Hi everyone,
@cadwal, @Kean: Kind of a solution for the power on settings: In the User Profiles Menu you have the option "Autorecall on power-on" (shown and described in the manual on page 51) which means it powers up with the settings you had the last time. Maybe another option that fits to your question: Settings->System protection settings->Force disabling of all outputs on power up.
Assembled my BB3 today. First impressions are pretty good so far. Here's what I noticed (positive first):
+ This thing is FAST. Boot time, UI response time and especially control and read out of the outputs. I've been sitting here for a minute turning the thing on-off-on-off just because it can do it so fast. The fast readout is impressive, too.
+ Manual looks well made. A lot of pictures of the UI with markings where to click what. Haven't used it a lot because IMO you shouldn't need a manual to get to know the basics about your device/tool/whatever. Manual is for the advanced and complicated stuff; the daily stuff should be self-explainig.
+ Many parts of the UI are well designed. Not only with regards to the previous point, but also with an eye on productivity. This was a big fear of mine; having a lot of features and a touch display is nice, but if it's slower to use than the good old 4 knob analog supply, it's annoying. Very happy to see that this fear did not become true for most parts.
+ Assembly was pretty straightforward. Big thumbs up for requiring only two types of screwdrivers, two types of screws (technically three if you count the two longer ones) and nothing else. No washers or clips or dunno what.
+ Packaging was pretty efficient. Everything protected and pretty much as compact as possible. This is the kind of details that give me the feeling that someone put effort and thoughts into it.
+ Putting those power supply modules into the bottom PCB was veery satisfying
+ Look and feel during the construction was very good. There're only very few minor things that could be improved in my opinion. Like it!
+ Thaaank you for the option to turn off the beep sounds. Otherwise I'd have desoldered the thing sooner or later.
+ Not directly related to BB3 itself, but I can't emphasize enough how much I respect the effort prasimix put in the fulfillment of the crowd supply campaign. I really hope that in the end you didn't loose money on this; that's really the last thing you deserve.
Now on the other side I also noticed things that could be improved in my opinion, and how I think it could be done. This time I try to put it in a meaningful order. While I'm typing this I realise it's getting muuuuch longer than I thought. Sorry for that. I really want to give some constructive feedback with this and hope that it is indeed useful (and not a much too long waste of time..).
At the very end I describe a more serious issue with my DCP405 modules. So in case you want to read this review another day (which I fully understand),
I'd appreciate if you could take a look at the very last point (made it
bold).
My Setup:
BB3 with 2x DCP405 and 1x DCM220. I'm still on v1.0 (reasons below). I guess some of the issues have been fixed in the meantime.
Getting started:
- So you get this note with half a dozen links. They are short but still, you have to type them by hand. I think you could include a QR code. There're too many links to include a direct QR code for every link, so I'd suggest to include one single QR code. It'll link to this document online. Then you can copy&paste (or even better: click) all the links you need or want to have a look at. Of course, not everyone wants to do this on his phone, nor can everyone do this. But those people can still type the links by hand. There's no disadvantage for them.
Access to information:
- Index in the PDF manual does not link to the pages. That's usually one checkbox at the PDF export and very useful. Another thing that's a bit confusing/annoying: Since the index does not link to the pages I enter the page number in my PDF viewer, f.ex. page 23. But this actually brings me to page 25. There's a mismatch; the x-th page of the document is not page with number x.
- I understand that this device is quite complex and powerful. However I had to click quite some time around before I found the assembly instructions. I'd have to take a more serious look at this and especially think about how one could make this easier before I can come up with concrete ideas.
- At one point I wanted to download the manual, because I had no idea where I'd find this information on the website. I found a "User Manual" entry in the index table at the top (reminder: I'm on my smartphone). Two download buttons are presented to me, for english and german. Okay so I click on the download button for the german one. But instead of getting the PDF I get to a new page whose purpse is apparently to give me "Download Details". And another download button. So I click on that and what do I get? well, still no download. Another page, this time providing me the very useful "Download summary". Which is basically the same thing as the two pages before but at least a different layout. Oh, and there's another one of those wannabe download buttons. You'll never guess what it does. It actually started a download - finally!
Seriously, I doubt its necessary or a good idea to let anyone go through that many useless (IMO) pages to open a manual...
- Another thing I particularly noticed on the page about how to do a firmware update. There's a short intro and then a looooong Linux secion with loots of code. Might be nothing complicated and really well described - that's not the point. I am not a Linux user (I guess like most people) and this was all I saw, even when scrolling down a bit. It's only after quite some more scolling that the Windows tutorial appeared. What if I have a Mac? do I scroll even more? The point I want to make is: obviously this page contains a couple very long sections. they have to be that long and that's fine. But it does not make the page more readable. If I have to scroll through an entire webpage that is multiple screen heights long, to find out if it even contains the information I'm looking for ("Firmware update with Windows"), I think the design is not the most user friendly.
