the top of the PyBoard D. I had sent you an item of that board. Not beautiful, but it works.

irsla
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by irsla » Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:11 pm

Hi Roberthh,

can you post a picture ?

Regards,

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Roberthh
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by Roberthh » Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:09 pm

Attached are two pictures. The Kicad files are here: https://github.com/robert-hh/PYBD-Adapter
Attachments
IMG_20201102_165945706.jpg
IMG_20201102_165945706.jpg (97.28 KiB) Viewed 5274 times
IMG_20200305_104455025.jpg
IMG_20200305_104455025.jpg (87.43 KiB) Viewed 5274 times

irsla
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by irsla » Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:16 pm

Nice !

Thank you

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T-Wilko
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by T-Wilko » Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:02 am

Roberthh wrote:
Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:09 pm
Attached are two pictures. The Kicad files are here: https://github.com/robert-hh/PYBD-Adapter
Ah! That's exactly what I'm after. Thanks for posting the kicad files too

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pythoncoder
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Re: Elegant Physical Config for Pyboard D

Post by pythoncoder » Tue Nov 03, 2020 8:31 am

That is excellent.

I didn't know you could get headers with 1.27mm pitch. Are these widely available?
Peter Hinch
Index to my micropython libraries.

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