Trying to figure out some basics about cost, robustness, maintenance, repair in case of deploying hundreds of Teensy boards, to rack mounts.
There are two possible approaches:
a) make each node a separate Teensy + custom shield/breakout. 3d-print a box for each, or a rack mount box for many.
b) make a custom carrier PCB that has all the breakout connectors, possibly even power, for many Teensy boards (on headers)
In the second case - multiple Teensy share a single large "shield" - physical force from plug/unplug does not hit the individual Teensy boards, defective Teensy boards can be swapped on the headers, all the breakout connectors - RJ45, USB - can be multi-port jacks and, parts permitting, can even be screw-secured to a single custom faceplate instead of just soldered. Sounds like a win?
Has anybody done something like that, say for an LED installation?
The spoiler is the Teensy on-board micro-USB.
I have to use that port, and need access to it.
There are test pads, but there is really no way to route it to pins / to a header?
I could try something like plugging a micro USB male breakout into every Teensy, and then putting both Teensy and micro USB breakout as a unit into properly arranged headers, to route to faceplate sockets from there.
Or I'll just mount the Teensy boards side-by-side on the carrier PCB along the edge, micro-USB facing forward.
That makes it a PCB N Teensy wide and barely one Teensy-plus deep.
Or two Teensy-plus deep if I use the opposing edge as well, might be crap in a rackmount.
Any existing project references, parts suggestions, alternatives?
There are two possible approaches:
a) make each node a separate Teensy + custom shield/breakout. 3d-print a box for each, or a rack mount box for many.
b) make a custom carrier PCB that has all the breakout connectors, possibly even power, for many Teensy boards (on headers)
In the second case - multiple Teensy share a single large "shield" - physical force from plug/unplug does not hit the individual Teensy boards, defective Teensy boards can be swapped on the headers, all the breakout connectors - RJ45, USB - can be multi-port jacks and, parts permitting, can even be screw-secured to a single custom faceplate instead of just soldered. Sounds like a win?
Has anybody done something like that, say for an LED installation?
The spoiler is the Teensy on-board micro-USB.
I have to use that port, and need access to it.
There are test pads, but there is really no way to route it to pins / to a header?
I could try something like plugging a micro USB male breakout into every Teensy, and then putting both Teensy and micro USB breakout as a unit into properly arranged headers, to route to faceplate sockets from there.
Or I'll just mount the Teensy boards side-by-side on the carrier PCB along the edge, micro-USB facing forward.
That makes it a PCB N Teensy wide and barely one Teensy-plus deep.
Or two Teensy-plus deep if I use the opposing edge as well, might be crap in a rackmount.
Any existing project references, parts suggestions, alternatives?