Here's what I'd suggest for the mobile webpage. The page filling "global index" at the top can be hidden in a side menu. You know, the thing you acces with the button in the top left corner, that has thee horizontal lines as icon. This is important because the first thing I will see when opening the page can now be
actual content and not a menu have to scroll through every time I click on a link. For the page itself I think a wikipedia-like design would help a lot. What I mean is that every section is at first collapsed and only its title visible. This is IMO a very clever way to allow quick navigation through a page with long sections - like wikipedia articles or firmware update guides. I'd immediately see 13.1 Linux, 13.2 Windows - perfect, tip to show that section and done.
- Speaking of firmware updates (does not quite match this section but fits perfectly after the previous point). You need different tools to upgrade different parts of the BB3? That's a bit disappointing... I hope you manage to get this all under one hood. Another issue IMO: you need to get this wired up to a PC...? Not sure if everyone has a lab PC - I for sure didn't have one for a loong time. What I'd love to do is this: Download the latest firmwares, drag them onto the microSD card, and the BB3 will update everything it finds a firmware for. No need to have a PC next to your lab supply, no need to download and configure any drivers or software according to multiple (!) tutorials. Just drag&drop, plug&play, done. (An even more fancy idea: since the thing has networking... You could let BB3 download new firmwares from the github release page
)
- The complicated looking update procedure is the main reason why I'm still on v1.0. Download, drag&drop would've been a no-brainer but this is something I have to read through on another day. And while I absolutely appreciate that the firmware can be updated (meaning the device gets better and better over time), this makes me think that not as many people will update their BB3 and they won't do it as frequently as they would otherwise. HOWEVER, as I said, I haven't gone through the procedure, maybe it's already very quick 'n easy and half of my critic here is not right. Would be great! Still want that SD update
Case/Mechanical/Assembly:
- I did not count the screws at the beginning but I know I missed one black screw when I was done. For some reason I have 6 of the silver screws left. Haven't found a hole where they'd be missing... That aside, I do think there should be 1 spare screw of both types, possibly even a third of the longer black ones. Since there're only 2 (3) different screw types, this shouldn't add too much cost and would help in case you loose one. Especially since quite a few BB3 users will open their case again to upgrade/change the modules - another chance to loose a screw. I thought about this when I realized there were no extra screws. And I really wished it when I realized I missed one. Don't want to blame anyone but I assembled it on a clean table with a clean, white floor underneath and I can not find it. So yeah, I'm probably blind.
- The screws that hold the display are rusted...? Is that normal?
- About half of the threads in the case had paint in them which made it pretty hard to force the screw in. At least they won't get lose! Don't know if this can be avoided or not; just wanted to note it.
- The top case is slightly bended (higher in the middle); it can be pushed down about 2mm. Additionally, because it's screwed down on only two axes (left and right on the same place), the top part can be slightly pushed forwards/backwards and doesn't line up with the bottom part. Both things are purely cosmetic and no real issues but IMO this does not match the quality and feeling of the other parts. Take the bottom half; that one feels rock solid. Second reason for brining it up: both things could be fixed with one minor change I think: add 1 screw between front panel and top case, and 1 between back panel and top case. This should not only prevent the forward/backward fexibility but also hold the top piece down properly for an overall even more rigid feeling.
- The cable for the fan is about 3cm too short? I can't put it the way as shown in the assembly manual. If I put it from the connector down between the DC/DC converters and the heatsink, there's not enough length to put it against the backplate; it goes straight to the fan. (think of a triangle. hypotenuse is shorter than the other two sides together). Is this meant to be like this? Again, doesn't cause any issues I think but didn't seem right to me...
- A true detail: Every word on the front panel and on the module front panels has the first letter in upper case - as I'd expect it. Except of two things: SD
card, which is fine IMO, and "Open hardware /
open source". The second open in lower case does not look right to me; doesn't match the first one. You dont write "Dual sync buck" instead of "Dual Sync Buck" either. Not 100% sure if the "hardware" and "source" should be upper case, too, but at least the two "open" must be equal IMO. As I said, a detail, but one I'll see every single time I use the BB3 - which will hopefully be very often
The Rotay Encoder
Now this one deserves its own section in my post because it was honestly the biggest disappointment. From your videos I can see that you don't use the encoder that much and prefer the keypad. I tried both and the encoder is really the thing that suits me the best. I'm sure this is very individual and every one will come up with a different habit that seems perfect to him/her. The most natural feeling way for me is touch the value, turn the knob. I don't use the keypad, I don't use the knob's push button to cycle through the values. What made it even more disappointing is that I absolutely believe that it could be possible to set values very fast. Like "I don't miss the 4 potentiometers from my analog supply at all" kind of fast. So here we go with my issues...
