Amiga.org
Amiga News and Community Announcements => Amiga News and Community Announcements => Topic started by: TheDaddy on October 04, 2012, 03:47:18 PM
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Red and Amber LEDs
(http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/x500nero.jpg)
Blue and Red LEDs
(http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/x500bluered.png)
(http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/x500bluered2.png)
(http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DVDmedia.png)
(http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DVDmedia2.png)
Amiga users just replace the windows keys with the "A[/i]" adhesives from ACube/amigakit....
:D
HD video and photos to follow, price soon after that, those who have registered interest will be first in line.
This last black prototype is now my personal machine (ditched the Antec 300 case, 8GB, ATI 5830 1GB card which has served me well until last night) :)
From the feedback received it looks like the black will be the most requested, later this week I should be testing Mike's fpgaarcade Replay board with it.
I'll keep you posted.
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wow! looks fantastic! great work!
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Can't wait, hope to have the money when it releases!
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great a keyboard with lights... never seen that before.
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looks great post more pics showing the whole thing!
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Nice work! You need to post the angled view from Amigaworld.net so that A1260 can see that it isn't just a "keyboard with lights".
My HP Pavilion dv7 has one of those style keyboards. It took me a while to get used to it, but I like it.
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Just updated on one of the guys' request over at amigaworld.
Replaced the LEDs and took two quick photos...(ARGH! the quality of my mobile sucks especially with poor light!)
I can put my hands on amber, red, blue and green LEDs, for me...red and amber, like my old A500 Plus :D
I'll see if I can find the time to shoot one HD video and take some more pics.
Thanks!
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okay, definately need more pictures of the whole thing, more sexiness :)
Specs? (what fits inside, I mean)
Price?
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Great looking case, but the keyboard looks like its got limited travel.
Can something else be used?
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okay, definately need more pictures of the whole thing, more sexiness :)
Specs?
Price?
The price is not set yet, what I am doing is letting people decide, those who have registered their interest that is.
Why?
Because I've realised that I'll never get anywhere near the development costs (and time) back.
I have completely violated all the laws of economics and entrepreneurship, next time I'll ask Darrin, he seems to know a thing or two about business :D
So people'll decide the price based on what they think it's worth and what they are prepared to spend!
If anyone is interested email me:
amigarulez@hotmail.com
and tell me what you think.
Specs:
The X500 PLUS case comes in black (which seems to be the one everyone wants) and white.
2mm thick aluminium possibly sprayed in matt black or white (still deciding on powder coating, it sounds expensive!)
Plastic sides and cover
Loads of screws! :)
40mm silent fan (white and black)
Full size, low profile, chiclet USB keyboard
Internal USB adapter
3.5" USB card reader (black, can't find a matching white ones just yet)
slim SATA DVD-RW (black)
1x braided and heatshrunk at both ends power LED your choice of colour (amber, blue, green or red)
1x braided and heatshrunk at both ends Hard Drive LED your choice of colour (amber, blue, green or red)
Custom made LED window
Rubber feet
Space for up to 3x 2.5" Solid State Drives (these are the ones to go for as they are silent, fast and use little power and don't produce heat) or 2.5" Hard disk drives
Space for a mini-itx board, x86, PPC, you choose (height of heatsink applies) or flex-atx board (only one expansion slot can be used)
1x low profile expansion slot (for a graphics card - up to 170-180mm long)
1x ON/OFF switch (cheap and cheerful, hidden under the keyboard)
I think that is it... :)
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For the coating, keep in cheap.
Also, make the DVD+RW optional. It adds to the overall cost, adds to the shipping weight and not everybody will want one. It is as much use as tits on a bull to someone who wishes to install a base FPGA Arcade and paying perhaps $50 or more for something useless might just be enough to put them off.
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I should get a quote on the powder coating tomorrow,if too expensive the options are:
1) Leave aluminium coloured :(
2) Bite the bullet
3) Do it myself (but since I am doing most stuff myself I really don't want to primer and spray 20-30-50 cases!) :D
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The price is not set yet, what I am doing is letting people decide, those who have registered their interest that is.
