Ancient Board - Versionsgeschichte

Hephaisto am 20. Oktober 2025 um 23:33 Uhr

2025-10-20T23:33:42Z

Hephaisto: Add PCB photos

2023-04-30T01:42:00Z

Add PCB photos

Hephaisto am 16. April 2023 um 03:24 Uhr

2023-04-16T03:24:42Z

Hephaisto: Die Seite wurde neu angelegt: „The goal of this project is to build something that resembles the optics of a certain type of sci-fi device which controls something by putting transparent pla…“

2023-02-28T02:09:54Z

Die Seite wurde neu angelegt: „The goal of this project is to build something that resembles the optics of a certain type of sci-fi device which controls something by putting transparent pla…“

Neue Seite

The goal of this project is to build something that resembles the optics of a certain type of sci-fi device which controls something by putting transparent plates at specific places. Examples include the [https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Control_crystal#Ancients Ancient control crystals in Stargate] (which gave the project its name) and control plates in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Expanse_(TV_series) The Expanse].

Important features are:
* transparent plates
* a holder with slits to insert the plates
* *lots* of 135 degree angles (because sci-fi!)
* illumination of the plates
* inserting the plates triggers some feature (what exactly, I don't care) -> it will just publish which plate is inserted via MQTT, and you can connect whatever you want to that
* proper security: Full (client+server) certificate-based TLS authentication+encryption
* configurable in the number of slots, size etc.

=== Design overview ===

==== Construction ====

The visible casing and the plates are laser-cut acrylic plates. They can be engraved as suitable.
The casing is mounted onto a 3D-printed backplane, which also holds multiple switches. The switches are pressed by protrusions of the inserts (which of course have 135 degree angles!). The slits on the side have a backside made of diffuse acrylic with LEDs mounted behind them to allow illumination of the inserts.

==== Electronics ====

The system is controlled by an ESP32 running ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS.
The switches are handled by I2C port expanders. The LED strips are controlled by WS2812 chips.

← Nächstältere Version		Version vom 20. Oktober 2025, 23:33 Uhr
Zeile 44:		Zeile 44:
	* It's my first 4-layer PCB. 2 Layers would probably have been sufficient if I spent more time on optimizing the design. But I wanted to try out making a 4-layer PCB anyway.		* It's my first 4-layer PCB. 2 Layers would probably have been sufficient if I spent more time on optimizing the design. But I wanted to try out making a 4-layer PCB anyway.
	* It's the first time I soldered TSSOP packages. They are a PITA if you are as motorically incompetent as I am.		* It's the first time I soldered TSSOP packages. They are a PITA if you are as motorically incompetent as I am.
		+
		+	==== More pictures ====
		+	<gallery widths="400px" heights="300px">
		+	Datei:Ancient_board_assembly.jpg\|Assembled without the top plate. On the right the PCB and cables, on the top the rows of LEDs.
		+	Datei:Ancient_board_original_lighting.jpg\|Ancient board fully assembled with one blue-coded insert.
		+	</gallery>

← Nächstältere Version		Version vom 30. April 2023, 01:42 Uhr
Zeile 34:		Zeile 34:
	The system is controlled by an ESP32 running ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS.		The system is controlled by an ESP32 running ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS.
	The switches are handled by I2C port expanders. The LED strips are controlled by WS2812 chips.		The switches are handled by I2C port expanders. The LED strips are controlled by WS2812 chips.
		+
		+	<gallery widths="400px" heights="300px">
		+	Datei:IMG_20230416_023446_267.jpg\|Bottom side with port expanders and logos
		+	Datei:IMG_20230416_023438_465.jpg\|Top side with ESP32 and connectors for LEDs and Switches
		+	</gallery>
		+
		+	I'm particularly proud of this because this PCB was a "first" in multiple ways
		+	* It was my first PCB made with '''LibrePCB'''[https://librepcb.org/] (that actually works). If you want do create PCBs with an open source tool and found Eagle much more usable than KiCad, you should check it out.
		+	* It's my first 4-layer PCB. 2 Layers would probably have been sufficient if I spent more time on optimizing the design. But I wanted to try out making a 4-layer PCB anyway.
		+	* It's the first time I soldered TSSOP packages. They are a PITA if you are as motorically incompetent as I am.

@@ Zeile 16: / Zeile 16: @@
 The visible casing and the plates are laser-cut acrylic plates. They can be engraved as suitable.
 The casing is mounted onto a 3D-printed backplane, which also holds multiple switches. The switches are pressed by protrusions of the inserts (which of course have 135 degree angles!). The slits on the side have a backside made of diffuse acrylic with LEDs mounted behind them to allow illumination of the inserts.
 ==== Electronics ====