New boards are ready, but there is an issue....

[smashtv]

Hi All!

Over the last weekend I was making kits and packing orders, and I remembered that I had not tested all of the new boards together as a system, so I stopped to build up a set.  I had previously tested prototypes of each module separately, but not together with the new 1:1 DIL ribbon cable module to module interconnects.

What I found was that I have made a really stupid error.  Here is what is wrong:

The core J8/9 and J6/7 connectors are wrong, I transposed input with output on the board to board wiring:

J8/9 on the core does not mate 1:1 with:

J1 on the DIN board or:

J1 on the DOUT board.

The boards all work fine if wired correctly (to match the last rev), but this makes the promised easy DIL/IDC ribbon cable interboard wiring thing a non-feature.  :-\

So here is my plan:

More core boards are already ordered with this error corrected, but could take up to two weeks to arrive (historically they usually get here quicker)

If you have a pending order, are in a hurry, and don't mind this issue (it's easily solved by using the old-style SIL connections like the last core rev) I'll ship your order now with extra 5 pin SIL connectors/cable to wire it correctly.

If you have a pending order and are not in a hurry, I'll ship your order when the new boards come in (and are also "final" tested) in 7-15 days.

I guess sometimes it takes a $600+ mistake to remind me to test things as a system, instead of as modules...  :-\

So if you have a pending order please let me know if you want it shipped now or if you would rather wait for the corrected boards, or if you have just had enough of me and want a full refund.

My contact form insures that your message will get to me without any email/filtering issues, but know that most free email services (hotmail/yahoo/etc.) like to bounce, filter or lose my replies....So you can send me a private message here on the forum instead if you wish to ensure my reply will make it to you.

I deserve some bad comments from some frustrated people on this, but as you write please remember I am one (human) guy, not a corporation, so set your flamethrowers accordingly....

Best Regards

SmashTV

[Wisefire]

dude.. thats so unfortunate!! i feel for you..

couldnt you sell the boards a bit cheaper instead of binning them??

so the 600+dollars would become more like a 100 dollar mistake..

still 100 bucks is a lot but atleast not as much as 600+

again my deepest sentiments.. you are providing a great thing

for the community here..

[poshpol]

It doesnt bother me personally. I sent you an email via that form! I hope to hear from you soon!

[polyfusion]

I deserve some bad comments from some frustrated people on this, but as you write please remember I am one (human) guy, not a corporation, so set your flamethrowers accordingly....

Ouch! We all make mistakes, and this one probably isn't so bad for a lot of people -- at least there's a workaround. Good luck with the next batch. :)

[Therezin]

Damn, that's a real shame - still, I never got round to making an order (too much uni work to do first) so I guess you'll have some corrected boards in by the time I've done all my work and made an order. I reckon Wisefire's on to something tho - since the boards do work, just with a wiring difference - could you not sell the incorrect batch at a discount? I'm not angling to get cheaper boards you understand, just don't want to see a big stack of perfectly good MB boards getting junked due to a mistake anyone could have made.

[th0mas]

Hi SmashTV,

  Thanks again for all your hard work.  I just wrote a comment message saying feel free to send me the boards with the slight error.

PS.  You have 666 posts.

Cheers,

Tom

[smashtv]

Hi SmashTV,

  Thanks again for all your hard work.  I just wrote a comment message saying feel free to send me the boards with the slight error.

PS.  You have 666 posts.

Cheers,

Tom

Hi Tom!

Message received, I'm just sitting down now to reply to a few (ok, 40+ emails/messages) then spend a couple more hours packing orders.  Next shipping run is tomorrow, so I'll get the order changes hammered out with you and fire a postal projectile your way on that run.  :)

On the post count, I knew I felt a little evil today, just did not know why!  :P

My evil streak ends with this reply....  ;)

Best

Smash

[th0mas]

cool, no rush, whenever you get to do it :).

[poshpol]

I recieved my order from Smash TV, in Canada, exactly a week after it was shipped. The packaging was great the new rev. boards look great. I am trying to get this thing together as quick as possible in my hours after work. I'm taking a break to post pictures of my progress so far! My core board is complete and so is my DIN board. Here are some photos:

[smashtv]

Cool thanks for posting pics Poshpol!  Those are worth a lot to me especially when I have no "tinker" time... ;)

The corrected Core boards are finally in, despite a breakdown in UPS' customs clearing system in Shenzhen.

I built up a set last night, and they work as expected, but I'll do more testing tonight with more apps to make sure there are no suprises.  I also need to lay a few things in the scanner (my digicam blows for closeup shots) to show how simple/easy the wiring is now.  I'll do my best to only spend 2 hours with that, then another 5 hours packing orders for a late postal run tonight....I might not get all of them out tonight (there are a -lot- of people waiting) but whatever is left will go out on Saturday,  and if needed more on Sunday. 

I am really looking forward to some rest, the kind I can't get until all orders are shipped and everyone is happy.  ;)

To everyone waiting:  You guys are the best...Nobody yelling at me, not cancelling your orders despite more delay than was expected, only half-flooding my inbox with shipping date questions, etc.  Your great attitudes/understanding on this mess will not be forgotten....  :)

Best

Smash

[stryd_one]

Great news Smash :) I hope that weight is off your shoulders, I think I speak for us all when I say that we appreciate your efforts. Glad to hear it's all panning out.