Why?
Because I've realised that I'll never get anywhere near the development costs (and time) back.
I have completely violated all the laws of economics and entrepreneurship, next time I'll ask Darrin, he seems to know a thing or two about business :D
So people'll decide the price based on what they think it's worth and what they are prepared to spend!
If anyone is interested email me:
amigarulez@hotmail.com
and tell me what you think.
Specs:
The X500 PLUS case comes in black (which seems to be the one everyone wants) and white.
2mm thick aluminium possibly sprayed in matt black or white (still deciding on powder coating, it sounds expensive!)
Plastic sides and cover
Loads of screws! :)
40mm silent fan (white and black)
Full size, low profile, chiclet USB keyboard
Internal USB adapter
3.5" USB card reader (black, can't find a matching white ones just yet)
slim SATA DVD-RW (black)
1x braided and heatshrunk at both ends power LED your choice of colour (amber, blue, green or red)
1x braided and heatshrunk at both ends Hard Drive LED your choice of colour (amber, blue, green or red)
Custom made LED window
Rubber feet
Space for up to 3x 2.5" Solid State Drives (these are the ones to go for as they are silent, fast and use little power and don't produce heat) or 2.5" Hard disk drives
Space for a mini-itx board, x86, PPC, you choose (height of heatsink applies) or flex-atx board (only one expansion slot can be used)
1x low profile expansion slot (for a graphics card - up to 170-180mm long)
1x ON/OFF switch (cheap and cheerful, hidden under the keyboard)
I think that is it... :)
That sounds pretty wicked. Any formal process for declaring interest at this point? Obviously first come first serve, but I won't have spare cash for a little while anyways.
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That sounds pretty wicked. Any formal process for declaring interest at this point? Obviously first come first serve, but I won't have spare cash for a little while anyways.
Just email me here:
amigarulez@hotmail.com
Speak to you soon, thanks.
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That sounds pretty wicked. Any formal process for declaring interest at this point? Obviously first come first serve, but I won't have spare cash for a little while anyways.
This guy, TheDaddy, designed the greatest Minimig case I've even imagined: it's a true luxury to look at my Minimig in his glossy black case, with the small lights glowing in the dark like small demon eyes, while I load and play legendary games and demos...
Keep up the good work, Mr L! I've chosen my FPGAARCADE case already after seeing that black beast you posted!
e-mail sent ;)
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Just email me here:
amigarulez@hotmail.com
Speak to you soon, thanks.
Just emailed you earlier :)
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This is such an awesome case! I wish I had the $$$ and the hardware to stick in it!
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It is VERY pretty, but again - a chiclet keyboard?
Brings me back to Coco1 standards (shuddering).
I don't even like those on laptops (where its about your only option).
Then again, I know I'm in the minority when I say I like longer travel keyboards with clicking feedback (like early IBM keyboards - fabulous for touch typing).
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It is VERY pretty, but again - a chiclet keyboard?
Brings me back to Coco1 standards (shuddering).
I don't even like those on laptops (where its about your only option).
Then again, I know I'm in the minority when I say I like longer travel keyboards with clicking feedback (like early IBM keyboards - fabulous for touch typing).
If this had an option for a clicky keyboard, I'd sell a non insignificant amount of grandmothers for it :)
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If this had an option for a clicky keyboard, I'd sell a non insignificant amount of grandmothers for it :)
Ah, someone else that remember that good keyboards used to be an option.
I wish I could find the nimrods that convinced everybody that silent, short travel keys were OK.
You know, I still have two IBM keyboards and an early Tandy I prefer because of the keyswitches they were using at the time.
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Ah, someone else that remember that good keyboards used to be an option.
I wish I could find the nimrods that convinced everybody that silent, short travel keys were OK.
You know, I still have two IBM keyboards and an early Tandy I prefer because of the keyswitches they were using at thre time.
I actually have a really nice IBM model M that I use. I can't really use it right now, since Morph OS is hard to use proper, without windows keys, and I can't get the rebind options in poseidon to work, but once I get a Linux machine again, it'll go right back on!
