[HN Gopher] Mainboard Terminal - A Retro-Style Computer with a M...
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       Mainboard Terminal - A Retro-Style Computer with a Modern Core
        
       Author : ingve
       Score  : 159 points
       Date   : 2022-05-15 12:02 UTC (10 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (github.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (github.com)
        
       | Animats wrote:
       | That's a fun use of a round screen. Round screens are made for
       | automotive gauges. You can even get round touchscreens.[1]
       | There's potential for a round phone, as a teen fashion accessory.
       | 
       | [1] https://www.displaymodule.com/products/dm-tftr34-359
        
         | skykooler wrote:
         | It would be neat to build a phone in the form factor of a
         | pocketwatch.
        
         | grishka wrote:
         | One Black Mirror episode had these really cool round phone-like
         | devices: https://m.media-
         | amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTg1NDE1MTEzMF5BMl5B...
        
         | rpmisms wrote:
         | If I could find an SBC that could fit in this footprint/also
         | drive that display, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
        
         | robin_reala wrote:
         | The Motorola Aura[1] had a round screen. There was also going
         | to be a round wooden FirefoxOS phone[2] but it never launched
         | in the end.
         | 
         | [1] https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_aura-2562.php
         | 
         | [2] https://liliputing.com/2015/03/runcible-is-a-circular-
         | firefo...
        
       | samstave wrote:
       | Dopes.
       | 
       | What was the final BOM cost?
       | 
       | How much was the actual screen?
       | 
       | Can you daisy-chain multiples of the screens? What would it take
       | to make same but with three round screens?
        
         | yokoprime wrote:
         | There is a parts list with links in the github. Based on the
         | prices for similar screens on aliexpress its about 150 USD for
         | just the round LCD panel
        
           | boomskats wrote:
           | I think that original set of XDA canvas keycaps is probably
           | another ~$100 nowadays
        
       | digitalsankhara wrote:
       | Great work, love the design!
       | 
       | I now want to write a steam punk style sci-fi movie just to see
       | these machines in it! :-)
        
       | metmac wrote:
       | Feels very much in the realm of Love Hulten's design language.
       | 
       | All it's missing is a half sphere dome lens in front of the
       | panel.
       | 
       | https://www.lovehulten.com/
        
         | bullfightonmars wrote:
         | Wow! These are all real things! I thought they were photoshop
         | mockups, but no they seem to all be physical devices. I am not
         | convinced that all the switches and dials actually function,
         | but still these are beautiful.
        
       | yissp wrote:
       | I'm excited to see more cool projects like this based on the
       | Framework mainboard.
        
         | nrp wrote:
         | Also just released today from the Mainboard developer program:
         | https://github.com/brickbots/framedeck
        
       | sprash wrote:
       | If you want to display a square Terminal as round circle maybe
       | use this technique: https://www.shadertoy.com/view/3dsSWs
        
       | signa11 wrote:
       | screenshots without running the xscreensaver radar ping is such a
       | cop-out
        
       | dijit wrote:
       | I'd buy one for the novelty (if the price is ~$1,000), but I'm
       | unlikely to try building one.
       | 
       | Still, very cool and quite fun.
       | 
       | I wonder if it makes sense (if you want a circular display) to
       | instead use the same display as a NEST.
        
       | BaculumMeumEst wrote:
       | How do you enter braces or square brackets with that keyboard?
        
         | fifticon wrote:
         | Hold down modifier, those keyboards have 'planes'.
        
           | fifticon wrote:
           | Ie the keys on either side of spacebar switch between layers.
        
       | emteycz wrote:
       | This is really lovely, gives me ST: TOS vibes. There are also
       | some CRT-like video filters (shaders), that could be nice on this
       | too.
        
       | rbanffy wrote:
       | Next step obviously is the dual round screen of the iconic CDC
       | 6x00 console.
        
       | rpmisms wrote:
       | Absolutely phenomenal keyboard choice, too. If you haven't tried
       | an ortholinear keyboard, get thee to Drop.com and get a Preonic.
        
         | breakingcups wrote:
         | What is the advantage of a keyboard like that?
        
           | rpmisms wrote:
           | It's compact, more ergonomic, easier to touch-type on (no
           | need to remember offsets), and it looks really really cool.
           | If you were pitching it to a VC, you'd call it KBRD,
           | pronounced "Awesome"
        
         | nickstinemates wrote:
         | Ortho keyboards are awesome, and the Preonic is _very_ easy to
         | assemble.
         | 
         | It took me some commitment to be able to type on one
         | effectively - and then swapping back to a normal layout was
         | frustrating, but after a while you can swap between both
         | without much of a hassle. I like them both for different
         | applications, but also I just like changing things up
         | sometimes.
        
           | rpmisms wrote:
           | I always cycle out my keyboards. I alternate between using a
           | Planck with Boba U4Ts, a Preonic with Halo Trues, and the
           | Macbook keyboard. I'm adding a Nyquist to that list soon,
           | just need to decide if I want to use
           | Bobagums/NK_Silk/NK_Cream or fully commit and make some Holy
           | Bobas.
           | 
           | It's a really nice way to add variety to the relative
           | monotony of my day-to-day, and my carpal tunnel has seriously
           | improved.
        
             | nickstinemates wrote:
             | I tend to stick to linear switches. I think I've tried them
             | all (all of the popular and semi-popular ones, anyway, not
             | necessarily the random japanese ones) - most of my
             | keyboards have them. I also like different styles/layouts
             | like Alice, Splits, Ortho's, and more standard.
             | 
             | My fav is a 40% alice.
             | 
             | I usually have different keyboards for different types of
             | activities, or games. I like playing Path of Exile on an
             | Ortho as an example. But World of Warcraft I play on a
             | larger keyboard, 65%. Programming is alltogether different,
             | where general web browsing/forum commenting/twitter I am
             | not so picky.
        
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       (page generated 2022-05-15 23:01 UTC)