Now it's time for me to get a llist together  ;D

[Jaicen]

All good new then!

Any idea when you'll be accepting orders again? I've got my girlfriends' birthday money burning a hole in my pocket man!  ;D

[dirge]

i am also eagerly waiting to place an order. :)

[poshpol]

Guys I was feeling really inovative last night at 3am, quite sleepy too. And made a special cable, to kinda bypass Smash's little slip-up with positioning of j6/j7 & j8/j9. I made a special ribbon cable (2 in one) in order to avoid using the SIL connectors and to basically do a cleaner job.

I can't test it yet as I am having issues with my Core board (see my thread in Troubleshooting, my unit doesn't reboot after MIOS upload) but I tested my connections and it seems like it will work.

Maybe my cabling is a little useless, but it was fun trying to figure shit out :)

here are some photos that might help you understand what i did! keep in mind i am not using J7!

[jimhenry]

I think you can also solve the switched pins on the core board by using a cable that twists the 5 and 6 wires:

Mind you I haven't tried this.  I haven't even ever built an IDC cable with a twist.  But if I was going to, I'd split my flat cable between 4 and 5 and between 6 and 7 for about 3 inches.  Then I'd twist the 5-6 pair 180 degrees.  Then I'd tape the flat cable on both sides of where I was going to add the IDC connector so that I had all the wires firmly held where they belong.  I'd be extra careful when making the crimp to be sure the all the wires were lining up correctly with the insulation displacement forks in the connector.

[Wisefire]

i did that to my lcd ribboncable.. works great..

[stryd_one]

Once upon a time, there were quite a few different floppy drive and CD-ROM pinouts, and this kind of cable twisting was a daily occurrance in our lab. Go for it :)

[NorthernLightX]

Hi Smash,

I don't want to bug you in any way, but can you give an indication when your shop is going to be online again? Am really anxious to place an order ;-)

Cheers,  Alex.

[smashtv]

Hi Smash,

I don't want to bug you in any way, but can you give an indication when your shop is going to be online again? Am really anxious to place an order ;-)

Cheers,  Alex.

Heya Alex!

No worries man, your not bugging me!  ;)

The best way I can put it is ASAP, but i'm going to focus on getting every pending order shipped before I put any thought to anything else....It's a sign of respect from me to the guys waiting to not let any new orders take time from that. 

I have shipped many of them, but there are still so many left to do....But I'll do a shipping run today, and another run on Friday, and hopefully have the shop back up over the weekend and have everyone waiting taken care of....

I also need to find 15 spare minutes to change the core docs to reflect the correction, as some of those newest core boards should be hitting their destinations today.....I labeled the corrected boards as core_4C on the silkscreen to avoid confusion, and I will keep the info page around for the bad boards for the few people that have them.

Whoops you asked a simple question and I wrote a novel!  :P

Here is my todo list:  (the short answer!)

1. Ship all waiting orders

2. Revise core info page

3. Reopen store

4. Fall over dead (ahhh rest!)  ;)

Best

Smash

[offe]

This morning I got a visit from the mail company... These new boards are great! I've been building and testing the core this evening and it works like a charm. Nice work Smash! I really like the idea of using idc-connectors for the new boards (and the jumper-free core...). I'll bet you'll be getting a lot of orders on these!

Again, thanks for the good work!

/offe

[greenfox]

Hi Smash

Any chance on an update on when the shop is likely to be back on line?

We haven't seen any sign of life since the 23rd.

Just keen to place an order.

Thank you

Rick Whatson

[stryd_one]

I'm keen too, but I'm happy to sit here on a wad of cash until the shop opens. You should try it, it's not so bad!

Don't rush the man :)

But hey, Smash, don't get mad cause we rush ya... it just means we love ya  ;D  :-* heheheh

[smashtv]

Hi Smash

Any chance on an update on when the shop is likely to be back on line?

We haven't seen any sign of life since the 23rd.

Just keen to place an order.

Thank you

Rick Whatson

I'm still slowly chipping away at the backorders, I have a stack here ready to go out tomorrow and I'll be packing a few more before my head hits the pillow tonight.

I did change my core doc page to reflect the corrected board, and get the store page itself ready to re-open (added a couple of things for the new layouts like 10p ribbon cable).....had 3 hours of travel time to get all that solid today, and I never want to edit html on my palm pilot again..... :)

Best answer I can give is ASAP, and clearing all orders/re-opening store is dangerously high on my list right now, considering I have $12,000 worth of last-minute-booking shows to do this weekend....

Crazy how everything hits at once.

Very soon or die trying is my plan, I wish I had a better answer....  :-\

Best

Smash

[stryd_one]

Smash... mate... Relax  8)

Don't forget that YOU are the one doing US a favour. I know you're trying hard to do the right thing by us all, but don't stress too hard. I'm sure that anyone who was angry about waiting will have already let you know, and the rest of us will understand that you do have a life outside of being our own personal 'PCB Angel' ;)

I don't know about the rest of the people here, but I for one greatly appreciate your work, and I'd much rather see you take your sweet time, and have to wait to get my boards, than to see you get stressed and decide that the whole thing is just too hard.

[moebius]

Here is my todo list:  (the short answer!)

1. Ship all waiting orders

2. Revise core info page

3. Reopen store

4. Fall over dead (ahhh rest!)  ;)

//update

Smash did new 3D renders of the core Yesterday..  ;)

M