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I actually have a really nice IBM model M that I use. I can't really use it right now, since Morph OS is hard to use proper, without windows keys, and I can't get the rebind options in poseidon to work, but once I get a Linux machine again, it'll go right back on!
Yeah, I remember those.
If I'm not mistaken, IBM wanted to give them the kind of tactile feedback that you got from a Selectric typewriter keyboard.
Good stuff.
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Well I will be taking the black case and an fpga arcade with the daughterboard as per my e-mail response. That case looks very nice indeed.So sleek and sexy. Is there any use for a dvd player with a full fpga arcade setup or is it redundant.Pardon my ignorance on the matter.
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Well I will be taking the black case and an fpga arcade with the daughterboard as per my e-mail response. That case looks very nice indeed.So sleek and sexy. Is there any use for a dvd player with a full fpga arcade setup or is it redundant.Pardon my ignorance on the matter.
I can't see how we would connect it. The base board has no SATA/PATA connectors and the expension board doesn't either. It does have USB2, so I was planning an external unit. I guess a slimline DVD+RW with a USB adapter slapped onto the connector could be done internally without much trouble. This should do the trick:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2728782&CatId=3770
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Are there anymore pics of this case showing the entire chassis etc? (it looks great!)
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It is VERY pretty, but again - a chiclet keyboard?
Brings me back to Coco1 standards (shuddering).
I don't even like those on laptops (where its about your only option).
Then again, I know I'm in the minority when I say I like longer travel keyboards with clicking feedback (like early IBM keyboards - fabulous for touch typing).
It's an either/or thing for me. If I can't have buckling springs/cherry switches, then I don't want long-travel keys at all.
I've had a mac aluminum chiclet keyboard for at least five years and it's the best membrane keyboard I've ever used.
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@Iggy
I did investigate cherry keyboards (I am old enough to remember, LOL!) but I had to say no as they cost an arm and a leg.
The keyboard on its own, just the board and keys would have cost $120!
I can get the chiclet keyboard for $16 and it's quite good, I find it easy to type on and fits with the overall design and colour scheme. Maybe one day, it could come as an upgrade... :D
Regarding the DVD-RW drives...all the cases will have one then you do what you want with them :D need to cover the hole as I have no time to also make a cover...I think the drive could connect to via SATA to USB internal adapter, like Darrin says, need to check with Mike though.
I did consider an Apple keyboard but again cost and somehow it felt wrong :)
This one is good I believe and cheap so a compromise ;)
I'll see if I can find the time to take more photos and maybe a video this week end.
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Prefer the keyboard on my Sony laptop, has good feedback when typing even though it's not a "long travel" keyboard.
As for the clicking of old it is just annoying, over the years I've developed a hatred for loud keyboards. Grating to the ears :-/
Would love one of these cases for my Amiga 500plus to go in, but would need to mod it a bit for the ports to line up :-(
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I am divided on this, I love both types although a pure Cherry switched keyboard is really noisy and needs rubber grommets to absorb some of the sound, on the other hand they are precise and perfect for typists and gamers...but they are also incredibly expensive, but they last longer...ah dilemmas! :-)
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It's an either/or thing for me. If I can't have buckling springs/cherry switches, then I don't want long-travel keys at all.
I've had a mac aluminum chiclet keyboard for at least five years and it's the best membrane keyboard I've ever used.
Yeah, the type of long travel keyswitches I'm thinking of go down just so far then drop with an audible click. Cherry made good ones and so did a few other companies.
I'm no fan of mushy long travel keys either.
But, the daddy says this is out of our price range. So, chiclets it is.
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Don't get me wrong I love mechanical keyboards and I would have gone that way hadn't it been for the price, they are really expensive...if I can get some money back from this project maybe one day ;)
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Don't get me wrong I love mechanical keyboards and I would have gone that way hadn't it been for the price, they are really expensive...if I can get some money back from this project maybe one day ;)
Not a problem.
The case looks great and the thick metal housing should be great for cooling and really impressive looking.
