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Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

macwright.com

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Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#11

Post by rohansingh »

monoprotic wrote: post #8
ComputerGuru wrote: post #6

I don’t have a problem with the low resolution but the contrast on that is absolutely horrendous. It’s almost impossible to see which pixels are lit and which aren’t in bright lighting, and that’s even visible in the OP’s post. Additionally - and I don’t know if it’s part of the charm - the space between adjacent pixels being as wide as a pixel itself also limits the ergonomics of the display in a way that a similar…

The pictures in the article really aren't doing the display any favors. I own a Tidbyt and the contrast is way better than it appears here, and the brightness is adjustable (with an API call if you want!) with a pretty high max setting.

Yup. Actually, I think we might limit the max brightness since at true 100% brightness it would be blindingly bright.

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#12

Post by dmd »

spoonjim wrote: post #2

I would have bought so many devices like this, Vestaboard, etc. if they had a hardware local control option with completely open docs. I refuse to spend time engineering a data pipeline that’s dependent on someone else’s cloud service.

I bought the KRUSH Flip Clock after seeing it at CES2016 and pulled out its silly cloud-controlled innards so I can write whatever I want to the display over rs485.

https://github.com/dmd/clack

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#13

Post by reaperducer »

There seem to be so many people on HN and elsewhere who are interested in ambient data displays, but they never catch on with the masses.

My favorite one was called Statusboard. It was an iOS app from Panic (yes, THAT Panic) which turned a spare iPad into an ambient data display.

Configuration was easy, and on mine I showed RSS feeds, mail information, weather and more.

I used it on an old outdated iPad I had laying around. Other people I knew did the same, but hooked it up with the lightning → HDMI wire to 40-inch flat screens they had left over when everyone upgraded to 4K.

Sadly, Panic EOLed it years ago. Which is a shame because that happened right about the time that surplus iPads and cheap flat-screen TVs became a thing.

Now, with so much legacy display tech headed to landfills, I wish some iOS developer would make a similar app and make a dent in the flow of e-waste.

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#14

Post by firephonestival »

Am I reading this correctly? It sounds like the product is an LED matrix which requires third-party cloud servers to update the display? That doesn't sound right.

Also, the author uses 2x 32x32 panels @$97 each as a price peg, but you can get a raw 64x32 panel from Adafruit (a quite expensive supplier) for $50.

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#15

Post by anfractuosity »

dmd wrote: post #12
spoonjim wrote: post #2

I would have bought so many devices like this, Vestaboard, etc. if they had a hardware local control option with completely open docs. I refuse to spend time engineering a data pipeline that’s dependent on someone else’s cloud service.

I bought the KRUSH Flip Clock after seeing it at CES2016 and pulled out its silly cloud-controlled innards so I can write whatever I want to the display over rs485. https://github.com/dmd/clack

That clock looks really cool sitting on your desk :)

I've been playing a little with the pyflipdot library recently to interface with a 20x14 flipdot display, which also uses RS485

Your flipdot display looks like it has a higher dpi, I guess there must be different diameter flipdots made.

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#16

Post by edelhans »

I'be build pretty much the same thing using an esp32 an 3d printed enclosure and a small custom pcb. You can connect via websocket from a browser and upload images, text, ect.

I've also managed to implement OTA firmware updates and a similar Wifi based setup as this product has.

If anyone is interested I'm happy to put it on Github.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ajAbJ3fqqYQV5sd98 https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHzq1P7uWkJgAtPb7 https://photos.app.goo.gl/gX3ydYRVdm5nqbGm6

edit: I'll cleanup the code and update this comment with a link to the repo tomorrow

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#17

Post by h4waii »

vosper wrote: post #9
staindk wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case you weren't aware of it, this watch[1] might interest you. Open-source hardware and software. I'll probably end up getting one for Christmas this year. [1] https://watchy.sqfmi.com/

If anyone has one of these watches I’d be interested to hear your thoughts!

While I don't have one, I went down the pathway to replace almost a decade of using Pebbles , looking at PineTime, Bangle.js, Amazfit, Watchy, etc...and I just settled on buying a replacement housing for my Pebble, pushing the problem off to be dealt with in another 5 years.

The battery life on Watchy leaves a lot to be desired, as does the lack of a water-resistant sealed case, but the full featured hardware is a real contender.

The Bangle.js 2 is my second choice in the line up of open source smartwatches.

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#18

Post by iSloth »

edelhans wrote: post #16

I'be build pretty much the same thing using an esp32 an 3d printed enclosure and a small custom pcb. You can connect via websocket from a browser and upload images, text, ect. I've also managed to implement OTA firmware updates and a similar Wifi based setup as this product has. If anyone is interested I'm happy to put it on Github. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ajAbJ3fqqYQV5sd98 https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHzq1P7uWkJgAtP…

Looks great, would love to build one too

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#19

Post by GekkePrutser »

firephonestival wrote: post #14

Am I reading this correctly? It sounds like the product is an LED matrix which requires third-party cloud servers to update the display? That doesn't sound right. Also, the author uses 2x 32x32 panels @$97 each as a price peg, but you can get a raw 64x32 panel from Adafruit (a quite expensive supplier) for $50.

I agree, and I would hardly call this 'a steal' as the article says.

But, for many people an Arduino is black magic even if they're quite skilled at programming. I know some of them. I can imagine this would appeal to those people.

I'm personally more into electronics too, kind of goes with growing up in the 80s when computers and electronics were just inextricably connected.

Re: Tidbyt hardware display device: a review

#20

Post by [deleted] »

firephonestival wrote: post #14

Am I reading this correctly? It sounds like the product is an LED matrix which requires third-party cloud servers to update the display? That doesn't sound right. Also, the author uses 2x 32x32 panels @$97 each as a price peg, but you can get a raw 64x32 panel from Adafruit (a quite expensive supplier) for $50.

[deleted]
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