Case incorporating AdaFruit 16x2 LCD Plate

[stuartw]

Hi,

First post here, although have been following these forums for some time.

I've seen a few posts asking about cases that would incorporate the Adafruit LCD, so wanted to show a project I have been working on with ModMyPi over the last few months, resulting in this:



The next step is trying to find a way of adding the keypad buttons to the front of the case. Open to suggestions on this

Unfortunately, the cost of producing just one of these is quite high, however a run is likely to be cheaper, so raise your hands if you're interested

Stuart

[canibalimao]

You can change the flat button by a couple of tall buttons like these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-Pcs-Round-Sh ... 4ac08ddc39

This or glue a piece of plastic on top of each button....

[indo]

This looks really nice! (y)
You could add mounting for a GPIO IR receiver, like this for instance http://www.adafruit.com/products/157

[marks1710]

Looks very nice!
I'm interested, I hope you can solve the button access.
Mark

[FedoraPi]

I would rather like one of these. I feel these would be easy to sell, maybe on Adafruit; so make a lot and reduce cost?

[liudr]

How many buttons do you want and in what kind of layout? What does it look like inside the box?

I have several serial LCD face plates that you could take a look here:

http://www.inmojo.com/store/liudr-ardui ... phi-panel/

The one with matrix keypad is most popular. It has integrated multitap. I enable multitap every time before using it to enter a wifi password (numbers characters upper/lower and symbol)

[canibalimao]

How many buttons do you want and in what kind of layout? What does it look like inside the box?

The kit is this one: http://www.adafruit.com/products/1115

It fits perfectly on top of the Raspberry Pi, but if you're using a case you can't use it. The buttons are too low...

[liudr]

Then you will have to use buttons with long shafts or special buttons that can wear a cap to increase height. Do you have pictures of the inside of your box i.e. how they fit together? Can you design some circuit boards yourself like this type?

http://www.inmojo.com/store/liudr-ardui ... -20x4-lcd/

See picture 4 for the circuit board that supports a rotary encoder (up/down/enter) and 6 buttons. Picture 3 is how it is mounted on the back side of the face plate.

Can you make bushing inside your top box cover to screw something onto it? It would look very nice if you don't have screws sticking up like mine does

It seems the module is just s dummy I2C port extender. Are you polling the device to get the buttons or using some interrupts?

[emuboy]

This is my versione

[liudr]

Neat! That was a lot of holes drilled to spell Rpi.

[stuartw]

I would rather like one of these. I feel these would be easy to sell, maybe on Adafruit; so make a lot and reduce cost?

The case is a modified ModMyPi model. They produced this one-off as a proof of concept, but may be prepared to make a run if there was enough interest.

[FunkyMrMagic]

Appreciate that I'm quite late to this conversation, but I'd be interested in one of these. What about incorporating a cutout into the case to allow button access, rather than trying to extend the buttons? Something like this:

[txt3rob]

i need a case like this also for mine!

[txt3rob]

This is my versione

what was the box this was made from?

[jfornango]

Just based on the the picture, that appears to have been printed with a 3D printer. Looks like your basic black ABS. Very nice, actually.

[stuartw]

Correct, it was printed on a 3D printer as a prototype. I'd say contact modmypi (www.modmypi.com) as they still have the design plans I produced...

[mrlinux2u]

Wait a few weeks, I'm in the process of designing a suitable case based on my existing designs for texy, more news (and pics) to follow soon...

[tonyhughes]

Wait a few weeks, I'm in the process of designing a suitable case based on my existing designs for texy, more news (and pics) to follow soon...

Any update to this?

[mrlinux2u]

Wait a few weeks, I'm in the process of designing a suitable case based on my existing designs for texy, more news (and pics) to follow soon...

Any update to this?

Hi Tony,

I've done the initial design and ground work, just waiting for a complete AdaFruit LCD to arrive so I can double check measurements etc.

I'll post more updates when I can.

cheers

mrlinux2u

[tonyhughes]

No worries. Keen to get something nice so I can have the Ada fruit LCD and pi on my lounge wall.

My LCD shipped yesterday and will take ten days to arrive. Let me know if I can help with measurements at all.

[mrlinux2u]

Hi Tony,

Not a problem, and thanks for the offer of help with measurements, I may take you up on that

Just so you get a rough idea of what the case will look like I've attached a pic of my existing case that Texy uses for his TFT Shield, the top piece will just have a suitable cut-out (one for the buttons and one for the LCD display itself) to house the adafruit display.

Cheers for now

mrlinux2u

[mrlinux2u]

Bit of an update..

I've got my adafruit display and I'm in the process of getting some test samples cut, so I hopefully will post some pics next week. I'm also working on a Pibow add-on that'll let you use the adafruit display in that type of case as well, it'll look similar to the attached pic, but will have a cut-out to access the buttons.

Cheers for now

mrlinux2u

Quick question, would there be a market for a Pibow case mod that works with the adafruit display?

[mrlinux2u]

Quick update for anyone who's interested...

I'm getting my 1st test cases early next week, one custom designed case like I did for texy, and one that's a Pibow mod, pics to follow ASAP.

Cheers

mrlinux2u

[Douglas6]

Following with interest. It would be the perfect case for the upnp control point I'm working on.
Have you considered a version with holes for panel mount switches, or better a panel mount 5-way nav switch (if I could find one for less than the cost of the Pi itself)?

[mrlinux2u]

If there was sufficient interest, then maybe yes I could - but I'd need to get hold of approriate switches etc to make the holes the correct size, and I'd need at least 10 people interested in such a case to make it worth my while.

However, I'll keep it in mind and see how it goes

Cheers

mrlinux2u

btw, I do offer a custom case design service like I did for texy's case, but again you'd need to order at least 10 cases.