Also, there's nothing to prevent one of from modifying it (or just plugging in a keyboard).
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I can't see how we would connect it. The base board has no SATA/PATA connectors and the expension board doesn't either. It does have USB2, so I was planning an external unit. I guess a slimline DVD+RW with a USB adapter slapped onto the connector could be done internally without much trouble. This should do the trick:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2728782&CatId=3770
I guess an external dvd player unit makes more sense. Best for me to order it without a dvd-r player then.
Do we have amiga dvd playing software?
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I'm confused.
You want to hook a DVD drive to a Replay board?
Why?
There's no software that would support that.
I'm not even sure how compatible a CD drive hooked to a USB port would be.
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I'm confused.
You want to hook a DVD drive to a Replay board?
Why?
There's no software that would support that.
I'm not even sure how compatible a CD drive hooked to a USB port would be.
Connecting a DVD drive to a replay is the same as connecting a DVD drive to a real Classic Amiga:
Burn your own CD/DVDs using existing Classic software
Run CD based games.
Load CD based software archives.
The Replay's USB connections on the expansion board will use the Poseidon stack as used by most Classic machines.
I use a DVD+RW connected to my USB port on my A4000. It works fine. You can install OS3.9 off it too (once you've installed OS3.1 on your HD and installed the Deneb software).
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I guess an external dvd player unit makes more sense. Best for me to order it without a dvd-r player then.
Do we have amiga dvd playing software?
Even an expanded classic Amiga can't play DVDs. I've read that to play a simple MPEG using Frogger requires a PPC card on a Classic.
The CD32 only managed to play VideoCDs by using an FMV cartridge.
FryingPan seems to be the most popular CD/DVD buring software.
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Connecting a DVD drive to a replay is the same as connecting a DVD drive to a real Classic Amiga:
Burn your own CD/DVDs using existing Classic software
Run CD based games.
Load CD based software archives.
The Replay's USB connections on the expansion board will use the Poseidon stack as used by most Classic machines.
I use a DVD+RW connected to my USB port on my A4000. It works fine. You can install OS3.9 off it too (once you've installed OS3.1 on your HD and installed the Deneb software).
That's an interesting option.
So 3.1 and 3.9 will accept a DVD-R as a storage device.
That one's news to me.
And really interesting when you consider how much older the Amiga is when compared to DVD technology.
Darrin, what kind of software do you use that can properly recognize and format writable DVDs?
You know, you're really tempting me to invest back in legacy hardware.
Yet another question. Does the Deneb have an internal USB connection?
I'm beginning to think that an A4000 with a PC floppy drive connected via a Catweasel and a DVD-R drive both installed internally might be fun.
One final question. How come no one has tried to create drivers for DXR2
and DXR3 cards so the Amiga could play back DVDs and Mpeg2s?
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That's an interesting option.
So 3.1 and 3.9 will accept a DVD-R as a storage device.
That one's news to me.
And really interesting when you consider how much older the Amiga is when compared to DVD technology.
I assume it boils down to the installed device drivers and file formats which tend to get updated.
Darrin, what kind of software do you use that can properly recognize and format writable DVDs?
You know, you're really tempting me to invest back in legacy hardware.
Personally, I use my DVD+RW just for reading data. I know you can write it because I've received burned media and it works. Plus you can check out MAKECD and FRYINGPAN via their web pages. I have to assume they work as I've never personally used them.
To quote from a user group discussing this issue "As a side note, you can install a CD/DVD burner drive and access data DVDs with an Amiga CD filesystem if those DVDs are burned in ISO9660 format rather thanUDF or something else."
So I guess my burned disks are ISO9660.
Yet another question. Does the Deneb have an internal USB connection?
Yes, it has one internal connector (with an external type header). Picture here:
http://amiga.erkan.se/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/indivision-a4000-cd32-6.JPG
You can see the two ports closest to you getting routed to the back panel, and then next to them is another port attached to the board.
So you could either place something like an external USB hard drive inside the case using this port, or do something like I did with my A4000 and use a simple USB male/female cable and a dremel to run this internal header to a slot cut on the front of my case.