- For some reason the encoder does not sit straight. This means that the knob is too close to the front panel in one point and depending on how I turn it, scratches over the front panel. This feels really really cheap. I might even open it again and try to resolder the encoder to fix this.
- The knob sits rather loose on the encoder shaft. Being a big know makes it look even worse. Again, very cheap feeling to me.
- The encoder itself has no decent ticks but feels rather soft and spongy - again, a big knob doesn't help. Big knob = large radius = large lever arm => soft spongy ticks feel even more soft.
- The velocity control does not work
at all for me. So I did play quite a bit with it and here's the issue (I think): the velocity increases only after about half a turn. If you turn the knob a quarter turn you won't get very far no matter how fast you do it. However, if I turn the knob with two finger, half a turn is the most I can turn it; usually more like 1/3 of a turn. If the knob was smaller, it would be more; maybe someone with bigger hands can turn this big knob a full turn but I cant. Same thing if you turn it with one finger by putting it on the side; you get about 1/3 of a turn.
So for my usual way(s) of using a knob velocity control is de facto inactive, making the knob de facto useless.
The only way to really get velocity control is to put one finger on the front of the knob and turn around (which includes slipping off). Then you can turn it a full revolution (before slipping of) and velocity control becomes veeery visible. But as described above; for the way I use a knob this is much too late.
Bottom line: please adjust the velocity control such that you can easily get across the range with 1/3 turns. I know it's possible. And I'm pretty sure some knobs I've used recognize when you to multiple quick movements (like you usually do with two fingers), and don't restart for every 1/3 turn at "zero velocity". One might say they have a bit more inertia.
- Even worse: If I have the velocity settings not at maximum (gets worse the lower you go), I can turn the knob and individual steps don't do anything anymore. I can turn the knob a whole revolution without changing the value. I think 1 tick should
always do something.
Using BB3 and its UI (reminder: v1.0!)
- While I said above that I do think it's well made in most parts, it does make a ... convoluted? impression. Even though I know what is what, the overview with the 4 channels (I have 2x DCP405 + 1x DCM220) does somehow not look "clear", "stuctured". I honestly can't tell you why.
- When I tested it for the first time I turned on Channel 1 (first DCP405); fine. Tipped on channel 2 (second DCP405) - and I get a warning that its not calibrated. Okay, no worries, let's do it - but nooo I can't. This thing comes out of the box with a cal password. Okay, it's nice to have that option, but the few people who need this, will find the option because button for changing the cal password sits right next to the button for the main password - no chance to miss it. But everyone else (and seriously, how many people really want this?) has additional work with this. And especially during the very first "hands on", I shouldn't have to search through the manual for some default password... Even worse - I can't remove the thing? I can't leave the password blank when changing it? Might someone explain, why I, as a private user, would need to be
forced to password protect the calibration routine?
- This point I'll bet that it's been fixed by now: There's the Settings point "Encoder & User sw" but I don't see any settings for the user sw? Maybe I'd have to read through the manual in detail but so far I haven't found any option or setting for that switch.
- I kinda mentionned it in the positive points but that beep thingy sounds "not good"; rather cheapish-annoying. Might be highly subjective; maybe other users like it.
-
Now this is serious IMO. Using the DCP405 modules (happens with both of them). When I have the current limit at 8mA or lower and I short the output, it does not recover correctly after removing the short. Voltage was around 10V, but doesn't seem to matter. What happens is that the voltage stays slightly below the set value (f.ex. 11.5V instead of 12V) and the CC LED remains on. Current stays at the limit until I increase it to about 10mA or higher. Only then the current will drop back to 0 and I can decrease the limit again. MAYBE this a soldering fault on
both of my modules...? One of them hat 2 capacitors that fell of the board, and a third one with a bad solder joint. Additionally I just noticed that that module must have at least one more bad solder joint, because the CC LED started flickering, and reacts if I knock on the case. Any ideas? That aside, the issue that it does not recover after entering current limiting mode is equally present on the other DCP405 module. I couldn't find any bad solder joints on that one but maybe I missed something?
Okay, finally, I'm done (or forgot the remaining points). If you read through all of this, I do hope it's useful. Thank you for all of your work, and in case all of this sounds too negative, you should know that I don't regret to have opted for the BB3 and would do it again.
Max
Home
Help
Search
Login
Register
