Any way to speed up (at least part of) my dock order?

Scott W Wood

I posted one of the $9 support donations in exchange for the Omega 2 plus package back last year. Having worked quite a deal with Raspberry Pi, ESP8266, Arduino, ATTiny, etc. I assumed I could just hook it up to a 3.3v power source and work with it. As I was waiting for them to start shipping, I also decided to post one of the bundle submissions once they announced the original package was actually on it's way -- and I did.
The first Omega 2 finally showed up a few weeks ago and around the same time I got the survey link to select my preferred docks/shields for the bundle I had just recently added. I filled it out and then also tacked on a mini-USB dock 'ala carte' as well as the GPRS/GSM shield.

When I finally went to hook the Omega 2 up, it got stuck in a boot loop using just my peg-board power supply. I saw on various forums that quick boot looping was likely a sign of not enough power. I then dug out a beefier 3.3v buck converter and plugged it to the iomega power. The boot went much further but still eventually froze, I'm guessing when it was trying to start the WiFi. Further reading on forums showed that a number of people were running into this, generally when they were trying to power it directly as I was. The guesses as to the problem was noise or inconsistency in the power source.
Most of the recommendations were to use one of the docks that had capacitors to buffer the power input properly and most of the responses were that using a dock solved the problem(s) for those who had been getting the same freeze-up that I was.

In the meantime, I can't use my Omega 2 apparently until I either figure out how to build a capacitor buffer myself to meet it's needs or until my docks show up. Yet there seems to be no hints yet that my dock order has even been fulfilled no less shipped.

I'm wondering if there is any way I can get at least the mini-USB dock that I ordered ala-cart (separate from the bundle) shipped early so I can start playing with my existing Omega 2 while waiting for the second one and the other bundle-docks/shields to arrive?

SW

Luciano S.

@Scott-W-Wood said in Any way to speed up (at least part of) my dock order?:

In the meantime, I can't use my Omega 2 apparently until I either figure out how to build a capacitor buffer myself to meet it's needs or until my docks show up.

Before you make it complicated, did you read how to power the Omega without a dock (Manual & Requests)?
Example:
https://docs.onion.io/omega2-docs/hardware-prep-no-dock.html

I do not see anything about a capacitor there ?! If the Manual not works for you please make an issue on Github. It seams that you have a gift to be a good writer

Alternatively you could make a request to buy used hardware from ppl who gave up with the omega. Just don't buy it again from the other end of the World.

Chris Stratton

@Luciano-S. said in Any way to speed up (at least part of) my dock order?:

https://docs.onion.io/omega2-docs/hardware-prep-no-dock.html

I do not see anything about a capacitor there ?!

The suggestion to use an LD1117 without even bypass capacitors is quite mistaken, apparently indicative of what someone got away with rather than what should be done. All one needs to do is compare the recommendations of the LD1117's own data sheet to see that the page you link is wrong. That's even more true when there is substantial lead length between the regulator and the load, as in the picture.

Beyond the issue of bypass and filter capacitors being sound general practice, the thing about the MT7688 is that while the average power consumption is low, it has demand peaks on the order of twice the typical consumption, and capacitors are important to locally supply those needs when the ultimate regulator can't respond quickly enough.

Anecdotally one thing that does seem to work fairly well for MT7688 boards in general as an upstream regulator is Adafruit's LM3671 breakout, fed in turn from a solid 5v or 6v source. As a switching regulator it is more energy efficient, and it has at least some on-board capacitance. In comparison, I've had the exact same hardware that works well on this regulator, frequently crash and reboot on other supplies - particular at the point when wifi is starting up.

Luciano S.

@Chris-Stratton , great thanks for your correction. Would be nice if you could make a reasonable proposal where would fit also in small budget valets and propose this on Github.

Please take in consideration that we are a:

International Community
Persons with very different knowledge
Because being international not everyone has easy access to companies as Addfruit etc.

Thx, i hope you don't see this as educational ... more as motivation to work with the community sharing good knowledge

Scott W Wood

Did I ask how to configured a power source for my iOmega? I asked if there is any way to speed up my ala carte portion of my order. I did this on the instruction of the email support address which said, and I quote:

Please create a thread in https://community.onion.io/ and we will respond to you there.

Regards,
Senthooran

This after I asked the same question in an email. I guess that was a lie. Oh wait, I got responses. Just not to the actual question I asked. (hint: it's in the SUBJECT)

Luciano S.

@Scott-W-Wood said in Any way to speed up (at least part of) my dock order?:

Did I ask how to configured a power source for my iOmega?

Not really, but speed up your request is quite impossible because there are thousands of others who wait to ... so to speed up you just can do, if you get your hands dirty and do it your self!

A free tip for you ... just check your power equipment again and use shorter but thicker cable ... this might solve your problem ... with or without capacitor.

BTW, please don't blame us. We try to help ... and we not get paid for it. I got also a bit pissed off that they send you here with your logistical problem.

P.S.
To power the Omega is just one of the other challenges you have to go thru