Here's a pic of what I did. I used the empty 2nd floppy slot to mount a CF card reader and a front USB port (see the red light next to the CF card reader? That's an inserted memory stick):
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/darrin01311/A4000a.jpg)
You can see my black HP USB external DVD+RW drive on the right.
I'm beginning to think that an A4000 with a PC floppy drive connected via a Catweasel and a DVD-R drive both installed internally might be fun.
I've got the standard HD internal floppy drive on my A4000, but I also have a Walmart USB floppy attached to the Deneb (obviously it will not read/write Amiga formatted disks though). Actually, there isn't much point to it, but it is there for show. :D
One final question. How come no one has tried to create drivers for DXR2
and DXR3 cards so the Amiga could play back DVDs and Mpeg2s?
Good question. Unfortunately when it comes to CD/DVD media on the Classic Amiga I'm a "read only" sort of guy. I guess I need to experiment with the software on my AmigaOne X1000.
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I'm afraid my system looks a bit different now as I bought a Mediator and put it into a tower case:
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/darrin01311/A4000Ts.jpg)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/darrin01311/A4000sideSMALL.jpg)
I've changed the top two 5.25" into removeable hard drive slots. Makes it easier to swap hard drives between my PC (for WinUAE) and my A4000. Plus I wanted to be able to insert different hard drives depending on what OS I wanted to run (3.1, 3.9, ClassicWB, AROS, etc).
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I'm afraid my system looks a bit different now as I bought a Mediator and put it into a tower case:
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/darrin01311/A4000Ts.jpg)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b134/darrin01311/A4000sideSMALL.jpg)
I've changed the top two 5.25" into removeable hard drive slots. Makes it easier to swap hard drives between my PC (for WinUAE) and my A4000. Plus I wanted to be able to insert different hard drives depending on what OS I wanted to run (3.1, 3.9, ClassicWB, AROS, etc).
Nice.
Looks like every PC I've ever owned though because I never seem to have the side panels on.
Is that a case designed for a mediator equipped 4000, or a modified standard AT/ATX tower.
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Nice.
Looks like every PC I've ever owned though because I never seem to have the side panels on.
Yeah, it has lost the charm of the original case. :(
Is that a case designed for a mediator equipped 4000, or a modified standard AT/ATX tower.
It is the Elbox case for the A4000. So now my towered A4000 looks just like my towered A1200. :D
I got it online with the Mediator board. At least buying an Elbox case with an Elbox expansion board meant that everything fitted perfectly and the slots all line up.
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Congratulations for this piece of art!
Sorry for not answering you sooner!
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It looks really great!
I hope I can afford one or two of them.
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Thanks guys, appreciated.
I'll post some more pics later.
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Also, make the DVD+RW optional.
I agree.
I, for one, wouldn't want one, really...
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Here's a pic of what I did. I used the empty 2nd floppy slot to mount a CF card reader and a front USB port (see the red light next to the CF card reader? That's an inserted memory stick):
.
Would that work on a A1200T?
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Would that work on a A1200T?
I'm not sure if the Subway has an internal USB connector. If so then yes. As for the CF card reader, you can buy IDE models that will fit into available bays, so I'd try one of them.
The problem I see with CF card readers is that some work and some don't. In my experience I've had to set the card reader to "MASTER" (so make sure you get one with a jumper). I've also had issues prepping and formatting the CF card with an AmigaOS. Some cards seem to work fine while others are really picky. One example was a card that wouldn't prep and format on the A4000 (it would go through the motions of prepping, but wouldn't format correctly later), but if I prepped it on my A2000 then it would then work fine on the A4000!
At least if you buy from Amigakit you know you'll have no issues, otherwise be prepared for some frustration.
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gimme gimme gimme
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:)
Added two photos of the left side; DVD-RW and 3.5" card reader...
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Added the Cola test... :)
(http://www.loriano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/colatest.png)
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Nice. Now get them into production quick because you know "somebody" is going to try and copy your work.