Whatever Happened to the uSupply Project?

Whatever Happened to the uSupply Project?

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#ElectronicsCreators #uSupply

[andreipurdea]

Dave, if you truly have abandoned this project, please consider making it open hardware especially the schematics, but maybe also the pcb files if you are able. Someone (maybe even me in the future) might take it and replace the custom components with off-the-shelf ones to have a less-"cute" but fully opensource DIY-buildable project. It would be valuable to have such a project available because people can customize it without having to reinvent the entire wheel, and also could potentially be useful as an educational tool, and all of that works even if it costs more to build than existing commercial offerings. You can always archive the repository to avoid gitlab merge requests directed at you, and make it clear in the readme that no support is offered. I suppose you can specify in your license that any derivatives can't use your branding, to completely eliminate any support load. As it is the existing opensource firmware, except for its completely hardware-abstracted portions, is not so useful for me since I don't even have a pcb to reverse engineer and to match it to.

[IanScottJohnston]

I don't blame Dave for not continuing the project a huge amount of work in every aspect from development all the way through to after sales a project with hardware and software.

[leokolln]

Open Source the software!
I'm sure there is a lot of people who would love to work on it!

[motherjoon]

Miniware did the job. But, USB-C isolators don’t exist yet. Dave, if you could re-spin the idea into a USB-C PD isolator, then that product may sell great! If I could send in 20V 5A from a USB-C and get almost that on the other end, I’d be interested. If this isolator supports the new 249W usb-c standard, then it’d be uber amazing

[nickc]

You could just open source and publish the design files and firmware. As for providing support, you could use a software tool (github issues?) to manage the bugs and maybe pump it into the forum. You could always let the community deal with the support and just label the design files saying that.

I know I'd work on this when I have time.

[ulwur]

It'll be hard to cut the cost down with so many custom parts, especially for a device with such a niche use case. A hard sell.
I think Dave was smart and didn't fall for the sunken cost fallicy. It takes courage to kill your babies!

[Stoneman]

This is the first explaination of the uSupply project's end that I've seen. Good to get closure and it makes sense how you ended up there.

A modular bench slimline unit would be most excellent though. More of a kit or what not than an commerical project may suit us hobbyists better?

[scottholmes]

Thanks for the update. It was interesting watching a development project like that. Very strange that it disappeared without even mentioning anything.

[frankbuss]

A Kickstarter would tell you, if people would like it. Set the goal high enough that it makes sense economically to finish the product. You could pay me a bit of it for finishing the software, I could definitely do this, would be fun 🙂

[emjayel]

I would love for you to do a simple power supply project series - something that beginners can follow along with and build at home!

[UpLateGeek]

A compact footprint benchtop power supply, with a nice LCD screen and simple controls, that would be a product I'd be interested in. I don't think you need all those buttons and programmability on the front panel, if you want that it should be via the PC connection. Shove an ardweeboey thing up its clacker, just enough to leave the USB port exposed, and nerds go wild hacking it.

[thomasw]

Stiched together some BMS with 18650s and a buck boost module and off the shelf case. Portable power supply done.
Not programmable though.

[xani]

Isolator is *really* the only feature that it has that was different than stuff that's on market. You can now "just" get a power supply that's USB-C powered, pair it with power bank and you have basically same thing. And it will work with half a dozen of quick charging standards too

[stevehurcombe]

Knowing when to say no, knowing when to stop is a skill that is hard won.

[bitfun]

Why not open source the project? Or maybe at least open source the firmware? I'm sure people would be more than happy to work on it (I personally wouldn't mind)

[piyush]

Appreciate your efforts sir, I got inspired by you in the field of electronics. Hats off to you

[mbak]

You overcomplicated the uSupply by trying to gild every lilly. Pretend that you are in a value engineering team and safely cut out everything that increases the cost. If I want to pull +/- 15v and maybe fixed 5/3.3v out of a box in my pocket then a two line led display is ample. A fully variable output is also no more difficult. Look at the Peak LCR or Transistor testers as examples. Paring a design down to the bare essentials and then cutting further can be very tricky to keep performance and reliability but it would be a better win and I would argue a better learning/teaching experience.

[kreature]

What it needs is a large LiPo cell so it can be used without anything supplying it.
It's then a adjustable powerbank supply.

[HL]

I would love to have a small but powerful battery powered supply. Does not need to be that fancy and overengineered. Standard display, no isolation, but dual batteries (hot swap possible). Maybe one external that snaps onto the back, maybe even use standard drill batteries for that, they have oomph and are readily available. Maybe an additional small internal 60C battery for hotswap capabilities (and standalone capabilities for less demanding applications). Scrub the custom display+transformer, just do UI in software and boom, the project just got a way better capabilities to development cost ratio.

[fredfred]

Dave, I'd buy.

And I know factories in China that could bang these out cheap (with quality).

The software is your copy protection. Only provide the chinese with test software, using jtag or whatever your system uses.

There is a decent profit margin in this thing. You'd easily get your money back and then some.